ESC 2017: THE BATTLE IS STILL ON - GOING FOR RISKY OR SAFE?

Back to the original plan. Or rather the original date as the original plan was to have two finalists but instead we have three. First the chosen one was ment to be out today, after EBU had inspected the plans and venues, but no. This blogger thinks it's more due to the fact that none of the bids is strong enough rather than they are all so great it's hard to choose. Don't get me wrong, I totally back the Ukrainian hosting and believe they can host a wonderful event, but each bid seems to have something wrong or at least not quite there. If only we could take the best parts of each of them ...

UPDATE: Surprise! The date hasn't been confirmed. The decision could take still a week or two. That only indicates there are valid problems to be solved in all three bids. Infrastructure and security are among main issues to be solved. Plus arenas in ALL cities....

Dnipro seems to have it all right for the venue and the rest; arena, press center and Euroclub all together. The venue needs a face lift though and the airport isn't exactly the best served one. There isn't enough hotel capacity. More importantly the city's image is a bit dull, grey and polluted industrial one, and even close to the war zone.... But they seem very determined and it has taken them this far.

Odessa sounds great and exotic; "Eurovision Odessa". I like the sound of that. Being a touristic resort is has all the infrastructure ready for all the other things but the venue. They're also offering full funding - probably the very reason they are still here! - so everything else is there and sounds perfect even the weather in May. It's about the time we have Eurovision one can also go to the beach! But the venues; all tents or open air. Could this be the time EBU tests if a Eurovision in tent will work and thus opening the doors for smaller nations and cities without huge arenas to be able to host it in case they win? The bid has five tent solutions for all the things Eurovision from dressing rooms to Euroclub.

That wouldn't be the first time: In Copenhagen the dressing rooms and delegation lounge etc were in tents. And yes, it rained in and with heavy winds you felt like they would fly away at any moment...... not forgetting that NOISE! In Stockholm the EuroClub and Euro Fan Cafe were in a kind of a tent, too..

And then we have Kiev. Boring old Kiev. Been there, done that (ESC 2005, JESC 2009, JESC 2013) It has it all ok, but ... nothing special really. The venue (and city) is already familiar, transport etc is ok. The arena needs a major face lift though, the press center is a too far.... And there's the Ice hockey issue to be solved.... A bid made ny left hand perhaps, too confident they have it in bag.

If only we could have the Dnipro's venues in Odessa with Kiev's infrastructure that would make an unbeatable bid!

Next Monday we will know if NTU and EBU go with the safe and dull Kiev or will they experiment with Odessa's money and tents, or will Dnipro's stubbornness to have it at any cost win in the end?

Pics and details from here mainly

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SONGS OF THE YEAR 2015: #5 KRISTA SIEGFRIDS - ON & OFF

Krista Siegfrids is delivering nice pop tunes one after another and this one is particularly catchy and soon you will be singing along..... Hopefully her Melodifestivalen entry will be equally good!

ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

Małgorzata Jamroży aka Margaret has also been tipped for Eurovision and apparently she did turn it down but she'd be perfect. She's got a look and persona you can't unnotice nor forget, she's got hit songs, she has been voted or nominated for everything from Trendy artist to the Hope of the Year, Fashion Icon and Glamour Woman of the year besides the usual best video, song, album, debut..... Oh she's also a fashion designer! She's very clever with social medias and would surely use it to her advantage if selected for Stockholm 2016. Her debut album is titled Add the blonde , do we need to say more? Except it includes mostly Swedish written pop tunes like Tell me how are ya , Wasted , Start a fire and Heartbeat . And of course her debut single and internationally noticed Thank you very much that you can enjoy below with all its anti-textil feel. I think she's Eurovision perfection, she's cheeky and fun, can we have her?

ESC 2016 BELARUS: NAKED WITH WOLVES?

Today's funniest Eurovision related story comes from Belarus. Some sources claim Ivan wants to perform on stage naked and with live wolf or wolves. It surely would be a first on Eurovision stage! We have seen some forgotten underwear over the years, and some cardbox animals though..... Is it time to take things a bit further? No, according the rules live animals are not allowed, and Eurovision being a family show nudity won't do either. (It seems to be ok to be half naked if you are a dancer though..... )

CAROLA'S BOOBS STEAL THE SHOW, SVT APOLOGIES

Update! Another thing got Swedes talking last night: Carola's boobs when she was giving away an award. This is not the first time her boombs cause headlines; her misfortunate adventures in the 80's in Japan wer explained with her boobs being too big for Japanese market. Ok.... Or was it the song ? Anyways, Carola apologies and says she thinks the dress is stylish and elegant (even her friends said so) and she's a mature woman in her 40s, not a 16-year-old girl and looks like one. The Swedish Oscars, Guldbagge awards were given out last night. Carola was there as a guest star to sing Barbra Streisand's The way we were when honoring the movie stars who passed away during 2012. However, the cameras were too much on Carola, not on the stars showed in photos in the background and that upset many viewers as that part of the show was to celebrate them, not Carola. Oh well... The producer of the show tells in Aftonbladet the part of the show was made the sam...

Rumors, rumors, rumors....

While the national selections for Junior Eurovision are going on around Europe and Ani Lorak's been confirmed as host all sort of rumors about the real thing are beginning to be the order of the day. Austria returns - or then not. Andorra stays home - or then not. San Marino returns - well, most likely but not surely. Luxembourg should make a come back - or then maybe not. Liechtenstein is still in the running - or has it ever been for real? Has the local TV ever confirmed anything? Is it just wishful thinking by the fans? Poland on the other hand has confirmed they will be in Oslo. And Italy will be still out. And apparently there will be no ban or such for Azerbaijan nor Spain for the irregularities in and after the 2009 edition. EBU had to change the text in the rules to make it sure nothing like that what happened in Azerbaijan could happen again. Or if it will they have means and rules to back up a ban or sanction.... Katerina Avgoustakis has been rumored to be in Oslo...

JEDWARD GETS NAKED FOR THE FANS

Well, almost. The boys celebrated their 650.000th follower on Twitter by being photographed fresh from shower as promised. It's not the first time they drop their clothes as you see here . Meanwhile their second album is nearly here and the title track Young love is hitting the charts....

GOODBYE, FAREWELL...

The time has come. After all these years, 5,7 million visits, 12.000 articles I guess the time has come. As much as I love and care for Eurovision it just doesn't feel the same. The Corona years took their toll and the past two years and certain decisions have helped me to mature the idea that next year I will hear the songs for the first time in semi-final just like any so called local. The bubble has burst. Add the toxicity in social medias and fandom. The arrogant teenagers who saw their first contest somewhere 2017 or even 2021 who think they know it all and only their opinion matters. Did I mention the toxic atmosphere on social medias? I'm too old for that sh*t. It's been a long ride that took me to various Eurovision on spot as a fan and tourist, as a journalist, as a delegation member. I met some great people, made memories of lifetime. In stressful, sad periods of my life this blog has been my safe place, a place to escape and forget everything else for an hour o...

Russia recycles the video

Here is the video for Alexey's previous hit Бам Бам! and here is the video for his Eurovision 2011 entry Get you as Alex Sparrow as he likes to be called now abraod. Looks like he potreys the new rich Russia well.... The only problem is that he can't play the bad part convincingly not even a second. And did I say the song is crap? And of course as he is a Russian star he must have nude fotos of him flotaing around internet trying to be sexy and he fails there, too, big time. If you are not bad nor sexy you shouldn't push it. Maybe he should stick to singing jolly little numbers like the Kalinka rip off instead....

UK: Naked Blue

The boys of Blue have posed nude again. This time for the Attitude magazine's annual Naked issue and they are also in the cover. Watch the video of the shooting here . Band member Duncan, who is bi-sexual, recently told The Daily Star : “We are getting our kit off for Attitude magazine like the McFly boys did. I’m up for showing everything off. I’m happy enough about the size of my manhood. ” Extra media attention won't hurt their changes in Germany to win it for the UK for the first time since 1997... They will and they can!

Jedward Vs. Blue - the naked truth

Not so long ago Blue took it all off for a Attitude photoshoot that surely didn't hurt their chances. Now Jedward follows with GT photoshoot and behind the scenes video you can see here . The fight is on. The Lipstick guys have also taken every possibility to badmouth the British veterans. But I think Blue are with a chance to win it all and wouldn't be suprised if Jedward would do the Irish turkey trick - their live vocal capacities are pretty much the same! Lipstick vs. I can ? Grown up muscle guys with voices vs. skinny quite tunedeath teenage boys, who do you prefer?

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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