ESC 2017 REVIEW - FRANCE (07): ALMA

ESC 2017 REVIEW - FRANCE (07): ALMA - REQUIEM

Pictured is the national flower of France, iris

Once the Eurovision superpower France has been struggling big time in the 2000's culminating in the the last place in 2014 and second to last in 2015. It was a time for a total makeover and in 2016 they did it. Amir was chosen internally, scored 6th place in the final and became one of the biggest hits of the year in France, and in Eurovision general. His success changed apparently also the French public's interest and if it works, don't change it. Stick to Amir's inner circle: Requiem is written by Nazim Khaled. Just like Amir's J'ai cherchè.

Alma or Alexandra Maquet (28) is a singer-songwriter. She started with music already as a child and has lived in both Miami and Brazil. She started releasing her own songs few years ago and slowly made her way to television and touring with Amir among other things. Requiem is her third official single since 2014, and her debut album will be released shortly. The song is revamped for Eurovision with additional English lyrics (check the original after the jump...)

I loved Amir's entry last year and Alma is great, too. A bit of an ethnic vibe that makes me think of deep south, Spain and gipsies even. Alma's voice is very French and her r's very strong. It's catchy and fresh, a perfect summer hit in a style between Amir and Kendji Girac (who would be an Eurovision wet dream) so how could I not like this? I must admit I preferred the original non-English version but then again, one gets used to everything, even to those lines. France is on a right track and Edoardo Grassi will make them pround sometime very soon. Third time lucky? 9/10

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ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

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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!

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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..... )

Regina Lund - naked and censored

Regina Lund's new video Jag är osynlig was censored by Youtube only minutes after it had been uploaded. In the video she was playing a female Jesus who gets crusified in the end. "I was shocked!" she says. "There's nothing more naked in it as in every church! It's ok to have naked man hanging on the wall but my nakedness is too much on internet? ". Oh well, no comment. She's prepairing a new album Dare Regina Lund and we of course remember her from her Melodifestivalen 2007 adventure with Rainbow star .

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....

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TIM SCHOU AND HIS NAKED GRAVITY

Tim Schou has a pretty good solo career going since he left his friends in London. He's travelling the world and relesing songs and videos. The latest one is a great track and comes with a steamy video that kinda takes away from the song really. But who's complaining. If you got it, flaunt it. Enjoy the video below. This post coming after the other Dane, Rasmus Seebach as wishlist for Eurovision. To think about it, Tim would do nicely, too. Maybe he should give it another go?

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Czech Republic's internally chosen Martina Bárta has released her entry My turn for the Eurovision as well today. Not sure if I managed to keep my attention level very high for very long when listening to it.... Shame.

MÅNS ZELMERLÖW GETS NAKED FOR THE GOOD CAUSE

Reigning Eurovision song contest champion and the host of the next contest in May 2016 in Stockholm Mäns Zelmerlöw bares it almost all in GT following some other Eurovision stars like Blue and Jedward ( see more here ) All for the good cause of course, prostate cancer - something this blogger can also relate having experienced it in my closest circle. Nothing to laugh about. The annual Naked issue of GT or Gay Times features also several other celebrity men out of their designer fashion and stage or sports outfits. I guess Christmas came early to some fans when they can unwrap their most wished gift already now.... Maybe. But it's not the first time he gets naked.... he did so when hosting the annual QX Gala some years ago. Who knows what he and Petra have in store for us in May?!

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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