ESC 2017 FINLAND - MEDIA REACTIONS: DON'T PUT ON YOUR "DEPRESSION HAT"

So, Finland flew away from the 10th place in the bedding odds. As 10th it was overal last night and 5th in order to qualify for the final behind Portugal, Sweden, Armenia and Belgium. Same for Georgia, out as 14th overal, Iceland 19th, Czech Republic 20th, Latvia 21st but Montenegro was already 27th and in theory out like in reality.

The support and shokh after non qualification has been overwhelming and even those few who didn't like the song have been surprised to say the least. (Add a few odd "I told you sos" as always though)

Finnish media took on the fact it's third year in a row we didn't make it. All are praising Norma John and the peformance and wonder why. Norma John themselves have been composed and calm in their comments: "Of course it would have been nice to be in the final but what can you do? No explanations!" says Lasse in HS. "There are worse things in life than dropping out of Eurovision final" continues Leena with a laugh. "Third year in a row but what can you do? We did our best and more we couldn't do and we are very happy with the performance!" Lasse also tells Finns not to take it so seriously and not put the "depression hat" on.

They continue telling they are an indie band already being here is a victory. "It's a win-win situation for us. No need to regret we ddn't try it" says Lasse. Their plan is to sleep this off and then head for the studio to make more music and eventually try to release an album.

HS continues to speculate why we dropped out. Until Saturday night we don't know how people and juries voted so until then we can only say other countries were voted more in this very hard semi with a lot of good songs, better than the one coming up on Thursday. Also our regular voters Estonia and Norway were absent but then we had Sweden and Iceland in. Maybe the performance was too simple, to stripped down and just too difficult? Too much or too little? And this is Eurovision - anything can happen.

Blackbird, blackbird,

don't sing to me, don't sing below my window,

fly somewhere else, don't bother me

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Nina Badrić for Croatia

Croatian TV went for internal selection in the end and chose Nina Badrić. She has been around for almost 20 years and has released ten albums between 1995 and 2011. She has also treid to get to Eurovision four times already without a win (1993, 1994, 1995 and 2003). She is popular also in the other ex-Yogoslavian countries so let those 12s run in.... Listen her here: Moje oci pune ljubavi , Dat ce nam Bog , Nebo and Mama . And lovely Carobno jutro .

Sabina Babayeva for Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani selection show for the represant was as long as the selection process for the five finalists. Kurt Calleja from Malta and Can Bonomo from Turkey were present with Ell/Nikki to see Sabina Babayeva to emerge as the winner after each and every finalist had done about zillion songs amongst other guests. Now the Azeri TV will shop around a suitable song for her.

ESC 2014: UKRAINE REVEALS NEANGELY AND THE REST

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ITALY: EMMA PUTS HER CAREER ON HOLD FOR SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS

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

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SWEDEN TRIES TO STEAL THE FINNISH KISS

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ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

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FINLAND: LORDI RELEASES SEXORCISM - THEIR 9TH STUDIO ALBUM

Brand new studio album SEXORCISM is released tomorrow, 12 years and 5 days after their monstreous victory in Athens 2006 Eurovision song contest. It is quite possibly the most controversial Lordi album yet and already their 9th stuido album (plus three compilations and one Ep)

FINLAND: VIRPI KÄTKÄ NARROWLY MISSED THE SURVIVOR FINAL

Virpi Kätkä of CatCat fame came 4th in the Finnish Survivor against all odds, and was even the longest surviving female competitor. She managed to get this far by being friendly and helpful to everyone and staying out of any major fights and double-talk. Or so we thought.... she confessed afterwards it was just the game she played! She was voted out in unison by the remaining guys in a rather ugly way. after Kim won the last challenge and got safety when the other had planned to vote him out. No one wanted to be in the final against Virpi anyways so she would have been next one out perhaps but Kim's victory messed it all up. Kim is actually Kim Herold, of Humane Euroviisut 2007 (7th) fame. Let's see if he misses the final two as well and is on the next Plane Away. Virpi took her elimination "the same way I did with Eurovision, five minutes of depression, get over it and that's it!" she told. And the bikini in top photo she found in Thailand and as ...

CZECH REPUBLIC: MARTINA BÁRTA PRESENTS MY TURN

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Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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