Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The 1in360 selection for the next Eurovision song contest entry for San Marino has reached already 1000 submission from all over the globe. Sammarinese artists have not been very keen on participating to the disappointment of Head of Delegation Alessandro Capicchioni ( read more here ), but as soon as it was announced the third wilcard will be given to a Sammarinese artist they have started submitting entries from Junior Eurovision and Eurovision veteran Anita Simoncini , Eurovision spokesperson Irol , Valentina Monetta collaborataed Mirko Moroncelli and Alessandra Busignani , to add to those three that did it before: Fabrizio Valentini , Alibi and Gianluigi Colucci .  Meanwhile the second wild card voting is on in various OGAE clubs all over Europe. They have a shortlist of 70 lucky ones, including Michele Imberti . 

I'm so happy I'm not needing a ticket..... ... and the queue is getting worse as we speak.... ... and tickets are sold out, it seems.

Jamala is pregnant. Congratulations! Isaiah turned 18. Congratulations! Loreen has a new haircut and a new album. Congratulations? Emmelie has a new hair and a new music out. Err... congratulations? Mengoni is returning. In an epic duet with Giorgia. Out tomorrow! Mr Lordi has finally a mask on. Kiss mask! Kristian went to Miss World but prefers a photo and thank you to firemen... Sergey thanks his mom Saara joins forces for Linnea Deb, but it's not for Eurovision Aisel has a doggie, Zulya Levina is off to Abu Dhabi ... while Tamara gets into X,as mood in Paris Lindita keeps posing... ... as does Svala. Sertab. Is it cold or is this a half statement?

  The most hyped, most overrated national final is here again and the Eurovision fanboys are fainting out of excimtement all over Europe again after today's announcement of the competing acts and their songs. And no, there's no Alcazar but Kikki Danielsson is! The surprise on the list is Polish Margaret and as much as I like her and wish to see her in Eurovision I can't get too excited: Why Melodifestivalen and not Poland? If she represented Poland I'd be one happy fanboy myself, but.... Ah, let me answer my own question: Because she did Poland and didn't win and don't want to be humiliated again, and her music has been made in Sweden anyways, so Mello is just a huge promotion vehicle for her to the Swedish (and maybe therefrom to a wider) market as in Mello no one's a loser. One is a winner but most everyone else scores a hit, too, and no one's considered a loser. And that's the nice thing about Mello tbh.   Did you notice SVT propably or...

  While we still wait for the list of artists taking part in the next Sanremo festival, due before Christmas - and the possible next nanes for Eurovision for Italy - also the rumor mill for the future hosts is heating up. The rumors are very strong Claudio Baglioni will have on his side none other than Swiss showgirl Michelle Hunziker (and ex-Mrs Ramazzotti) and not forgetting the other side of the audience, actors Raoul Bova and Luca Argentero seem to be the strongest contenders for co-host, Argentero a bit stronger than Bova as he seems to be free from other jobs around February. Hunziker has already hosted Sanremo once, in 2007 in the era of Pippo Baudo. She's done a lot of television, some movies, dubbing and even recorded an album, and is wellknown also in German speaking Europe. If Italy would win and host Eurovision, I suppose she'd be high on the list of possible hostesses at Rai. Argentero made himself known in Big Brother, third season ending third. He...

  Sanremo's Newcomers has the two way selection. Next month Sarà Sanremo , broadcasted live on Raiuno on December 15 will select six of the Newcomers ( Here are the lucky ones ), and two additional names will come from AreaSanremo selection. Out of over 800 submission 145 were invited for live auditions last week in Palafiori in Sanremo and a special committee chose the eight for another live audition including Sanremo's host and artistic director this year, Claudio Baglioni. Two of them will join the Sarà Sanremo qualifiers in the festival next February. Several names have already various talent show experience: Leonardo from Amici, Manuel and Giorgia The Voice.  Andrea Maestrelli - Non è vero Diego Esposito - Voglio stare con te Daniele Ronda - Un'altra bugia Leonardo Monteiro - Bianca Alice Caioli - Specchi rotti Martina Attili - Un incubo ogni giorno Manuel Foresta - Vivo davvero Giorgia Pino - Cose cosi

What a mess. The new voting system gave us very weird results. Apparently also the voting during the show didn't work and failed totally when the votig platform crashed. In the end Russia won despite being  2nd with juries and only 6th with online vote. Georgia won with the juries but in online voting finished only 12th! And 2nd overal. Australia did a solid third with both and also in the final result. The Netherlands won the online vote but after finishing 9th with the juries ended up only 4th. Now I'm happy this nonsense is over for another year.... 

Tomorrow the revamped Junior Eurovision song contest takes place in Tbilisi, Georgia. Quite frankly this blogger can't get at all excited about this affair this year either, and actually I'm listening the songs for the very first time while writing this  post. Once again there are artists that would fit into ESC rather than JESC (Belarus, Macedonia, Poland), all of them girls as always, balanced by a couple of baby boys (Malta, Georgia). Rather bland but solid set of songs this year but none really getting me interested. I kinda liked Macedonia as whole even if very unoriginal and heard about a zillion times before, and Poland is maybe the best of them all, not very JESC but good singer, good song. The best combination thinking this is JESC is maybe (again) the Netherlands: the song fits the guys, it comes across as real and not as manufactured and let's show some talent as some other (Eastern) entries. I once again I sadly remember songs like Bzz ... That was real kid...

Francesco Gabbani has released yet another single and video off his Magellano album, La mia versione ei ricordi and the video.... err... looks very familiar! His version of memories of last Christmas.....

San Marino's Head of delegation Alessandro Capicchioni declared his disappointment for the lack of Sammarinese artists in the search for their 1in360 search for the next Eurovision star in an interview he gave to Eurofestival News . So far 750 submission from 70 countries in five continents have arrived but only two  three of them are from San Marino. I'm very disappointed. I don't hide the fact that most of this has been made for them. Or rather an international selection process has always been out stragedy, and finally we managed to do it. For this we have said no to several proposals from abroad to be able to give a chance to home artists. We have also made a few shout outs in local media and we are still hoping for a last minute rush - otherwise we may have to give Miss Monetta a call! He also explains how they put the symbolic fare of 4,99 euros to avoid multiple submissions and those who would do it just for the fun (Well, that hasn't stopped some cr...

  Latvian Justs is back with another goodie, Are you there . Electric beats and his voice mixed with a video full of skaters, models, empty industrial spaces.... Nice effort! Australian Guy Sebastian is back big time, and Bloodstone is his latest from his new album Conscious featuring lovely gospely undertones. Great beat and great vocals again.  Eurovision runner up Ukrainian Ani Lorak and Eurovision interval act Emin from Azerbaijan are hitting the Russian charts with  Prostit'sya (Проститься) that comes with a beautifully shot bath tub video. The song itself is a very typical Russian radio charts song that could be sung by any of the big names. But it's a very pleasant one masterfully performed by the stars.  Slovakian (and Czechian) superstar Kristina has released Sympatie (from Tri želania/Three wishes film soundtrack) continuing her endless string of hits. Slovakian tv, wake up and send her off to Eurovision again!

  I was planning to ignore the Sanmarinese 1in360 selection process until final stages, but something came up and I just have to do my duty. No, it's not Valentina Monetta but the next best thing: Michele Imberti. Share some love and click like. Pretty please? (And you propably know his song, too, btw)

 Gabbani is recovering from a flu.... ... and getting into Xmas mood while the ESC Class of '17 had a get together in Chisinau Glen Vella got engaged . .. and so did Mika Newton  Robin opened his shop offering cuts and coffee   and Sergey opened his Podel Shtrudel shop Eric was still starstruck by Kikki Freddie had some cake. His dog was jealous. Rybak was a happy shopper Poli had some  - again.... Isaiah went for a muddy swim Lindita did what she does best Vaclav had an urgent need to paint his walls Tamara did Israel This week's cover girls are Iveta and Helena How was your week?