Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Finally, my number one and the song that could have been my number two, or at least Top-5 Italy - Mahmood - Soldi ***** Penso più veloce per capire se domani tu mi fregherai Non ho tempo per chiarire perché solo ora so cosa sei I think faster trying to figure out whether tomorrow you will fool me I got no time to clear things up Because only now I found out what you are Alessandro Mahmoud aka Mahmood (26) came out of nowhere and beat entablished and Big singers in Sanremo 2019, and caused quite a stir and even political case of racism and all that. Or so it seemed. In reality he had been taking steps into business since The Voice in 2012 becoming a succesful songwriter to others (Marco Mengoni, Michele Bravi etc). After the initial outcry that the juries made him win for who knows what political reason and that he wasn't the people's winner his song has proven it all wrong: it went to #1 in all possible charts from radio play to streams to digital sales a...

And finally, other foursome in my Top-10 Israel - Kobi Marimi - Home ***** I feel the sun upon my skin And I am someone, I am someone I got interested in Kobi Marimi (27) right away with his first audition in Hakokhav Haba, the lenghty Israeli selection show. He looked a bit lost and goofy, but his voice was rather unique and during the long weeks he delivered interesting yet recognisable cover versions so when he won I was very, very pleased. When I heard his entry I was touched. And so pleased they didn't go for something more obvious and secure. Lately the host nation has often landed in the bottom of the scoreboard and judging fandom this could end up the same way. I think this could do very well instead. I love the initial lament that has become sort of trademark sound for him. Everything around me stops when I listen to this. The choir gives me shivers. He certainly is someone and this is my #2.  Sweden - John Lundvik - Too late for love ***** I could be ...

More entries in my Top-10 reviewed San Marino - Serhat - Say Na Na Na ***** Say na na na You’re not alone so stand up na na na Be a hero be the rainbow and sing na na na Say na na na Ahmet Serhat Hacıpaşalıoğlu (54) is back! The Turkish Sammarinese by adoption tries his luck for the second time in Eurovision and who knows, he might make it to the final this time and even if doing so, Valentina Monetta remains the one and only Sammarinese artist to do so. Say Na Na Na is what he does best: dated disco pop with old fashioned female backing singers over his husky half spoken performance. In some weird way it works. This is feelgood music, hilariously kitchy without being banal and somehow Serhat manages to make himself likable like a DILF of the fandom. Closing the first semi-final this could be what televoters had been waiting for: something instantly recognisable and fun, what most people think Eurovision is all about. If juries will get aboard too this just could ma...

We enter my top-10 with this episode of reviews. Greece - Katerine Duska - Better Love **** Better love, better love All that we’re after Way to love, who you love Greek-Canadian Katerine (29) was internally chosen and certainly something different for Greece. She has released her debut album critics loved in 2016 and now she gets a wider audience. Her styling and video with the song create a full package and a lot depends on how they get all this work on stage and come across the tv-screens. Her voice is recognisable, the song has its identity. Elegant and dignified entry - one can't say that often of those Greek entries that did well but sometimes of those who didn't - like last year.... Let's see if singing in English helps for better love. Sadly. Spain - Miki - La venda ***** La venda ya cayó avivando fantasías La venda ya cayó y serás como querías The blindfold fell already, stirring up fantasies The blindfold fell already and you'll be...

We are midway of the ranking and here we have songs that actually should be a bit higher really.... Finland - Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman - Look away **** Is it in my head? Is it in my head? Look away Look away, hey, no-o-o Finland tries for the second time with internally chosen artist and after difficulties to find anyone (and YLE's people can take a long hard look at the mirror for that and think why?) they managed to get Darude aka Ville Virtanen (43) aboard who's claim to fame is Sandstorm 20 years ago. That's pretty much what he's known about even if he has continued making music and perform ever since non stop. However, that one song still gives him living. He took his friend actor and singr-songwriter Sebastian (41) as his vocalist and together they have also written this song that won the three songs final (I still may have preferred Superman though). The staging is great as is song's message but honestly who cares about the message? Som...

We move on the upper mid table with the review. Malta - Michela - Chameleon *** Chame chameleon Chame chamelon Chame chameleon Yalla yalla yalla la la la Michela Pace (18) from the beautiful island of Gozo won the very first Maltese X Factor that was used as selection method for the artist. Then they shopped for the song from international team of usual Eurovision writers. The result is radio friendly up to date pop with elements I never liked that much aka the chorus - maybe I'm just old? The video is this season's prettiest by far but will this work on stage? This can go either way, I have no glue but I have a feeling Malta might be disappointed once again when the final is over.... if they make it that far. Portugal - Conan Osiris - Telemóveis *** Eu partia telemóveis Mas eu nunca mais parto o meu Eu sei que a saudade tá morta Quem mandou a flecha fui eu I used to break cell phones But I will never break mine again  I know that 'saudade' i...

Middle table continues with songs I kinda like but don't know how to place them really.... Iceland - Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra *** Hatrið mun sigra  Evrópa hrynja Hate will prevail And Europe’s heart impale The most talked about, award-winning, anti-capitalist, BDSM, techno-dystopian, performance art collective, a political, multimedia project Hatari is maybe what PKN was for Finland (rather than Lordi). Kind of a protest by the voting population against bad success in the contest. And this could as well end up the same way. We will see. They are Klemens Hannigan and Matthías Tryggvi Haraldsson with masked drummer Einar Hrafn Stefánsson and they have been around since 2015 causing commotion. Graphic designer Ingi Kristján Sigurmarsson, video artist Baldvin Vernharðsson and costume designer duo Karen Briem and Andri Hrafn Unnarsson are also part of the team. I must add I hated this at first but now kinda like it somehow, even if this is a bit Ram...

More mid table entries in my own personal ranking Switzerland - Luca Hänni - She got me *** All the bros go Yo yo yo, All the girls go Yo yo yo Everyone go Yo yo yo, She got us dirty dancin' Luca Hänni (24) has been on Eurovision radar already years and here he is, as one of the main favorites. No wonder, She got me checks all the boxes of what is a succesful Eurovision entry on paper. The result is this year's male Eleni: a lot is happening in the video, and certainly on stage in Tel Aviv but not so much in music. My mind drifts away half song and I lose interest.... Long three minutes. Winner? Hardly.  Belarus - ZENA - Like it ** Yes, you gonna like it, Yes, you gonna like it Let me in your heart Alexandrovna Kupriyanovich or simply ZENA is this year's youngest, 16, but has already a lot of experince. As a kid star she has participated in various major contests like New Wave Junior and Slavinski Bazaar, and tried to get to Junior Eurovision twice...

Some more entries that occupy the lower parts of my personal ranking. Russia - Sergey Lazarev - Scream ** But tears aren’t quiet things They scream I was rather pleased when it was announced Sergey (36) would return to Eurovision. I was never crazy for You are the only one even if it was rather nice harmless pop, but I have always liked Sergey in general. And Scream in his repertoire is just about the worst of all I have heard. I understand he wants to show another side of himself but this is tiredsome musical number. Certainly it will be nicely staged and all but as my ranking goes based on "would I listen to this outside ESC"? the answer is clearly a big fat No. On the other hand it's a clever move as he has a back up when he doesn't win: The song was too good/different/difficult for Eurovision . Yeah, whatever. This is simply boring. Save these songs to musicals you do and give us some real Russian pop! Czech Republic - Lake Malawi - Friend of a ...

Let's continue the reviews with other entries that are at the bottom part of my personal ranking for a reason or another.... Ireland - Sarah McTernan - 22 ** And I dream about our street where we kissed out of the blue at your house number 22 Sarah isn't 22 but 25, born just before Ireland completed its triple wins in a row. She's been to the Voice and in the Sammarinese selection last year but was now internally chosen for her native Ireland. The song has a minor 60s girlband vibe to it but doesn't really deliver in the end. Pleasant when it's playing but instantly forgotten after. Ireland's next win isn't happening this year and most likely this stays in the semis.... Interesting voice though. Austria - PÆNDA - Limits ** Yeah I’m talking bout you, you You and the luck you try to find Gabriella Horn (31) aka PÆNDA has been studying music and writing songs and singing in various bands since she was 14. Last year she released her debut al...

Time to kick off the Eurovision 2019 reviews based on my own taste and thoughts. The main criteria is Would I like to listen to this outside the Bubble? Will I ever listen to this post-May? Does it make me feel anything? Things will certainly change once the rehearsals starts what comes to the ideas how well or bad they will do, but more of that later. Let's start with my current bottom-4: Croatia - Roko - My dream ** "I dream of love You dream of love Angels of God We all dream of love" Roko Blažević (19) sings reasonable well but it's all so old fahioned and kitch it's almost painful. And therefor almost good. If sung entirely in Croatian this song would have a reason to exist. On the other hand a similiar kitch took his Talent of Croatia coach Jacques Houdek to the final top-8 in 2017, so this could be a shock qualifier, but I doubt it... yet I'd just giggle it away not bing surprised at all! I just hope they drop those wings, that's so la...

It is rumored Madonna's classic she's about to perform in Tel Aviv's Eurovision song contest 2019 will be Like a Prayer , and no wonder. This is one of her signature songs, an anthem even, the one that made critics admit she's more than virgin like material girl light pop hit machine. It also came after her failed marriage with Sean Penn. personal struggl with turning 30 and memory of her mother and two flopped movies. She also fought with the producers until the very end over the arrangements and even the lyrics - that she wrote in about three hours, the story goes - but didn't give in making this very song a turning point in her career in many ways.  The video concept changed along the way but dealing with racism all along but caused a scandal and angered Vatican and Pepsi Cola among others but the song went to #1 in countlesss countries including USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Portugal, Sp...

Back in the 1980's Alice made it big in Germany and all the way to the 1990's she toured not only Germany but also Scandinavia and Finland, Benelux and of course also other German speaking countriess Switzerland and Austria. It's 2019 and she tours Germany again! This blogger crosses fingers it's a start of a longer tour that would reach further north later on... Viaggio in Italia is based on her 2003 album on the same name where she covers meaningful songs from Italian cantautori, or singer-songwriters like Franco Battiato, Lucio Dalla, Fabrizio De Andrè, Francesco De Gregori, Giorgio Gaber, Ivano Fossati, Lucio Battisti, Giuni Russo and herself of course. She's been touring Italy on and off ever since with occasional concerts, and new songs have been added to the line up including old classics like Per Elisa and Messaggio - by public demand. She will perform with Carlo Guaitoli (piamo and keyboards) and Antonello D'Urso (acoustic and electric guitars a...

Once again some new sounds from Eurovision's finest over the years.... Consider is already third single off Douwe Bob 's The Shape I'm in album, and also a main theme of a short film Singel 39 . And it's again a nice song from Douwe. I like it. KAAN feat. Snoop Dogg and Eleni Foureira 's Sirens is nothing but a rather unnecessary remake of Eurythmics's classic Sweet dreams . I only wonder.... why? Conchita Wurst keeps dropping videos from the future album and See me now takes the incarnation even further. And back again. Very suggestive video and beautiful atmospheric song, best so far. Violinist Anton Ragoza has left the trio but Sunstroke Project is back with Boomerang . The trademark saxophone is there though. Will it be enough in the long run?

Sad news from Portugal. Dina or Ondina Maria Farias Veloso, has died of polmonary fibrosis at the age of 62. Her Eurovision 1992 entry Amor d'água fresca is on of this blogger's favorite entries ever and I remember loving it to bits back in the day, despite being a bit di sappointed  for the staging , I even bought her CD when in Portugal later.... She released six albums and wrote a lot of music for films and television dramas. As she sung in her hit  Há sempre música entre nós , there will always be music between us.... 

Once again some new sounds from Eurovision stars or wannabes of the past... Anouk is back with a new song. The of It's a new day video is dedicated to those who led the way and she potrays those women from Jeanne D'Arc to Princess Diana to Frida Kahlo and many many more. Simple but effective! Bonnie Tyler released a new album earlier this year and is currently touring Europe again. Hold on is the lead single of Between the Earth and the Stars, her 17th studio album. Les Fatals Picards have released a new album  Espèces menacées this year and this  Sucer des cailloux is already a second single off it. They may have lost their Eurovision lead singer Ivan Callot ages ago but not their goofy craziness. If you miss Ivan check his current band Les Rois d la Suède ... Felix Sandman keeps his solo career going strong despite bromancing with Benjamin Ingrosso. Something right is second single off his future album. 

Some more new sounds before we are all taken over by the 2019 Eurovision songs full time..... Naviband has released  ВДАЛЬ that translates to distance, far away. Nice little electronic tune with 80s vibe a bit different from the etnofolk I knew from them before.... Eurovision winner Helena Paparizou is back with  Άσκοπα Ξενύχτια (Needless nights). It's always nice to hear her in Greek instead of English. Tim Schou is another artist that keeps releasing new music all the time and Acapella is a little acoustic number. Highly enjoyable! As usual.  Nathan Trent has released Legacy ,  "The song 'Legacy' is about the realization of self-worth, self-belief and the decision to care less about other's opinions and expectations. Essentially, it's an ode to physical and emotional independence and the value of creation." Ok.