EUROVISION 2019 DARE TO REVIEW 5: ICELAND, FRANCE, ALBANIA, ARMENIA

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 Rammstein light with discobeat, but then again I kinda enjoy Rammstein in small amounts, too....

France - Bilal Hassani - Roi ***

I’m not rich but I’m shining bright I can see my kingdom now

Quand je rêve je suis un roi

Youtube star turned singer Bilal Hassani (19) of Moroccan origins has become a symbol of being whover you want or think you are, a bit like Conchita Wurst who he covered in The Voice Kids. And there is the problem: we already have Conchita. Somehow I find his character a bit irritating... That put aside his song Roi is written by last year's Madame Monsieur and it mixes French and English in a very fluent way. The song isn't bad but the weak part of the whole is his vocals, proven rather shaky live. On the other side it's also the charm to follow if he will make it or not without major damage?

Albania - Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës ***

Një ditë jeton, Në tjetrën vdes

Sa mall, pak shpresë I vetëm, pa identitet

One day you live, The next you die

So much nostalgia, so little hope Alone, no identity

Jonida (36) is like an adult version of Belarusian Zena: ex-child star, singer, television host, media personality, philanthropist, style icon and entrepreneur. She has won several festivals, done musicals and tv. This was her third participation in Festivali i Këngës having placed 2nd and 3rd before. Her song Ktheju tokës is a dramatic ethnic ballad sung in Albanian that alone makes me wish that this will make it to the final. Hopefully they nail it with the staging as here's a lot of potential to make it something memorable and grand. This said, this is still only a borderline finalist...

Armenia - Srbuk - Walking out **

Whatever I’ve built I’m gonna burn down

I’m walking out (uhuuu) You’re no more a king

‘Cuz I’ was your crown

Srbuhi Sargsyan (Սրբուհի Սարգսյան) aka Srbuk (25) was internally chosen. She has been the runner up in X Factor and tried Ukrainian The Voice (like Georgian and Azerbeijani entrants). Her song leaves me somewhat cold and makes me only want to walk out. It feels aggressive and threatening, but that is maybe the intension, but it's not working with me. And we have a history of angry aggresssive female artists in ESC and it never worked. The arrangement has its moments but... no.

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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..... )

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....

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!

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...

GREECE: HELENA PAPARIZOU HITS AGAIN WITH HAIDE

Eurovision song contest 2005 winner Helena Paparizou has been enjoying Top-5 hits every year since 2003 with the exception of 2010 and 2014, this latest one being already her 27th! And Haide is charting also in Bulgaria and Finland, of all places. The catchiness of her hits has changed less over the years than her face.... Here's the English version , below the Greek version.

FINLAND: REMEMBERING KIRKA

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...

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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