EUROVISION 2019 DARE TO REVIEW 8: GREECE, SPAIN, NORWAY, LATVIA

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 become what you wished

Miguel "Miki" Núñez Pozo (23) may be songwise a bit of a poor man's Alvaro Soler but he's energetic and likable and the song is what we want from Spain, isn't it? Judging Soler's success it is. I don't see why and how this wouldn't end up with the best Spanish result for years! Spain dusted off the Operación Triunfo that Miki won, and all the songs were luckily in Latin/Spanish flavour instead of Swedish bubblegum pop so hooray for that, too! This La Venda is catchy, happy and up lifting and deserves the top 10.

Norway - KEiiNO - Spirit in the Sky ****

I can see your spirit in the sky

When northern lights are dancing

He-lo e loi-la Čajet dan čuovgga

Norway dusted off old good Sami exotism and joik, mixing it with bubble gum pop and just like Estonia I didn't think much of this at first, but now that all the songs are out it climbs higher and higher helped by the stolen monstrous melody line from Finland's entry last year. Also Sweden had joik in their selection but here it works a lot better (Sweden' s effort was somewhat cheap and kitchy) giving this pop song some extra flavour. Catchy, familiar, exotic enough to do well but is it top10 or top5 remains to be seen after the rehearsals start...

Latvia - Carousel - That Night ****

I travelled through the time It felt for me like doing a crime

My mind did crazy things Imagination opened their wings

One of the most underrated entries this year and hopefully a shock qualifier for the fandom. Simple and acoustic, minimal in every sense. Coming after Switzerland in semi-final could be a good thing. Carousel is indie pop duo Sabīne Žuga and Mārcis Vasiļevskis and they have now been joined by Stanislav Judins (on double bass) and Mareks Logins (on drums) for this adventure and they are working on their debut album. I like the song's intimate dreamy feeling and enjoy this a lot more than many noisier and more thought after entries. This feels uncalculated and real, and if juries and televoters feel the same that night when it counts - fanboys don't even have a clue what I am talking about - this could go surprisingly far and shock most everyone.

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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?

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 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..... )

Blogilkar exclusive: PASHA PARFENI INTERVIEW

My flying reporter Robert managed to get hold on Pasha Parfeni from Moldova today who has become during this week pretty big favorite to do well. How did he end up in Eurovision, what his goals are and is his granny better than the ones from Buranovo? And will we get a cover album full of Eurovision later on? Find it out here: Why do you want to participate in Eurovision? That's a very difficult question... I want to be a star! A worldstar, ha ha! But I know it's not easy even in Eurovision, only Celine Dion and ABBA have made it. But I can make myself a bit more known, it's good for promotion. After Eurovision I will finish my album and my promo-CD already has nine songs. We will recod maybe 4-5 more and it will make a good album. With what result will you be happy here? Happy? … Top-10! Then I'll be absolutely happy! So if you don't get to the final you will be totally depressed? Yes, maybe... Yes, it would be hard. For me and my team. What are y

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

Summer songs: Kylie Minogue - On a night like this

This is one of the songs that make me think of sweaty summer nights, humid air and being slightly drunk... I wonder where that all comes from? Anyways. Kylie Minogue recorded On a night like this, maybe not first but better than Pandora or Anna Vissi . And Lord which is actually great!

FINLAND: CONGRATS HANNA PAKARINEN - BABY IS COMING!

No more leave me alones as Eurovision 2007 veteran Hanna Pakarinen has published in her Youtube channel a video unboxing the Finnish state's maternity box aka layette set thus announcing she's due to have a baby later this spring. Congratulations!

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

BLOGILKAR EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: HANNAH MANCINI

Straight into interview with my Bycycling reporter Robert goes American born Slovenian represent Hannah Mancini. The chatty lady tells us how she ended up from LA to Slovenia and how it is. She does also some serious name dropping. Talks about Slovenian music business. And has her husband turned into an Eurovision maniac?! And how Slovenian does she feel actually? And who would she like to grace the Eurovision stage for Slovenia again? Read it all here: Thank you Hannah for this interview. You're an American woman singing for Slovenia. How on earth did you end up there? I married a Slovenian man! Actually he lived in the States when I met him. I always loved the idea of living in Europe and it was kinda perfect as I met an European man! And he always wanted to come to Europe, his parents emigrated when he was a small child so eventually when the opportunity came, he had a good business thing happening there and also I had some music contacts in Amsterdam and in the UK an

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.

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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