Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Ireland, once the dominatrix of Eurovision has lost it completely in the past twenty years or so, and every year they say they're back on top and then.... Well..... At least they do participate. This year out of 320 submissions they chose these six for the final and once can only wonder if they had a clear vision of bringing Eurosong back to he 80's or did they think they're stepping ahead being clever when 80's is coming back more and more every year. Let's hear what they have come up this time below. The Irish final takes place as usual at Late Late Show on Friday night February 4, 2022. UPDATE: Here are the results: 1. Brooke 28 2. Janet 24 3. Miles 24 4. Patrick 22 5. Rachel 16 6. Brendan 12 Brendan Murray - Real love ** Brendan who seems to want to forget he ever took part in Eurovision is aiming for another try.This time with a song he co-wrote himself. It's like all his post-Eurovision releases: Pleasant but forgettable. His recognizable voice makes this...

The very long marathon comes to an end finally and what we have left is four artists, each with two songs. After a voting on February 3 we will find out which one of their two songs they will take to the February 5 final. Let's see what they offer us as their own songs after all those covers! I'm glad they didn't jump on the rock train nor went all 80's bubble gum pop, but at the same time sad for lacking songs in Hebrew and proper local flavor, and where there's a bit of it it's not in the best songs. Let's see how this ends. Last year Eden Alene won with my favorite song against all odds when fandom was backing all but that song, so.... What do I know? Two more shows to come: Thursday a sort of semi-final where each artist gets the top song to Saturday's final, where a Spain like jury (50% televote, 25% X Factor jury, 25% expert jury) will crown the winner. Sapir Saban - Breaking my own walls *** Rather standard power anthem that differs only the way ...

  Another week, another four songs from new #Finpop catalogue. All four this time somewhat only Spotify famous except of course Paul Elias of Satin Cirkus and Survivor Finland fame :-) pehmoaino / Aaro630 - Rakasta mua Paul Elias - Kato kun mä meen Jenna Alexa - Luovutan FIBO / Juno - Aurinko

It ended the most Spanish way possible. A social media chaos. The fandom once again forgot the simple fact of the game: the rules are rules and everyone has accepted them beforehand, and your own favorite isn't everyone's favorite, especially in a year like this. Benidorm Fest 2022 could have easily been the showcase of Spain's last eight Eurovision entries as each entry was better than anything they have sent since Pastora Soler or so. Each and everyone would have been a solid entry. Fans also forget they have listened the songs ad nauseam whereas a regular viewer and voter sees them for the fist time on the Night. I see sees and not hears as by then it's the whole package that counts and Chanel did just that. Booty hypnotic in slomo for sure. No one cared for her before her semi-final performance but out of the blue she won it- Can you make a better first impression than that? I personally didn't like Rigoberta's performance at all, or Tanxugueiras either whil...

Hey ho! Moldova was planning a national final for the March but a sudden change in plans turned this afternoon's live audition round to a national final where a jury picked up the winner who goes to Turin 2022 Eurovision. The 3,5 hours long parade of low quality demos, broken English, unfortunate performances of every kind will make up for missing Belarus auditions this year for the fandom. Apparently none of the songs or performers had time to become a fan favorite - except one random withdrawn nonsense I don't even care to mention - so the winner's announcement remained rather low key.  If you care to check out a recap of all entries it's here .  The jury decided to send the most experienced act, one that has all social medias and most likely record label back up and all that in good shape, or Zdob si Zdub. The band was Moldova's debut entry back in 2005 and with their drum beating granny scored a very respectful 6th place, still Moldova's second highest. The...

What can we say about Spain's impact at Eurovision in recent years? Saving someone else from the places at the bottom?  Maybe that's all we can say about their fortunes. The songs have not been that bad generally, but they just haven't connected neither with the juries nor televoters. All in all Spain and Eurovision has been quite uninspiring effort but boy, have they changed it around this year! They dusted off the old good Benidorm Fest and gave us fourteen songs, each of them worth a trip to Turin 2022 considering their track record. Or make it 13 now that Luna Ki withdraw. I can only wonder how come no one noticed before she can't use all that auto-tune in her performance?!  But let's get to the business. As usual the remarks are mine and the votes are mine based on my personal taste, not how I think they will/would do at the Eurovision, unless stated something about that in the review. Varry Brava - Raffaella *** An homage to late Raffaella Carrá that does soun...

Carolina Di Domenico and Gabriele Corsi - both have not been too hot on eventual presenter's lists - will be hosting (at least) the allocation draw from Turin's Palazzo Madama. Also the passing of insignia will take place thus officially passing the event from Rotterdam to Turin!  Palazzo Madama was the first senate of the Kingdom of Italy and as we are in Italy everything's very old. The building originates from the first century BC city gates turned into a castle later and into a royal place even later and now a museum for Ancient art and very, very beautiful indeed! The photos featured here are my yours truly from a lovely salon and from the rooftop. It's worth mentioning also Marco Mengoni's stunning video for  Hola (co-written by Mahmood) was filmed there. Have a tour in the palazzo with it below! Carolina Di Domenico from Naples was Italy's spokesperson last year, a presenter with past in Disney club in Rai1 and MTV Italia and many other music programmes. ...

Oh, what times we are living! Finland's UMK2022 is praised in unison by the fandom and Portugal's Festival da Canção has slowly become one of the most exciting national finals around and 2022 is no exception. Both RTP and YLE have also topped themselves what comes to their national final's visual image; UMK with its videos and FdC with the amazing look, the posters for the artists and beautiful lyrics videos. The old time Eurovision underdogs are really showing to other broadcasters how to do it with style! This said, on to the songs. FdC used to very, very old fashioned just a few years ago culminating with Salvador Sobral's win, could you be any more old fashioned than Amar pelos dois ? Since then it has become also a wild playground for anything weird and exciting yet not forgetting the old fashioned. RTP's method of inviting composers and giving them free hands is working marvelously and 2022 edition is again a mix of most everything, yet mostly very Portuguese ...

  New week, new sounds including the return of Hanna Pakarinen! Joanton - Vaikka joskus tuulee Vilma Alina - Usko, toivo, rakkaus Aste / EME - Mikä-mikä-maa Hanna Pakarinen - Vuoretkin murtuu

Isaac Sene is maybe the most unknown artist along with Olivera to the great public. Sene's name has however popped up in music medias but so far mainly thanks to his brother Max Sene aka Sexmane , nominated for four Emma awards this year. But back to Isaac. This 22-year-old has roots in Senegal but was born in Brussels. His music is hard to label as he mixes modern soul pop with a hint of jazz, rock, hip hop and rap. He grew up listening everything from Mozart to Bob Marley, trance and of course Finnish heavy rock. He released his first EP last year and features feats by Vesta and Yeboyah. He has already gained attention with his charismatic stage presence so let's see how cool dude (Kuuma jäbä) he is going to be on UMK 2022 stage! Saved last in the presentation for a reason? I'm intrigued....  Meanwhile listen to  N-sana , Bébé , Nälkä , Akryyli , Hello my Plp , Kukaan ei tanssi niinku sä . Listen Kuuma jäbä here. 

Tommi Läntinen (62) returns with Eurovision hopes having taken part in the 2015 selection with Mitä vaan , placing second to last in his heat. But he has made his career elsewhere. First with bands like Boycott and Fabrics since 1979, and then already almost 30 years as a solo singer in Finnish. Eight albums and several compilations as soloist, a dozen albums with various bands he's been around and known for decades. His biggest hits are Via Dolorosa , Syvälle sydämeen sattuu and Kevät ja minä , and latest minor radio hit is from last summer, Meidän murusia . He will release a new studio album after UMK, his first in ten years. His song Elämä kantaa mua is written by Haloo Helsinki's Leo and Jere, with Elli in the lyrics. Haloo Helsinki has been the most popular pop rock band in Finland for years and this is the first song they have written for someone else so there's a certain buzz and expectations about this one but I must admit neither Haloo Helsinki nor Läntinen belon...

The long Israeli X Factor, who's winner gets to go to Turin 2022 Eurovision started in October and now finally we have only six new artists left. Next we will have further selection were six become four and then we get to the real business: the eventual Eurovision entries! Next Sunday the six will perform covers as until now and after duels two will be eliminated. Then the four remaining will be given their two entries and the final is not anymore only among artists but also the songs and their combination. Each four will have one of their two songs voted for the final on January 30. The grand final with four artists with their chosen songs is on February 5, 2022. I have been keeping half an eye on the process and out of these six the boys beat the girls 3-0, and especially Michael Ben David has done beautifully time after time, not forgetting Eli Huli. The remaining six are: Anna Stefani Inbal Bibi Sapir Saban Michael Ben David Eli Huli Sachar Adawi

Olivera (or Katriina Ullakko from Espoo) is pretty much unknown yet to the wider audience despite having millions of Spotify streams and important international releases. She has released so far four indie-pop EPs on her won, but she has written (and sung) for other artists like Tiësto's Affliction . Her UMK 2022 entry Thank God I'm an atheist was born from an idea she had played with since childhood: What if one of the religions is actually right and we are living forever? She finds the idea of eternal life depressing but she thinks the song itself is her best and most important so far. She started writing songs at 11 and this particular song was written in half an hour! She has dreamed of Eurovision since 2011, when Da da dam made an impact. Today she's friends with Paradise Oskar so he can surely give her some tips. For further listening here are No more , Trust , Lot to live   and I can't sleep . Listen Thank God I'm an atheist here . 

  Younghearted became almost a household name a few weeks ago thanks to PM Sanna Marin who revealed them as her favorite bands, or rather songs with Tässä ja nyt . A perfect free publicity stunt for a band that has been quiet for over two years after a promising start with platinum selling debut album and nomination for Emma award as the band of the year for their second one. Songs like Nuorisydän, Hetkeksi and Vaikeeta introduced their then sound, rather small and acoustic. The new sound is apparently a bit rockier and their UMK 2022 entry Sun numero will be the first offering of that. Younghearted is Reeta Huotarinen (vocals), Atte Ranta (guitars and vocals) and Emil Korkiakoski (guitars and vocals). They started together in 2015 and originally planned to sing in English but ended up singing in Finnish thanks to their debut single Hyvä näin . Nine singles later they are starting a new. The first album delivered some minor radio hits, the second none.  For me they were tot...

San Marino and Eurovision. What can I say? The tiny little thing every year invents something new from sending the same singer three years in a row, or the youngest duet ever or whatever they invent any given year. This year they run the biggest national final out of any. After the submissions and auditions there are still 75 acts in the list who will have their spotlight in the semi-finals and eventually in the final.  The selections started already mid December 2021 with 91 acts showing up in December 13-17, and 190 in January 3-11, 2022 out of 585 in total.  Full list here Now there are 60 international acts and 6 Sammarinese acts left and nine out of them will make it to the grand final where these emerging artists will meet nine established artists. Confused yet? Here's the dates and facts: February 13 - Emerging artists - semi-final 1 Twenty artists, three will make it to the final February 14 - Emerging artsits - semi-final 2 Twenty artists, three will make it to the fi...

  The Rasmus was born at the high school where they had their first gig in 1994. Their debut EP was released a year later. Now they have released nine studio albums and two compilations. 32 singles including global hit In the Shadows (Finland #1), F-F-F-Falling (#1), Heartbreaker / Days (#1), Living in a world without you (#1) and their latest Venemous moon (with Apocalyptica).  A curious fact is The Rasmus lost one member and gained a new guitarist, Emppu Suhonen who herself enjoyed great national success and fame with TikTak about the same time The Rasmus broke through. As we remember also Lordi changed its members a bit just before Eurovision.... Current band members are Lauri Ylönen and Eero Heinonen, both original, Aki Hakala and before mentioned Emilia "Emppu" Suhonen. Lauri has had also a sort but successful solo career with gems like Heavy and In the city . Btw he lives these days in Hawaii. Apparently Yle asked them to represent Finland (when Saara Aalto and Da...

  This week's dose sees a return of Erin and Nelli Matula with some lesser known acts with hints of 80's Italodisco and a Sanremo pop ballad. All four would have been also a great addition to the UMK2022 Kuumaa - Oo vielä sekunnin mun Erin - Anna mun rakastaa Nelli Matula - Limbo Juhani Tikkanen - Kaatuen

BESS is a pop artist from Helsinki who mixes electronic sounds to house and pop but her musical journey has been trough classical music, Michael Jackson, jazz, reggae and heavy periods just to name a few. She's got a recognizable voice, a double platinum selling single ( Tempo ), over 20 million streams for her singles and debut album that sold gold before its release and yet she's pretty much unknown to a wider audience. Eurovision has been one of her "Well, then some day....." dreams but now the someday is here. And she's going to be a household name after it. Her first releases are dated 2017 and she usually works with Nopsajalka and as many other singers these days has done also several featurings ( Pimeyteen with Mikael Gabriel, 100% with Keko Salata and Seittemän with Raappana). For futher listening listen to Peace ,   Viisi kesää (feat. Nopsajalka) and   Melodia ,  She has written her entry Ram pam pam with Jonas Olsson and Tomi Saario.

Alternative rock band Cyan Kicks was founded in Helsinki 2016. They mix in their music hard rock with melodic pop and electronic sounds. The members are Susanna Alexandra (vocals), Niila Perkkiö (guitars), Leevi Erkkilä (bass) and Pietari Reijonen (drums). They have written their entry Hurricane with Swedish-Danish Eliza Ryd, singer in Amarathe and it's been produced and mixed with American Chris Walla and Zakk Cervini. Their debut single Feathers was released in 2017 but it was the second single Gasoline that brought them to radio waves and notoriety. Critics have labeled them as a very possible export product. Their debut album I don't love you (2019) was nominated for Emma award as the best rock album of the year. Last year they released their second album Not your kind and their latest (and 10th) single is Invincible . Late last year they also did a cover of Blind Channel's I died enough for you . Check out also The Flood , Tidal wave , Wish you well   and Beat of m...