EUROVISION 2022: ESTONIA - EESTI LAUL 2022 FINAL REVIEW

Estonia's Eesti laul 2022 has reached the grand final after quarter finals and semi-finals and the 40 songs (out of 202 submissions) have become only ten. These are voted by televote and jury (50-50) and the top-3 will make the super-final where only televoting reigns.

All Eurovision veterans except the winning one Lauri Pihlap, who was eliminated already in quarter finals, made it this far.

I guess my hopes are on Stefan. He has been already in top-3 in 2018 with Laura (Walk with me), 2019 Without you and placed 7th in 2020 with By my side and I have more or less liked all those songs and I think Hope tops even Laura, so.... Go Stefan!

Elena Nechayeva - Remedy ***

I was never a big fan of La Forza, but I kind alike this but the performance is so over produced with every movement and that odd and tired flying and falling sequence that it kinda distracts from the song itself...

Andrei Zevakin feat. Grete Paia - Mis nüüd saab *

I take it Zevakin is rather popular and that explains why he's in the final. As the song. No. Even Grete doesn't save this in my books. And Estonian sounds very ugly to a Finn in this one. Sorry.

Jaagup Tuis - Kui vaid **

I don't get the fan hype for him. Not last time, not this time. I simple can't keep my attention levels up to finish listening this.... Musically very old fashioned, just arranged in a modern way. Like a bad cover from some random 50's/60's hit that pretty much ruins the original song under those sounds.

Elysa - Fire **

Yawn. Another Mello or Malta reject. That's what comes to mind for the first thing. And it doesn't develop any further from that idea. As much as I like Latin music this isn't just good enough.

Ott Lepland - Aovalguses ****

Ott is of course one of the strongest singers Estonia has ever sent to Eurovision and Kuula one of the best songs. And this song is all about his voice and its power. The melody is almost prayer like but its his vocie that captures your attention. Simple and strong.

Stig Rästa - Interstellar ***

Nothing new, nothing original, heard a million times before and maybe better. But I have a soft spot for Stig, so.... But no, he doesn't deserve to win with this one. This might be heading for Uku like result.

Minimal Wind feat. Elisabeth Tiffany - What to make of this ***

There's something about this I like, even if this doesn't really get going ever. But great intriguing atmosphere. And that's already something!

Stefan - Hope ****

Ok, this is very fashionable Avicii/country pop with recalls also Måns Zelmerlöw, but this is likable. Makes me think of black and white classic western movies. In a good way. And I wrote that before I saw the staging!) This could be a contender for Top-10 in Turin, at least.

Anna Sahlene - Champion **

Straight from Melodifestivalen with borrowed staging tricks from elsewhere and how many times we have heard these champion/warrior/winner/hero nonsense at Eurovision already? And why she's here again? Didn't they find any Estonian singer for this? Or was this rejected from Mello for a reason? This isn't going anywhere, not even with the gospel choir bit.

Black Velvet - Sandra ***

I don't know why but I really like this. Estonian sounds cool and this is catchy, very 80's of course. Of course this isn't going to win but I love it making the final and being here!

Comments

Nina Badrić for Croatia

Croatian TV went for internal selection in the end and chose Nina Badrić. She has been around for almost 20 years and has released ten albums between 1995 and 2011. She has also treid to get to Eurovision four times already without a win (1993, 1994, 1995 and 2003). She is popular also in the other ex-Yogoslavian countries so let those 12s run in.... Listen her here: Moje oci pune ljubavi , Dat ce nam Bog , Nebo and Mama . And lovely Carobno jutro .

Sabina Babayeva for Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani selection show for the represant was as long as the selection process for the five finalists. Kurt Calleja from Malta and Can Bonomo from Turkey were present with Ell/Nikki to see Sabina Babayeva to emerge as the winner after each and every finalist had done about zillion songs amongst other guests. Now the Azeri TV will shop around a suitable song for 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!

FINLAND: LORDI RELEASES SEXORCISM - THEIR 9TH STUDIO ALBUM

Brand new studio album SEXORCISM is released tomorrow, 12 years and 5 days after their monstreous victory in Athens 2006 Eurovision song contest. It is quite possibly the most controversial Lordi album yet and already their 9th stuido album (plus three compilations and one Ep)

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?

SWEDEN TRIES TO STEAL THE FINNISH KISS

We all know about Krista Siegfrids "lesbian kiss" and reactions to it in worldwide media, and especially in some more conservative countries like Turkey, Georgia and Greece (this blogger is still waiting for reactions from Azerbaijan and Russia). But that's not all, SVT is also featuring a gay kiss in their interval act. Martin Österdahl, the executive producer says they are expecting hard critic for it but think it's important finally to show some attention to the gay community in the show. It hsn't been easy for the gay fans and journalists in some present Eurovision contests in Belgrade and Moscow, not to even mention Baku! But... one question pops into my mind: when did they come up with this idea? Hmm... As we know, the interval and script's jokes and lines are worked until the last minute and for example Björn Gustafsson's part/lines have been cut after dress rehearsasl them being too provocative and causing protests from the commentators. ...

FINLAND: VIRPI KÄTKÄ NARROWLY MISSED THE SURVIVOR FINAL

Virpi Kätkä of CatCat fame came 4th in the Finnish Survivor against all odds, and was even the longest surviving female competitor. She managed to get this far by being friendly and helpful to everyone and staying out of any major fights and double-talk. Or so we thought.... she confessed afterwards it was just the game she played! She was voted out in unison by the remaining guys in a rather ugly way. after Kim won the last challenge and got safety when the other had planned to vote him out. No one wanted to be in the final against Virpi anyways so she would have been next one out perhaps but Kim's victory messed it all up. Kim is actually Kim Herold, of Humane Euroviisut 2007 (7th) fame. Let's see if he misses the final two as well and is on the next Plane Away. Virpi took her elimination "the same way I did with Eurovision, five minutes of depression, get over it and that's it!" she told. And the bikini in top photo she found in Thailand and as ...

THE ABBA REUNION 2016 - WATCH THEM SING TOGETHER AGAIN

The 2016 Eurovision song contest organizers didn't manage it - or any of the previous ones either nor those offering them millions of dollars - but they seem to get together for birthdays, the way the old friends do. Back in 1999 they performed together in a private party for Görel Hansel's 50th birthday, and now to celebrate the first meeting of Björn and Benny 50 years ago. Venue was Stockholm's Bern's Salonger and once again in a private setting but today even they can't stop the cell phone videos and social medias. Enjoy the magic of Frida's and Agnetha's voices again.

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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