EUROVISION 2022: THE SECOND REHEARSAL DAY

Day 2 in Pala Olimpico and first 30 minute rehearsals from Portugal, Croatia, Denmark, Austria, Greece, Iceland, Norway and Armenia - that's a lot of female vocals and girly guitars! Today's gossip sees Albania's rehearsal photos being too provocative. Meanwhile the the stage and its rotating sun keeps being a matter of heated discussion. Now apparently it has been decided it won't be used by the delegations at all but only during the opening and interval acts etc. What's the big deal? The same thing happened in Helsinki 2007 for example when the catwalk was forbidden from delegations to use but was heavily used by other acts. Meanwhile I am once again quite disgusted by the fandom on social media, their bad behavior and arrogance. I'm so ready to leave twitter and this once this season is over. Here are few examples:

Errr. how do you know? What do you know? How? WTF?!

Clearly you have NO idea of anything.... You Italian one, ma conosci l'Eurovision manco un po'??!!

Also some organisation decisions keep up with heated discussion and opinions and I do have to agree a bit with the post below. I mean what's the point of press conferences if there are no press? Or even "press".... or fans. or ANYBODY? The TikTok thingy is totally wasted with an older generation fan and blogger like this one, give me my Youtube videos instead!

Today's big news is however the fact that the presenters Laura Pausini, Mika and Alessandro Cattelan will bring a little bit of Sanremo and yesteryear's Eurovision to Turin by announcing the artists as they should be! Such vintage pleasure, can't help thinking what a mess the hostess in Munich did with Finland in 1983. And yes, also Toto Cutugno in 1991 made whole of Finland laugh when trying to pronounce Hullu yö..... I don't dare to think how other countries feel. On the other hand it adds to the charm, doesn't it?

But now over to the rehearsals today, once again behind closed doors (thankfully):

Portugal uses the B stage in front of the Green room (Salvador Sobral anyone?) Maro and her backing singers are in a circle that certainly fits the song's mood, and added smoke on the ground adds to the magic. I already know this is going to be one of my favorite moments!

Croatia's Mia has now three contemporary dancers next to her on stage interpreting the song perhaps and they all apparently do a good use of the huge stage. Her dress is very pretty in every way but I remember we discussed her image when reviewing the songs with Home Jury and the general opinion was she should stay as she is and not to dress up for the occasion too much. This is bordering too much.....

Denmark brings in more neon lights and dress up as 60's/70's style like many others this year. Add pyros.

Austria seems very energetic with their huge ring of lights they sung inside in. Add smoke and pyros. All they need now is Pia Maria to deliver the vocals.

Greece uses echo in vocals creating a moment, and it's all blue and white. She's wearing a white dress and on stage there are blue chairs, maybe to remind us of some beach tavernas in Greece?

Iceland seems to be able to recreate the magical atmosphere on stage. Their harmonies are hypnotic and the song is one of my favorites. They sport the 70's hippie retro look again and it's all in the family; besides three sisters on vocals and guitars their brother is on drums.

Norway seems perfection. Very similar to the national final performance. On spot vocals and choreography from Keith and Jim, three dancers in yellow and Dj Austronaut. Pyros.

Armenia looks stunning with the rotating bedroom she's in covered with post.it like papers.

Tomorrow it's time for the second semi-finals first part, including Finland, fan favorite Serbia and San Marino's Achille Lauro that I wait with great curiosity!

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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..... )

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....

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...

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...

Russia recycles the video

Here is the video for Alexey's previous hit Бам Бам! and here is the video for his Eurovision 2011 entry Get you as Alex Sparrow as he likes to be called now abraod. Looks like he potreys the new rich Russia well.... The only problem is that he can't play the bad part convincingly not even a second. And did I say the song is crap? And of course as he is a Russian star he must have nude fotos of him flotaing around internet trying to be sexy and he fails there, too, big time. If you are not bad nor sexy you shouldn't push it. Maybe he should stick to singing jolly little numbers like the Kalinka rip off instead....

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!

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.

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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