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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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?

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Regina Lund - naked and censored

Regina Lund's new video Jag är osynlig was censored by Youtube only minutes after it had been uploaded. In the video she was playing a female Jesus who gets crusified in the end. "I was shocked!" she says. "There's nothing more naked in it as in every church! It's ok to have naked man hanging on the wall but my nakedness is too much on internet? ". Oh well, no comment. She's prepairing a new album Dare Regina Lund and we of course remember her from her Melodifestivalen 2007 adventure with Rainbow star .

ESC 2016 BELARUS: NAKED WITH WOLVES?

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CAROLA'S BOOBS STEAL THE SHOW, SVT APOLOGIES

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TIM SCHOU AND HIS NAKED GRAVITY

Tim Schou has a pretty good solo career going since he left his friends in London. He's travelling the world and relesing songs and videos. The latest one is a great track and comes with a steamy video that kinda takes away from the song really. But who's complaining. If you got it, flaunt it. Enjoy the video below. This post coming after the other Dane, Rasmus Seebach as wishlist for Eurovision. To think about it, Tim would do nicely, too. Maybe he should give it another go?

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....

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.

ITALY: ALICE 70 - PER ELISA

Alice's second Sanremo. No longer Alice Visconti, nor Carla Bissi but simply Alice. A song written by Alice herself with Franco Battiato and Giusto Pio. An usual song lacking a proper refrain, performed in an aggressive way by fierce looking Alice with wild hair. It was a real breakthrough. If the trio's first offering the year before for Italian hit waves was a hit this became a mega hit and international success that made her known not only in Italy but abroad as well. Such a shame Italy didn't participate in Eurovision that year (but her time would come) but then again, most likely they wouldn't have had sent Sanremo winner anyways. Number one hit in Italy, Top-5 in Austria and Switzerland, Top-20 in Germany. The song featured in her 4th album simply titled Alice, that was published abroad as Per Elisa with different styling. A new version of the song is included in Personal Jukebox album. Per Elisa Vuoi vedere che perderai anche me Per Elisa Non sai più distinguere

ITALY: ALICE 70 - NATA IERI

Alice - Nata ieri In 2012 Alice released her first studio album with new original songs in 14(fourteen!!!) years, Samsara . Among them a song Franco Battiato had written especially for her (Eri con me), a first since 1982!, a couple from Tiziano Ferro including this Nata ieri. The album included also three covers from Lucio Dalla, Giuni Russo and Califfi. Her fans had been waiting for this album and it entered the Italian charts straight at number 10. Se la vita è migliorata dopo ogni ferita, è grazie a te. Tra le grigie ceneri dei giorni neri, lì sono nata ieri. If life has improved after every wound, it is thanks to you. Among the gray ashes of the dark days, there I was born yesterday.

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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