Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Another week, another dose of #Finpop, this time by another ones from Antti Ketonen with Katri Ylander and Kuumaa, hotly tipped for Umk2023 as well, and new talent Miri also delivers again and then there's a classy effort by Antti Ahopelto. Enjoy! Antti Ketonen, Katri Ylander - Koditon Miri - Ikävä meitä Kuumaa - Edellen sua Antti Ahopelto - Loistaa

Area Sanremo 2022 has short cut and auditioned the chosen ones in November. The age limit for artists is between 16 and 30 and each had to have to original songs to present: one for the Sanremo Giovani and another for eventual festival di Sanremo 2023. Those who took part in Sanremo Giovani selection could not apply for Area Sanremo. Out of 549 submissions the 46 below were invited for the live auditions. Out of these 46 only four will make it to Sanremo Giovani selection along with eight ones from Sanremo Giovani selection , and out of these 12 only three will make it to Teatro Ariston and the festival next February. Simple? Update 26.11.2022 These 20 made the cut for further auditions where from the four finalists will be chosen.. Update 27.11.2022 We have the four finalists for Sanremo Giovani.  CECILIA (Cecilia Del Bono) CLOUDIA (band) COLLA ZIO (band: Andrea Arminio, Andrea Malatesta, Francesco Lamperti, Tommaso Bernasconi, Tommaso Manzoni) DANIELE BIANCONI DELVENTO ...

Today's news about the change of voting system went through fandom like an earthquake and showed once again the Eurovision song contest has the most passionate fandom ever. In good and bad, especially in bad. The truth is the youngsters don't remember - or know - the voting system has changed about a zillion times over the decades from on spot two member juries to televote to 20 member juries to anything in between. The televoting (since 1998 only) has been from five minutes to 10, then 15, after songs or during songs, depending the year. Even the scores given kept changing most every year from one to ten given out in various combinations until 1975 when the infamous Twelve points system was invented by a Finn and has been in use ever since. Even that has had a minor change as first the votes were given out in running order before they were changed to the more exciting one from one to 12 we know today instead. These days of course we only get to hear the 12 said out loud when f...

  Yet another dose of #Finpop, this time all ladies. Janna returns, Pihlaja delivers again, Mirjam is a newcomer and Eija a true veteran and her Syksyn Sävel entry is just such a classy effort, and even better in live version. Enjoy! Janna - Niin kauan ku me eletään Mirjam Paaso - Missä helvetissä on taivas  Eija kantola - Elämä saa loistamaan  Pihlaja - Sheikkaan mukana

Malta is next in line to reveal their cards for Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool. As usual the line up is full of familiar names from previous national finals and even two Eurovision veterans Fabrizio Faniello (2001, 2006) and Jessika (San Marino 2018), not forgetting fan favorites and runner ups  Aidan and Brooke who are yet to win the ticket to the main event. Add two Junior Eurovision participants Francesca Scibberas (2009) and Eliana Gomez Blanco (2019). There will be six shows in total; first quarter finals with ten acts each (and apparently in a very tuned down staging with no dancers, props etc it is rumored) and then a semi-final with 24 acts, while the top-16 make the grand final on February 11, 2023. The show dates are January 13, 20, 27, February 3, 9, 11) and maybe thanks to Aidan's success this year there seem to be several songs in Maltese this time! Great! Update 1/23: The selection process has been changed to three heats (January 13, 20, 27), one semi-final (February 9)...

  Another dose of #Finpop. This time familiar names from UMK Isaac Sene and Olivera with their latest with Joalin, who could possible be a good one for UMK2023 as well as Titta with yet another goodie. Enjoy! Isaac Sene - Oon vaan mä Olivera -Human child Titta - Ihmeitä Joalin - I'm the one

  Another dose of different Finnish beats. There's Tinze the Twerket, Elias Kaskinen with yet another good one and I hope the next one's for UMK2023. Antti Ketonen delivers again and wouldn't be wrong for UMK2023 either,  as does Eurovision fan favorite Eini. Enjoy! Tinze feat. El Migu, ez, Risanaamio - Leffa Elias Kaskinen - Minä sinua  Antti Ketonen - Ainoo tie Eini - Älä pelkää mua 

Well, most probably not but this list of artists seems to fit the hints Yle gave and it did spread around fast like a forest fire in August . It does include names that this blogger has been toying with as well, and names that could fit the concept well and most of all feature several strong names so it wouldn't be one or two horse run but a real battle and more battle between the songs rather than artists. In theory. Here they are for your enjoyment and speculation: Portion Boys feat Meiju Suvas Portion Boys, the biggest party band (maybe) with three Top-5 hits in the past year, one of them with Teflon Brothers from Umk fame, with Meiju Suvas who's been around 40 years and living a new fame peak thanks to Vain elämää season 13 this fall. She's tried to get the ticket to ESC several times already. Pete Parkkonen he shot to fame in Idols 2008/09 and has had ups and downs in his career, the ultimate sex symbol who finally proved to most everyone he's a real international ...

  Another milestone reached: 5.500.000 visitors on this blog. That happened a couple of days ago and the faith is I just happened to check on it the right moment! What can I say again?  Thank you! Grazie! Kiitos! 

Some more Vain elämää season 13 goodies, including Pete Parkkonen, another hotly tipped for UMk 2023 covering both Meiju Suvas and Erika Vikman, and another one from Erika Vikman. Enjoy! Pete Parkkonen - Pure mua (orig. by Meiju Suvas. a cover of Azucar Moreno ) Jyrki 69 feat. Erika Vikman - Sä teit tän laulun (orig. Yona ) Yona - Valo (orig. Light by Redrama) Pete Parkkonen - Syntisten pöytä (orig. by Erika Vikman )

Another name from the latest season os Vain elämää is Meiju Suvas, who is also heavily hinted as possible UMK artist next year. She's not a stranger to that affair having already participated in Euroviisut, the original selection show already in the 1980's and has also tried to get to UMK with Playing with fire two years ago. The funny cougar (63) with a lot of self irony and dirty mind did leave her mark also in these covers: Aina (Orig. Let go by Redrama) Irti (Orig. by Yona ) Hetken ikuinen (Orig. In your dreams by The 69 Eyes) Ei nyt (Orig. by Pete Parkkonen ) BONUS: Cicciolina

Vain elämää, that show were artists gather together for a week, each day singing covers of each others songs dedicating one day for everyone has just ended and this season, number 13,  one of the artists was Eurovision fan favorite Erika Vikman. I have chosen four of my favorites of her covers. Enjoy! Loimaa (Orig. Kickstart by Redrama) Kasipäkki (Orig. by Pete Parkkonen ) Kova duuni on rahaa (Orig. by  Meiju Suvas ) cover of She works hard for the money by Donna Summer) Maailmanlopun reunalla (Orig. Dance d'amour by The 69 Eyes)

Portugal's method of choosing composers for Festival da Canção and giving them free hands gave them their long awaited first victory, a couple of very different entries with variable success and the masterpiece that was Saudade, saudade this year so there's no point of changing it. FdC has turned out to be one of the most interesting and innovative national finals, something that Eesti laul used to be, if not the best in the past few years. Also this year promises everything from fado to rock and indie and everything in between. Can't wait! The names are out as are the dates: two semi-finals on February 25 and Match 5 and the grand final on March 11. Among the composers Claudia Pascoal, who represented Portugal at home in 2018 and fan favorite Bárbara Tinoco from FdC 2020. Some names from various talent shows like Ivandro, Edmundo Inácio And five of them are from open submission that received over 700 entries: Inés Apenas, Edmundo Inácio, Mimicat, Moyah and Woodoo Marmelad...

Belgium will have a national selection after many years with the final set on January 14, 2023. Seven acts will battle it out, each with two songs one being chosen for the final set up. Among them Tom Dice who took his guitar to 6th place in 2010, the best placing for a Flemish artist from Belgium. He and his wife form The Starlings. Update 15.12.2022: The song titles and snippets were released The songs were performed between 9 and 13 January in special shows where the other artists helped the artists to pick up one song for the final. All agreed with others but The Starlings..... Ameerah (Astrid Roelants, 39) Armageddon The Carnival Chérine (27) Ça m’ennuie pas Mon étoile gala dragot (Gala Dragot, 17) Emotion Ollie T'inquietè Gustaph (Stef Caers, 42) Because of you The Nail Hunter Falls (Tchiah Ommar Abdulrahman, 27) Home Oh la la Loredana (Loredana De Amicis, 36) Dream in colors You lift me up The Starlings (Tom Dice, 32 & Kato Callebaut, 31) Oceanside Rollercoaster

  This week we have Robin "I will never ever sing in Finnish again" Packalen sing in Finnish with Viivi. Bess returns with another single (and releases the English version of Ram pam pam , check it out on Spotify). Pins.ku delivers another goodie and finally a very nice song from newcomer Aliisa Syrjä. Enjoy! VIIVI, Robin Packalen - Ihana kipu Aliisa Syrjä - Tää tunne BESS - Sammumaton pins.ku - Kaunis poika

Estonia is next in line to reveal their acts for Eesti laul 2023. The two semi-finals will be staged January 12 and 14, and the grand final a month later on February 11. As usual five songs will qualify for the final; four of them with 50/50 televote/juryvote and the fifth one by another round of televoting only . An additional televoting was arranged for all the non-qualifiers and two wild cards handed out. In the final the first round 50/50 televote/jury vote will determinate the top-3, who will then have another round only with televote. Among the songwriters Eurovision veterans Stig Rästa (for Elysa) and Norvegian Kjetil Mørland (for Janek) as well as last year's winner Stefan (for M els). Another veteran Robin Juhkental (ESC 2010) has also written his own song. And Sissi is of course Eurovision winner Dave Benton's daughter. Alika - Bridges   Finalist sf2 Andreas Poom - Why do you love me   Finalist sf1 Anett x Fredi - You need to move on   Finalist sf1 Bedwette...

The second announced artist for Eurovision song contest 2023 in Liverpool was Andrew Lambrou for Cyprus. His participation was made public on October 17. His song will be released later. Andrew (24) is no stranger to Eurovision bubble as he was a finalist in the Australian national final in 2022. Having Greek-Cypriot roots the Cypriot television did the usual thing and hired him for the job. Andrew won his first school singing competition at the age of 5, and then as teenager gained attention with his social media videos. Next step was X Factor but he didn't make it to the live shows. Fast forward to this spring and Eurovision - Asutralia decides where he placed 7th with Electrify.  So far he has released four singles. 

Israel was the very first one to announce their artist for Eurovision 2023 after some leaked information, denial, confirmation, non-confirmation by the artist and eventual official announcement back in August. Her song for Eurovision will be released later.  The chosen one is Noa Kirel (21). She's singer, actress, television host, child reality tv star and a lot more. She started her singing career at 14 and has released two dozens singles since, as solo or collaborations, including nine Israeli top-10 hits, including four number ones. She's been chosen The best Israeli act at MTV Music awards in 2017, 2018, 20220, 2021 and was nominated in 2016, as well as 2022. So in short: A big local name. 

Out of the blue The Netherlands reveal their artists for Eurovision song contest 2023 and become 3/37. Mia Nicolai (26) and Dion Cooper (28) are both up and coming independent artists put together two years ago by Eurovision winner Duncan Laurence and his fiancee Jordan Garfield. Duncan and Jordan have been writing songs together for a long time already and this entry is co-written by all four of them, and apparently picked up from many submissions without a moment's hesitation by the Dutch Eurovision team. The song or its title hasn't been revealed yet but the folks have dug out from internet a song called Chasing heights. 

Here's a recap of everything happening in the Eurovision 2023 bubble; all selections, internal selections and the rest. Enjoy! To be updated until all is said and done. ISRAEL  Artist (Internal): Noa Kirel (read more) Song: Unicorn (8.3.2023) Read more here CYPRUS Artist (internal):  Andrew Lambrou (read more) Song: Break a broken heart (2.3.2023) Read more here NETHERLANDS Artists (internal): Mia Nikolai & Dion Cooper (read more) Song: Burning daylight (1.3.2023) Read more here SLOVENIA Artist (internal) : Joker Out   ( read more ) Song: Carpe diem UKRAINE (Vidbir 17.12.2022) Read more here Artist: Tvorchi Song: Heart of steel Read more here ALBANIA (Festivali i Këngës 19-22.12.2022) Artist: Albina and Familja Kelmendi Song: Duje  Read more here Read more here FRANCE  Artist (internal): La Zarra ( read more ) Song: Èvidemment 19.2 BELGIUM (Eurosong 14.1.2023) Artist: Gustaph Song: Because of you Read more here GREECE  (internal, 30.1.2023) Art...