Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Tonight's the night when the Eurovision song contest officially moves from Turin, Italy to Liverpool, UK. At the same time the allocation draw takes place following the reveal of the slogan and art work for the coming contest ( see previous post ) AJ Odudu and Rylan will be hosting this event that is also watchable on Youtube .

At first glance United by music might be the most unoriginal and banal slogan ever but think about it: It may just be the most genial ever! After all, it's all what this Eurovision is all about: united by music. Hundreds of millions Europeans and beyond united infront of the tv screen watching a live show. More united than that there's nothing! Of course there's then the offical back story about Ukraine, United Kingdom and Liverpool uniting by music and all that.  The ECG or electrocardiogram of a pusling heart recalls the Euroviison heart symbol, and the colors are of course those of Ukraine with some UK thrown in. Very simple and colorful and after initial Meh that lasted about 7 seconds I absolutely like it now! Well done!

A female duo Teya (22) and Salena (24) will represent Austria in the 2023 Eurovision song contest in Liverpool. They met two years ago in Starmania talent show and have been singing together ever since. Both girls have dreamed of Eurovision stage since their childhood and after various experiences, talent shows and song writing camps here they are finally. Well, considering their age it didn't take that long really, did it? The song will be revealed on International Women's Day on March 8. 

  Greece has finally decided. It's Victor Vernicos (Jörgensen) with What they say for Liverpool. He's just about to turn 16, so he's one of the youngest Eurovision artists ever and he's also half Danish. He has released a couple of music videos so far. Below is a taste before the entry will be released: More info coming in due time

Business as usual in Iceland. Two semi-finals, each with five songs, two getting the ticket for the grand final (and maybe there's the usual wildcard as well), and in the semi-finals the songs will be performed in Icelandic but those qualifying may switch into English for the final if they intend to sing in English in Liverpool should they get that far. These songs have been selected among the 132 submissions. The semi-finals will be on February 18 and 25, while the final is set for March 4. I think I'm already in love with one of the songs.... 1st Semi-Final  BRAGI – Stundum snýst heimurinn gegn þér/ Sometimes the World´s Against You FINALIST  MÓA – Glötuð ást / Loose this dream Benedikt – Þora / Brave Face Celebs – Dómsdagsdans / Doomsday Dancing Diljá – Lifandi inni í mér / Power FINALIST 2nd Semi-Final : Kristín Sesselja – Óbyggðir / Terrified Langi Seli og Skuggarnir – OK Silja Rós & Kjalar – Ég styð þína braut / Together we grow   Úlfar – Betri maður / Impossible...

Germany's success recently years hasn't been really anything to remember and the pressure is on as other Big5 have found the success again. And indeed it does sound a bit better this time around. Unser Lied für Liverpool has eight entries plus one to be chosen among open Tik Tok submissions. They have preselected six entries and people may vote one to join the final line up. The final takes place on March 3. And guess what? It seems a Finn is among the songwriters for Anica Russo, namely Wilma Virintie! And then there's some blood & glitter but all I can say is cha cha cha! Among TikTokkers we then have some questionable/joke entries... Anica Russo - Once upon a dream Frida Gold - Alle Frauen in mir sind müde Lonely Spring - Misfit Lord of the Lost - Blood & Glitter Patty Gurdy - Melodies of hope René Miller - Concrete heart Trong - Dare to be different Will Church - Hold on One one of these Tik Tokkers will join the line up: Betül Akmar - Heaven ** From Fall to Sp...

How things change! Not so long ago the Finnish national entries didn't bother the charts, not even the winner and there are even entries that have never even been released after the contest. And now, UMK is living a real resurrection or renaissance and has become similar to Sanremo or Malodifestivalen: It makes hits. Artists want to take part. It's hot. Relevant. A hit.  Not all this year's entries have had the time to enter the official charts but last weekend for example Spotify's Top-10 had five UMK entries! I'm sure they will all storm into the charts this week. So far we have two debuts at the official singles Top-20 charts; Benjamin at #7 and Keira at #10. In the radio play Top-100 we have Robin at #46., Benjamin at #55., Lxandra at #65. and even Käårijä made it #77 already. I suppose he might hit the singles #1 and who knows how high on radios..... Let's look back at how it all started, this new era. Erika Vikman hit #5 on singles chart back in 2020 and ...

The songs keep dropping and today also Portugal has revealed the songs for the coming Festival da Canção 2023. Once again RTP invited 15 composers and gave them free hands to choose the song and the artist, and it seems most everyone this time around is singing their own song instead of choosing someone else to sing it. Additional five songs were selected among the 667 open call submissions. Or maybe that was their purpose in the first place? Get the big ones involved big time. Including Cláudia Pascoal who sung for Portugal at home soil in Lisbon 2018. There will be two semi-finals with ten songs. Six of them will reach the final. Five simply by 50/50 televote/jury vote and one additional one by second round of televoting only. In the final there are seven regional juries and televote on 50/50 basis. The televote opens right after second semi-final. Semi-final One - February 25 April Ivy - Modo voo Bolha - Sonhos de liberdade Churky - Encruzilhada Cláudia Pascoal - Nasci Maria Esse Po...

Denmark is next in line to reveal their entries, a total of eight for one off final on February 11, 2023. There will be first round with only televoting to determinate the top-3 who will face the second round of voting, this time 50/50 televote/jury. The app voting will open already on February 6 and runs until the day before the broadcast. Eyjaa - I was gonna marry him Frederik Leopold - Stuck on you Maia Maia - Beautiful bullshit Mariyah LeBerg - Human Micky Skeel - Glansbillede Nicklas Sonne - Freedom Reiley - Breaking my heart Søren Torpegaard Lund - Lige her

Moldova is next in line to reveal its entries for Eurovision song contest. Out of 60 submissions 33 made the first cut and received a call for a live audition on January 28  where from only ten entries will make the final. Those names are expected to be revealed the same day and you can watch these often hilarious auditions live on www.eurovision.md as usual..... And yes, that Sasha B is back again ..... Among the participants three Eurovision veterans, including Sunstroke Project that holds the best placing in Euroviison for any Moldovan act, 3rd in 2017 with Hey mamma (and 22nd in 2010) and Pasha Parfeni (11th in 2012) and Aliona Moon (11th in 2013) Update: The finalists were announced 28.1. You can listen all the song here Vele Band - Jocul neamului moldovenesc Corina Ivanov - When Love’s Real   FINALIST NÖRDIKA - Skueeze Paradise Disqualified Nihilist & Lisa Nicky - Final Destination NÖRDIKA - Damn and down   FINALIST Victor Gulick - Let’s Dance   FINALIST Do...

Finland has quite a line up this year starting with Robin Packalen, who has been on fandom's wish list for years as well as the most popular party band at the moment, Portion Boys and probably the next big thing Kuumaa. Add fresh Dancing with stars winner and fan favorite Benjamin, Lxandra who has been also on many wish lists for a few years (including mine). Add newcomer Keira and somewhat unknown Käärijä and you have maybe the biggest line up on paper ever on Umk. Sunrise Avenue's Samu Haber will be hosting the show from Turku's Logomo on February 25, 2023 and the winner will be selected by televote (75%) and international jury (25%). Once again Yle goes multilingual as you can watch the show on stream in either Finnish, Swedish, English, Russian, Ukrainian, sign language, northern Sami and Inari Sami. As usual the songs have been released one by one, one per day. I will get back to them one by one as well once they are all out. Keira - No business on the dancefloor Benj...

Serbia was riding high on success last year (clap clap) and obviously wants to repeat it. Who knows? Among this year's entrants Tijana Dapcevic (North Macedonia 2015 ESC) and Hurricane, but hold your horses; the three girls Sanja, Ivana and Ksenia have changed and only the name remains. Don't know if these new girls  Jovana, Sara and Miona are a hurricane of hair as well.  Among song writers Eurovision 2007 winner Vladimir Graić (as well as Slovenia 2012 and Serbia 2015). There will be two semi-finals on March 1 and 2, and the grand final on March 4, 2023. Nada - Moj prvi ožiljak na duši Tijana Dapčević - Mamim Egret (Petar  Pupić) - Ako  shvatim Princ (Stefan  Zdravković) -  Cvet sa Istoka Frajle - Neka, neka Angellina - Lanac Eegor - Starac dana Boris  Subotić -  Nedostupan Nadia (Nađa Terzić) -  Devojka tvog dečka Luke Black - Samo mi se spava Filip Baloš -  Novi plan drugi san Zejna - Rumba Dzipsii - Greh Igor Vins i Bane Lalić ...

Ireland, the reigning champion of Eurovision with seven wins back in the days hasn't really bothered the top of the scoreboard the past 30 years or so - how times flies! This year they received 330 submission, cut down to 60, then ten and finally these six by various juries and panels.  The first act to pop out is of course Public Image Ltd aka PiL with John Lydon (66) of Sex Pistols fame. Then again, who knew he/they were still active? Maybe there's still hope Germany will send Nina Hagen one day? Another maybe familiar name is boyband Wild Youth. Among the songwriters one can spot a Finn, Arto Ruotsala, for Leila Jane. Adgy - Too good for your love Connolly - Midnight summer night K Muni and ND - Down in the rain Leila Jane - Wild Public Image Ltd - Hawaii Wild Youth - We are one

Czech Republic is riding with success lately at the Eurovision song contest and their national selection Escz will go live instead of just videos this year. On January 30 the five participants will be streamed live via eurovision.tv and national broadcaster and people everywhere may vote for the winner until February 6, when the winner will be announced. The voting will be 70/30% international/national votes.  Among the artist already familiar Pam Rabbit who hopes to be third time lucky having participated already in 2019 and 2020, besides being already on Eurovision stage in 2018 with Mikolas Josef. Another familiar name is Markéta Irglová. Yes, the very same Markéta from last year's Icelandic selection as that's where she lives these days, despite working mostly in the US. Rodan was awarded as The Discovery of the Year 2021 in Czech Republic, Vesna comes from folk-pop world, and Maella who has gone from jazz to alt-pop and loved by BBC Introducing completes the five-some. Upd...

Gustaph or Stef Caers (42) took a somehat surprise win in the Begian national final Eurosong 2023 for the Eurovision song contest in Liverpool, causing also a bit bitter words from runner ups who did win the televote and in the end lost by one point only.  Gustaph started his career already back in 2000 and scored a hit with his debut single Gonna lose you (as Steffen). After that he concentrated on his music studies and became more of a producer and vocal coach, as well as backing singer. He also fronted a band, Hercules and Love Affair  at some point. He's an Euroviison veteran, having provided backing vocals to both Sennek (2018) and Hooverphonic (2021). Now, he takes the spotlight with Because of you .  Final results: 1. Gustaph - Because of you (jury 121 - tele 157) 278 2. The Starlings - Rollercoaster (94 + 183) 277 3. Gaia Dragot - T'inquiète (146 + 125) 271 4. Chérine -  Ça m'ennuie pas (145 + 123) 268 5. Amaarah - The Carnival (107 + 64) 171 6. Loredana ...

France came out all of sudden on January 12, 2023 announcing La Zarra will be representing them in Liverpool Eurovision song contest when fandom was still hoping and waiting for a national selection like the past couple of years. Instead, they went internal again. La Zarra or Fatima Zahra Hafdi (25) is a Canadian-Moroccan singer-songwriter so once again we see a Canadian artist at the contest following footsteps of Céline Dion, Natasha St-Pier and others, as well as Moroccan (Loreen, Bilal Hassani....). She's been around since 2016 and has released a few singles and her debut album in 2021, the title track  Traîtrise becoming a hit and collecting a few awards nominations. Her song for Eurovision will be released later, so below is a something to get to know her:

Euroviisut 2006, the Finnish national selection for Eurovision song contest featured two song in Italian sung by Tomi Metsäketo. And Eternamente Maria was to one to challenge Lordi in the end. That year each artist had two songs and in the first round one of them was eliminated. Lordi's duel was quite even but apparently also Mr Lordi's favorite Bringing back the balls to rock lost 58-42% to Hard rock hallelujah . In the final Lordi dominated the first round with 29.150 votes against second placed Tomi only with 4832. But in the superfinal things changed and it was really between these two in a very tactical voting behavior: Lordi or not to Lordi? Tomi got as many votes as the other four finalists put together aka 45.431 but Lordi managed to get 67.369 and the rest is history. For once Finns got it right but in any other year this Eternamente Maria would have been a very decent entry. Never ever (or after) has Euroviisut caused such a stir and media attention and divided the...

In the 2015 UMK was a battle anti-ESC like entry vs. very ESC like entry and sadly the first won, went to Vienna, scored last place in the semi-final. I can't even bother to link it here. Satin Circus however did their best to save the situation but came only second. Crossroads charted and played on radio and the band enjoyed some fame and popularity until the end in 2018. Paul Elias went solo and has scored minor hits since and Olli Halonen started his solo career a bit later but scored one of the biggest hits in 2022 and a couple of minor ones and expectations for his debut solo album to be released in 2023 are high. 

Another chaotic national selection with questionable choices for Eurovision in Finland in 1965. Katri Helena's Minne tuuli kuljettaa (Where wind may take me) was clear people's favorite, a megahit and eventually an evergreen but placed only 3rd. The winner was Marjatta Leppänen with Iltaisin but she was sacked (again!!!) in favor of runner up Viktor Klimenko despite all and Aurinko laskee läntee that placed in Naples..... yes, you guessed it: shared last with zero points! When a similar blonde young singer won with similar up tempo song, imagine the outrage! Some people are bitter still today....

While waiting for the entries for UMK2023 aka Finland's national selection for Eurovision song contest let's look back at some of the best non winning ones from yesteryear. While we are at it, let's take yet another Petri Laaksonen's entry. In 1988 he teamed up with Eurovision 1983 veteran Ami Aspelund and created this very catchy, very Eurovision at the time arrangement with a touch of Slavic male choir with Southern European cliches but it works wonders but sadly placed only third. Ami never recorded this one but Amor Amor reappeard of another Eurovision veteran Sonja Lumme's album a few years after with a tuned down arrangement . And yes, you guessed it. Finland's winner Boulevard placed second to last with 3 points in Dublin. No comment. 

While waiting for the entries for UMK2023 aka Finland's national selection for Eurovision song contest let's look back at some of the best non winning ones from yesteryear. Composer Petri Laaksonen was at it again and the sad faith was, as rumored, Yle was determined to have a Swedish language song winning Euroviisut 1990 and voilà. In the Top-3 this was the only song in Finnish. Arja Saijonmaa, mostly known for Eurofandom for her Melodifestivalen entries performed Gabriela with all her might but nothing to do. Sadly this song was never promoted nor released properly and only a limited print promo 7" exists. Which I have.  And yes, you guessed it. The winner Beat with Fri? came shared last with 8 points in Zagreb. No further comment.

While waiting for the entries for UMK2023 aka Finland's national selection for Eurovision song contest let's look back at some of the best non winning ones from yesteryear. Euroviisut 2000, what a mess! Nightwish was the clear televote (well, telephone) winner getting the double of votes the runner up got), the jury winner was Nylon Beat while Nina Åström, sadly a random nobody before and after Eurovision won placing jury 3rd and people's 2nd won with A little bit . A cute little harmless tune. Anna Eriksson placed jury 2nd and people's 3rd and 2nd overall 4 points short of Nina with a real Eurovision banger. Oot voimani mun   (You are my power) would have been composer Petri Laaksonen's third Eurovision entry. Instead it became a huge hit and Finland's only winner so far in the OGAE Second Chance song contest. Oh, and Nina finished 18th with 18 points in the end and was never heard again.

All is good in Eurobubble when Aiste is back in the Lithuanian selection and Markus Riva in the Latvian one. And we have also a previous winner Justs (ESC 2016) and a couple of other familiar names as well competing in this year's Supernova. There will be a semi-final on February 4 and only ten entries will make it to the final on February 11, already a very very busy night in the Eurovision world! Will Markus be 9th time lucky? 24. Avēnija - You said Adriana Miglāne - Like I wanna   NQ Alise Haijima - Tricky Artūrs Hatti - Love vibes Avéi - Let me go Inspo - Sway   NQ Justs - Stranger   NQ Katrine Miller - Beaten down   NQ Luize - You to hold me Markus Riva - Forever Patrisha - Hush Raum - Fake love Saule - Finally happy  (Disqualified) Sudden Lights - Aijā Toms Kalderauskis - When it all falls