Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Another year has passed and sadly more Eurovision song contest veterans and winners have joined the heavenly band. Below are some of the artists, song writers, conductors of Eurovision that we lost this year.  Francois Hardy (1944-2024) - L'amour s'en va (Monaco 1963) Dickie Rock (1936-2024) - Come back to stay (Ireland 1966) Guy Bonnet (1945-2024) - Marie-Blanche (France 1970), Vivre (France 1983), writer for La Source (France 1968) Joe Cujatar (1941-2024) - L'imħabba (Malta 1972) Humbrey Campbell (1958-2024) - Wijs me de weg (Netherlands 1992) Marjorie (1965-2024) - participated in the Finnish national selection 1988 , 1989 , 1990 , 1994 Hans Blum (1928-2024) -writer of German entries 1967 , 1969 , 1986 Martin Lee of Brotherhood of Men (1946-2024) - Save your kisses for me (UK 1976) Colin Gibb (1953-2024) of Black Lace - Mary Ann  fame (UK 1979) Emre Tukur of Klips ve Onlar and Pan fame (Turkey 1986, 1989 ) Shmulik Bilu of Milk & Honey (1952-31.12.2023) - Hallel...

Albanian 63rd Festivali i Kenges was in the end the duel between fan favorite Evajan Gjata and surprise last minyte favorite Shkodra Elektronike with Zjerm (heart). Alis Kallaçi placed third. He was the one I thought could be a surprise winner when watching the first semi-final. There was a three way voting system: Jury, online aka diaspora and SMS  voting in Albania. The jury and the SMS placed the top three in the final order, while the online voting went almost all to Elvana and Shkodra, Elvana winning. I must say I'm not quite onboard this fan train yet. I kinda enjoyed Karnaval even if as a song it isn't much at all but the show on stage was likable and entertaining to watch and listen and it came across somehow likable in all its clichés of a girlypop Eurovision hybrid. I also like Alis, Ardit's boy pop version to Elvana's bop was hilarious  in all it's arrogance. I would also mention Vesa, Jet, Stine  and eliminated Kleansa Susaj's Ta dija.  Shkodra Elekt...

After chaotic 2024 edition AVROTROS have once again selected internally and the chosen one is Claude. And for once it's a name I know already and I have all the resons the get a bit excited! Update: The song was leaked February 26, a day before it's official release. Cäest la vie! Claude Kiambe is 21-year-old singer-.songwriter of Congolese origin. he came to the Netherlands when he was nine and fled Congo with his mother and siblings and first settled in an asylum center. His music career started with The Voice Kids in 2019 where he was eliminated in the battles stage. The year after he won Are you next? talent show and secured a record deal. Two years later he hit the #1 spot in the charts with Ladada (Mon dernier mot) and received several award nominations and winning Best Newcomer and Artist of the year awards among others.  He has released five singles todate, after Ladada Layla (#8), Vas-y (ga maar) (#5), ècoutez moi (#14) and Parler français. His Eurovision 2025 entry w...

Ok, the slogan is still United by Music but the Swiss like also the Unity shapes love one as they reveal the visual identity, stage and more on December 16, 2024 for the Eurovision song contest 2025 in Basel.  Truth me said there's nothing to get exited for as it seems rather seen and unoriginal to say the least, continuing where Liverpool and Malmö left just tuning down the colors a bit. Despite the cute back story of Swiss way of listening _ ears that become heart that becomes unity or something. And yes, once again it's back to kinda dark and gloomy... The stage looks rather familiar. too, and no wonder as it is once again by Florian Wieder. At least it has the Alps in it. This is his eight, or ninth if count the recycling 2020 to 2021,  Eurovision stage since 2011. (+ 2012, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024) A couple of days ago the number of participants was also confirmed: 38. Montenegro returns along with everybody from last year.  The hosts will be announced in J...

She's the blue 'n white voice of Finland and has been singing already 63 years but all that comes to an end on August 16, 2025 - the night before she turns 80. The Helsinki Olympic stadium will see and hear her belt out her hits from the 1960's, 1970's, 1980's, 1990's, 2000's, 2010's and finally 2020's in a concert tile The Last Night, that will be her one and only performance in 2025. Her career has been long and unlike most everyone she doesn't have had particularly lows but highs and even higher periods of stardom and hit potential. One of the highest heights she's living right now as the new young generations have found and adopted her as well. She has also never really had a break, except in late 1980's/early 1990's after the sudden death of her husband. She returned in 1992 with Anna mulle tähtitaivas, her biggest selling album and the title song she says is her favorite of them all.  Her debut single Poiken kuvat released in 1...

The 63rd Festivali i Këngës will be held between December 19 to 22. Two semi-finals will be held before Nostalgia night on 21 the grand final being staged on 22.  A total of 85 submissions arrived to RTSH and a special committee chose these 30 for the festival line up, one of them becoming then the Eurovision song contest 2025 entry for Albania in Basel, Switzerland next May. Among them fan favorite Elvana Gjata and last year's winner Mal Retkoceri who didn't though get the ticket to Malmö as the Eurovision entry was chosen by televote and it was Besa instead. But that's apparently past now and there will be only one winner again. One third of the artists have participated before. Click below for the sing titles for lyric videos. And of course there's my first time hearing ranking :-) Is it me or if this maybe the best FiK ever? Finalists marked with F Semi-final 1 - December 19: Orgesa Zaimi -  I parë   F Erma Mici - Mbaje Luna Çausholli - Qiell apo ferr Ronaldo Mes...

Adam Pavlovčin (29) aka Adonxs has been internally chosen by ČT for the Eurovision song contest 2025 in Basel. At first glance he might look like a hybrid of Duncan Laurence and Nemo but this basso profondo voiced Slovak is a classically trained singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actor, Superstar 2021 winner, androgynous, five time Slovak street dance champion, LGTBQ+ activist. Phew, that's a lot! His musical career started already in high school where he formed genre-bending band PACE. They moved to London and were joined by Greek drummer and guitarist from Monaco. They released Baroque pop EP and a couple of singles (Hunt me down, Fallen) and did performed in London, festivals and Prides until 2021 when Codi-19 shut things down and he moved to Prague and started a solo career. Update 4.2.2025: he previewed his entry Kiss kiss goodbye in the Maltese selection as acoustic version: The official version was released March 7: He won the joint Slovak-Czech idols Superstar 2021 stirring ...

Tonight's the night for Sanremo giovani semi-final where the 12 become six for the final. ( Read more here ). The songs have been out in the platforms awhile now and the most streams so far has Settembre (1.865.600), followed by Alex Wyse, Tancredi, Mazzariello and Mew - all between 340.000 and 444.000. Then we have a significant drop to Angelica Bove's 85.000. Let's see how they correspond to the final verdict.  UPDATE 18.12.: The final duels: MEW Vs. Vale LP & Lil Jolie                                             Alex Wyse Vs. Selmi                                                Angelica Bove Vs. Settembre From AreaSanremo:              Maria Tomba Vs. Etra             Oh what? They w...

No surprise here, runner up Nina Žižić, Eurovision veteran from 2013, replaces Neonoen who withdraw ( read more here ) a few days after their Montesong win. Nna was the jury winnner before Neonoen, but placed only 4th in televote, thus finishing second, with her Dobrodošli. 

  Another dose of #Finpop 2024. We have this time Ilon, already familiar from this #Finpop series with newbie Leeni and a fan favorite for #UMK2025 Tuuli with UMK veteran Robin Packalen with yet another hit single. Enjoy! ILON - UNISSASI LEENI - TYÖN ALLA ROBIN PACKALEN - TÄYDELLINEN EX TUULI - EKAA KERTAA

The past three years the most streamed song on Spotify in Finland has been an UMK entry but not anymore in 2024. Newcomers Mirella, Hugo and Ani took over but Kuumaa was still the second most listened act in general, Sexmane 5th. Their both latest albums made also the list of most listened albums: Pisara meressä (1.) and Hyvikset ja pahikset (6.) The most listened artist was however Turisti , followed by Kuumaa, Mirella, Gettomasa , Sexmane , Ibe , Costi , Taylor Swift, Isac Elliot and Lauri Haav .  1. Mirella - Timanttei 2. Ege Zulu & BEHM - Tunnista tuntiin 3. Mirella & Lauri Haav - Luotathan 4. Mirella - Uuteen eiliseen 5. AHTI & Hugo - Väärään aikaan 6. Kuumaa - Satama 7. Hugo & Costi - Taulut 8. Robin Packalen & Tupe - Häitä pidelly 9. Ani - Jos puhutaan totta 10. Mirella - Sua sattuu In 2021 Blind Channel's Dark side topped the list. Måneskin gave extra Eurovision flavour to the list placing three songs in the Top-10: I wanna be your slave (2.), Euroviis...

Carlo Conti has revealed he listened 280 Big songs, meaning 250 songs didn't make the cut even if a total of 30 songs instead of 24 were chosen. As for the Newcomers 336 songs were submitted for AreaSanremo and 564 for Sanremo Giovani, that's a total of 1.180 songs.  But now as the names are out the betting has also started and in various betting sites the odds seem to be the same for the Top-4 as Elodie, Giorgia, Achille Lauro and Olly in different order, followed by Noemi, Irama and Francesco Gabbani. I personally would love to see Giorgia finally at Eurovision - even if apparently she'd be more likely to say "No, grazie"- or Elodie.  Some authors of the songs have been revealed. Mahmood and Blanco are behind Noemi's song, and Blanco is also a coauthor for Irama and Giorgia.  Tiziano Ferro has written for Massimo Ranieri.  Giorgia comes from a very successful year as X Factor presenter. She has released 11 studio albums and is considered one of the best voca...

Apparently Carlo Conti couldn't decide so the 24 Big artists have become 30! Among them previous winners and Eurovision veterans Francesco Gabbani (2017), Massimo Ranieri (1988) and also Francesca Michielin (2016) and Achille Lauro (San Marino 2022). Other previous winners are Simone Cristicchi (2007) and Giorgia (1995), and among Newcomers Rocco Hunt (2014) and Clara (2024). Eurovision fan favorites Elodie, Coma_Cose, Irama and The Kolors are also back. If Massimo Ranieri (73) is back for the seventh time also another real veteran returns (finally): Marcella Bella (72). This will be her 10th Sanremo.  From last year we have again Clara, Rose Villain, The Kolors and Irama. For the first time ever we have in competition i Sanremo Brunori Sas, Emis Killa, Sarah Toscano (latest Amici winner), Dj and producer Shablo with rappers Gué and Tormento, Joan Thiele, Luco Corsi and Tony Effe. The hot gossip is both Tony Effe and Fedez are in, as Fedez recently divorced Chiara Ferragni, Sanremo...