EUROVISION 2024 - UMK FINLAND: MIKAEL GABRIEL, NUBLU - VOX POPULI
Finnish (pop) rapper Mikael Gabriel and Estonian nublu join forces for the third time for UMK 2024 and Eurovision with Vox populi. The previous efforts Universum and Vihje have been very different in style though, even between them. When the names were announced most thought this is the one to beat but then Sara Siipola kinda stole their thunder. We'll see how it goes next Saturday.
Mikael Kristian Gabriel Sohlman (34) has Estonian mother which gives a little connection to this Finnish-Estonian affair. He tried Idols 2007 as a singer but didn't pass so he decided to go rapping instead. That has now come to a full circle as his releases in the past few years have been pure pop. He released his debut album in 2009 and his 7th came out in 2022. He has 5 n.o 1's to his credit, and 23 Top-10 singles. 3 of the albums have sold gold and his singles have sold/streamed 29 gold/platinum/multiplatinum. He has starred also in two long films as an actor.
He comes from a broken home and was in a lot of trouble in his teenage years and was eventually taken into custody by authorities. Later he has said that saved his life. Later he expressed admiration towards Putin and even had a tattoo (now covered) of him in his leg. He was also arrested for possessing cannabis and marijuana in 2017, and again in 2020. He is also known to apparently support several conspiracy theories. This of course has nothing to do with his music and this entry, but it will explain why some people have such strong opinions about him, and are against sending this to Eurovision where all this will be dug out again in today's world of cancellation.
Markkus Pulk (27) or nublu was chosen The Artist of the Year in Estonia 2021. He has released one album that earned him several Estonian Music Awards: Album of the Year, Music video of the Year (Universum), Debut album of the Year, Male artist of the year, Hip hop/r'n'b artist of the Year. Before that in 2018 he was nominated in 3 categories, winning 2. In 2019 he won best male artist and best song categories.
Vox populi, kaikki mielipiteet on yhtä väärii
Vox populi, jos ootte leijonii, miks teiän lauma määkii?
Vox populi ja me ei tulla koskaan pitää päät kii
Vox populi, vox populi, me ollaan kansan ääni
Vox populi, vox populi, huudetaan maailman ääriin
Vox populi, all opinions are equally
wrong Vox populi, if you are lions, why does your pack roar? Vox
populi and we will never shut up Vox populi, vox populi, we are
the voice of the people Vox populi, vox populi, shout to the ends
of the earth
What do I think? I think I liked more both Universum and Vihje, but this isn't bad. The words aside (his conspiracy theories, note) and the a bit too clear reference to last year's Austria's entry in that choir bit I'd rather not see this win. And considering already the amount of people out there on social medias ready to cancel MG because that's what they do these days I don't think we deserve that shit storm after last year's success. Simple as that.
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!
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?
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...
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..... )
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....
San Marino. The tiny little thing that makes things big and never ever stops surprising us. This year after the usual very long selecting process that included several previous Eurovision entrants and wannabes from various countries, even with songs they competed in another country's selection, as the last twist of turns announced the qualified semi-finalists before they aired the shows..... Ok. Because why Not? Read more about all the zillion entrants here After all the submissions, castings through Dreaming San Marino song contest 20 semi-finalists were selected, among them previous Eurovision entrants Magdalena from Poland, Marayya from Slovenia and Star Guy (Norway), and from this years national final selections Elysa (Estonia), Sheila (Albania) and Xannova Xan (Greece) and even Edward Maya also running in Romania at the same time, with other singers from Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Czechia, Netherlands and United States. Ten out of those 20 semi-finalist qualified ...
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 .
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!
As I'm off to France for some well deserved holidays and will get back to this blog afterwards I will feature a song a day. From France as my travelling tradition goes. By my favorite French singers bien sur. Enjoy!
Portugal's 60th Festival da Canção came to an end tonight and the winner is Bandidos do Cante. Portugal's national selection for Eurovision song contest 2026 has been quite critical to the participation with most artists and/or songwriters declaring they won't go to Vienna should they win. In the end there are apparently only two artists who have declared they will go to Vienna, and one uncertain if they win. Let's see who eventually will go to Eurovision in the end.... Apparently Bandidos do Cante is one of those who have said yes. Read more here . Bandidos de Cante was formed almost by accident by childhood friends singing Alentejo folk songs at dinner parties and such. The quintet is composed of Miguel Costa, Duarte Farias, Francisco Raposo, Luís Aleixo and Francisco Pestana, all natives of the municipality of Beja, except for Francisco Pestana, who is from Monte Trigo. After tone of those dinner gatherings they were invited to record vocals to D.A.M.A.'s Casa ...
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