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.
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?
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!
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 .
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..... )
Update! Another thing got Swedes talking last night: Carola's boobs when she was giving away an award. This is not the first time her boombs cause headlines; her misfortunate adventures in the 80's in Japan wer explained with her boobs being too big for Japanese market. Ok.... Or was it the song ? Anyways, Carola apologies and says she thinks the dress is stylish and elegant (even her friends said so) and she's a mature woman in her 40s, not a 16-year-old girl and looks like one. The Swedish Oscars, Guldbagge awards were given out last night. Carola was there as a guest star to sing Barbra Streisand's The way we were when honoring the movie stars who passed away during 2012. However, the cameras were too much on Carola, not on the stars showed in photos in the background and that upset many viewers as that part of the show was to celebrate them, not Carola. Oh well... The producer of the show tells in Aftonbladet the part of the show was made the sam
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?
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....
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.
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
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.
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