EUROVISION 2024: HOW DID THE EUROVISION VETERANS DO IN THE NATIONAL FINALS?

As every year many Eurovision artists tried a comeback, but for them this 2024 season has been very poor. Out of 24 only two succeeded in the task - and curiously both of them now in the very bottom of the betting odds - namely Iceland's true veteran Hera Björk who besides being the artist in 2010 with Je ne sais quoi placing 19th, has been backing singer many times already. Moldova's Natalia Barbu managed to win again after her Helsinki 2007 participation with Fight and Top-10 finish. The only winner trying a comeback this year didn't qualify from a wildcard voting.

Many artists saw their adventure finish in semifinals already:

Lithuania's Andrius Pojavis and Vilija (both last in their semifinals), Norway's Benedikte Adrian, Latvia's Agnese Rakovska, and Malta's Moira Stafrace.

Some were close to making it again being the runner ups: KEiiNO in Norway, Basim in Denmark and Max Mutzke in Germany. Pretty close were also Let 3 in Croatia, The Roop in Lithuania, Gaute Ormåsen in Norway and Melovin in Ukraine all with a Top-3 finish. Croatia's Damir Kedzo and Serbia's Konstraktra finished 4th.

In Italy Mahmood was heading for his third win in five years but placed surprisingly only 6th missing the Superfinal where he could have done well, everything! But his Tuta gold has been by far the biggest success from Sanremo 2024 commercially, already certified triple platinum (heading for 4th) and on top of that sold out European tour.

Serbia's Konstrakta delivered an Eurovision first: a sequel to her previous entry both musically and most of all in staging. Hilarious!

Below are all artists (I hope I haven't missed anybody, if so please let me know) with their previous Eurovision entry and their 2024 wannabe:

Moldova - Natalia Barbu: In the middle (2024) - Fight (ESC 2007 10th)

Iceland - Hera Björk: Scared of heights (2024) - Je ne sais quoi (ESC 2010 19th)

Germany - Max Mutzke: Forever strong (2024) - Can't wait until tonight (ESC 2004 8th)

Denmark - Basim: Johnny (2024) - Clichè love song (2014 9th)

Norway - KEiiNO: Damdiggida (2024) - Spirit in the sky (ESC 2019 6th)

Croatia - Let 3: Babaroga (2024) - Mama ŠČ! (2023 13th)

Lithuania - The Roop: Simple joy (2024) - On fire (ESC 2020 cancl.)

- Discotheque (ESC 2021 8th)

Norway - Gaute Ormåsen: My AI (2024) - Give that wolf a banana (ESC 2022 10th)

Ukraine - Mélovin: Dreamer (2024) - Under the ladder (ESC 2018 17th)

Serbia - Konstraktra: Novo, bolje (2024) - In corpore sano (ESC 2022 5th)

Croatia - Damir Kedzo: Voljena zeno (2024) - Divlji vetri (ESC 2020 canc.)

Italy - Mahmood: Tuta gold (2024) - Soldi (ESC 2019 2nd) - Brividi (ESC 2022 6th)

Norway - Margaret Berger: Oblivion (2024) - I feed you my love (ESC 2013 4th)

Italy - Il Volo - Capolavoro (2024) - Grande amore (ESC 2015 3rd)

Italy - Diodato: Ti muovi (2024) - Fai rumore (ESC 2020 canc.)

Italy - Emma: Apnea (2024) - La mia città (ESC 2014 21st)

Italy - Ricchi e poveri: Ma non tutta la vita (2024) - Questo amore (ESC 1978 12th)

Estonia - Laura: Here's where I draw the line (2024)

- Let's get loud (ESC 2005 20th in sf) - Verona (ESC 2017 14th in sf)

Lithuania - Andrius Pojavis - Sing me a hug (2024) - Something (ESC 2013 22nd)

Lithuania - Vilija - Save me (2024) - Attention (ESC 2014 11th in sf)

Norway - Benedikte Adrian: Waltz of death (2024) - Lenge leve livet (ESC 1984 17th)

Latvia - Agnese Radovska: AI (2024) - Line (ESC 2017 18th in sf)

Malta - Moira Stafrace. Feather fight (2024) - More than love (1994 5th)

Ukraine - Carpetman: Endless fight (2024) - Stefania (ESC 2022 winner)

Comments

ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

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?

SONGS OF THE YEAR 2015: #5 KRISTA SIEGFRIDS - ON & OFF

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!

CAROLA'S BOOBS STEAL THE SHOW, SVT APOLOGIES

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

ESC 2016 BELARUS: NAKED WITH WOLVES?

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..... )

SWEDEN: LOREEN GETS NUDE WITH BODY

Loreen. A legend for some. A one hit wonder for most. Since winning Eurovision song contest 2012 with Euphoria she has released seven singles. None of them has left the mark really. Her third attempt in Melodifestivalen this year with Statements ended up in a real defeat. Now she's ready to finally release her second album Nude in August. The lead single is Body . It's... well, like her previous stuff. Okeyish to listen to when it's on but completely forgettable once it's finished.... Pretendious comes to mind. But then maybe I just don't get her. Maybe I never did. Her fans are surely euphoric. Maybe. Listen in Spotify

GOODBYE, FAREWELL...

The time has come. After all these years, 5,7 million visits, 12.000 articles I guess the time has come. As much as I love and care for Eurovision it just doesn't feel the same. The Corona years took their toll and the past two years and certain decisions have helped me to mature the idea that next year I will hear the songs for the first time in semi-final just like any so called local. The bubble has burst. Add the toxicity in social medias and fandom. The arrogant teenagers who saw their first contest somewhere 2017 or even 2021 who think they know it all and only their opinion matters. Did I mention the toxic atmosphere on social medias? I'm too old for that sh*t. It's been a long ride that took me to various Eurovision on spot as a fan and tourist, as a journalist, as a delegation member. I met some great people, made memories of lifetime. In stressful, sad periods of my life this blog has been my safe place, a place to escape and forget everything else for an hour o

EUROVISION 2024: WE HAVE QUALIFIERS FROM SEMI-FINAL ONE

Serbia, Portugal, Slovenia.... SVT really milked it by announcing all these Maybes first.... Ukraine, Lithuania... five non-English songs in a row, wow! Finland next as predicted. Another surprise Cyprus before favorites Croatia and Ireland... and finally..... Luxemburg! Here they are the qualifiers for the final. Out are Poland as I feared after seeing it as it was shaky vocals and quite a messy staging. The song is happy and fun though but it wasn't enough. Maybe simplier staging and choreography could have helped it? Iceland and Moldova as was expected, sadly Azerbaijan but then again the song is great, the staging wasn't and finally sadly also Australia. Also here the staging was very basic and close to nothing. It just wasn't enough even if I like the song. For Finland this is fourth final in a row, something that has happened only once before from 2006 (when we won) to 2009. But in this new streak we have a 2nd and 6th place! Finland's fellow underdog Portugal do

EUROVISION 2024: SEMI-FINAL TWO PREDICTION & THOUGHTS

Oh my. Am I happy Finland isn't in this semi-final? Yes! Why? Because it's simply insane. Only two top favorites Netherlands and Switzerland are in it. Israel is in it. The odds predict a top-10 with a huge margin to the 11th place but in the bottom there are my/my Home jury's favorites not qualifying, and some of my/our bottom-5's to qualify easily. What a dilemma. I guess the prediction and what I'd want to qualify lists differ more than ever. And if we only talk about odds, that usually are quite right, how boring it is. But just to stir things up a little who could be out and who could be a shock qualifier?! And Israel. What will happen? In rehearsals people are booing and Ebu is going to silence all that best they can and insert pre-recorded applause instead and switches off the microphones in the audience. Then again that's nothing new, the same happened with Russia back in 2014 and 2015. Or at least they tried. It's going to be an interesting nigh

EUROVISION 2024: WE HAVE QUALIFIERS FROM SEMI-FINAL TWO

They started with a bang: Latvia! Against all odds he did it and he deserved it, too. Maybe tonight's bext performance vocally and no thrills performance. Latvia's last final was in 2016 so it was about the time, too! Next favorites Austria and the Netherlands. I think both performances were nothing much. Worst vocals - the little that was live - by both. Austria's choreography is also so busy it has no meaning nor sense. Norway and Israel next as expected. Israel's result will be interesting to see once the figures are out. Did they win this with landslide or did they barely make it? Update on that above: Iatlian Rai accidently published their televoting scores. Israel scored 39,31%. Second was Netherlands with 7,32% Greece and Estonia announced before next big favorite Switzerland, then sadly Georgia and finally Armenia, so Belgoium was out. No wonder. I do like the song a lot but the staging didn't work. I hoped for San Marino until last but no. Same for Denmark

EUROVISION 2024: SEMI-FINAL ONE - THE DAY AFTER

"Here we are back in Sweden. I know, don't blame me, I voted for Finland as well." That's how Petra Mede and Edward af Sillén the scriptwriter decided to open the 2024 Eurovision song contest in Malmö. Just gotta love them both. And yes, today's news is Käärijä will perform in tomorrow's second semi-final besides giving the Finnish jury's votes in Saturday's final. Another fun moment was the Grindr joke. If there's something good in Sweden's Eurovision it's Petra and Edward. This is Petra's third time (Edward has quite a few more) as host of the show. First alone in 2013 after Loreen won and the contest was in Malmö, sounds familiar? Then she did 2016 in Stockholm with Måns Zelmerlöf and after solo, with a man she's now trying a woman, actress Malin Åkerman and it works beautifully. Petra keeps delivering those little jokes here and there with stoned face and Malin plays the more serious role. The scandal 1 of the evening is Eri

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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