Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Carmelle has won the very first Philippines national final for Eurovision song contest Asia 2026 with Sobra-sobra. And yes it was by far the best entry of the night when mostly it was about big vocals, male make up and drag queen host. And all in all very Eurovision, all cliches added and reminding mostly those 80's and 90's festival songs with big vocals just with a bit more modern touch. Better production than Bhutan but I guess that surprised no one but honestly Bhutan was more interesting and authentic musically to say the least. Carmelle Collado (19) comes from a family of singers and shot to the fame last year winning a talent show Tawag ng Thanghalan. But her career started already at the age of 12 at the World championships  of perfroming arts and lates finishing 2nd in the The Voice Kids and last year she even participated in the Big Brother Celebrity..  Philippine Selection Night final 1. Carmelle - Sobra-spbra (Too much) 2. Saga - Broken beyond repair 3. JM Dela Cer...

  Another dose of #Finpop 2026. This time with an actual UMK 2026 dropout: Minttu's Everest. She treid but didn't make the cut. Followed by already familiar names like UMk veterans Kuumaa with emma & Mathilda. pihlaja  and Eurovision veteran Laura Voutilainen. Enjoy! MINTTU - EVEREST KUUMAA / EMMA & MATHILDA - IHAN KOHTA OHI PIHLAJA - VELI NOJAA SISKOON LAURA VOUTILAINEN - TOINEN SINÄ

Here's another foursome of #Finpop 2026 for your enjoyment including Olga and Mirella, on many Eurofans wishlist for UMK 2027, as well as Ani and Sara Bee, same goes for them. Then we have real Eurovision veterans Catcat who have released a new song and finally Erika Vikman's latest because why not?  OLGA / MIRELLA - KANSALLISAARRE ANI / SARA BEE - TUHLAAJAPOIKA CATCAT - TUHAT MERKITYSTÄ ERIKA VIKMAN - ADAM & STEVE

  Another week, another dose of #Finpop 2026. Meet new or rather new names Lage, Blondi, Helmi Marleena with already seasoned Elias Kaskinen. As always, who knows if they will show up in UMK 2027? My bet is on Elias Kaskinen following his wife Nelli Matula.  LAGE - MIS NYT OLLAAN BLONDI - ÄLÄ RAKASTA MUA HELMI MARLEENA - JUHANNUSVALSSI ELIAS KASKINEN - KAUAN

Malaysia has internally selected Aina Abdul as their debutante in the Eurovision song contest Asia. Born Nurul Aina Abdul Ghani (32) she's already established  singer-songwriter and actress in her home country and has been in public eye since 2010 and participated in various talent shows usually finishing in top-2. She has written herself most of her songs. She was been nominated and won countless awards, including World Championships of performing arts in Los Angeles 2014, Best telenovela soundtrack in 2018, awards for best vocalist, composition, lyricist, most popular singer, best Diva.... you name it! Her entry for Eurovision Asia will be revealed later, Meanwhile enjoy some of her previous songs below. Another very interesting and talented artist for sure.  Her entry Bluest sjy is out:

So, Burgas it is. Ebu and BNT won over the power of Sofia who insisted on hosting the show in the capital due some political stuff if I understood right, and that caused the delay in declaring the chosen city by almost two weeks or so. We will have a beach Eurovision again by the Black Sea and one of the most southern ones. The legendary Sunny beach is there nearby and Greece and Turkey's Istanbul are only a day trip away. The Arena Burgas will host the semi-finals on May 11 and 13, and the grand final on May 15, 2027, just before it celebrates its fourth birthday being opened on May 18, 2023. It's maximum capacity is 15.000 for the concerts but obviously an Eurovision song contest like show will have less seating space due to the big stage etc. Maybe next May will change its image to that of a triumph instead of its current status as a symbol of corruption in Bulgaria due to its delays and failed budgets during its construction that took over eight years..... At the day of ann...

So it has happened: Eurovision song contest Asia has kicked off with its first national final and its first winner. And so it happened that I happened to be at home and accidentally noticed the show is about to start and ended up actually watching it.  To be fair the live stream was crap at times and the sound quality not the best. I hadn't heard the songs beforehand but it seems by favorites finished last and second to last while the winner seeemed to be clear from the beginning judging the screams in the apparently tiny tv-studio where the over enthusiastic hosts Keizang Dolkar and Phub Tshering run the show with four stern looking judges and the five entries with a string of interval acts that were all... well, dancing or singing in national costumes. Yes, the national costumes! To be honest I knew nothing about Bhutan before this afternoon but the past couple of hours I learned it is required by law to wear national costumes (gho for men and kira for ladies) in every day in pub...

  Another week, another dose of #Finpop 2026. With the Big guns this time. Lauri Haav, Nelli Matula, Jenni Vartiainen and Robin Packalen - all familiar established names. Enjoy! LAURI HAAV- PERHONEN NELLI MATULA - MUN VUORO LUOVUTTAA JENNI VARTIAINEN - JOKU JOHON NOJATA ROBIN PACKALEN - 1001 TAPAA  

After American song contest (a total flop, one edition)), attempts to create Eurovision like contests to Latin America, Africa, Canada (and who remembers where else?) and the Eurovision dance contest (another flop, two editions) and those on going Eurovision Young musicians, Eurovision Young Dancers, Eurovision Choir that are very marginal, as is Junior Eurovision song contest, it looks like the Eurovision Asia is really happening finally in November 2026 with national selections starting next month across Asia.  But how did we get this far?  It all started already back in September 2008 when Ebu announced that Asian-Pacific Eurovision would take place in 2009 . Under title Our sound - the Asia Pacific Song Contest was to feature 16 broadcasters taking part from Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macao, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. It was due to happen in Singapore in late 2009 before it was pos...

  This week familiar names already with their latest including UMK veteran Viivi and Hugo, Kaikua, Runo, Bizi and Pehmoaino, all names I'd welcome to UMK 2027! HUGO / KAUKUA - VESIPISAROIDEN VALSSI RUNO - PURI VIIVI - KAIKKI PÄÄTTYY MEIHIN BIZI / PEHMOAINO - SE MITÄ EI OLLUT KOSKAAN