Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The rumors have been confirmed by Kasmir himself. Namely that he was also approached by Darude to sing in UMK and Eurovision but he said "no thanks" due to other projects like recording new album and releasing a new single and such. After this Darude convinced Sebastian Rejman to take up the opportunity. It's worth remembering the final three songs might and most likely would have been different ones with Kasmir, after all he's a succesful songwriter for many artists besides himself, and Look away was co-written by Sebastian himself... Things could have turned out differently but we will never know... Kasmir has been around since 2014 when he scored a huge hit with Vadelmavene . Before that he was active in EDM trio HeavyWeights so that fits with Darude. He has released two gold selling solo albums and about 30 singles solo or in various collaborations including eight Top-20 ones. 

YLE, we have a problem. What happens now? UMK has delivered in eight years only three Eurovision finalist (2013, 2014 and 2018) and even two of those have placed  24th and 25th in the final, the only exception being Softengine's 11th place in 2014. A lot critizied internal selection for the artist used past two years hasn't been the key to success and last night YLE was once again asking people how they would like the Finnish entry be selected next year. Before they have told us nothing has been decided yet for next year's method.  Two years ago YLE angered the Finnish musicians and songwriters by throwing all their work, time and money invested to rubbish pin by changing it all all of sudden by choosing Saara Aalto internally. This year they came out telling how difficult it was to find someone when every big artist turned the offer down from Antti Tuisku to Sunrise Avenue, Jenni Vartiainen and The Rasmus, just to name a few mentioned. This put the artists in a bit a...

As we know Finland's entry Look away in the Eurovision song contest 2019 deals with climate change and worries it brings to our future like climate change. The national final staging already featured melting polar ice and rising waters. But that is nothing that is in store for Tel Aviv experience when yet secret 4D effects will rock the arena and its stage that is perfect for this kind of invasion. It has leaked YLEs team is working on dramatic special effects on screen as well: besides the familiar water tank the water will also start to rise and slowly fill the tv screen until it speeds up so that at the 3 minute mark it takes Sebastian and Darude under water underlining it's the future of most coastal metropoles if nothing is done and soon. 

UMK2019, the Finnish national final was held in Turku's Logomo, and YLE had put a lot of effort into opening and interval acts showcasing Krista Siegfrids' talents as a performer and showgirl, no doubt about that. On th other hand her side kick Kristoffer Sandberg was totally useless and I can honstly say I didn't laugh to his "humorous" monologues even at once and the show was over gay as usual underlining the fact most Eurovision haters say: it's all gay. How unoriginal. How boring. Yawn. The three stagings for the songs were a lot better than last year's efforts but didn't really have any truly original and never seen before elements; Eurovision fans propably thought about last year's UK's cage like staging, or Demy's water tank for Greece two years ago.... In the end Look away was a real winner with both international juries (incl. of course Wiwiblogger like there was no one else in the world to call, and Emmelie De Forest w...

Finland is choosing its entry for Eurovision song contest 2019 tonight in Logomo, Turku. DJ Darude of Sandstorm fame was internally chosen to represant the country and he presented three entries in February, all sung by singer-musician-actor Sebastian Rejman. Eurovision veteran Krista Siegfrids is hosting the live show with Kristoffer Sandberg and Mikko Nousiainen. Eurovision winner Emmelie De Forest will also perform. The winner will be chosen by 50-50 international jury (UK, Ireland, Spain, Israel, Norway, Sweden, Deenmark, Czech Republic) and televoters. It seems it's going to be between Superman and Look away as they have featured best in various polls. Superman has references to Sandstorm in arrangements while Look away is the only one Darude aka Ville Virtanen and Sebastian Rejman have written together. This blogger is team #Superman. 

Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman will have three songs the Finnish televoters and intrnational jury will vote for in the final of UMK2019 (Uuden musiikin kilpailu) in Logomo, Turku on March 2, 2019. The songs will be revealed on per week..... Here we go: Release me Superman Look away

Sebastian (41) is from Helsinki and found name as the singer-guitarist in The Giant Leap band, that released two albums in 2007 and 2010. Their debut single All in my head was a radio hit. Sebastian first ventured into television with Kuorosota (Clash of thee choirs) where he directed the Helsinki choir. He got more hosting jobs and The Giant Lap was put on hold. Meanwhile he started another project: Sebastian & The 4th Line Band. He has also co-written songs to other artists. Since 2012 he has been doing a lot of television from hosting The Talent and being the backstage host in The Voice of Finland. Since 2018 he has also been acting in a popular hospital drama Syke . His partner actress Iina Kuustonen also acts in the series and they have two kids together.  Now he steps to the unexpected spotlight as vocalists for Darude's Eurovision song contest efforts 2019 for Finland. 

Finland will bring sandstorm to Eurovision in Tel Aviv. Ha ha. Now that we got that over with I must confess I may have giggled a bit when the announcement was made. It was like if YLE had mistaken Tel Aviv 2019 with Jerusalem 1999. Next thought was Ok, he's going to have some cool vocalists for each song and then Sebastian Rejman walks in and is announced as the voice for all the three songs.... It did feel a bit of a letdown... The news broke quickly at work and generated in general amusement and giggles among people of different generations and musical tastes. Well, at least it made clear one thing: Everybody knows Darude and Sandstorm. Now, few hours later I'm feeling pretty cool about it and even Rejman who is a fine vocalist. If he has different vocalists for each song the national final on March 2 wouldn't be anymore about the songs but the singers again. The songs will be published like last year one per week starting February 8. The Finnish final will take pla...

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? Pete Parkkonen came to spotlight in Idols coming 3rd (losing to forgotten Koop Arponen and Anna Puu - see previous post). He started his recording career in English and debut album went to #1. He has participated in several music variety programmes in tv winning both Dancing with stars and Tähdet, tähdet proving what an excellent and chameleontic performer on stage he is. After that he changed into Finnish and after being the eternal "next big thing" is maybe finally getting closer to the recognisation he deserves. A succesful trip to Israel 2019 might just cement him as a major star. So far he's not quite there yet and hasn't maybe quite found his full potential and popularity. 

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? Anna Puu (or Puustjärvi) started with Idols placing 2nd, her debut album went to #1 and sold platinum. Nearly ten years later she has released four albums (and will release her 5th next month) with countless radiohits. She has won Emma award as the Female artist of the year twice, she did Vain elämää , she's The Voice coach.... and an Eurovision/UMK link comes in form of a boyfriend: Jukka Immonen, who's been involved with both and switched from Jenni Vartiainen to Anna a couple of years ago. While Jenni might have the image of an ultimate classy diva, Anna has been the cute little girl next door. Until now. Her new promo pics for the new album are rather Lady Gagaic, so does that also give a hint of even more upbeat and Eurovision friendly music as the chan...

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? Eva+Manu are Finnish Eva Louhivuori and French Emmanuel Laudic. They met while studying music in Berklee, Boston, started writing music and having a seven year long relationship. The romance is over but music still continues. They have also started writing music to other artists recently, while being themselves produced by others an writing songs with other people while working on their next album. Their musical career got going while after living in London they decided to take a roadtrip in Europe; France, Spain and Italy working in farms, releasing a new song every week in their social medias and blog that got very popular. Soon they got signed and nominated for the newcomer of the year at Emmas, loved by critics and got evergrowing fan base thanks to their ...

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? Would this list be complete without some hard rock? No. Finns and hard rock go together like Lordi and Eurovision. Besides, Apocalyptica already did Helsinki 2007 Eurovision interval act and wouldn't be the first one stepping out from there to the competition. Ask Miss Mauboy for example. Another Eurovision links are Marta Jandová who sings in various songs of theirs and Hanna Pakarinen the frontman wrote a song for. They have been quiet awhile but apparently finishing their new album so what would be more appropriate than a huge #UMK2019 show and worldwide exposure from Israel? Also in German

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? Alex Mattson (or Aleksi Kaunismäki in his passport) is a DJ and producer, the first solo Finn to sign with American Ultra Music. He started as a true Finn as a heavy rock drummer but discovered EDM at 14 and hasn't looked back since and today his music is inspired by deep house and moombahtoni after his music production studies in Holland. Solamay (of Robin Schulz fame) and Lucas (Richard's son) Marx are among those who have borrowed their voices for his songs. He has also produced top selling artists like Reino Nordin, Mikael Gabriel and Isac Elliot and remixed many others, including Sandhja's Sing it away . He's got millions of Spotify streams.  Hiring a DJ and producer like him would open doors to interesting collaborations even in Eurovision co...

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? No. Not Saara Aalto but Sara Forsberg aka SAARA. She's be a perfect choice is Yle plans on playng the visibility and "popularity online" again instead of many other factors as she's got over one million subscribers on her Youtube and over 100 million views. She shot to the fame as the " Tongue woman ", continuing with some musical genres  ending up The Ellen Show . Step to films, television and music in both Finland and the US was short doing everything from Star Wars to Talent judge and her own cloathing line and some travelling reality show. Recently her musical career has been somewhat suffering so I'd bet she'd jump the opportunity to do Israel 2019 with all her dedication and bubbly quirky energy....

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? If Robin has been the biggest teenage sensation in Finland ever, Isac Elliot comes close second but most of his repertoire has been in English and more international. Now that he's finally 17 he could well be Eurovision worthy. Already popular in Norway - apparently causing teenage hysteria there - and Poland, Singapore and some other markets, and being in some American radios playlists including Disney and Billboard's Next big sound and winning the MTV Europe best Finnish act twice already... Do I need to say more? Three albums, two EPs and a dozen charting singles to his credit so far wouldn't Eurovision be a logical next step in the world domination? After all he already did Estonian national selection - as a guest star!

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? Suvi Teräsniska may be under 30 still but has been around over ten years already, selling gold, platinum or multiplatinum with her every album, including three #1s and seven top5 albums. She's also got a long string of radio hits, she won Syksyn sävel contest 2013, has been awarded with various galas as Female artist of the year as well as album of the year in her pop schlager category. She's recorded Christmas albums, took part in various music variety shows including Vain elämää and being a X Factor judge with Saara Aalto plus got married and had two kids in 2015 and 2016, still working most of the time. Several her songs are already modern evergreens and part of the Finnish light music legacy. She's got a huge devoted fan base and in already a seaso...

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? Lauri Tähkä is one of the biggest names in the Finnish music industry. He's got his own national romantic style mixing folk with pop and rock ever since he started with his group Elonkerjuu. Elonkerjuu won the Emma award as the Group of the year five years in a row when he was in it before going solo (2006-2010). Since then he has been picking up Male artist of the year in various galas. Three solo studio albums so far (#1 and two #2s, all platinum or multiplatinum sales) and a string of radio hits he would be an excellent choice. Like Pauhaava sydän  would have been fabulous back in 2007 for Eurovision.... Mä en pelkää is brand new with a lot more modern sound...

Yle is going internal again in 2019 and it will be very curious to see who they choose (or get) after Saara Aalto - will they go for big international name or something big in Finland.  Or someone new and emerging? Janna is singer-songwriter, musician and daughter of singer Maarit and musician Sami Hurmerinta. Her mother was a regular in the Finnish national finals in the 70s and represented Finland in festivals in Poland and Bulgaria, among others. And her greatgrandfather is Italian musician Michele Orlando. But despite that she shines on the Finnish pop and soul scene on her own right. She started her career in late 2000's with two albums in English but the big break came in 2014 when she released her third album in Finnish. In 2018 she was nominated in Emma gaala as the Female artist of the year but sadly lost to Evelina. She has released already six singles off her next album so why not finish it off with some songs to #umk2019 ? With the right song she could be a v...