Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Loreen of Sweden is the 15th previous Eurovision song contest winner who has decided and/or managed give it another try. Only Ireland's Johnny Logan has managed to win twice, as we all know. One can't really do a ranking however as the contest had changed so much from the 1950's with maybe a dozen songs to the approx 40 we have these days. In coming days I will feature the winners who decided to come back  after  winning the contest as there also many winners who have won with their second or third try.   If several winners in 1950's and 1960's came back for more in the 1870's only Anne-Marie David (70) did so, even switching from Luxemburg for her native France. In 1973 she secured Luxemburg's 4th win and second in a row in a very tight battle. Tu te reconnaitras got 129 points, runner up Spain 125, third UK 123. Her song became a massive international hit and launched her career abroad, especially in Turkey of all places. Six years later she was back, for ...

Another week, another dose of more or less new #finpop from charts, streaming platforms and radio waves. Olavi Uusivirta is hot topic at the moment for all but musical merits at the moment (Hint: PM Sanna Marin, Night clubbing. Kissing) and disco queen Eini is back with a female anthem while Maija Vilkkumaa rocks some nostalgia and ex-Leningrad Cowboys Jore delivers an insane ear worm. Enjoy! Olavi Uusivirta - Älä päästä mua menemään  Eini - En itke sun perään  Maija Vilkkumaa - 1973 Jore Marjoranta - Mikset sä jäänyt

Italy took its well deserved third victory - finally! - at the Eurovision song contest 2021. Over the years several other Italian entries would have been worthy winners. In this series I will go through all of them from the worst ranking to the winners.  Massimo Ranieri (70) was chosen by Rai for Eurovision mainly because he has won the previous Canzonissima variety show and the song choice fell to Chi sarà con te (Who will be with you). Sanremo 1973 was won by Peppino Di Capri and Un grande amore e niente più but he has to wait for his moment to shine at Eurovision for a few decades still! Ranieri, who was and still is, very popular in Italy probably wished to better his 5th place two years earlier but instead fall to 13th place out of 17. That didn't stop his fame and success at home and abroad and today he has sold over 14 million records, recorded 23 studio albums, acted in nearly 40 films, done countless tv-shows. over 40 theater productions, six Sanremo ( with one win ), f...

Anne-Marie David started with Eurovision in 1972 when she participated in the French selection with Un peu romantique , after doing a succesful Maria Magdalena in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar.  She didn't win but the year after Luxembourg chose her and Tu te reconnaitrais and she took a close second victory in the row for the Grand Dutchy beating pre-contest favorites UK's Cliff Richard and Spain's Mocedades; they are finished within six points when David scored 129 points and Richard placed third with 123. Anne-Marie Davis became international star and toured the world and participated in various festivals from Tokyo to Vina del Mar, and ended up in Turkey of all places where she released songs even in Turkish and enjoyed fame and popularity.  In 1979 she was back, this time for France and her Je suis l'enfant soleil placed third. Again the top-3 was way ahead of the others but in the end she was 19 points behind the Israeli winners, a second win in...

  Finland celebrates its 100th year as an independent state and has ever since searched for its place in Europe and the world, between East and West. Sometimes with less success. As we speak in 1939 we were at war again with Soviet Union but - let's make a huge change of subject here -  since 1961 Finland has been taking part in the Eurovision song contest (and we also took part, and won twice, the copycat contest behind the Iron curtain, Intervision song contest). It may have taken awhile before we won, but it never stopped us taking part. EBU did, in those crazy 1990's-early 2000's. Let's look back in coming days as a countdown to the Big Day some of the most memorable and significant entries from Finland..... In 2002 Finland sent Laura Voutilainen with Addicted to you to southern neighbour Estonia. Expectations were high as usual, and there was a thrilling buzz all around Helsinki the big night; bars were showing the contest, thousends of Finns were at...

Marion turns 71 today. Happy birthday! Marion debuted at Eurovision back in 1962 when she was just 16 placing 7th with Tipitii . She went back to Luxembourg 11 years later and scored Finland's best placing (6th) until Lordi's win with Tom tom tom . She sung and recorded in several languages and her career continues still - nearly 400 recorded songs and counting - and she's done it all from shows to international career and is propably the most award winning Finnish singer abroad as she has done most every major festival, always picking up some trophy, including winning the Intervision song festival. Twice!

Grand Théatre Luxembourg hosted the 18th Eurovision song contest and Luxembourg managed to score its second win a row. Cliff Richard from UK was beaten again with his Power to all our friends , this time he was left 3rd as even Spain's Mocedades passed him with Eres tù and went on to score a worldwide hit. It was a close call however, the top 3 was within six points (129, 125, 123). Israel debuted - with heavy security and rumour is Ilanit sung with a protective vest under her dress.... Once again 17 countries took part when Austria withdraw, and so did Malta having again initially intended to participate and perform as number six. As said Cliff Richard returned for UK, as did Marion Rung for Finland and scored one place better this time, 6th. That would remain Finland's best showing for the next 33 years! (And still is the second best....). Italy's Massimo Ranieri's showing dropped from 5th (1971) to 13th.... That year's drama was provided by Ireland. Thei...

Marion Rung turns 70 this December and will wrap up her career with a farewell tour this fall in Finland. A career that covers six decades, ever since she represented Finland in the Eurovision song contest 1962 placing 7th with Tipi-tii . Another Eurovision followed in 1973 with Tom, tom, tom and she scored the best placing ever for Finland until Lordi's win, 6th. She also won the Sopot or Intervision song contest twice, 1974 and 1980 . In between she also got her career going in Germany releasing among others El Bimbo in 1975 that sold over 100.000 copies. In 1978 she recorded Love is... . album in London in English for the international market. Over the years she also won Golden Oprheus in Bulgaria, won a special award by the jury at Golden Stag festival in Romania, won the award for the best performed in Yamaha festival in Japan, came 3rd in the Istanbul song festival and won the Finnish song contest Syksyn Sävel in 1977. She has been also awarded with several Finnish award...

Another Eurovision legend has left us. The Spanish composer of worldwide hit and Eurovision 1973 runner up  Eres tú , Juan Carlos Calderón. Not only, he also wrote Tú volverás for Sergio y Estibaliz (1975),  La fiesta terminó for Paloma San Basilio (1985) and finally Nacida para amar for Nina (1989).  His song  Me gustas tal como eres gave Luis Miguel his first Grammy award. Eurovision is only a small part of his career and he worked with great sngers both sides of Atlantic winning awards and scoring hits. His talent will be missed even if la fiesta terminó .... 

Anne-Marie David has released a new version of her Eurovision winning classic Tu te reconnaitras in both French and German with some help of Mave O'Rick. You can listen their joint efforts here . This being one of my all time Eurovision favourites it's hard to ruin it completely but the remix isn't giving the song much of a refresh or particularly groundbreaking treatment. A standard remix that could have been anytime over the past 20 years. The origina l has pure magic....

It's hard to believe but it's 50 years since Marion Rung started her singing career with the release of Brigitte Bardot . Right after she won the Finnish selection for Eurovision 1962 with Tipitii and countless national and international festivals and contests followed: Eurovision 1962 (7th), Sopot festival 1962 in Poland (7th), Golden Orpheus in Bulgaria 1968 (winner), The Golden Stag 1968 in Romania (Special award by the jury), Eurovision 1973 (6th and Finland's best placing until Lordi's win in 2006), Sopot festival 1974 in Poland (winner), Yamaha festival 1968 in Japan (Award for the best performer), Istanbul festival 1976 (2nd), Musical Mallorca festival 1977 in Spain (Award for the performer), Syksyn Sävel 1977  (winner), Sopot festival 1980 in Poland (winner). No Finnish artist can match that list, and very few foreign either!  But back to present. She will start her 50th anniversary show - her biggest so far and she has done many over the decades - on Octo...

Last weekend the big Finnish schlager event Vihreät niityt took place in Kajaani, northern Finland. Several Eurovision veterans were present from Katri Helena to Marion, Laura Voutilainen and Riki Sorsa. And the new tango king without a crown, Heikki Koskelo. Marion was singing and performing with bronchitis but no one really noticed. She's touring this summer with her 50th anniversary tour in business and she's freshly married with a man 20 years to her senior. And her latest album sold gold last year.  Katri Helena is having an easy summer gigwise as she performed only five times while she is recording her new album, the first for the new rock orientad label with songs from new writers to her. She will be back on tour only next spring. Later this autumn a musical based on her life will premiere in Helsinki. The tickets are sold out already for dozens of nights.... Laura Voutilainen is also recording a new album in Iceland and promises "ballads to listen in candleligh...

Marion Rung has married in secret last Saturday. The new husband is 22 years her junior and likes to keep out of public eye. Her previous husband died in  2006. " You never know what's around the corner" she comments happily in today's Iltalehti. "Life is full of surprises !" Blogilkar congratulates!

Finland has barely recovered from the news that Katri Helena (65) is dating a guy 32 years her junior and now we get the news Marion Rung (65) got engaged already last summer with a guy 22 years her junior! Way to go gals! :-) Blogilkar's gossip corner is delighted and congratulates both ladies! Marion is btw prepairing her 50th anniversary tour for this fall.

This year Finland celebrates its 50th anniversary in the Eurovision song contest and for the occasion YLE2 is not only broadcasting the three semifinals and the final, but a documentary on the 50 rough years in the contest on Saturday February 5, a week before the final.  But YLE's Teema channel will beat its sister in that. On April 30 a brandnew Australian documentary The Secret history of the Eurovision song contest will be broadcasted (repeated in two parts on May 10 and 17). Marion Rung, Kojo and Mr Lordi have collaborated to this programme. On April 30 YLE Teema will also re-broadcast the Eurovision song contest 2006 from Athens when Lordi won it for us. But that's not all. On April 26 we will see again the Finnish national final of 1973 , won by Marion Rung and then bringing us the best placement until then and until Lordi´s win, 6th. Along with that an interview with conductor Ossi Runne. A week later on May 3 we will have a chance to see again the 1974 national final...

The rumour game of who is going to host the 61st Sanremo festival next spring has started full force in Italy. This is one of the main differences with Sanremo and Eurovision: in Eurovision the hosts don't have much space but in Sanremo everything happens around them and they are the show. One can discuss why they still bother having some songs in between but.... Ok, seriously. Sometimes the festival has moved on smoothly and sometimes you have even managed to hear as many as five songs in an hour but... Two Eurovision stars are at the moment considered as main contenders to be the hosts; Gianni Morandi and Massimo Ranieri. Together or separately, and undoubtly with some pretty lady or two. Whether the season is succesful is mainly blamed on the presenter(s), not the songs. Last year Antonella Clerici triumphed but wisely she has said "no" for a bis. Clever lady. Gianni Morandi di Eurovision in 1970 with Occhi di ragazza (8th) and Massimo Ranieri in 1971 with L'amo...

Eurovision 1973 winner Anne Marie David visits Finland this Saturday and has an open meeting with fans for breakfast in Hotel grand Marina, Helsinki at 8.45-10.00. If you happen to be around drop in! The lady who has scored 1st and 3rd place in Eurovision has had a very international career singing in various languages and living and making career in countries as different as Norway and Turkey. Recently she sung in Israel with this year's Israeli entrant Harel Skaat.

Anne Marie David won the Eurovision 1973 for Luxembourg with Tu te reconnaitrais. I admit I never knew she did an Italian version of it as well, Non si vive di paura . Great stuff! And while we are at it here's the Finnish version by Katri Helena.

Marion Rung with Kristian Meurman will compite against Fredi and his daughter Hanna-Riikka Siitonen is popular musical quiz Tartu mikkiin or Grab the mic . All four have Euroviisut and/or Eurovision past. The show is very popular weekly affair and one can easily guess tonight we will hear a lot of Eurovision related songs.... Also pictured (right) the host Sami Hintsanen.

One of the finest Eurovision winners of all times is Tu te reconnaitras sung by Anne-Marie David in home soil in Luxembourg in 1973. She was visiting Israel recently and got together with Israel's 2010 hope Harel Skaat. Together they make magic again. A good song is a good song and actually Harel does a great job with it, too! This has made already most blogs and websites but it is so good I want to share it here, too. Enjoy !