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.   Closest winning for the second time so far has been Italian Gigliola Cinquetti (75). Just 16 she took an overwhelming victory in 1964 with Non ho l'età scoring 49 points vs runner ups 17. She launched a successful international career singing all over the globe in multiple languages scoring hits here and there and everywhere. Ten years later she was chosen internally by Rai (whereas Non ho l'età was Sanremo winner) with Si. Weird choice in a way as Rai self censore...

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 winner s. Gigliola Cinquetti (73) , the 1964 winner returned to Eurovision this time as a Canzonissima winner but Italians didn't get to see that until a month later as at the time there was a referendum on divorce and Rai was afraid the song title Si (Yes) could be seen as political. She placed second right after a certain Abba and almost became the first double winner and went on to record the song in English (UK #8), French , Spanish and German . Gigliola was only 16 when she first won Castrocaro, then Sanremo, then Eurovision back in 1964. She scored hits in a steady flow in the 1960's and in the 1970's she was already an international star singing in multiple languages including Japanese. As an artistic soul she also set to de...

Now and them combined, as they sing in Don't shut me down . Abba is back and what a relief they still sound like themselves and instead of the break of 39 years it could be three years, or nine. But then again, the 1980's sound is back so the timing is perfect - or was it this they were waiting all this time?  Agnetha and Frida may have lost the crystalline edge of their voice but they still are totally recognizable. A bit deeper and huskier but still the voice mix that always made Abba stand out. Despite the comeback the ladies have chosen to stay out of spotlight and leave the talking to Björn and Benny. While the two now released songs ahead of the album Voyage to be released in November 2021 are already storming the global charts it will be interesting to see how this develops. Another album after this one? Or is this is, with the virtual show in London May 2022 and eventual world tour after that. Meanwhile the fandom all over the world has gone crazy and one can pre-order...

Just 16-year-old Gigliola Cinquetti charmed first Italy by winning the talent contest Castrocaro 1963 and then Sanremo 1964 with her Non ho l'etá, and went on to charm the rest of Europe as well by winning the Eurovision song contest a few weeks later in Copenhagen.  She beat UK to second place by scoring 47 points vs. their 17, when over half the juries gave her full marks. The song sold over 4 million singles worldwide and launched her international career. She has had singles released in 120 countries! In Italy she enjoys fame and success participating in various festivals and Sanremo. She almost got back to the contest already in 1966 when she won Sanremo with Domenico Modugno and Dio come ti amo . Modugno decided to go himself back to the contest and came last....  (Such a shame as it is one of the best Italia entries ever, if you ask me! And Gigliola's version is much bettr anyways) In 1974 she was chosen to represent Italy again and the song is Si. Italy ...

London's Southbank Centre will host a new immersive ABBA exhibition later this year. A lot of stuff is borrowed from the ABBA Museum in Stockholm, and one of the highlights will be recreating the night they won the Eurovision song contest as will be the hotel suite in Brighton they stayed in and the legendary Polar Studios.  Add the Eurovision winning medal, iconic costumes and instruments and their story told with recreation of iconic places in Sweden and abroad of their career. Their songs, written in the 1970's are still played today, will be set to the context of the period they were written in. What was happening in the UK and in the world? ABBA has in the UK alone nine #1 hits, ten more Top-10 hits and seven more Top-40 hits.  ABBA is proud of their Eurovision as you can note from the speech Björn Ulvaeus gave when Eurovision song contest was awarded the Charlemagne medalfor media that has contributed to the European unity:  "For me the Eurovision Son...

Carita Holmström who kept us warm in Eurovision song contest 1974 turns 63 today.  Congratulations! She turned from pop to jazz after her Eurovision adventure, and has concentrated on composing:  musicals, operettas, music for female voices and various insruments, chamber music.... A total of seven albums, the latest one The Diary of songs in 2010.  She also teaches in Sibelius Akatemia keyboard harmony, improvisations and free accompaniment.

ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus are planning and considering a possible comeback concerts and tour with the British music mogul Simon Fuller - as holograms. "Nobody wants to see us old people on stage" they have stated many times before and are searching through the material from their 1977 and 1979 world tours that could possible used for the project. Techically it would be possible as likes of Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra regularly keep on performing in Las Vegas shows these days. Björn and Benny and their represants don't want to comment the plans at the moment except with "there are always all kinds of plans in the air"....  Meanwhile you can enjoy them as holograms in Stockholm's ABBA Museum. 

The 2016 Eurovision song contest organizers didn't manage it - or any of the previous ones either nor those offering them millions of dollars - but they seem to get together for birthdays, the way the old friends do. Back in 1999 they performed together in a private party for Görel Hansel's 50th birthday, and now to celebrate the first meeting of Björn and Benny 50 years ago. Venue was Stockholm's Bern's Salonger and once again in a private setting but today even they can't stop the cell phone videos and social medias. Enjoy the magic of Frida's and Agnetha's voices again. 

I know there's something going on . Anni-Frid Lyngstad aka Frida aka Princess Reuss of Plauen has revealed recently she's working on an autobiography she hopes to release eventually some time in the future. It's time to turn the stone . She sure has stories to tell!  Born as a Norwegian-German warchild she ended up in Swiss alps living in a castle as a real princess. In between we have three marriages, children and step children, losing her daughter, becoming a widow, solo career as a singer, being a member of ABBA, hits and misses. She was the one who enjoyed performing and fame the most out of ABBA members and shone  being favorable for a reunion but today says she's done with music and concentrates on charity affairs and her hobbies, including writing. I can only wish the words will come to her and she gets this project finished soon. Between En ledig dag and Även en blomma there are so many untold stories to tell for sure. 

Namely their concert at Wembley Arena on November 10, 1979 when they were the hottest pop band on earth. With this release apparently the unreleased material of the band is finished. This will be a double-Cd and 3-LP format release including 25 songs. A limited edition 2-CD digibook wil be also released. Release date September 26-29 worldwide. It's quite amazing how many hits they already had as the set list looks like a greatest hits tour. They even have dropped Mamma mia , an evergreen these days. As well as Ring, ring , Hasta manana, Honey honey, I do I do I do I do, Angel eyes ..... I have a feeling I may have been a little disappointed in the set list if I was there :-) 1. Gammal fäbodpsalm 2. Voulez-Vous  3. If it wasn't for the nights 4. As good as new 5. Knowing me, knowing you 6. Rock me 7. Chiquitita 8. Money, money, money 9. I have a dream 10. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! 11. SOS 12. Fernando 13. The name of the game 14. Eagle 15. Thank you for the music ...

Gigliola Cinquetti (born December 20, 1947 in Verona) won the Castrocaro 1963, the legendary contest for new voices and gained also a right to participate in the next Sanremo festival. This sweet 16-year-old came, sung Non ho l'età and won the hearts of Italians and the festival. Next she was off to Copenhagen for the Eurovision and stormed to victory. But her story with Sanremo was just begun. She returned the year after with Ho bisgono di vederti and went to the final. She scored another victory the year after with Dio come ti amo , that Domenico Modugno himself took to Eurovision , only to score the worst Italian placement ever (apparently the juries boycotted him for having acted a bit of a diva, or so the rumors go). Then she participated six further times in coming years: 1968 Sera (8th), 1969 La pioggia (6th), 1970 Romantico blues (6th), 1971 Rose nel buio (9th), 1972 Gira l'amore (9th) and 1973 Mistero , that didn't reach the final. Then she had a break ...

Some girls have maybe a bit too much drama for one life time. Not only did Olivia do Eurovision and Grease in the 1970's for the glittery drama, she also battled breast cancer in the early 1990's and beat it. In 2005 her boyfriend of nine years, Patrick McDermott went missing on a fish trip. He was believed to have drown but was tracked down living in a fishing village in Mexico years later. Nice way to treat your lady! And now a dead body has been found in Olivia's house in Florida! Apparently he was hired to renovate it as Olivia wanted to sell the house - to Rosie O'Donnell it seems - but he decided to shoot himself in the head instead.... How much can a girl take? Maybe she wants to escape to Xanadu , or will getting Physical make her forget her worries easier?

This blogger has been writing about Haywalkers before, and I finally managed to catch them live during Kallio Block Party , a huge party with dozens of bands playing on three different stages and in clubs along one street in Kallio district in Helsinki for one day and night. Fredi (ESC 1967, 1974) was there, too, btw. He lead the opening parade singing his evergreen and Kallio's national anthem Kolmatta linjaa takaisin (translates freely to Walking back the 3rd street ), and this year it was Kolmas linja (or 3rd street) hosting the event. Eva & Manu were there, too, let's get back to Haywalkers . This band has been gaining popularity quickly and no wonder. They are charmingly cute alive playing a mix of music that can only make you feel good: country, blues, indie Americana - whatever that is, as I'm a bit limited to Eurovision key changes and ding dongs. Whatever it is I like it!   Their set of 12 original songs was very entertaining giving them all moments...

Ossi Runne (86), the legendary Finnish Eurovision conductor (22 editions from 1966's self-penned Play-boy to 1989's La dolce vita . He also commented Eurovision for YLE in 1981 and 1990) is still following Eurovision, as he tells in Studio55's interview (in Finnish here ) but only the final these days. He thinks a good Eurovision song is a one that is liked all over Europe and the secret of Eurovision's sucess is the fact each and every TV-viewer is an expert. True.  In the old days the conductor besides conducting the orchestra obviously also arranged the song. He says he did so many Eurovision that he wasn't nervous anymore, it was routine and he felt no stress. "We had two 45 minute rehearsals with the orchestra those days.  They were always already well rehearsed beforehand, both orchetra and the artist. My main target was always make justice to the Finnish song, and take it and make others take it seriously. Some other conductors didn't take it s...

When you really loved someone should be Agnetha's comeback single, released next Monday, a first new song by her in 25 years! And it's a duet with Take That's Gary Barlow! Or just written by him. Or then not, Universal sticks to "No comment". Anyways, Agnetha hasn't released an album since 2004 when a cover album My coloring book was released. And that came 17 years after her previous three solo albums in the 1980's following the ABBA years after her solo stuff in the late 1960's and early 1970's.... Let's see if this is true or not....

ABBA is far from forgotten and to be put into museum - their ABBA Gold has just been officially become the most sold album in the UK ever and has sold over 378 million albums worldwide- still next year they wil finally get their own museum. ABBA remains Sweden’s most successful band of all time. ABBA The Museum will span the band’s career all the way from the start in 1970, via the breakthrough with ’Waterloo’ in 1974, the grand world tours and finally, the split in 1983. Since then, ABBA has lived on through a wide range of musical projects run by Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson, whose musical ’Mamma Mia!’ revived the public’s interest in ABBA’s music yet again. The museum tells their story with stage costumes, music, lyrics, films and memorabilia. In addition to the exhibitions, the venue will also host unique events linked to current music happenings; small and intimate gigs; courses aimed at schools and music lovers; a hotel called Melody Hotel; a restaurant with a b...

In Italy they have this very popular Tale e quale TV-show on RAI1 were a number of singers/actors each week practice and then imitate in a live show other singers. This season among the ones we have for example Gigliola Cinquetti who has done already another Eurovision legend, Domenico Modugno . She's done also Milva so far. But the real surprise has been Mietta who we know as a dark husky voiced pop singer, winner of OGAE Song contest 1990 and has delivered some great tracks in Sanremo over the years ( Baciami adesso and Fare l'amore for example). The first week she did Ornella Vanoni , then Donna Summer and this week Maria Callas! And who thought she could sing like that???  Mietta won the second show as Donna Summer and came third in the third one as Maria Calla s while Gigiloa Cinquetti won that one as Gianna Nannini ! Next week Mietta will do Jennifer Lopes while Gigilola will be Gloria Gaynor! You can follow the progress of the show here . 

While in Finland last week Loreen performed both Euphoria and My heart is refusing me in a live charity gala Elämä lapselle in Hartwall Arena. Besides that she also spoke about her new album saying we should "expect the unexpected" "People will be surprised, especially those who think it will be filled with cheap copies of Euphoria. It'll be dark, different" She also found a connection between herself, ABBA and Lordi: "It's all about being real. People sense the artificial. No one forced Lordi to wear those masks, that's just how they are. Same goes for me. I didn't have money to train my voice or use studio gimmicks so I have to learn using my voice myself. You can hear the Moroccan heritage in it, in the way I use my voice, in its color." She also says she has learned a lot of music business the past few months: "In Sweden we live in a bubble and it's all different elsewhere. My life's been very hectic since Eurovisi...

Out of 32 Italian Eurovision performers only six have been female soloists before Nina Zilli who now becomes the seventh. That's against 17 male soloists, two groups and six duets! Some consolation comes from the fact that two of these six ladies have done it twice. It all started with the first Eurovision in 1956 where Italy, like the other six countries, sent two songs by two female artists who were also the top-2 of Sanremo festival. Franca Raimondi (1932-1988) won Sanremo with Aprite le finestre while Tonina Torrielli came second with Amami se vuoi . Both ladies soon left the show business and Torrielli officially stopped singing in 1965, but has made occasional appearances in nostalgic shows since 2008! Five years later it was time for Betty Curtis (1936-2006), that year's Sanremo winner with Al di là . She remained some what active in the music business until late 1970's and was also seen in nostalgic variety shows on TV in the 2000's.  Three yea...

This is so weird I just have to post it when I found it here (but it's originally from here ): A Charlie's Angel , late Farrat Fawcett covering in 1977 Gigliola Cinquetti's Eurovision 1974 runner up Si' s French version   with some odd French man Jean-Paul Vignon. Further investigation reveals he has played in Star Trek and many other Hollywood movies, TV-series as well as in his native France. He also had some sort of singing career both in France and the US. He had a French father and Italian mother which might explain how he chose this song. How Farrah got involved is not know. Anyways very interesting cover. And not so bad after all, is it?