Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

An era ended in Hungary last night and hopefully that was a first of many changes to come in also some other parts of the world ! I don't get to politics usually but this one links to Eurovision as well as the new elected prime minister has stated in some interview that he wants to connect Hungary to Europe again in every way including the Eurovision song contest, that he didn't agree with the non participation, so... Welcome back Hungary in 2027? All these years Hungary have been missing from Eurovision they have still continued with their national competition  since 2012 A Dal that provided the entry for Eurovision as well. Below you can hear the entries we missed. However it's worth remembering the line up and therefor also the winner might have been different if there was the ticket to Eurovision in store for the winner. This said, I would have been quite ok with most every entry that won A Dal in between. Maybe not all so Eurovision friendly but then again the songs do...

As Eurovision is nearing its 70th edition in 2026 we still have 25 countries, more or less active or existing that have never won the contest. Some have been close already like Croatia this year placing second, as well as other runner ups Cyprus, Bulgaria, Australia, Iceland, Malta, Poland and no longer existing Serbia & Montenegro. Moldova, Romania and Bosnia & Herzegovina have reached the third place getting a taste of the podium success, too.  Then we have poor Andorra that never reached the final being close to do so in Helsinki 2007's massacre mega big semi-final of 28 entries placing 12th. Some countries are yet to reach the Top-1o in the final: San Marino, Montenegro and no longer participating Slovakia and Morocco. This said let's hope they all come back one day! While at this let's enjoy those non winning countries best placed entries to show them some support, ok? 2024 CROATIA (2.) Baby Lasagna - Rim Tim Tagi Dim 2019 NORTH MACEDONIA (7.)   Tamara Todevs...

Like last year 41 countries will take part in the Eurovision song contest 2020 in Rotterdam. Sadly Hungary and Montenegro have withdrawn but luckily Ukraine and Bulgaria return after one year's absense. Ukraine thanks to the Maruvgate. She won the national final (and would have swept the floor in Tel Aviv with her Siren song ) but refused to sign the contract and conditions to take part in Eurovision by the Ukrainian television. After her refusal the other runner ups did the same and the rest is history. She just won the MTV Europe Music award as the best Russian act.... Bulgaria withdraw due financial problems officially but I suppose there were some sour grapes after totally anonymous international "supergroup" failed to score better than 14th after Bulgaria's 4th and 2nd place. How about sending something autentic with a bit of a soul and feeling, not only great singers this time? This blogger is very sad to see Hungary go. One can only wonder the real reas...

  Hungary - Joci Pápai - Az én apám **** Simple is beautiful. Barefooted Joci alone on stage that at times reminds me of Jamala's tree growing in the backdrop. Not visible in this video the faces that will appear in the backdrop as well, I must say I'm not so keen on them. This said this is stylish, fitting and Joci is an artist that can trasmit emotion on screen and I firmly believe this will qualify for that reason, and end up rather well in the end.   Belarus - ZENA - Like it * This feels like ZENA and her team said "I like it" to every idea proposed by whoever was in charge for the staging. Smoke, fire, every possible idea and image in the backdrop topped with all over the place choreography. Every little like it I had for this earlier on has pretty much vanished. Confusing and irritating with mediocre vocals.  Serbia - Nevena Božović - Kruna **** This could be a real surprise as people do love a strong Balcan ballad and that's what Ne...

Look away! Sebastian Rejman was sporting some jeans that were described in web in unison as just about the ugliest thing ever seen.... But hey, he managed to steal the spotlight from Tamta! Thumbs up for that! Tamta. A friend? Gotta love them! Keeping up the appearance. Hallelujah, praise the Lord! Autenthic class. Like it (?) She's gonna show who's got the Crown, dammit. Those pants again. Becaase they're worth it. Futuristic, Colorful. Photos eurovision.tv and various Twitter sources

And finally, other foursome in my Top-10 Israel - Kobi Marimi - Home ***** I feel the sun upon my skin And I am someone, I am someone I got interested in Kobi Marimi (27) right away with his first audition in Hakokhav Haba, the lenghty Israeli selection show. He looked a bit lost and goofy, but his voice was rather unique and during the long weeks he delivered interesting yet recognisable cover versions so when he won I was very, very pleased. When I heard his entry I was touched. And so pleased they didn't go for something more obvious and secure. Lately the host nation has often landed in the bottom of the scoreboard and judging fandom this could end up the same way. I think this could do very well instead. I love the initial lament that has become sort of trademark sound for him. Everything around me stops when I listen to this. The choir gives me shivers. He certainly is someone and this is my #2.  Sweden - John Lundvik - Too late for love ***** I could be ...

Joci Papai has won A Dal, the Hungarian national selection for Eurovision song contest 2019 in Tel Aviv with his Az én apám . The song is an ethnic ballad and if it has similarities with his 2017 entry Origo it is still different enough to avoid the idea of repeating the same old. Origo was 2nd in its semi-final and 8th in the Grand Final.  The jury voted four songs to the super final wheree televoters chose the winner. He won both rounds.  Joci Pápai - Az én apám 26 Acoustic Planet - Nyári zápor 22 Bogi Nagy - Holnap 20 Bence Vavra - Szótlanság 16 Gergő Szekér - Madár, repülj! 12 The Middletonz - Roses 8 Fatal Error - Kulcs 8 Gergő Oláh - Hozzád bújnék 0

The long A Dal 2019 in Hungary comes to end tonight. 30 songs have become after 3 heats and 2 semi-finals and one disqualification in the last minute eight. Petruska made it to the final from the first semi-final but was replaced this Monday by Gergö Oláh due plagiarism. Two Eurovision veterans in the line up: Joci Papai and Andras Kallay Saunders in The Middletonz who also bring the only song in English to the final the rest being in Hungarian. Acoustic Planet sings about summer showers, Gergö about hiding you, Bence about blindness, Szekér about flying birds, Bogi about tomorrow, Joci about his dad and Fatal Error about keys and The Middletonz of course about roses. Hungary has once again provided pretty solid final line up. Two rounds of voting. In the first one the jury will vote and the top-4 will enter the second round. My ideal top-4 would be Bence Vavra, The Middletonz, Gergö Szekér and Joci Papai and I wouldn't mind Papai winning again, but either of these four will d...

A Dal is back with its usual formula. Eurovision veteran Joci Pápai is back as is András Kallay-Saunders in his about 15th incarnation, this time as singer in The Middletonz,  and the semifinalists include many names from previous A Dals from Olivé Berkes to Leander Kills, Gergö Oláh and yesyes among others. As usual three heats (six songs going through each, fivee by the jurors, the last one by the televoters from the remaining acts), two semifinals (four songs going through each) and final will follow and a lot of variety in the genres and Hungarians are not shy trying something new - remember  Viszlát_nyár ? Heat one Timi Antal ft. Gergő Demko – Álmos Világ **  39   Olivér Berkes –  Lighthouse  **/ Világitótprony   *** 33 Deniz –  Ide Várlak Vissza  *** 34 (televoters) Barni Hamar –  Wasted   *  29 Konyha –  Szászor Visszajátszott  ***  38 Nomád –  A Remény Hídjai   *  35 Rozin...

Hungary hit success last year in Eurovision with some gypsy music but this year they went for some metal instead. However, this Tamás Horváth's Meggyfa would have continued the theme nicely! Hopefully he comes back to A Dal next year. Great stuff!

GEORGIA - ETHNO-JAZZ BAND IRIAO - FOR YOU you own only what you share Vocals **** Staging ** Song ** Overall *** Borderline qualifier POLAND - GROMEE feat. LUKAS MEIJER - LIGHT ME UP Light Me Up My baby Light Me Up And tell me where to go Vocals ** Staging ** Song *** Overall *** Borderline qualifier MALTA - CHRISTABELLE - TABOO It’s time to break the taboo Before we all become animals, animals Vocals **** Staging **** Song *** Overall **** Borderline qualifier HUNGARY - AWS - VISZLÁR NYÁR Summer gone, now you’re all too late That you’ll be mine was just a lie You never came. Vocals **** Staging *** Song *** Overall *** Qualifier

Hungary - AWS - Viszlát Nyár Hungary is in the league of their own this year, and the staging is pretty much what was expected. You like it or you don't. The singer uses both bridge and the catwalk to run around barefoot and scream away his song with an energy of a little village. The guitarist crowd-surfs. This is heavy rock'n roll baby! Keep moshing. This is yelling its way to the final. Blue and golden lights with strobos. Pyros and smoke.  "A little dizzy visually", "Hate it or love it", "Flashy", "In your face", "Loud" Latvia - Laura Rizzotto - Funny girl Surprise! It's red. From lighting to her Victoria Secret inspired revealing dress. She stands with her microphone until she's had enough and throws the stand away. The focus on her and her vocals - described by some as powerful, the other as weak - and emotions. Interesting camera angles and tricks including her hair? After Eleni and Romania...

  Romania - The Humans - Goodbye Cristina Caramarcu (30) fronts the band that includes also Alexandru Cismaru, Alexandru Matei, Alin Neagoe, Adi Tetrade and Corina Matei. They have been together only for a year but already here they are! The song is sort of radio friendly pop-rock and I was a bit surprised it won the Romanian national selection. The performance was rather shaky and I never cared for the song either. And it still gives me nothing. It leaves me totally indifferent and that's propably worst that can happen in Eurovision, isn't it? 2/10 Serbia - Sanja Ilić & Balkanika - Nova deca Sanja Ilić (67), a composer, keyboardist and architect created Balkanika in 1998 but he started his career already at the age of 12 when his first composition was released, sung by Dragan Laković. His first Eurovision link comes when he was 16. In 1976 his song placed 3rd in the Yogoslavian national final. Now, 42 years later he is finally here with Balkanika...

As I suspected Hungary chose rock as AWS did win A Dal 2018 with Viszlát nyár. At least they will stick out among all acoustic ballads! The jury didn't quite believe in it as it only barely got into the second round but once there televoters took care of the matter.  First round (jury): Gergely Dánielfy - Azt mondtat 36 Viktor Király - Budapest girl 30 yesyes - I let you run away 28 AWS - Viszlát nyár 8 Leander Kills - Nem szól harang 6 Biga - Good vibez 4 Szolt Sule - Zöld a május 0 Támas Hárvath - Meeggyfa 0

  Hungary's long selection process has come to an end and tonight we will know who gets the ticket to Lisbon 2018 Eurovision song contest and follows hopefully Hungary's rather succesful recent story and maybe becomes Hungary's 8th straight year in the final, including three top-10s.  The jurors will vote this time only after all acts have performed and ranking the entries in order. The top four will go to the superfinal. It's good to see 5 songs out of 8 in Hungarian! yesyes was my istant favorite, but it has lost a bit ground over the weeks and I'm not sure anymore. Horváth has emerged a new favorite, but is it a bit too similar to last year's entry? It also makes me think of Sting.... Király seems to be a favorite (again), but I don't like his song at all (again). Or could Hungary pull out the metal card and send AWS or Leander Kills amongst all those acoustic ballads in Lisbon? Or is it all about good vibez in the end? One thing is sure: It'...