Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Yle organized among its other consolation Eurovision 2020 programming also a voting to find out the most loved Finnish entries of each decade ( here ). Two ladies battled it out with Katri Helena taking the crown ahead of legendary ode to the Lapland exotism in 1970s.  1979 Katri Helena - Katson sineen taivaan 29,8% 1977 Monica Aspelund - Lapponia 21,3% 1973 Marion Rung - Tom tom tom  16,0% 1975 Pihasoittajat - Viulu-ukko  14,6% 1976 Fredi & Friends - Pump pump  8,6% 1974 Carita Holmström - Älä mene pois 3,3% 1972 Päivi Paunu & Kim Floor - Muistathan  2,2% 1971 Markku Aro & Koivistolaiset - Tie uuteen päivään   2,1% 1978 Seija Simola - Anna rakkaudelle tilaisuus  2,1%

Yle organized among its other consolation Eurovision 2020 programming also a voting to find out the most loved Finnish entries of each decade ( here ). The 16-year-old Marion Rung's chirpy ode to the spring has become a classic and no wonder takes the 1960's trophy easily.  1962 Marion Rung - Tipi-tii 34,6% 1961 Laila Kinnunen - Valoa ikkunassa  14.7% 1966 Ann-Christine - Playboy 11,2% 1964 Lasse Mårtensson - Laiskotellen   10,8% 1967 Fredi - Varjoon - suojaan  8,8% 1969 Jarkko ja Laura - Kuin silloin ennen   7,2% 1968 Kristina Hautala - Kun kello käy  6,5% 1965 Viktor Klimenko - Aurinko laskee länteen   5,2% 1963 Laila Halme - Muistojeni laulu   1,1%

  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...

Once again OGAE Finland is organising the Eurovision Cruise  on September 6-7. This is already the 5th annual edition and the event gathered last year 2000 fans from Finland and abroad to enjoy among others Valentina Monetta , Krista Siegfrids and Marion Rung performing aboard. This time they have got Eurovision winner Charlotte Perrelli , Finland's entrants this year, Softengine , UK's 2000 entrant Nikki French to perform along with hosts CatCat ! And there's more, check out the FB page for further information.  But that's not all. The fun for fans starts already the night before (September 5) at Hercules with the 28th Eurovision Fanclub night (more info here ). DJ Ohrmeister will be there and it's an excellent kick off to meet again your friends and enjoy some Eurovision. Before that there's a warm up dinner at Manala restaurant. But there's still more. Before the real cruise on September 6 you can enjoy aboard m/s Emma some Helsinki sightse...

Eurovision cruise is coming up.  Stay tuned for exclusive coverage! Unfortunately Linda Bengtzing has had to cancel due to illness, but Timoteij has replaced her. Also Birgit Õigemeel has been added to the returning trip. Valentina Monetta will kick of the show followed by Marion Rung, Krista Siegfrids and Timoteij and after that the Eurovision disco continues until 6am! More info here .

OGAE Finland is organizing for the 4th time the Eurovision cruise and this year aboard m/s Silja Europa cruising from Helsinki to Tallinn and back on August 31-September 1 and some 2.000 fans will get the change to meet and greet and be entertained by San Marino's triple entrant Valentina Monetta, Finland's own double entrant Marion Rung, Swedish Linda Bengtzing who is yet to win Melodifestivalen and go to Eurovision itself, Finnish drag queens Jukka K and Miss Divet providing a new Eurovision show, fan favorite DJ's Ohrmeister and Werneri.... and maybe some more! For more information and how to join in the fun, click here .  And stay tuned for special treats and exclusive goodies by yours truly!

Have you seen those tv-programmes where famousor common people search for their roots? Well, Marion Rung was featured in one. She only knew about her parents and grandparents from her mother's side but with this programme Who are you? the research went back to early 1800's, to find her father's side of the family in a village called Wysokie in Poland, where a certain Sender Orzolek was born. He married later Frejda Kojsek. They had a son Chaim, born in  Łomża. Chaim Orzolek was sent (or forced) to be soldier in the Russian army and eventually ended up in Helsinki. He married Dvera Radsevitsch who also came from Łomża. They had a daughter Eva Orzolek, Marion's grandmother. On the other side Josef Rung from Vilnius region in Lithuania married a girl named Hilda. Josef was born in 1830 and there are no record beyond that from him nor Hilda. They had a son Moses in 1880 who was a (forced) soldier in the Russian army just like Chaim and just like him ended up in Helsinki...

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...

The new choir leaders for this season's Kuorosota (War of the choirs), based on American formet Clash of the choirs , have been revealed and the biggest surprise is Mr Lordi himself who will lead the Rovaniemi choir. Also Hanna Pakarinen will be there with Lappeenranta choir, Kaija Koo with Tuusula, Jussi Selo of Uniklubi with Hämeenkyrö, Ressu Redford with Turku and Indica's Jonsu with Espoo. Mr Lordi is a runaway poll favourite to win and personally I must say this is the most interesting cast of choir leaders to date. And I mean choir leaders, not judges like some websites have written as they are NOT judges. The only judge on the show is the televoting audience. The choir leaders create a choir from their hometowns, pick up the songs they perform and train them the best they can and are conducting the choir and sometimes participating in the singing on live TV-shows. Each week one choir drops out and the winner choir wins a money prize for their home city's youth...

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...

The annual award for the merits in the schlager field will be given out tonight. As usual the audience has a poll and the people's favourite will be awarded with a diploma but the real winner of 10.000 euros and name in the music history will be decided by Arto Alaspää alone. This is the 11th time the award will be given and last year the winner was Laura Voutilainen. Previous winners include Marion Rung, Kari Tapio, Jari Sillanpää and Paula Koivuniemi.  This year the moniness feature four veterans and a surprising newcomer, Mariska . She started as a hip hop artists but has then moved to pop, jazz and schalger also writing songs to other artists like Anna Puu, Jenni Vartiainen. Four albums todate with the latest hit being Suloinen myrkynkeittäjä . Very underrated name in this is Meiju Suvas . She started in 1982, has participated in Euroviisut and has based her career on cover versions mainly but has showed over the 30 years she's got it what it takes to stay in this business...

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...

Kaija Koo's latest album made the top-10 and it is her 10th top-10 album since 1993. Her each and every album has made it and she's about to break Katri Helena's and Marion's record in the number of top-10 albums with her next one it seems, making her the most succesful Finnish female artist ever. The queen of the charts is however Madonna who can claim 18 top-10 album since 1985. Katri Helena has ten as mentioned before between 1968 and 2006, while Marion scored them in a very short time in the 1970's, or between 1972 and 1980. Celine Dion and Swedish Eva Dahlgren have 8 albums both while Björk, Anna Eriksson and Maija Vilkkumaa have so far seven each. All have very good possibilities to add new albums to their list in the future. At six top-10 albums we have Laura Voutilainen who will surely score other ones in the future while it might be very unlikely for Whitney Houston, Donna Summer and Tina Turner who also have six along with Anne Mattila. Hanna Pakarinen is ...

The crazy lady of Marja Tyrni collected the Finnish stars together to record a charity single Leivotaan, leivotaan (Let's bake, let's bake), which is actually a cover of Ricchi e Poveri's Che sará. The lyrics are funny and can be summed up as "let's bake so everyone can have a cake" and the song's release to download on internet and the video's preview in YLE's Nenäpäivä show pushed the amount of money collected during the over 6 hour show to all time record. - almost 2 million euros Katri Helena, Marion, Hanna Pakarinen, Vicky Rosti, Jippu, Frederik, Arja Koriseva, Tommi Läntinen, Mikko Leppilampi are just some of the almost 30 artists taking part in the recording, all with a tongue in cheek. Watch it here . Or buy and donate to charity here .

Italy has already chosen its song for the OGAE Song contest 2010 ( Nina Zilli) and Finland is about to do the same. A lot of familiar names from come back Marion to Johanna Kurkela, from Laura Voutilainen to Jenni Vartiainen and CatCat's Virpi, Kuunkuiskaajat and Chisu.. Listen to all the songs here .