Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The Italian legend, ultimate television diva, singer, dancer, presenter, actress, hostess, icon and all around showgirl like they don't make them anymore sadly left us last Monday at the age of 78 after an illness she kept hidden from her fans. In fact, Rai was planning to have her collaborate in both Sanremo 2022 and the next Eurovision song contest in Italy. She could have been an excellent green room host for example! News of her death took Italians and Rai by surprise causing a general shock in the country and not anly Italy. Her success and fame is also immense in Spain and in the Latin America, who are mourning the Lady of television along with Italians. Her body was taken from her home in Via Nemea to Rome's city hall Campidoglio in a funeral procession passing by all important places in her career in the capital from Rai's studios and headquarters to Teatro delle Vittorie. Her burial chamber in Sala Protomoteca in Campidoglio . Her funeral takes place at midday on F...

A lot of information on next week's Sanremo festival was revealed today. In the city of flowers the rehearsals are on going, the press has heard the songs and excitement is rising. As we know, this year Sanremo has nothing to do with Eurovision, or at least selecting the song and/or artist for Copenhagen 2014 as Emma Marrone is already internally selected by RAI with La mia città . But let's start wit the stage designed by Emanuela Trixie Zitkowsky. It's only the second time in the 64 years of the frestival a woman has got this prestigious job. It's inspired of the beauty of Italian 18th century palace. "The dramatic theme" , she tells, "interprets the beauty of a hypothetical Italian palace, a salon that has lived its past glory, but time and neglect have been its worst enemies." . There are frescoes, big staircases, black and white chess floors.... This blogger thinks it's going to be beautiful! There was something similar in the early-m...

Federica Gentile, the Italian commentator for the semifinal ( read more here ) will have a job to do in the final as well: She will announce the Italian votes! She will follow the footsteps of Raffaella Carrá and Ivan Bacchi. San Marino hasn't yet confirmed its spokesperson but it is rumored to be Gianmarco Morosini.  Meanwhile for the final the Italian commentator become three when Swiss born Natasha Lusenti will join the duo Ardemagni-Solibello....

Namely who will be the commentators and the spokesperson, a rather crucial choice in a country where the host or the hostess can make a show "worth watching" or leave it to total ignorance: Put there someone unknown or unpopular and no one is interested to watch, put there someone famous and popular and Italians will tune in and watch no matter what the show is. And it seems RAI has done a rather decent work. The final will be commented off screen, like every other country does unlike the last year's experience with studio talk show with Raffaella Carrá, by Gialappa's Band, a trio of comics with a great following and household name and string of successes since mid-80's on radio, TV and movies. They should at least in theory attract people watching. On the other hand there's always a risk they will make it a comedy and freak show and have a laugh about the whole thing ... But at least the viewing figures might be decent! The Italian spokesperson who will ...

TROS has announced the songs, singers and writer who made it through to the final six out of over 450 songs sent in. And how the final will work out: there will be duels and the remaining three will go to the superfinal. And guess what? There will also be an international jury made of two members of each and every participating country! In the studio! Like the good old days! Great! 1. Raffaela – Chocolatte (Jan Rooymans/Chris Silos) 2. Joan Franka – You and Me (Joan Franka/Jessica Hogeboom) 3. Ivan Peroti – Take me as I am (Alain Clark/Steve Diamond/Ben Caver) 4. Pearl – We can overcome (Gordon Groothedde/Curtis Richardson) 5. Tim Douwsma – Undercover Lover (Bruce R.F. Smith, Michel van der Zanden) 6. Kim de Boer – Children of the World (Martijn Schimmer You can hear snippets of the songs here . And here . I would bet on Pearl. (Thanks Jan)

It has been confirmed. Or rather signed already a month ago: Italy and RAI will be present in Eurovision 2012 in Baku. The news come from Eurofestival News . Also it is now agreed RAI will broadcast the show as it is and as we all see it in all the countires, that is with a live commentary instead of the talk show thingy they did with Raffaella Carrá & co. in 2011. The Sanremo festival will double as the national final as well, but hopefully this time Eurovision will be given more space and advertising unlike in 2011 when Raphael Gualazzi was just asked when receiving the Newscomer winner trophy: Do you want to represant us in Eurovision? Italy is back, back, back! Official confirmation should be matter of days - or will they wait again until EBU's official announcement?

As an artist that is. This fall he will release his fifth album and the first after his coming out in Vanity Fair last year. The same magazine already featured him in the cover back in 2006 as "Tiziano Ferro is a lonely man", a fact that would become painfully evident in his autobiography Trent'anni e una chiaccherata con papà (Thirty years and one talk with dad) released also in 2010. He may have never been very comfortable with the fame but his is one real success story once it got going. After several refusals by producers and not being accepted for Sanremo festival 1998 and 1999 ( Quando ritornerai ) he finally gets his first single recorded and released. Xdono becomes a #1 hit in Italy and charts all over Europe and is the third most sold single in Europe in 2002. Versions in Spanish , French ,  English and Portuguese are also released. His debut album Rosso relativo sells over 400.000 copies in Italy and almost 2,5 million in the world producing other hits L...

Almost two weeks have passed from the final night of the Eurovision song contest 2011 that  marked the welcome return of Italy and it's surprising success when Raphael Gualazzi's Madness of love came second only 32 points behind Azerbaijan. Anyways, Caterina Caselli, Gualazzi's record label Sugar's boss and a leading figure and talent scout in the Italian market said: "I thank RAI for this opportunity and hope they will go on with this strategy as it can be a lot of help for the whole industry. For a new artist and an independent label like us, this is a real musical Olympics on a high technical level. I truly hope RAI will go on as this gives us all a chance to compite in an international market and make us known. Besides Italy the show was seen by some 120 million people; only in Germany Raphael was sen by 8 million people at once, many more millions in France, UK and Holland, other diccifult markets for us. This kind of musical and cultural exchange, meeting ot...

Despite the splendid return of Italy on Eurovision stage when Raphael Gualazzi's Madness of lov e came second only 12 points behind the winner the Italian fans are worried RAI will pull out again. Apparently RAI's bosses had put two major conditions to participate.  One: to do well - done. Two: to get good viewing figures - failed big time.  The semifinal two on Rai5 scored a share of 0,14% or some 37.000 viewers (small yes, but in line with this new channels figures). Last night final was watched by some 1.291.000 Italians, or 6,43% share. Rai1's variety show Me lo dicono tutti scored 3.085.000 or 18% and Canale5's Italy's got talent 4.752.000 or 23,48%. Not even Raffaella Carrà managed to attract Italians to follow Eurovision. The fans have also criticized heavily the show made by Rai2 - partly for the information and comments given by La Carrà herself as misinformative and her guests also were clearly not having a clue what Eurovision is all about.  Also in the...

Italian diva, legend and icon Raffaella Carrá is not only on the spotlight with her coming Eurovision presentation in Italy but also for the remix of her old hit A far l'amore comincia tu , now titled Far l'amore and remixed by the French guru Bob Sinclar. It is destined to become the hit of the summer in Italian clubs as everyone knows the original. Now they have also a video - without La Carrá - shot in Plastic, in Milan owned by Dolce & Gabbana who are also featured in the video. How many other celebritisies can you spot? It also features a rather typical Italian taxi ride.... :-) Now also the plans by Rai2 how they will treat Eurovision song contest final on May 14, 2011 have been clarified. They will have La Carrá presenting the show before it starts and then the show itself will be shown as it is (well, isn't that in the rules that one must show it as it is?) and during the interval and afterwords she will talk and comment about it with her guests in the studio i...

It seems almost certain that Raffaella Carrà will give out the Italian votes in the Eurovision 2011 final. She is also hosting the show from the RAI studios in Rome for the occasion that is to relaunch the contest in Italy after 14 year's of absence. Rai5 will broadcast the semifinal 2 where Italians can vote while the final will be on Rai2. For San Marino the spokesperson is most likely Miodio's lead singer Nico Della Valle Miodio is the first and only Sammarinese entrant until this year when Senit tries to get to the final. San Marino's TV will broadcast all three shows on both digital and analogical channels that can be seen in some parts of Italy as well.

It's official: Raffaella Carrà will host the Italian night of Eurovision song contest 2011 and the fans seem to be more than happy and delighted. La Carrà will surely attract a lot of attention and viewers and her aim is to re-present the Eurovision to Italians who in general have forgot all about it the past 14 years. And an introduction is needed to anyone who last saw the show in the 1990's as it has changed so much!  Raphael Gualazzi himself is also picking up a lot of support after the initial shock when he was chosen. Even more the fans are happy and satisfied as it seems the RAI bosses are serious about the affair this time and even La Carrá herself said something like "if Italy wins we will do something spectacular!" So, Italy is ready and willing to win again!  And it seems all the Italian GLBT sites have come Eurovision crazy as well. Stories about Dana International, Marija Serifovic, t.A.T.u, Sestre, Verka Serduchka and of course ABBA, Celine Dion, Olivia ...

Living legend Raffaella Carrà (67) has agreed to host the final night in RaiDue for the Italians. Agreed but not yet signed, we should know for sure by April 19. She has been absent from Rai's channels since 2008 when she hosted her Carrambre che sorpresa when she hosted also several of that year's Eurovision stars in her show making the fans believe in Italy Rai is flirting with Eurovision and would announce a come back. Nothing came out if it, after a few guests the show went on without them and fans were speculating had Rai's big bosses put a stop to it? Before all that she hosted the Spanish selection that year - something that propably made her realize what Italy is missing. But now, finally anno domini 2011 she gets her Eurovision, Italy is back (and not only, so is San Marino!) and for good if you believe the Head of delegation. Raffaella herself is ready to conquer the clubs and score a summer hit with Bob Sinclair with a remix of her old hit A far l'amore . An...

Raffaella Carrá continues with Eurovision 2008 in her Carramba, che fortuna! show exposing italians to more Eurovision. What I hear it's working and the people are warming up to it. I bet half the italian male population did heat up last night when Ani Lorak was shaking it live on stage finally. Raffaella already presented her on tape weeks ago. Way to go, Raffa! Watch Ani here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2DTEGxB1QM

Raffaella Carrá goes on with her tour de force to change the air in Italy and brings Simon Mathew, who sung for Denmark in Belgrade, to Rome and presented him with enthuasism of a real fan again talking how great & wonderful Eurovision is and what a shame Italy's absense is. Here's the vid: http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=jQnpkVXSw8A

Raffaella Carrá contiues her crusade to arise the Eurovision awareness in Italy and this week brought in Roberto Meloni and his pirates in Rome. In true Raffaella style she had a surprise for him: Roberto's mother, for the first time ever outside her native Sardinia was in the studio to see her son perform with the pirates for the very first time live. Watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLpzXuBW2Bg

True to her word, Raffaella Carrá continues her crusade against all odds to exploit Eurovision in Italy and this week showed the clip of Ani Lorak in Belgrade and talked about Dima Bilan's success in last week's show. She was hoping to bring Ani in studio in flesh soon and next week Roberto Meloni will bring his pirates to Rome... http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=9SRzHW-Ez2s

Raffaella Carrá is pulling all the possible strings in her power to make italians talk about Eurovision and Italy's absense from the contest since 1997. Her new weekly primetime show Carramba! Che fortuna already featured Dima Bilan last week, a tribute to ABBA and Raffa's touching introduction with the words "... in my heart I believe that day is not so far away!" meaning of course Italy's return. She also plans to feature artists from this year's contest on weekly basis (names in circulation include Boaz Mauda, Pirates of the sea ft Roberto Meloni, Paolo Meneguzzi, Miodio, Vania Fernandez, Jelena Tomasevic, Kalomira etc). Apparently her visit to Spain to host the national final and this year's final from Belgrade made her such a fan she is doing all she can to make Italy return. Meanwhile, the touched and grateful OGAE Italy is planning to grant her honorable membership to the club! Evviva Raffa!

Raffaella Carrà did it again: she brought Dima Bilan to Italy and managed to talk about Eurovision on prime time RaiUno. Also, she appaently demanded in press conference why Italy is absent and when it's going to return. Raffa, sei un mito! Watch Dima perform here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qq2LtOaYe1A And here's an ABBA tribute from the same show with fabulous divas Alexia, Ivana Spagna, Fiordaliso, Marcella Bella and Raffaella herself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMwKzUl46fI with a real promotional opening speech by Raffa.

Last year in Spain they had Mision Eurovision, I understood their mission was to find a good song and bring Spain back in top but they only managed to go to Sweden and make another fiasco in Helsinki. This year they pretended to "save" Eurovision and instead they are distroying it. Their entry is bad beyond words and for the first time I truly hope something comes up and it will be disqualified! Poor Raffa... 1.Rodolfo Chikilicuatre - Baila El Chiki Chiki (60 points) 2.Coral - Todo Está En Tu Mente (48 points) 3.La Casa Azul - La Revolución (42 points) 4.Arkaitz - Un Olé (32 points) 5.Marzok Mangui - Caramelo (24 points) 6.Bizarre - Si Pudiera (22 points) 6.Lorena C - Piensa Gay (22 points) 8.Innata - Me Encanta Bailar (15 points) 9.D-Vine - You Make Me (9 points) 9.Ell*as - 100x100 (9 points) See & hear this masterpiece here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMRDI9Nuv3Q