Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Israel's internally selected entry Hurricane finally was approved by EBU March 7, 2024 and published three days later after several re-writes after its original lyrics and title October rain. The song and its music video refers to Re'im Music Festival Massacre on October 7, 2023 when Hamas did a surprise attack killing 384 and taking at least 40 hostages, many of them still missing.  Eden Golan (20) is Israeli-Russian singer. She was born in Israel but moved to Moscow when she was six for 12 years. She started her singing career taking part in the Russian selection for Junior Eurovision in 2015 and later Russian The Voice Kids. Back in Israel she found fame winning The Rising Star that was used to select the Eurovision artist. She won both the jury and the public vote. She has released recently four singles before Hurricane, and already one in Russia in 2015: Schastye. So, what do I think? Putting everything else side and concentrating only solemnly on this entry it's one o...

Helsinki Arena, as it was called for the Eurovision song contest 2007, is commonly known as Hartwall Arena due to its sponsor. Or it was as it is no longer sponsored by them nor the arena is in use anymore. Thanks to Russia's crazy war in Ukraine.  The arena has been owned by Russians Roman Rotenberg and Gennady Timchenko, both with close ties to Putin, since 2013. After the war started scheduled events started being removed or cancelled, the major ticket offices stopped selling tickets there one by one, and by March 2, 2022 the main sponsor Hartwall beverages cancelled their sponsorship and the same day took off their name off the building's walls. At the same time the Ice Hockey World championships games that were to be played there in May along with Tampere's new multi use Nokia Arena were moved out as well. Those games will be played now in Helsinki Ice Hall that has a capacity of 8200. Without Russia and Belarus as both were expelled for obvious reasons. The arena, bui...

And so it happened, I predicted 10/10 this time around. Surprised even myself! Otherwise it was a fine show, that went on rather smoothly if you forget some delays in change of stagings especially for Ireland and Malta, and that the sound level in some inserts was rather bad. Nice stage, ok graphics and postcards. Things can only get better for the second semi-final and most importantly for the final. And here they are, the finalists that I guessed all right, did I mention that already? Lithuania got 2nd half in the final Russia got 1st half in the final Sweden got 2nd half in the final Cyprus got 1st half in the final Norway got 2nd half in the final Israel got 1st half in the final Azerbaijan got 2nd half in the final Ukraine got 2nd half in the final Malta got 1st  half in the final Belgium got 1st half in the final

Today the first semi-final ones (except for Malta) had their second rehearsal, this time 20 minutes that allowed them about three run throughs to see the adjustments made after the first rehearsals and try possible further ones as the next rehearsal will be already the first full semi final show rehearsal next Monday. Photos and videos as always lovingly from eurovision.tv   Lithuania is a perfect opener after two years break of Eurovision: upbeat, quirky, fun catchy tune with a choreography that gives enough fun for those looking for Eurovision cliches. The main colors are black and purple with their yellow wardrobe that stands of course for hope. Should be an easy qualifier and even Top-10 in the final. A little hic up in second rehearsals as frontman Vaidotas sound receiver decided to dance alone a bit but a real professional he is he fixed it with some improvised dance routine and disarming smile.  Slovenia's main problems seemed to be Ana's problems with her dress rather ...

  After two long years the day is finally here! The feeling is a bit surreal and unreal. But here we are and it's a good feeling. As I am not present I just post the photos and videos (all lovingly taken from eurovision.tv ) and comment what I can at this point which is obviously next to nothing for the pure joy of it.  Lithuania's The Roop seems to stick pretty much to the performance of their national final with the same yellow outfits and choreography with the similar backdrop, too. All adapted to Ahoy Rotterdam's bigger stage of course. Besides the three band members the two dancers they had before as well. Slovenia's Ana Soklic is on stage alone with her pre-recorded big gospel choir. The familiar white dress is there as is the big voice. The backdrop seems to be quite effective and beautiful. Russia's Manizha delivers the night's first pyros and wardrobe gimmick and seems to have gained many, many new fans with them. She's got her four backing singers ...

Ukraine - Go-A - Solovey I kinda liked this when it was selected but didn't pay much attention to it other than the sharp faced lady and the fact the song sits nicely into Finno-Ugric heritage in style. Fast forward now and I love it more and more. Now it gets a nine but I have a feeling this could have blossomed on stage in Rotterdam into a full 10. But for now 9/10 Lithuania - The Roop - On fire I liked The Roop the first time they tried to get into Eurovision and this time even more. There's nothing I don't like in this one. It may look like a joke entry but it's not; there's melody, there's hook, there are excellent vocals and I love his voice. The choreography adds to the whole package and this might have been heading to Lithuania's best placing ever, if not the first win. And it comes with an important message that I for once can relate.   10/10 Russia - Little Big - Uno Talking about joke entry... well, this is not one eithe...

Let's continue the series and kill some time having a look at the last decade and see who were the Top-10 best scoring countries in the Eurovision song contest in the past ten years. The ways to calculate are many and here I have used the simple average placement method (and it's not all so serious). Next up is Russia at n.o 3. Two silvers and two bronzes with two top-10 finishes is Russia's result in the 2010's. With one withdrawel and one NQ, both thanks to Julia Samoylova, the Crimea crisis and dirty political game. A lot of booing for Russia over the years and one man to stop it: Sergey Lazarev. Twice. And then we had the grannies, too..... and way too much Kirkorov! 2011 Alexey Vorobjov - Get you - 16th ** 2012 Buranovskiye Babushki - Party for everybody - 2nd **** 2013 Dina Garipova - What if - 5th *** 2014 Tolmachevy Sisters - Shine - 7th  *** 2015 Poli Gagarina - A million voices - 2nd **** 2016 Sergey Lazarev - You are the only one ...

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Rave band Little Big was founded in 2013 in St.Petersburg and has gained  a global following thanks to their Skibidi that became quite a phenomenon in winter 2018-19. They have toured besides Russia Europe and Northern America, won awards for their trashy videos. They also tend to mock various stereotypes about Russia, and their Eurovision entry Uno is no exception: Isn't that dancing man in the video Chechnya leader Ramzan Kadyrov, the man behind concentration camps for gays and other horrors? And what about Lollybomb 's message? They have released four albums, one live album, three EPs and Uno is their 16th official single. The current line up is Ilya Ilich Prusikin, Sergey Gokk Makarov, Sonya Tayurskaya, and Anton Boo Lissov after Olympia Ivleva left the band in 2018. 

Last but least, the 41st song for the Eurovision song contest 2020 in Rotterdam was released last night, even if it had leaked already before. Little Big will present Uno .  To be the band was rather unknown before knowing (and hating) Skibidi beforehand and that's about it. Now in the past weeks I have got to know more of their material and in this light Uno is rather weak and unoriginal, sadly. Whereas Lasha tumbai for example still today sounds fresh and fun, Uno wore off in a couple of hearings and the only thing left seems to be the rather simple yet brilliant choreography. On the other hand general voting public will see and hear it only a couple of times so I suppose this could end up as a runner up heights. But it doesn't deserve it really.....

Samanta Tina (or Samanta Pojakova, 30) finally made it. After six times in the Latvian national selection for Eurovision plus additional two times in the Lithuanaina one and several other festivals  and Lithuanain Voice in her CV. Over a dozen singles released since 2012 - most of them said contest participations - she's finally getting to Eurovision. Checking back her songs one notes she sings in Latvian, English and Russian and the songs in English tend to be more up beat and pop, while in Latvian more ballady. Same goes for her looks: in English a fashion pop diva while in Latvian a girl next door looks reign mostly.....

  Russia - Sergey Lazarev - Scream **** Well, what to say? It does look good. The multipled Sergey is a simple yet effective trick, and the thunder and lightning is making it exciting. He can surely sing. I still have a problem with the song personally that I don't really care. I still don't believe in his victory really but who knows, in a compromise ending he could become Jamala 2. How ironic that would be?  Albania - Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës ** Jonida follow Sergey, one excellent vocalist after another. Another simple staging but Jonida's ring of fire and flames don't seem to work or look so great on screen after all. Her dress, pretty as it is, makes it a bit heavy and musty. I'd like to see Albania in the final but I'm not so sure it will make it this year..... KEiiNO - Spirit in the sky *** Fire and ice. A bit static and underwhelming. This is how you go from pre-contest favorite to a non-qualifier? I would still count them in bu...

Some more entries that occupy the lower parts of my personal ranking. Russia - Sergey Lazarev - Scream ** But tears aren’t quiet things They scream I was rather pleased when it was announced Sergey (36) would return to Eurovision. I was never crazy for You are the only one even if it was rather nice harmless pop, but I have always liked Sergey in general. And Scream in his repertoire is just about the worst of all I have heard. I understand he wants to show another side of himself but this is tiredsome musical number. Certainly it will be nicely staged and all but as my ranking goes based on "would I listen to this outside ESC"? the answer is clearly a big fat No. On the other hand it's a clever move as he has a back up when he doesn't win: The song was too good/different/difficult for Eurovision . Yeah, whatever. This is simply boring. Save these songs to musicals you do and give us some real Russian pop! Czech Republic - Lake Malawi - Friend of a ...

New music from old familiar Eurovision voices again. Rasmussen continues with the Viking pop as his Go beyond is pretty much the same sound as his Eurovision entry. Why change it if it works and no one else dos it?  Benjamin Ingrosso goes from success to another, like her mom in the 1980's. Behave . Why am I thinking of some early Madonna? Musically and as a person: not the best of singers nor dancers he somehow makes it work... Sevak Khanagyan keeps building his Russian career.  Океан Внутри Тебя (Ocan within you) is another typical Russian pop song he wrote himself but it could be Dima Bilan's latest.  Spanish sweethearts broke up after Eurovision and their solo efforts haven't been that convincing, but here's Alfred and his De la tierra hasta Marte .

Four more songs from Eurovision stars of the past Hovi Star released earlier this month self-written Silver spoon , The somewhat angry mid-tempo pop tune showcases a rougher side of his voice. Also Alma offers us anger in T'es pas un homme , a song born out of frustration of men molesting her and other women in metro.  Luisa Sobral has written her Dois namorados herself. Of course. Simple and acoustic love story that lasts for decades.... Polina Gagarina goes up-tempo bubble gum pop in  Меланхолия (Melancholy).  Apparently she tries to beat it with hysteria and anger judging the video....