Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

ORF and EBU have revealed the opening and interval acts for the three shows coming from Vienna 2026 Eurovision song contest and as a Finn one can only be pleased as there are (following Käärijä's two year stunt) again Finns as among the announced acts are Eurovision 2006 winners Lordi and last year's Erika Vikman performing along with other Eurovision royalty like Verka Serduchka from Ukraine, Il Volo from Italy, Go-Jo from Australia and Cesar Sampson and reigning champion JJ from Austria. Here's what we know and has been announced: First semi-final will be opened by 70 member choir performing L'amour è bleu , a song from Vienna 1967 Eurovision that Vicky Leandros sung for Luxemburg and later became a real evergreen and a classic even though it placed only 4th. After all these decades she's back to sing it again! The interval act will feature fun by Austria/Australia by the presenters Victoris Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski joined by Aussie Go-Jo . The s...

The Eurovision 2024 wannabe host city Tampere that hosted already UMK2024 final isn't done with Eurovision yet. The arena will host a viewing party for Eurovision song contest 2024 on May 11, 2024.  But before the Eurovision final on mega screens there's a concert party with Eurovision winners Alexander Rybak and Emmelie De Forest  with Eurovision fan favorites Verka Serduchka and KEiiNO. And that's not all: local Eurovision stars Saara Aalto, Ami Aspelund, CatCat, Hanna Pakarinen, Marion Rung, Laura Voutilainen, Sara Siipola, Aksel Kankaanranta, Geir Rönning, Sandhja and Benjamin will join the fun by performing their respective entries.  This is first time something like this is organized in Finland in this magnitude. The ticket selling starts on February 26 and costs are from 39,60 to VIP tickets of 169,90. But where is Käärijä? And Lordi? Hopefully in Malmö! Can I already announce the Finnish jury votes come from there announced by Benjamin?

The Eurovision song contest 2023 in Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine is turning out very Ukraine as promised with a string of Ukrainian artists coming back to belt out their Eurovision successes. Throw in a bit of British by giving a slot also to last year's runner up (and not only), invite some Eurovision favorites to sing Liverpool Songbook. Add Rita Ora and some drag queens (because why not?) and me thinks it looks like a very nice mix! Grand final Opening act: Kalush Orchestra - Stefania Interval act: Sam Ryder - Space man  Flag parade: Go_A - Shum, Jamala - 1944, Tina Karol - Show me your love, Verka Serduchka - Dncing lasha tumbai Liverpool Songbook: Mahmood, Netta, Dadi Freyer, Cornelia Jakobs, Duncan Laurence, Sonia Semifinal One Opening act: Julia Sanina - Mayak Interval acts: Rita Ora - Medley of hits + Praising you,  Alyosha with Rebecca Ferguson - Ordinary world Semifinal Two Interval acts: Maria Yaremchuk, Otoy, Zlata Dziunka - Medley of Ukrainian Music Podilya dan...

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...

Whoever got the idea of that backdrop is a genius! L-o-v-e! Last night's interval act included 1979 winner Gali Atari singing her entry Hallelujah joined by other Eurovision winners Conchita Wurst and Måns Zelmerlöw and runner ups Eleni Foureira and Verka Serduchka. (From 8mins 45) That was already third time the song has featured in the Eurovision final as also last time Israel hosted the show back in 1999 it was there, and even closing the show - the only time the show has ended with some other song than the winner btw - when then winner Charlotte Perrelli then Nilsson was joined on stage by all the toher artists to sing it for the memory of Balcan war victims (on video from 3h 10mins onwards) And of course it was also sun in 1979 contest when it won at home soil in Jerusalem. The song is a true classic with many meanings. 

Sergey's dropping in odds and takes example from Chingiz; show some skin and bulge up! Also KEiiNO are showing some muscle ahead of the final. Awww, little Arab boys.... ... enter Tamta..... Chingiz covered Harel finally. Netta Serduchka. Verka Wurst. Yet another Mahmood fan.... ... who got him do the doublechin. Zena the Flower Destroyer. Miki puts the cup on and ends the show. Oh, that's so cool. Go Kobi, my #2

Love Tel Aviv is forever. This time the Danish made it to the sign. Sandstorm Armenian style? Sandstorm Azeri style? Carousel has arrived to Jerusalem. Jurij feeling hot and pale at Tel Aviv beach. Verka & mama causing commotion. Chingiz strikes again. Awful lot of Eurovision royalty!

Jurij was searching the lions in the desert. Anna did Jerusalem. As did Roko and the wing men. Joci' stime to find the sign. Verka & mama au naturel. Feeling comfortable like fish out of water. Each to their own flag. Cheeky lady. Tamara sniffing baby vipes because.... home. Anna met Verka. Katerine's take on Victor's doublechin challenge. ... and Albert's.  Darude & Sebu hopefully looking to the future...

It seems Israelis have dusted off the Turkish opening of the Eurovision final as Dana International will arrive "by plane" to the stage flown by Netta singing Tel Aviv ya habibi/Diva during the flag parade with all the finalists. Remember Istanbul when Sertab Erener arrived by helicopter to the stage singing amazing Leave ( Aşk ) after with her winning entry Everyway that I can? It seems it has also been confirmed Madonna will perform Like A Prayer  ( read more ) and a new yet unnamed song, but most likely I rise , not Medellin as speculated at first.  However it seems she has watched Eurovision lately and got some hologram ideas, as apparently for the American audience they are something new and exciting while for us Eurovision viewers nothing new anymore :-) Medellin gets its spotlight in Billboard Music awards on May 1, 2019 with a huge show featuring holograms and virtual reality so Eurovision is a good chance to premiere a new song with equally spectacula...

Eric Saade was in Isola d'Elba, Italy  Also Levina did Italy. Alberobello. And so did Stig Rästa. Florence.  Douwe Bob had another tattoo... ... so did Hovi Star Robin Bengtson got ill just before some summer gigs.... Michal Szpak went golfing... Vaidas Baumila hurt his leg Kristian Kostov went blond and gave a finger This week's obligatory Marija+dog pic Verka Serduchka had a party in Portofino with Dolce (& Gabbana) Gabbani met Bocelli And Rybak met Logan