Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Ulrikke Brandstorp (24) is a singer, songwriter and musical actress. She's one of those seeking for notoriety in various talent shows having done Idols (2013), The Voice (2015) and Stjernekamp (2018). In 2019 she starred in The Sound of Music in Oslo. She's also wellknown from various television productions in Norway. The 2020 MGP was her second after placing fourth in 2017 with Places . She has no album released yet but Attention is her eighth single already.  After the cancellation of Eurovision 2020 NRK apparently offered her a spot in the MGP 2021 line up but so far she has declined the offer for the time being. This blogger thinks Attention was one of the strongest contenders for the trophy in Rotterdam....

"I love you. I want you. I need you." Hence three times a lady. This Lionel Richie penned song became the first #1 for the Communards. It also topped the charts in UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia - among others - in 1978.    Nate Harvell took the song to #28 in the country charts the same year, and Conway Twitty to #7 in 1983, Countless other covers have followed later: a1 , The Shadows , Kenny Rogers

Timoteij with they folksy pop tune Kom won the 2010 Second Chance contest oranized by local OGAE clubs. Here are the winners over the year. Finland's Heli Kajo did rather well reaching the top-10. Finland has won this contest once with Anna Eriksson's Oot voimani mun in 2000.  1. Sweden - Timoteij - Kom (267 pts) 2. Denmark - Bryan Rice - Breathing (223 pts) 3. Portugal - Catarina Pereira - Canta Por Mim (203 pts) 4. Spain - Coral - En una vida (167 pts) 5. Israel - Harel Ska'at - Lean (161 pts) 6. Norway - A1 - Don’t Wanna Lose You Again (138 pts) 7. Germany - Jennifer Braun - I Care For You (105 pts) 8. Greece - Yiorgos Karadimos - Polemao (103 pts) 9. Finland - Heli Kajo - Annankadun kulmassa (87 pts) 10. Cyprus - Constantinos Christoforou - Angel (73 pts) 11. Serbia - Emina Jahović - Ti Kvariigro (64 pts) 12. Slovenia - Nina Pušlar - Dež (54 pts) 13. Poland - Anna Cyzon - Love me (24 pts) 14. Lithuania - Evelina Sasenko - For T...

NRK has announced the artists in the third and last semifinal so the line up is now ready and it seems to be very strong in the host country of Eurovision 2010. Most names have been rumoured already so no big surprises. Mira Craig and A1 are there as is Didrik Solli-Tangen, a friend of Alexander Rybak. Here is the full list: 3rd semi final, 23 January - Mira Craig - I'll take you high (Mira Craig) - Fred Endresen - Barracs on the hill (Fred Endresen, Olaf Øwre) - Belinda Braza - Million Dollar Baby (Robin Nordahl, Frode Andersen & Gerard James Borg) - Didrik Solli-Tangen - My heart is yours (Hanne Sørvaag & Fredrik Kempe) - The Diamond - European girl (Matias Tellez, Håkon Njøten & Axel Vindenes) - Karoline Garfjell - Tokyo night (Aggie Peterson) - A1 - Don't want to lose you again (Ben Adams, Mark Read, Christian Ingebrigtsen, David Eriksen) 2nd semi final, 16 January - Venke Knutson - Jealous couse I love you (Laila Samuelsen, Alexander Kronlund, Luc...

The Norwegian-British boyband A1 is prepairing for a comeback with a new single and participation in the Norwegian selection. The band was active 1999-2002 and scored 9 Top-10 hits in the UK and 5 Top-3 hits in Norway. They are ready with their fourth studio album and new single Take me home. My favourite remains Caught in the middle (UK #2, #3 in Sweden and Norway, and a hit in Ireland, Australia and New Zealand as well in 2002). The video was directed by a Finn, Miikka Lommi and shot in Finland. One of their #1's is an a-ha cover Take on me .