Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

While waiting for the entries for UMK2023 aka Finland's national selection for Eurovision song contest let's look back at some of the best non winning ones from yesteryear. While we are at it, let's take yet another Petri Laaksonen's entry. In 1988 he teamed up with Eurovision 1983 veteran Ami Aspelund and created this very catchy, very Eurovision at the time arrangement with a touch of Slavic male choir with Southern European cliches but it works wonders but sadly placed only third. Ami never recorded this one but Amor Amor reappeard of another Eurovision veteran Sonja Lumme's album a few years after with a tuned down arrangement . And yes, you guessed it. Finland's winner Boulevard placed second to last with 3 points in Dublin. No comment. 

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 1980s were certainly a real rollercoaster giving us some of the best and some of the worst entries ever. Sata salamaa took a clear win, no doubt helped by Antti Tuisku's recent cover that brought the song to new generations.  1987 Virve Rosti - Sata salamaa  34,8% 1989 Anneli Saaristo - La dolce vita  19,6% 1985 Sonja Lumme - Eläköön elämä 16,9% 1984 Kirka - Hengaillaan  12,1% 1983 Ami Aspelund - Fantasiaa   5,7% 1981 Riki Sorsa - Reggae OK  3,3% 1980 Vesa-Matti Loiri - Huilumies  2,7% 1986 Kari Kuivalainen - Päivä kahden ihmisen 2,3% 1982 Kojo - Nuku pommiin  1,9% 1988 Boulevard - Nauravat silmät muistetaan   0,6%

  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..... Ami Aspelund and her Fantasiaa restored some Eurovision pride in 1983 after a string of rather disastrous results, and the early 80s Finns were pretty satisfied when also 1984 and 1985 brought us decent results. The song is also remembered thanks t...

Ami Aspelund turns 64 today. Congratulations! Ami was already a veteran in the Finnish national selection when she finally won in 1983 after being a runner up in 1982 . She also participated several times after ther win scoring a third place again in 1988 . These days she still sings, often with her sister Monica, but the repertoire is more poetic and religious. 

We all know Monica Aspelund and Lapponia . But not much of her is heard since early 1980's when she moved to Florida with her son after divorce. She did return for the musical Cats in Helsinki in 1986, and 1997 she performed with her sister Ami. She's been singing on Caribian cruise ships and doing jazz and evergreen gigs in Florida. But guess what? She has moved back to Finland and is slowly starting her career here again. She has already some projects - again with Ami - and is looking at her options. She also rethinks about her past: "If I had stayed in Finland after Cats I may have gotten other musical roles. Also I should have maybe invest more on the Swedish market when I was younger. But my music is more jazz-oriented than pop. But it's in the past, can't think about it now. In a way I feel like I'm in the starting point again, it's very exciting! Luckily my voice is still good, actually better than ever " And you may not know that we have had on...

Euroviisut 2010 live broadcast on radio will have high profile commentators when Riki Sorsa (1981), Fredi (1967, 1974), Katja Kätkä (1994), Ami Aspelund (1983), Anneli Saaristo (1989), Markku Aro (1971), Laura Antikainen (1969), Katri Helena (1979, 1993) and Tomi Putaansuu aka Mr Lordi (2006) will comment the final songs and predict how they would do in Oslo 2010. Euroviisut legend Sanna Kojo will present the show with Jorma Hietamäki. Euroviisut 2010 will start at 19.00 CET from Tampere live on YLE2 and Radio Suomi.

Schlagerboys reveal in one of their fabulous blog interviews that Jari Sillanpää will sing a song composed by Petri Laaksonen in Euroviisut 2009! Now that is good news and if I was saying before Kwan will walk it this might put it all into new perspective and make Jari a very dangerous contender after all. Petri Laaksonen must be the most loved Finnish Eurovision writer (check the list below) and many have wondered why he hasn't sent more songs any more... His first break from the contest provided us an OGAE Second chance winner and a megahit, now it's been another 9 years.... I can't wait to hear it! And it's his first entry for a male singer. Poptastic megaschlager is back! (If it's true.... of course!) 1985 Sonja Lumme: Eläköön elämä (1./9.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhMkJweGWf4&feature=related 1987 Vicky Rosti: Sata salamaa (1./15.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nzinzAMxtI 1988 Ami Aspelund: Amor amor (3.) http://www.yle.fi/player/player.jsp?name=E...