Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Oh my, once an Euroviison superpower with five victories and big international stars, Luxemburg, is set to return to Eurovision song contest in 2024 after 30 years absense. Luxemburg is one of the founding members of Eurovision song contest and participated from 1956 to 1993 with the exception of 1959, a total of 37 times. They scored five victories, two third places and a total of 13 Top-5 finishes. They also hosted four Eurovision finals (1962, 1966, 1973 and 1984) Over the eyars most of their artists (and winners) were French but they also had more or less big names doing the honors from Belgium, Greece (incl. winner Vicky Leandros), The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Spain, United States and Canada. Only nine acts were from Luxemburg: Camillo Felgen (1960), Chris Baldo (1968), Monique Melsen (1971), Sophie Carle (1984), Franck Olivier (1985), Park Cafe (1989), Sarah Bray (1991), Marion Welter (1992) and Modern Times (1993). Ralph Siegel's songs represented Luxem...

Today, back in 1979 Israel won for the second time in a row the Eurovision song contest at homeground, in the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. The song was originally offered for Habini group who turned it down (but would represent Israel in 1981). Israel also turned down the opportunity to host the 1980 contest (and Haag in the Netherlands took the job). 19 countries participated while Turkey withdraw, due to the pressure from Arab countries. They even had selected their song Seviyorum and had been drawn in the running order as 11th.  It was a close run with Spain's Su cancion , the rule for the minimum age didn't exist at the time and stage was filled with kids. Spain was the last to vote and leading, with Israel one point behind. Spain however awarded Israel 10 points and thus handed over the victory and Betty Missiego played a good sport. The 1973 winner Anne Marie David was back, this time for France and finished third. It was also a rich year of retu...

Euro Fan Cafe has been going all week and a lot has taken place there. Anne Marie David came and charmed, giving a mini concert and touched some fans to tears declaring without them she wouldn't be alive. And then she cried some, too. Eurovision can give you so much once you take part in it indeed. I would like to quote Hanna Pakarinen here when she said she didn't realize that taking part once you are a member of a very special family forever. So true. Jacqueline Boyer was there too and sung Tom Pillibi. How cool is that?  Several Austrians have taken the stage, like unrecognizable Thomas Forstner and ever so energetic Stella Jones (both pictured here).  Also Waterloo & Robinson who sung about their little world in 1976 have changed quite a bit and Waterloo even sung his national final entry from 1990, when he finished 4th with So ein wunderschönes Leben . Check out the video below. 

EBU has been revealing names on daily basis since the Jubilee concert in London was announced a few days ago. The 60th anniversary event or Eurovision's Greatest hits will be staged in London on March 31, 2015. It will be hosted by Graham Norton and Petra Mede and below is the list of artists confirmed to appear so far. More names to come so stay tuned.... I will update this post as they happen.  Conchita Wurst - Austria - Winner 2014 Emmelie De Forest - Denmark - Winner 2013 Loreen - Sweden - Winner 2012 Dima Bilan - Russia - Winner 2008 (2006) Lordi - Finland - Winner 2006 Rosa - Spain - 7th in 2002 Natasha St-Pier - France - 4th in 2001 Olsen Brothers - Denmark - Winner 2000 Dana International - Israel - Winner 1998 (2011) Johnny Logan - Ireland - Winner 1980/1987 (1992) *Bobbysocks - Norway - Winner 1985 The Herreys - Sweden - Winner 1984 Nicole - Germany - Winner 1982 Bortherhood of Man - United Kingdom - Winner 1976 Anne-Marie David - Luxembourg...

Many artists have represanted their country in Eurovision twice. Some even three or four times or maybe even more in various duos, trios or groups and we don't even want to talk about backing singers and so on. Only Johnny Logan has won twice as a singer but we have four artists that nearly made it as well: Lys Assia, Gigliola Cinquetti, Linda Martin and Dima Bilan . On the other hand one can wonder if Linda and Diman ever came back if they won the first time? Lys and Gigliola made it to second after being a winner already before. Then we have Anne-Marie David who came third the second time around and Carola who won after being already third previously. For example. On the other hand we have recent examples from Charlotte Perrelli, Niamh Kavanagh and Dana International that previous winners are not treated with due respect anymore (in this blogger's opinion each deserved better) and it might even be more difficult for them to impress voters these days. Or what do you thi...

Anne-Marie David has released a new version of her Eurovision winning classic Tu te reconnaitras in both French and German with some help of Mave O'Rick. You can listen their joint efforts here . This being one of my all time Eurovision favourites it's hard to ruin it completely but the remix isn't giving the song much of a refresh or particularly groundbreaking treatment. A standard remix that could have been anytime over the past 20 years. The origina l has pure magic....

We are nearing the top-50 and the dancebands are making way to poppier and rockier artists. In this part we have a lot of lauras and Lauris, Annika's classic Euroviisut entry and Jari with the omnipresent Yö and Finlanders. 61. KUULTA KYSELEN - LAURA VOUTILAINEN 62. KATUJEN KUNINGATAR - YÖ 63. SHANGHAIN VALOT - ANNIKA EKLUND 64. PITKÄT PELLOT - LAURI TÄHKÄ 65. TIMANTTINEN TÄHTI - LAURA VOUTILAINEN 66. KIMPALE KULTAA - LAURI TÄHKÄ 67. PAREMMIN KUIN KUKAAN MUU - JARI SILLANPÄÄ 68. PUISTOSSA - ANSSI KELA 69. SINUN VUOKSES - FINLANDERS 70. ASFALTTIVIIDAKKO - ANNE MATTILA

Eurovision 1973 winner Anne Marie David visits Finland this Saturday and has an open meeting with fans for breakfast in Hotel grand Marina, Helsinki at 8.45-10.00. If you happen to be around drop in! The lady who has scored 1st and 3rd place in Eurovision has had a very international career singing in various languages and living and making career in countries as different as Norway and Turkey. Recently she sung in Israel with this year's Israeli entrant Harel Skaat.

Anne Marie David won the Eurovision 1973 for Luxembourg with Tu te reconnaitrais. I admit I never knew she did an Italian version of it as well, Non si vive di paura . Great stuff! And while we are at it here's the Finnish version by Katri Helena.

Luxembourg is one of the original Eurovision countries and religiously took part until 1993 - when they were relegated and never returned - with the exception of 1959 in every occasion scoring five victories on the way: 1961 , 1965 , 1972 , 1973 and 1983 . All winners were imported as most of their entrants with the exception of very few like Sophie Carle , Camillo Felgen and Marion Welter . Only twice they sung in their own Lëtzebuergisch instead of French and both times it went all  terribly wrong. Apparently RTL was considering a return in 2004 and 2005 but didn't in the end claiming financial matters. Rumours about the possible return were circulating again for the 2009 and 2010 editions but propably that's more wistful thinking by the fans than any grounded information? Some famous international stars have represented the tiny dutchy over the years besides the winners France Gall and Vicky Leandros: Nana Mouskouri , Michele Torr , Ireen Sheer , Baccara and Lara Fabian ...

Every now and then previous Eurovision winners want to try it again and this year we have Ireland's Niamh Kavanagh. She won back in 1993 with wonderful In your eyes and tries again this year with It's for you. Let's see how it has been for the previous returning winners in the past.... So far only Johnny Logan, also for Ireland, has managed to win Eurovision twice; in 1980 with What's another year and in 1987 with Hold me now . Italy's Gigliola Cinquetti came close in 1974 with Si as she was only beaten by ABBA. She won ten years earlier with Non ho l'etá . Also Lys Assia for Switzerland and Elisabeth Andreasson for Norway have scored a second place after their win. Lys took part three years in a row and came 1-8-2 in 1956, 1957 and 1958. Elisabeth on the other hand won with Hanne Krogh in 1985, came 6th with Jan Wener in 1994 and finally went solo in 1996 and scored a 2nd place.  Isabelle Aubret won in 1962 for France with Un premier amour and went on to ...

One of the finest Eurovision winners of all times is Tu te reconnaitras sung by Anne-Marie David in home soil in Luxembourg in 1973. She was visiting Israel recently and got together with Israel's 2010 hope Harel Skaat. Together they make magic again. A good song is a good song and actually Harel does a great job with it, too! This has made already most blogs and websites but it is so good I want to share it here, too. Enjoy !