Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  San Marino - Jessika feat. Jenifer Brening - Who we are Jessika Muscat (29) has the faith of fellow Maltese Christabelle: several national final attemps and now she gets finally to Eurovision with the worst of them. Or almost. She is joined by German Jenifer Brening (21) who took the original rapper Irol's place when he turned down the song stating it's not his cup of tea. He would have given this at least some Sammarinese touch. Anyways, the innotative Sammarinese national final selection promised a lot but in the end gave us this. I would have chosen differently but what we have is a rather anonymous and heard before anthem against bullying, well sung by Jessika with Jenifer's rap as bonus. Sadly unforgettable and the only thing that might get attention and viewers to remember this are the robots. If they travel to Lisbon, too. What's their deal anyways?! 3/10 Macedonia - Eye Cue - Lost and found Eye Cue is Bojan Trajkovski and Marija Ivanovska...

The third Melodifestivalen 2014 semifinal was the first one I saw this season and I have heard and read before proved to be true: uninspired and rather boring, I'm afraid. The presenters... oh well, where is Lena Ph when you need her? Or Petra Mede ? I thought Outtrigger would make it but in the end it was the pretty boy bubble gum pop that had its best before date a long time ago that sailed to the final by Oscar Zia . And surprisingly Ace Wilder with the song Madonna and Avicii would make together if forced to. The bands Outtrigger and State of Drama went to second chance while dr alban and Jessica Folcker finished 5th (also this had it's best before date a long time ago), Shirley Clamp looked like she was suffering the Carola -esque wind machine at least as much as I would with an eye infection and made it only to 6th. In the end maybe she deserved more. At least a new stylist, that woman needs a serious makeover! CajsaStina had a lovely song that sounded a bit l...

Another list, this time the most downloaded and streamed songs in Finland in 2013, check out the full Top-100 here . Again Finns rule 6-4 against the foreigners but the top spot goes to Avicii. No trace of any Eurovision songs, except Norwegian national finalist and OGAE Second chance winner Adelén with Bombo at no.38 and ex-Eurovision Arash with Sean Paul at no.52 with She makes me go . Last year Loreen's Euphoria was the no.1.  1. Avicii: WAKE ME UP 2. Haloo Helsinki!: VAPAUS KÄTEEN JÄÄ     3. Sini Sabotage ft Ville Galle: LEVIKSET REPEE 4. Cheek: TIMANTIT ON IKUISIA    5. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft Wanz: THRIFT SHOP     6. Daft Punk ft Pharrell Williams: GET LUCKY     7. J. Karjalainen: MENNYT MIES 8. Redrama ft A.J. McLean: CLOUDS     9. Cheek ft Jukka Poika: JOSSU     10. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis ft Ray Dalton: CAN'T HOLD US

Once again the excellent Listablogi has collected the charts and here is the Top-10 most played songs in radios in Finland (Check the full top-100 here ). In 2012 the second most played one was Loreen's Euphoria , but this year Eurovision winner is nowhere to be seen. Krista Siegfrids is at no.68 with Marry me . Remarkable is that only Avicii manages to squeese in among the Finnish acts! The highest chart position in brackets. 1. Haloo Helsinki!: VAPAUS KÄTEEN JÄÄ (1) 2. Juha Tapio: TSNEH (TYKKÄÄN SUSTA NIIN ETTÄ HALKEEN) (2) 3. Haloo Helsinki!: MAAILMA ON TEHTY MEITÄ VARTEN   (1) 4. Cheek: TIMANTIT ON IKUISIA (1) 5. Jenni Vartiainen: JUNAT JA NAISET (1) 6. Elokuu: TÄNÄÄN LÄHTEE (1) 7. Redrama ft A.J. McLean: CLOUDS (1) 8. Avicii: WAKE ME UP (1) 9. Erin: EI TAIDA TIETÄÄ TYTTÖ (1) 10. Anssi Kela: LEVOTON TYTTÖ (1)

The rumour mill is running wild for Melodifestivalen 2014 participants and it seems Martin Stenmarc k (ESC 2005) is back while the ladies Sanna Nielsen and Linda Bengtzing are giving it yet another go. Dr Alban might finally make his debut? Aftonbladet also reveals the other possible names: Oscar Zia, Panetoz, J.E.M., Outrigger, Judit & Judit, Eko, Cajsa Stina Äkerström, Josef Johanson that are more or less unknown to this blogger. Christer Björkman is quoted of saying there are still five open slots but negotiations on going with more big names and "the big names are usually the last ones to be confirmed and the talking-them-over period is at full swing right now". It is rumored Avicii, Ola Salo and Lisa Nilsson are some of those Björkman is sweet talking. I hope he has a chat with Sarah Dawn Finer and Darin as well! SVT will reveal all the names by the end of November 2013.

Petra Mede might be hosting the show alone but the list of the interval and opening acts is impressive. And she will have some help from Eric Saade in the greenroom.  Loreen will open the first semifinal, and Kleerup will provide the interval act. The two stars recently collaborated in Requiem solution , so who know maybe Loreen shows up in the interval act, too? Dance Orchestra choreographed by Jennie Widegren and Fredrik Rydman will open the second semifinal and the interval act will be Swedish Pop Voices featuring Darin and Agnes Carlsson . For the final ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus have joined forces with Avicii in We write the story . The interval act will be Carola starring in a crazy, mad number that is going to be very Swedish. ...

As written already ages ago it is now a deal, it seems: Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be in Eurovision 2013. Apparently he will open the final show by inviting the audience to his hometown Malmö. It seems he won't be there in person and a pre-recorded material will be used. It is believed to be incorporated with the Eurovision anthem performed by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with Avicii. Christer Björkman has earlier said Zlatan is the biggest thing Malmö has but refuses to comment his part in coming Eurovision 2013 any further. We will see....

Namely the opening act of the final in Eurovision 2013 is a track called We write the story , composed by ABBA's Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus and arranged by Avicii. This unision of the best selling Swedish musical exports of the past and present was on top of the wish list of SVT and all interested accepted the task immediately. Meanwhile Agnetha is rumored to participate this summer's Allsång, but concidering her last public performance was in 1987 it seems rather unlikely, as is her appearance in Eurovision 2013 as well, at least as a performer! Anyways, We write the story for the final, Northern light by Kleerup for the first semifinal. What will we have for the second one?