Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

When YLE's #UMK2021 jury announced it has selected the seven entries for the final they praised the quality and variety of the entries and even gave out clues of different kind of categories the submissions can be divided, one of them being old Eurovision participants, fans started speculating right away who could they be? This blogger included. But as they spoke about submissions we don't know if any of those were actually selected for the final.  On the other hand if one reads carefully one can note there are seven entries chosen, and they gave us six categories: Eurovision veteran, Emma award winning artist (or writer as they indeed didn't mention artists but submission by..... could be artists, writers, authors or producers), artists from hugely popular Vain elämää series, an export hope, energetic rock band and a hot name from the alternative music genre. Ok, one is missing and the extra slot could go to UMK2020 winner Aksel Kankaanranta after all?  Anyways, let...

From over 1.000 submissions down to 198 by an expert panel, then down to 20 by international jury for the Workshop. Apparently five acts didn't take part in the process even if chosen due personal or other reasons, and same further acts wished to remain anonymous - at least until they were chosen.... On Novembr 8, 2018 the six finalists were announced, three of them being among the originally named ones plus three names out of the blue. The winner of Unser Lied für Israel be chosen by televote, 100 members of Eurovision panel and international jury of 20 members who have been involved in selecting the entry of their own country. The Eurovision panel has been involved in the process from the beginning and includes members from all over Europe and are fans etc.  Aly Ryan BB Thomaz Gregor Hägele Barna Daniel Schuhmacher Diana Schneider Dimi Rompos Nicole Cross Nina Kutschera Sebastian Schub Iwithdraw) Thilo Berndtand + Linus Bruhn Lilly among Clouds ...

Germany revealed the details of their national final songs, and among the names there's besides familiar Jörgen Elofsson also Axel Ehnström aka Finland's very own Paradise Oskar who da da dammed in Eurovision 2010. And let's not forget he is also in the Estonian selection Eesti laul with Marju Länik's song Täna otsuseid ei tee next Saturday! Xavier Darcy – Jonah  (Xavier Darcy, Loren Nine Geerts, Axel Ehnström, Thomas Stengaard) Ivy Quainoo – House on fire  (Jörgen Elofsson, Ali Tamposi) Ryk – You and I  (Rick Jurthe) Michael Schulte – You let me walk alone  (Michael Schulte, Thomas Stengaard, Nisse Ingwersen, Nina Müller) Natia Todua – My own way  (Loren Nine Geerts, Ricardo Bettiol, Martin Gallop, Jaro Omar) voXXclub – I mog Di so  (Merty Bert, Mike Busse, Philipp Klemz, Lennard Oestmann – Joe Walter, Philipp Klemz, Martin Simma, Merty Bert, Mike Busse)

  After yesterday's semifinal one entries Estonia revealed today the semifinal two entries. Like yesterday the goodies are far and apart, and below is my First hearing ranking . Eelis & Eurovision veteran Gerli deliver a timeless ballad that feels real and not manufactured for Eurovision, and therefor stands out. Indrek continues to deliver after Hispaania tüdruk , and a lot of experience in musicals in meantime. Tempel is lovely little tune. Karl & co go deep fishing from the sound of 2017 but don't come out that strong sadly. Marju's song includes Paradise Oskar (FIN 2011) among the songwriters, but... oh well. A local hit for sure and classic old school Eurovision but would this work in ESC 2018? Maybe not.  Then there's some pseudo eletro punk that goes to PKN way or lasts (thankfully) just barely 2 minutes. Add some monotonous indie pop, equally monotonous rap in Estonian, lounge disco and a very disappointing Rolf this bloggerwas expecting great th...

  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..... Monica Aspelund 's 1977 entry Lapponia is one of the most iconic Finnish entries, and one of those taking a large serving from the mythology with added flavor from Lapland. This is exotism we should have used more often, this blogger thinks. It...

    Estonia's Eesti laul 2018 semifinalists have been revealed tonight. Among the contestants Eurovision veterans Stig Rästa and Gerli Padar , who's also Eurovision winner Tanel Padar's sister so real Eurovision royalty. This blogger always liked her Helsinki 2007 entry, so underrated by most.  Other familiar names Iiris Vesik , Rolf Roosalu (ex-Rolf Junior), Indrek Ventmann and Karl Kristjan . Mostly Estonian songwriters it seems with a very surprising name: Axel Ehnström aka Paradise Oskar among writers for the Marju Länik song. She's 60 and sings since 1970s.... Stig Rästa – Home Metsakutsu – Koplifornia Elina Netšajeva – La forza Aden Ray – Everybody’s dressed Frankie Animal – (Can’t keep calling) Misty Nika – Knock knock Iiris & Agoh – Drop that boogie Etnopatsy – Külm Vajé – Laura (Walk with me) Miljardid – Pseudoprobleem Tiiu x Okym x Semy – Näita oma energiat Desiree – On my mind Rolf Roosalu – Show a little love Eli...

Today's birthday boy Axel Ehnström gave an interview to Helsingin Sanomat last month, being part of the new generation of artists/songwriters reaching out and having success abroad.  He shot to the spotlight after wining the last Euroviisut (before it was rebranded and revamped as UMK) with Da da dam, and had a very succesful Eurovision song contest 2011 adventure all the way to the final where he was drawn to sing first. Busted! He had already won the Marcel Bezençon Press award and placed third in the semifinal, but in the final dropped to 21st. Da da dam certainly wasn't a song to open the show.  After Eurovision he got to release his solo album as Paradise Oskar but soon he realized writing songs is what he really wants to do. He studied music, and especially studied how to write hits reading interviews by succesful writers and practised writing techniques forcing himself to write a song every day. For inspiration he might go to library and check the book covers...

Happy birthday to Axel as he turns 27 today. Congratulations! Axel Ehnström aka Paradise Oskar Dada dammed for Finland in Eurovision 2011 winning the Marcel Bezençon award and placing third in the semifinal and gaining praise from left and right. However, he never intended to become a singer himself and after his debut album (#4 in Finland) he has created a succesful songwriting career. Some of songs he has co-written: Isac Elliott - New way home (#1 Finland, #4 Norway) Kasmir - Wowowow (#4 Finland) Anna Abreu - Bandana (#5 Finland) RAF Camora - Mein Leben (#3 Germany, #12 Switzerland) Alle Farben - Bad ideas (#4 Austria, #7 Germany) Lost Frequences - All or nothing (#10 Belgium) - Also vocals -  Sofi De La Torre - Vermilion Mikael Gabriel - Riippumatto (#4 Finland) Pretty Pink feat. Axel Ehnström - Superman

Speaking on this week's special Eurovision episode of Newsmakers, HSTV's weekly English-language current affairs show, the host of the 2007 Eurovision song contest in Helsinki Mikko Leppilampi says  "It's pretty serious. The forum is so huge, you reach so many people. The economic benefits for the country and the city that gets to host it" are important, he adds. Leppilampi recalls that he was selected to host the live shows after a series of auditions and call-backs. "I was pretty new to television and hosting at that time, so we just did the auditions, like everyone else" explains Leppilampi, who is currently filming the new Finnish political drama 'President'. "I think it was probably every single male performer who had been on television or acting got auditioned for that and it ended up probably being the EBU mostly who selected us". In the end in the final he wasn't to one to say the magic words "Welcome, Europe...

The last three Finnish Eurovision singers have all been of the Swedish speaking minority; Paradise Oskar or Axel Ehnström, Pernilla Karlsson and Krista Siegfrids . They all gathered together for the first time to remember their experiences and give some advice for the future UMK 2014 winner in Svenska YLE's De Eurovisa. In the end they also had to do a funny quizz about questions of themselves in Eurovision, of course! And Eurovision songs, if you want to see Krista go crazy for Fångad av en stormvind , Satellite, Euphoria , Lipstick ....watch the last minutes.... And what's her response to Ein bisschen Frieden ? Check it out! The Eurovisa panel has judged the Eurovision songs the past few years but they made a special and judged UMK 2014 songs instead with producer and song writer Patric Sarin focusing on hit potential, singer and Euroviisut veteran Susan Sonntag focusing on the artist's vocal capacities and song, and Eurovision specialist David Lindström focusin...

He certainly was in Hungary. Totally unknown artist came out of nowhere and won the people's hearts and despite the media support for the talent show related artists (and there were many of them in A Dal this year!) majority of the Hungarian televoters went for this simple song that has something hypnotic about it, Kedvesem . Apparently a chief editor of a tattoo magazine (anyone knows if this is true? ), a few songs and videos to his credit ( Nekemte , Láttamoztam , Csókolom , Kedvesem and more here ). He didn't quite want to enter A Dal at first place, isn't into the circus around it and even fans (as meaning of fanatics) as he thinks he's just a guy and nothing to be fanatic about, and therefor wants to distance himself from all that. Talking about it as ByeAlex Project may come useful then, a bit like Finland's Axel Ehnström did as Paradise Oskar a couple of years ago. And after a concert or a night out the best way to relax and rest your ears is to listen s...

As always, we have some artists celebrating their birthdays during Eurovision and this year is no expection. Last year Swedish Eric Saade and Finnish Paradise Oskar were more or less separated at birth but this year we have Turkish Can Bonomo and Estonian Ott Lepland who were born on May 16 and 17, 1987. Also Norwegian Tooji will turn 25 during Eurovision. Hopefully he can celebrate it with a good result in final as his birthday is on 26th!

Pernilla has been nowhere in sight but today she is in the cover of Metro, Iltalehti has an interview and she made it to the YLE TV-news as well so something is happening prior to her depart for Baku later this week where she will be on the stage of Crystal Hall on Sunday for the first rehearsals and will also have her first press conference. She will travel there with her family; on the other hand the song is written by her brother and dedicated to her mother, so it's very fitting. She will leave her newly found boyfriend home though. During this spring since winning UMK she has been practicing her singing, performance, hair, make up. She promises a warm, intimate and down-to-earth performance by her and her cellist who will be alone on stage without the dancer. Main focus will be, besides Pernilla herself of course, her jade green long dress designed by Katri Niskanen. She also admits being rather nervous and exited about leaving but mainly because everyone's asking ...

YLE will obviously broadcast all the three shows live on YLE2 as well as YLE HD on May 22, 24 and 26. Besides that the preview show will be on May 12. (Only one show? What happened to the rule that one couldn't show them in one show?) Anyways, May 12 on YLE2 from 19.30-21.50 all the Eurovision 2012 entries are presented. I don't know how and by whom but that will be the date... YLE Fem, the newly named Swedish speaking channel of YLE will go for the more traditional approach. There will be four shows (April 17, 24 and May 1,8 at 20.00) with commentary by Eurovision genius Tobias Larsson with Eva Frantz and Johan LIndroos. Each show will feature a guest commentator: Axel Ehnström aka Paradise Oskar in the first one, then Krista Siegfrieds, Ronya and Tommy Nordlund in the last one. The commentators will give votes to each song, pretty much like the well proven Swedish format for the previews. 

It has been published yesterday the team that will be backing Pernilla Karlsson on stage in Baku and we can read that her guitarist will be Axel Ehnström! None other than Paradise Oskar who happens to be her old schoolmate as well and surely will be also a supporting shoulder to her during that experience. No mention about the dancer we had in UMK final so they will be just alone on stage. Good choice, well done YLE! Paradise Oskar took Finland to the final last year with Da da dam . (And no, it's not for real. It's April 1st.)

Finland is not taking part in the Junior Eurovision song contest but the original, MGP Nordic. The artists are 8-15 years old and write their own songs. Some of them have started their career here including Elin Blom who went ton to Euroviisut and Swedish idols. There was a televoting and a jury and the winner is... Oh well, watch yourself   here . And Paradise Oskar both did the jury job and performed on interval.And for once I totally agree with the results!

Paradise oskar did a TV-programme The Mill sessions long before the Eurovision 2011 but it aired only earlier this month. Acoustic music, some interviews. A very good showcase. You can watch the best bits here . He also started his summer tour recently from Helsinki's DTM receiving very good reviews. Lots of adoring fans from Dusseldorf were present. This Sunday he is again in Helsinki along with James Blunt in Kaisafest .

Axel aka Paradise Oskar was peaceful and in a good mood despite the 21st place last night. He partied the night away in the closing party. "It is useless to wonder and speculate" he says in Iltalehti "countries have voted as they have voted. That's it! " If it's any comfort many other hot tipped countries like France, United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany and Hungary saw their hopes for the Eurovision glory crash and burn last night when Azerbaijan went on to win which has caused a lot of talk and comments on various blogs and websites. Was it Azerbaijan that won? or Turkey? Or Sweden? In my opinion it's always nice when a new country wins but this year they didn't deserve it with this mediocre song, that even has nothing Azeri about it. A product bought from Sweden with two clued on singers. I doubt it will be a success anywhere really, and we won't hear about the singers until next year's contest in Baku and then never again (think Estonia 2001)...

Paradise Oskar has got good wishes for tonight's final not only from the Finnish ice hockey team in Bratislava (where they will beat Sweden tomorrow and win the world championship) but also from the president Tarja Halonen through her twitter. The ice hockey team has invited Paradise Oskar for the joint celebration party at Senate square should they win....

The Finnish commentator Tarja Närhi was joking about Austria's Nadine Beiler last night as the Finnish bride and daughter-in-law but today the papers are reporting also the Austrian commentator was talking about the romance between the two artists who were seen spending time together already in Amsterdam's Eurovision in concert earlier this year... Do we have this year's Eurovision romance? Axel aka Paradise Oskar comments in Ilta-Sanomat: "Oh so they say? Of course I know Nadine, we met already in Amsterdam. She's nice. We have talked even here." You make the math.... Is the answer love or da da dam? (Remember last year Malta's Thea Garrett and Poland's Marcin Mrozinski?)