Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

UMK fan favorite Eini is celebrating her 40th anniversary in the business (Yes, you read right: 4-0) and for the occasion she will finally reunite with Eurovision veterans Baccara. Two special concerts are arranged in Helsinki and Hyvinkää on November 22 and 23. But why, I hear you ask? Eini's first hit was a Finnish cover of Baccara's yes sir, I can boogie and both versions are rea evergreens in Finland. Baccara was even the very first foreign act to sell platinum in Finland, or over 100.000 copies of their  self titled 1978 album. Their success continued with the next album that sold gold.  Baccara, as we know it from Eurovision aka Mayte Meteos and Maria Mendiola went separate ways in 1982 but both continues to perform under Baccara with different partners. Mayte's baccara has been more succesful and led them even to melodifestivalen in 2004. Today the "original" Baccara is Mayte with Paloma Blanco. And Eini? She's still going strong and maybe more...

Back in 1978 we had the first very international product in Eurovision: Spanish girls singing in French for Luxembourg a song written and produced by Germans. Baccara with Parlez vous francais? This year we have a Turkish guy singing in English for San Marino a song written by a Turk and a Greek, arranged and produced between Belgium, France and Germany. Throw in Italian for the Italian version of the song. One more thing they have in common: the sound. While Baccara was very hip and uptodate with their sound back in 1978 and so would have been Serhat in the same contest, his sound today is very retro and very much in fashion. Something those 20something Eurovision fans can't see as they weren't even born back then.... and nothing existing before 2000's if of course a no no no..... unless it's ABBA of course. I wouldn't be surprised if those 30-40something's all over will send Serhat to the final in May.... 

Pitkästä aikaa ( After a long time ) is the very fitting name for the new Virve "Vicky" Rosti album, her first solo effort since 2007 to be released on September 19, 2014. The first single is Leikitään . But that doesn't mean she hasn't been around lately as she's been doing some reality entertainment on TV (where she even got to experiment singing in italian some opera ) and apparently she's on the road all the time alone or with her nostalgy band project Menneisyyden vangit . This is only her 8th solo album even if next year marks her 40th year in the business despite being only 55. She shot to the fame back in 1975 with her debut hit  Kun Chicago kuoli . Five hit albums followed with hits like Tuolta saapuu Charlie Brown , Näinkö meille täällä aina käy and Oon voimissain . She's also known for several other well done covers like Jolene and Rahaa, rahaa, rahaa , Sorry jos oon lady , Koputa puuta , Menolippu ,....  Come 1980's and the cov...

Interesting news come from Luxembourg. RTL is running a TV ad for a casting show and apparently the winner will go to Malmö 2013! The clip uses as the background the so far last Luxembourgian entry in the Eurovision, Modern Times with Donne-moi une chance . They also run a countdown to Malmö 2013. Why would they advertise a show they're not going to be in? What is going on? Is Luxembourg coming back after all? You can watch the advertising around 15 minutes into this .  Now wouldn't that be great? :-) Let's wait and see! :-) Luxembourg is one of the most successful Eurovision countries and one of its founding ones. Five victories including classics like Après toi , Tu te reconnaitras and Poupée de cire, poupée de son and singers like Nana Mouskouri, Michele Torr, Ireen Sheer, Baccara, Plastic Bertrand and Lara Fabian singing for them they could again bring some great songs and/or big names to the contest. Update: Lol, it looks like it's just a sitcom c...

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 ...