Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Israeli Justin Timberlake. So he is called. He is the third youngest artist this year, and one of the most inexprienced as he just came to the spotlight a few months ago when participating (and winning) a talent show in his homecountry Nadav turned 16 only last November. But he and his team has managed to create him a full package: a catchy song Golden boy , and an image to match, even with a slogan from the song that went viral after the song was released: Before I leave, let me show you Tel Aviv . For the first time Israel also drops any Hebrew parts in the song and goes full English version. The song itself is a real cocktail of old and new, Mediterranean and global styles in three minutes but strangely it all works!

Giorgia again. The winner of OGAE Video 2012 contest with È l'amore che conta (but she did represent Italy in Video contest the year before, too, and in OGAE Song contest already in 2003 as well) returns to OGAE contests with Quando una stella muore the first single off her latest album Senza paura (followed by I will pray (Pregherò) in duet with Alicia Keys, Non mi ami and Io fra tanti so far). She has collected also a triplet of Sanremo trophies: winner in 1995 with Come saprei , third in 1996 with Strano il mio destino and second in 2001 with Di sole e d'azzurro . This blogger is only waiting, whishing and hoping she would do Eurovision some time soon! Some other favorite songs by this Roman singer include E poi , Marzo , Gocce di memoria and Il mio giorno migliore .She may be tiny as a person but her voice is huge. If she was American she would give a run of their vocal cords to likes of certain Célines, Cristinas and Beyonces, not to mention late Whitney. S...

Now I challenge you all pronounce kertakäyttösydän! Don't let that scare you as this little song about disposable or throwaway heart seems to be rather catchy and real earworm, all but throwaway! She's got the looks, the voice and the image - will the live performance be up to it?  Jasmin Michaela is a new name to big audience but has been dealing with music forever as her mother Kristiina Mäki is also a recording artist. Jasmin is 25 and from Turku and seems to ready to fill the whole in Finnish music scene aiming to become the queen of Latin pop! She says this UMK entry is exactly what kind of music she wants to perform: dance, energetic, happy, latin pop. Her influences include Beyonce, Johanna Kurkela, Spice Girls and Britney Spears. Like her on her Facebook and vote her on my poll on the right side of this page.

Annette Clarissa Lundell (23) or simply Clarissa is a new name to music scene as she made her first recordings only last fall but she's a multi-Finnish Champion is hip hop dance and even won bronze in European level!  But she's been singing in public for years and her first singles The coolest girl and Like the first time gained good radio play in the Swedish speaking stations in Finland and brought her visibility in the media. She also won in Radio X3M's Nöjesgalan 2013 the award for The best Newcomer. She was born in Inkoo and lives in Karjaa and is of the Swedish speaking minority like the last three Finnish Eurovision represantitives Krista Siegrids, Pernilla Karlsson and Paradise Oscar. She likes Beyonce and Jessie J and was the warm up act for Swedish Darin in his gig in Helsinki earlier this year. Joshua aka Josh Standing is only 20 and British. He's been singing and street dancing all his life. When he met Clarissa the idea of a duo came quickly and now...

Diandra Flores (18) is the big pre-contest favorite to win UMK 2013 and the only name one can consider big among the artist, or at least a household name in Finland. Her entry is Colliding into you and it's written by Patrik Sarin, Leri Leskinen and Sharon Vaughn, who has co-written Jedward's Waterline and also Release me by Agnes. Diandra or Didi herself shot to fame from Idols 2012 where by most critics she really didn't have any competition to challenge her. Her father comes from Chile that explains her name, and she suffers from synesthesia, meaning she sees the music as colors and shapes! She started with violin at age of six, later won a kid's singing competition and her talent has caught also the eye of American vocal couch David Lee Brewer who took her under his wings a few months ago and she flew to Berlin to work with him. His previous students include Didi's idol Beyoncè. She is also a devoted fan of Lady Gaga. Her debut album ...

Just like that. Out of the blue. For some reason I want to post about Diandra. The winner of Idols 2012 who's got an important vocal couch these days, American David Lee Brewer who has promised to make her a world star in two years or something, just like Beyoncé Knowles. They've been working in Berlin recently and maybe sooner than we think we may hear some results.... One can only wonder where the collaboration leads to and what steps there will be along the way.... Meanwhile, here's I will always love you and  I have nothing from Idols, and here's her hit single Outta my head . Update: YLE admits the leak: Diandra is one of the UMK artists!