Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Claudia Baglioni has announced there will be only Italian superguests in Sanremo 2019 so forget likes of Lady Gaga, Madonna, Sting, Rihanna, Ed Sheeran... whoever could have been on that stage. Instead he will invite only Italian superstars from Eros Ramazzotti to Giorgia and Marco Mengoni, from Elisa to Ligabue and Andrea Bocelli with his son. Add Fedez and already Sanremo regular Laura Pausini with Biagio Antonacci (they will be touring Italy later this year together) and a couple of more like Fiorella Mannoia perhaps as there's supposed to be two of them each night. All names will be confirmed later once the contracts have been signed. There's one exception to the cast though: Luis Despacito Fonsi, but only because he duets in Ramazzotti's new single Per le strade una canzone ... It's great he favours Italian over international stars but then again, the gap of getting these real big stars to participate in the contest is getting slimmer every year.  ...

Tonight's the second night in Sanremo. The opening might scored a share of 52,1%, or 11.603.000,  the highest since 2005 so this edition of Baglioni has started with a triumph! The peak was 17,2 million when Baglioni sung with Fiorello. The pressure is high to continue as strong..... There has been also a bit of a drama, when Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Mori's song is a bit too similar to a sing Silenzio from 2015, that even took part in Sanremo Giovani 2016. And there's more: one of the writers, Febo, is behind that song, too. But case closed: their song won't be disqualified as it has new lyrics and it has been altered and apparently Febo had asked Rai to remove it from the site already before etc. Now it's apparently gone. Last night. Just like that. UPDATE: Their entry has been suspended while waiting for final decision. They won't be performing tonight as scheduled! This blogger enjoyed last night a lot. Beautiful stage, fantastic graphics, not too m...

Sanremo seconda serata will feature again ten artists from Big category with the same kind of voting as last night. In the end the top-6 will be revealed and the bottom-4, or the songs that are in risk of a elimination from the final. And let's see if those very good viewing figures will stay up. Me thinks La Wurst might just break the Auditel....  The newcomers will take on the stage for the first time. Four of them will perform in pairs, one is voted out, the other goes on. It's worth remembering their songs have been online for weeks now, unlike the Big songs that will be heard for the first time tonight.  Tonight's guests besides Conchita Wurst (expected to be on screens just after midnight) are Biagio Antonacci, Charlize Theron, Vincenzo Nibali (cyclist), Marlon Roudette, comedian Angelo Pintus and Pilobolus dancers.  I will be once again LIVE BLOGGING the whole evening so join me at 20.30 Chanty - Ritornerai Kaligola - Oltre il giardino Kutso - Eli...

Sanremo festival is not only about music. Or actually most of the time you would like it to be more about music. There are always endless guests and at times the show stops for talk shows that seem to go on forever. Or stand up comedians come and talk for ages, which is of course for non-Italians total waste of time. But next week when it starts and you are watching, remember it's Sanremo. It's Italian television. Nothing you can do about it. It's not a national Eurovision selection even if it serves as one, too. But it's only a minor sidekick and that moment will propably last in that five day marathon so long that if you blink you might miss it.....  Anyways, it has been confirmed and/or rumoured there will be several comedians this year, as usual. Also several athletes. And a lot of people you propably never heard of; after all it's Sanremo and everyone from Nobel prize sciencist to astronaut is welcome. There will be actors like Will Smith and Charlize The...

Marco Mengoni released Guerriero in mid-November and becomes one of the only four double-platinum selling album in Italy in 2014. The other three are Cesare Cremonini's Logico #1 , Francesco Renga's Il mio giorno piú bello nel mondo and Fedez ft Francesco Michielin in Magnifico . I don't have the exact numbers but one thing is sure: he sold the double platinum fastest and the expectations for the release of his new album next week are very high..... Get ready for some Mengonimania in coming weeks :-) Cremonini's success continues when GreyGoose sells platinum, as well as Renga's Vivendo adesso making them the big sellers of the year. Sanremo winner Arisa also sold platinum with Controvento but is also featured in another, Club Dogo's Fragili . Other platinum singles are Biagio Antonacci's Ti penso raramente , Emis Killa's Maracanà , Giorgia's Non mi ami , The Voice winner Lorenzo Fragola's The reason why as well as runner up Madh...

Italian OGAE has kicked off their selection for the OGAE Song contest 2014 and it's as good an excuse to check out some new fresh Italian musicc as any. Here you go - who's your favorite? The cast includes Sanremo 2014 winner Arisa and Castrocaro 2013 winner Davide Papasidero as well Raphael Gualazzi. Many goodies here but I'm torn between Giorgia and Arisa. But also Moreno, Giusy, Biagio, Perturbazione.... Cremonini.... Syria.... great selection! Greta - L'estate Renzo Rubino - Per sempre e poi basta Cesare Cremonini - Logico #1 Elisa - L'anima vola Arisa - Controvento Davide Papasidero - Adesso oppure mai Moreno feat. Fiorella Mannoia - Sempre sarai Raphael Gualazzi feat. The Bloody Beetroots - Liberi o no Violetta - Dimmi che non passa Giusy Ferreri - Ti porto a cena con me Patty Pravo feat. Ermal Meta - Non mi interessa  Biagio Antonacci - Ti penso raramente Noemi - Acciaio Francesco Renga ...

There's no doubt Laura Pausini is one of the most succesful Italian singers of all time. She broke through by winning the Sanremo 1993 Newcomers with La solitudine . Since then her record sales are counted in millions all over the world. She has recorded for the US market in English, in Spanish and Portuguese for the Latin market, in French for France. Countless collaborations and duets with world class stars have been her thing all the way. Tonight RAI 1 will broadcast (21.15 CET) her special show from the magnificient Greek anfitheater in Taormina, Sicily celebrating these 20 years with her. Of course she has also special guests and most importantly the past two Italian Eurovision acts: Marco Mengoni and Emma Marrone . Mengoni gets to do James Blunt 's bits in Primavera in anticipo (It is my song) while Emma is featured in Con la musica alla radio with other female stars ( Noemi, Paola Turci, Malika Ayane, L'Aura, Syria and La Pina ). Other guests of the night...

Luca Carboni released his new album Fisico & Politico earlier this year featuring duets with likes of Alice, Franco Battiato, Cesare Cremonini, Tiziano Ferro, Jovanotti, Elisa and others. He's about to start his tour and the kick off is tomorrow in Bologna's Paladozza celebrating 30 years of career. He will have special guests in this concert including Alice . It's the first time ever they perform together. He recalls he met her briefly in 1983 in a music festival He was just beginning his career but she was alredy a Star he also admired and followed. She tells she heard Carboni for the first time in radio and liked what she heard and kept eye (and ear) on the guy. Now 30 years later they finally met again thanks to Tiziano Ferro and recorded Farfallina that according Carboni symbolize the 1980's, the period Alice was one of the music queens.  The other guests that will join Carboni on stage in this occasion are Tiziano Ferro, Biagio Antonacci, Jovanotti an...

I have never been a huge fan of duet albums, and/or albums with remakes of old songs, something rather typical for Italian artists but now there's coming an album I can hardly wait! It seems like a real piss-your-pants material! Luca Carboni celebrates his 30th anniversary in business with an album with a few new songs and reworked versions of his old hits with guest stars. Nothing special here, is it? But then when you look at the guests, it turns into a wet dream: Alice, Franco Battiato, Tiziano Ferro, Elisa, Cesare Cremonini, Biagio Antonacci. .. it's like a reunion of my favorite singers! Add Miguel Bosé, Jovanotti, Samuel Bersani and Fabri Fibra and that's the album I can hardly wait for! It is released October 1, 2013 and will feature these songs (click for the originals, *new tracks): Fisico e politico (Fabri Fibra)* C'è sempre una canzone* Dimentica* Persone silenziose (Tiziano Ferro) Vieni a vivere con me (Elisa) Ci vuole un fisico bestiale ...

Italy and RAI is almost certain to participate in Copenhagen 2014 and it's good to remember it's also 50 years since Denmark hosted its first Eurovision in Copenhagen, won by Italy. Could they do it again? Certainly they have a lot of singers who could cross over and appeal to European audiences. RAI, despite not confirming their participation (but that comes as no surprise as it may happen again only once EBU publishes the official list) nor have they hinted how the song and/or the singer will be selected. Similar poll was launched last year, yet the singer came from Sanremo festival as the previous year's after their comeback, and this time it was the winner of it, L'essenziale by Marco Mengoni.  This poll also underlines the problem with these online polls; it is the fans of certain singers flooding it as the top names in it are all singers from reality series Amici with strong online fanbese: Emma, Annalisa, Alessandra Amoroso, Marco Carta and yes, even Marco...

Marco Mengoni has finished the first leg of his triumphant L'essenziale tour , and the single and Eurovision entry has sold double platinum. And the album #prontoacorrere has gone platinum as well. Tonight he is one of the hottest names in Wind Musis Awards in Rome's Foro Italico stadium. The other possible names receiving awards tonight include Claudio Baglioni, Modá, Renzo Rubino (awarded for WMA Next generation 2013 award), Biagio Antonacci, Emma Marrone, Gianna Nannini, Ligabue, Tiziano Ferro, Eros Ramazzotti, Laura Pausini, Alessandra Amoroso, Giorgia.... the cream of Italian pop music scene for sure. Marco Mengoni was awarded both for the single L'essenziale and his album #prontoacorrere . :-) He also performed Pronto a correre .

Remember the earthquake in Italy this May? 190 towns and villages suffered in six different Italian provinces; Bologna, Modena, Ferrara, Reggio Emilia, Mantova and Rovigo causing damage of 13,2 billion euros.  Today the big charity concert will be held to collect money for those in need and reconstruction of the area, especially the schools for 140.000 students who were left without proper school buildings. 150.000 tickets have been sold, eight special trains from all over Italy bring people to the venue in Reggio Emilia, SKY will broadcast the concert plus interviews with the artists on its channels and most every local radio station has united in collaboration to broadcast the concert live, too.  The gates opened at 9am and the concert is due to start at 8pm. The artists are: Biagio Antonacci, Claudio Baglioni, Elisa, Tiziano Ferro, Giorgia, Jovanotti, Ligabue, Liftiba, Fiorella Mannoia, Negramaro, Nomadi, Renato Zero and Zucchero . Unfortunately Laura Paus...

Alice's new album Samsara , her new with new material since 1998 will be out next week and now you can hear snippets in Amazon here . Seems to be very, very nice :-). There's also a special version of Tiziano Ferro penned Cambio casa remixed by Michele Canova, who has worked with Ferro, Eros Ramazzotti, Giorgia, Jovanotti, Biagio Antonacci and Giusy Ferreri, just to name a few!

After the boom in the 60's and 70's less and less cover versions have been made. Or rather cover versions of hit songs. However, Janna Raappana's Jos vain voisin has been a big radio hit the past few years but the original, Biagio Antonacci's Iris is unknown in Finland despite being a big hit in Italy.  Even with this version .

Let's have a look at the male artists now. As I wrote earlier this was much more difficult and I have included a couple of real wildcards here. Cristal Snow should make a comeback. His second album is doing great and he's another artist with Chisu link with whom he duets in Wicked that Chisu also produced.  Tommi Soidinmäki has already declared he's aiming for Eurovision. Welcome! Here's Kotkan siivet that sounds very Eurovisionesque.... Signmark should try again just like Cristal. He was awesome the first time around and the second album is just brilliant but hasn't set the charts on fire yet. Euroviisut and re-release would push it to gold I'm sure. Here's his latest, Against the wall. Janne Raappana tried with the internet selection last year so there's hope he will do it again. He's a good singer and makes a great job with this cover,  Biagio Antonacci's Jos vain voisin . Jukka Huhta is a real newcomer releasing his first single this s...

While in Italy I obviosuly had time to visit some recordstores and bought this and that. First a real bargain, Pago's second album for 0,90 euros! Well, it's maybe worth a bit more but compared to the first one it's rather lame offering. Ti ricordi saves the album but it also includes Love my love and  Un'estate fa . (The debut included jewels like Parlo di te e Non cambi mai. ...). I also bought Nek's greatest hits cd including songs like Almeno stavolta , Laura non c'é , Sei grande , Se una regola c'é , Sei solo tu e In te . I have always liked him but this is actually first album by him I bought. In sales I admit. Then a very pleasant surprise my Mango: a double live cd including his greatest hits like La rondine , Nella mia cittá , Bella d'estate , and many more. Incredible voice and beautiful songs. And over 25 years of memories! I also got Biagio Antonacci's Mis canciones en espanol , including Iris , Cuánto tempo y aún sigues and Si tu es...

A very good selection of songs here from Elisa to Noemi to Laura Pausini to Gianna Nannini to Biagio Antonacci and so on. I like each and every song (or video) in this list and while you can't vote you can enjoy some good music. Here's the medley and here are the full videos. Enjoy! The Italian OGAE members can vote until August 4, 2010.

The usual cast here, too: Kari Tapio, Sillanpää, Yö. Eppu Normaali, Kela, Edelmann, Eriksson but then we have Janne Raappana with his fantastic cover of Biagio Antonacci's Iris and one hit wonder Teleks. 81. SE JOKIN ALKAA - KARI TAPIO 82. TAHDOIN TAIKKA EN - JARI SILLANPÄÄ 83. HÄN TANSSI KANSSA ENKELEIDEN - YÖ 84. TAHDON SUT - EPPU NORMAALI 85. 1972 - ANSSI KELA 86. JOS VAIN VOISIN - JANNE RAAPPANA 87. SININEN SOINTU - SAMULI EDELMANN 88. KUKA SAA SUT NYT - ANNA ERIKSSON 89. KAKSOISELÄMÄÄ - PATE MUSTAJÄRVI 90. TUULILASIN NURKKAAN - TELEKS

It's no secret Biagio Antonacci is one of my favourite Italian artists. Besides he was married to Gianni Morandi's daughter and made him a grandfather. But that's not the only Eurovision connection as Janne Raappana took part in the Euroviisut 2010 internet selection (hopefully he will try again in 2011 if YLE doesn't invite him directly!). But enough of that. One of Biagio's finest songs is Iris . And Janne has made a Finnish cover of it, Jos vain voisin . Quite different ones, Janne making it sounding more like his style. Which one do you prefer? PS. Biagio has made a new version with Gemelli DiVersi here and a remake in 2008.