Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The Finnish Eurovision entry 2017 by Norma John has been covered by the leading Finnish accapella group Club For Five. Enjoy!

Blackbird remix was born during a sleepless night in Kyiv. Spotify

Chagrined but still happy about their achievement. That's the way Norma John presented to YLE News after last night's non-qualification. As true professionals they stayed calm and despite disappointment went on giving interviews pointing out that it's very difficult to compete with music. "It's a question of opinions. people hear the song maybe for the first time and vote by that first impression" says Lasse. They also say it's useless to speculate why it ended like this. "We still have a great song. Eurovision is like roller coaster and you never know how it ends" continues Leena. Norma John is still happy they had this opportunity being an indie band that does everything by thenselves. "Of course we are chagrined as we did a good job and it's our song, we wrote it. No need to feel miserable that this happened to Finland again. C'est la vie. But this is certainly something we will remember sitting in a rocking chair when we are...

MTV3 takes on the social media reaction and outtrage after Finland's non qualification. Disappointed fans all over Europe have been voicing their discontent in Twitter and elsewhere, and the first memes pop up. Like someone wrote spring is hard time for Finns when one has to survive spring, Eurovision and Ice hockey disappointments.... It's always an emotional rollercoaster. Lasse tells MTV3 that the moment of non qualification went by so fast one didn't have time to think anything and Leena confirms she don't remember what she thought that exact moment it was clear. The whole experience has been super great for both of them and they shout out to music makers for next year: Don't think what kind of song could work. Just write good songs and send lots of them! And they reveal their favorite..... Portugal. 

YLE was quickly to congratulate Norma John on social medias for the great job on stage and during the whole Eurovision period.  IS interviewed "empty eyed" Leena and Lasse right after the results were out. "We go straight to hotel to sleep. Tomorrow's another day. No party" the disappointed duo says. "You never know what happens. We are not disappointed in our performance but this is Eurovision" They plan to stay in Kyiv till the end, do some sightseeing and enjoy the city and most of all support the other artists they have made friends with this spring.  The speculation on reasons continues in IS : They talk about the neighbouring voting, Greece and Cyprus as an example, and the fact that there were a lot of bad singing and false notes last night, even to Eurovision standards and this blogger agrees, I don't remember such a feast for ears for a long, long time!  They take as an example the disaster that is Blanche. (I would like to add I...

So, Finland flew away from the 10th place in the bedding odds. As 10th it was overal last night and 5th in order to qualify for the final behind Portugal, Sweden, Armenia and Belgium. Same for Georgia, out as 14th overal, Iceland 19th, Czech Republic 20th, Latvia 21st but Montenegro was already 27th and in theory out like in reality.  The support and shokh after non qualification has been overwhelming and even those few who didn't like the song have been surprised to say the least. (Add a few odd "I told you sos" as always though) Finnish media took on the fact it's third year in a row we didn't make it. All are praising Norma John and the peformance and wonder why. Norma John themselves have been composed and calm in their comments: "Of course it would have been nice to be in the final but what can you do? No explanations!" says Lasse in HS . "There are worse things in life than dropping out of Eurovision final" continues Leena with a...

Norma John was rehearsing for tonight's Nordic Party @ Eurovision Village Blackbird will sing!

    What a lucky break Finland has coming after Belgium and Montenegro (and before the challenging prop fest of Azerbaijan). And when writing this is just heard Finland has climbed to #9 in the odds and I am yet to read any bad comments about it. I have said it before but I say it again: I'm a proud Finn. I liked this song from the very first time I heard it, and it has only gotten better when more song have been released and here we are; it's one of the best. And I'm so glad other people have noticed and admitted that, too.  Hauntingly beautiful has been said many times, Leena is pure perfection with vocals everytime, the piano solo by Lasse is magical. The simple staging and the dramatic backdrop in blue and black - it's just perfect. Three minutes of pure musical and visual art. I'm starting to believe we really have a chance for a top-10 finish.....

  As expected nd promised Norma John didn't go changing the winning staging and performance but just adapted it to a bigger stage and bigger show. Coming after the Montenegrin circus this is heaven. Finland's goal is to get to the final first, and then anything is good. Everything was perfect already for the first run through so Finns are happy. I am happy. And I'm firmly predicting a Softengine like result....

Finland review

Pictured is lily of the valley, national flower of Finland Finland used once again Uuden musiikin kilpailu aka UMK. This 6th time however was the most revamped of them all so far (there have been minor changes every year): no more semifinals but just one grand final. As usual the songs and their videos were published way ahead of the final and in theory people were familiar with the songs before the big night. In the end Norma John took a very convincing win with both the international juries and the televoters ahead of some fan wanks with their Blackbird , written by themselves. Norma John is vocalist Leena Tirronen and pianist Lasse Piirainen. Norma John has existed in some form already almost ten years, but Leena and Lasse go back even longer, as they have been friends and musical soulmates since teenage years. Leena (32) first came to spotlight when she placed 3rd in the X Factor 2010 and released an album after that. (Nobody has a glue who the two infront of her were btw...

The Finnish duo Norma John also continued their promotour and performed in Amsterdam's Eurovision in Concert. Melkweg Amsterdam Say cheese..... ... and eat cheese?!

Also Finland's Norma John attended Israel calling and had a great time.  Sigthseeing with Austria and Bulgaria Planting trees.....   Partying.... Going crazy with Deban.... (Photos lovingly stolen from all over the web)

Krista Siegfrids stars in one episode of YLE's Swedish speaking part's series Almost unplugged , where the artists perform in an intimate setting at Alexander's Theater in Helsinki, and tell about their life and other things. She performs a lot of covers but also her Eurovision 2013 entry for Finland, Marry me - in a totally different version though - and her first Melodifestivalen entry, Faller . And most of all her touching tribute to  her father, Can you see me . Watch the highly entertaining performances  here . She proves once again she's so much more than the blond ding dong bimbo. A true artist with a great flexible voice that delivers us touching ballads and roaring rock'n roll and anything in between. Oh and look, it's Norma John's Lasse as the musical director playing the piano!

Now, writing this annual post isn't easy this year. It seems there isn't any reaction really. Just short articles "Norma John won" and that's it. Some try to make it look like a surprise win even if they have been one of the top favorites from the day one. On top of that Finland's biggest newspaper published an article about UMK in general, a very critical and negative one. One can only wonder what its purpose is....  It was great to hear last night on tv in the after show all the other artists seemed sincerely happy for their win and no hard feelings from anyone. Emma, when asked, said she's not disappointed in 3rd place but she's sad and disappointed her performance didn't work out: She says she lost the rhythm when people started clapping their hands, then to make it even worse she missed a line and on top of that her fire torch died. Lauri and Anni were very happy, especially for their 12 points from Sweden and Israel respectively, and ...

Norma John has won the Finnish selection for the Eurovision song contest 2017 with Blackbird. 1. Norma John - Blackbird (juries 94+ televotes 88) 182 2. Zuhlke - Perfect villain (74+71) 145 3. Emma - Circle of light (53+53) 106 4. My First Band - Paradise (45+52) 97 5. Gunther & D'Sanz - Love yourself (37+45) 82 6. Alva - Arrows (15+48) 63 7. Anni Saikku - Reach out for the sun (43+16) 59 8. Lauri Yrjölä - Helppo elämä (43+15) 58 9. Club La Persé - My little world (21+29) 50 10. Knucklebone Oscar & The Shangri-La Rubies - Caveman (5+13) 18 It's quite remarkable how the international juries and Finns agreed. The top-4 was a total agreement, as was the last place. International juries favored Lauri and Anni, Finns Alva. Gunther the foreigner didn't convince Finns, as the history once again proved. And it's good to see the novelty acts finished last. A good year, and a great show from most..... Emma messed up h...

Finnish band Blackbird tried their luck in Euroviisut 2010 internet selection but didn't qualify. This year they tried again with Gooseberry with the similar fate. Now they have entered the same song in the Swiss selection! And it is a fine little song I like a lot but is this allowed? I guess so. In Switzerland anything goes....