Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

While Eurovision Asia is already dead and buried even before it was born and the American version is certain only in Christer Björkman's dreams so far, the Mother of Eurovision, or Sanremo festival will have its own side kick launched this November in Havana, Cuba.  This November 16-21 the Karl Marx Theater will host the first Ibero-American edition (Makes me wonder whatever happened to OTI festival?) of a competition to find talented performers and composers while also celebrating Havana's 502th birthday. The San Remo Music Awards Festival. But that's not all. The legendary Hotel Nacional de Cuba, where I have had the pleasure to stay and sip mojitos in its garden in the afternoons will host various cultural side events from fashion to food - and all sort of other business between Italy and Cuba.  Italian superstar Fiorella Mannoia is already confirmed as a guest star. Ay que bueno!

It seems that Cuban superstars from Havana's Alamar district Gente De Zona will be guest stars in Sanremo next month. For me the best reggaeton/Cubaton artists there are so I can't be but thrilled.  The duo made of Alexander Delgado and Randy Malcom has collected countless awards and dominated the charts in Latin America with their songs since their first collaboration with Enrique Iglesias ( Bailando , Bailando ) and hits with other artists have followed: Marc Antony ( La Gozadera , Traitora ), Los Del Rio ( Mas Macarena ), Jennifer Lopez ( Ni tu ni yo ), Kylie Minogue ( Stop me from falling ), Laura Pausini ( Nadie ha dicho ) and Il Volo ( Noche sin dia ) just to name a few. Under their own name we can add Si no vuelves and Te duele , besides countless collaborations as producer for the local stars. And their videos are often full of fabulous Cuban sceneries. Watch out twerking queen Lamborghini , the real ones are in town. Maybe they will remix you, too?

Italian megastars are dropping new albums for the Christmas and after Giorgia, Eros Ramazzotti and Marco Mengoni here comes Il Volo . But if you except the usual pop opera we have heard from them before be warned: this album is pure Latin music with some reggaeton thrown in and with guests from the Latin Music royalty: Cuban Gente De Zona and Gloria Estefan , El Micha   and  Jomal . The album has been released physically for Latin market only so far but the guys are heavily rumored as guest stars in Sanremo 2019. The first single Noche sin dia was released already in May and features propably the biggest Cuban name in Latin market, Gente De Zona . The Cuban duo is collaborating and remixing all the biggest names for years already and this blogger is waiting for their world domination happening sooner or later as themselves. Gloria Estefan needs no presentation being one of the first big Latin names to become worldwide name. Her Mi tierra is one of the best Latin albu...

It's no seecret to any reader of this blog Gente De Zona has become my favorite ever since I started planning by trip to Cuba about a year ago. To my great surprise and pleasure they are indeed number one band there as they were played everywhere during all my holidays. All the time. everywhere. Their fame has spread all over the globe also thanks to their numerous collaborations and songs they have written for from Enrique Iglesias to Marc Anthony and many other local names. Recently they also turned Laura Pausini 's ballad and Kylie's country into Cubaton heaven. Their most recent ones include Eurovision veterans Il Volo, beforementioned fifty and fabulous Kylie Minogue, Jennifer Lopez and this week they have finally released also something on their own, too. Enjoy!

Eurovision veterans Il Volo join the incredible string of artists that turn to Cuban Gente de Zona for a collaboration with their new single Noche sin dia for the Latin American market. Love love love....