Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

More more or less recent releases from Eurovision winners and stars. Enjoy! Fan favorite and Next Star Eurovision judge Harel Skaat has released late last year this  בחיי (Honestly), a happy little pop tune, that honestly doesn't change the world or become an evergreen but it's fun 3+ minutes, catchy and earworm so be aware! Match Portugal's biggest star (who sadly missed Eurovision at home) Diogo Piçarra and Spanish ex-Jesc runner up and The Voice winner Antonio José and a dramatic ballad A dónde vas with mixed lyrics and this is where it leads you to.  Staying in Portugal we have Salvador Sobral coming to ruin the plans in Anda Estragar-me Os planos . It's off his new album Lisboa, Paris, out March 29. Simple and kinda funny. No fast food! Jamala has been in the medias lately for all the wrong reasons but she keeps also releasing music.  Самға (Samğa) is in Kasakh language if I have understood right, which makes it even more interesting. S...

I was over the moon when Diogo Piçarra was announced one of the composers and then also as artist for Festival da Canção 2018. Sadly his Canção do Fim was then withdrawn with accusations of plagiarism but if there's justice he's given another chance in 2019. He's the only Portuguese artist I have been actively following the past few years. He has delivered a string of hits, some ballads but some also more electronic beats. He does both in a fab way and I'd love to see him with something like that in Eurovision.... História , Só existo contigo are among my favorites and he has also done some interesting collaborations, like with this year's Isaura in Meu e teu , and Wall of love with Karetus. Hopefully he'd be up for another Eurovision adventure with no hard feelings..... If not 2019, then 2020....

Diogo Piçarra's Canção do Fim was one of the finest and most touching songs of the whole Eurovision 2018 national final season. Sadly he withdraw before the final . He has the honor of opening this series of songs that never made it all the way to Lisbon stage. 

  Portugal is choosing tonight for Lisbon 2018 Eurovision song contest and instead of  RTP's tv-studios like in the semifinals the show moves to an arena, the Pavilhão Multiusos in Guimarães.  Now that the superfavorite Diogo Piçarra is sadly out of the picture (he got top marks from both televoters and jury in the second semifinal (being the only one doing so) before he was accused of plagiarism, read more here ) the contest is wide open.  Cláudia Pascoal scored 10 with both jury and televotes in the second semifinal while Susana Travassos got 8 from the jury but zero from televotes. This however was enough to make her Diogo's replacement in the final. Peter Serrado got 8 from televoters but only 1 from the jury - will they change their mind? Peu Madueira was the clear winner in the first semifinal with 12 from the televoters and 10 from the jury. The jury preferred Janeiro but the televoters gave him only 4, maybe they will award him more now? On...

  Rarely any Eurovision news leave me so disappointed as this one, when I heard it late last night. When my faves don't win a national final: sh't happens. When Finland doesn't qualify: sh't happens and I move on. But somehow this one left me rather disappointed and even sad.  Canção do Fim was my clear favorite in the Portuguese selection Festival da Canção and on top of that Diogo Piçarra is one of my favorite Portuguese artists I never dared to dream of participating. So, it was all a bit too good, and I was hoping Portugal could do very well in their own contest in Lisbon, as theere's no way he wouldn't have won the final and be there. Now I'm not so sure.... So, what happened? Once he performed his song last Sunday it didn't take long he was accused of plagiarism. The song in question would be Abre os meus olhos by certain Walter McCallister, a clergyman and founder of New Life Christian Church. A song from 1979. A chaos started online with...

  Portugal's Festival da Canção had its second semifinal last night and as expected Diogo Piçarra took an easy win, and also the highest score in both semis when getting full marks. Maria Inês Paris - Bandeira azul (jury 7 + televote 5) 12 Dora Fidalgo - Arco-íris (0 + 0) 0 Sequin - All Over Again (0 + 0) 0 Diogo Piçarra - Canção do fim (12+ 12) 24 David Pessoa - Amor veloz (5 + 4) 9 Tamin - Sobre nós (6 + 2) 8 Cláudia Pascoal - O jardim (10 + 10) 20 Minnie & Rhayra - Patati patata  (4 + 6) 10 Rita Ruivo - Anda daí (0 + 1) 1 Susana Travassos - A mensageira (8 + 0) 8 Lili - O vôo das cegonhas (3 + 7) 10 Daniela Onis - Para lá do rio (2 + 3) 5 Peter Serrado - Sunset (1 + 8) 9 And here's the full line up for the final. It's inteeresting to see how al top marks went basicly to same acts, with the expceptions on Anabela's  and Peter Serrado's televoting success, and Janeiro's jury success... Diogo Piçarra - Canção ...

  Portugal's first Festival da Canção semifinal went by, and today we got news about the mistake in the voting changing the final line up ( read more here ) but it's time to look ahead to next weekend and here are the snippets of the second semifinal songs. The overal feeling is this one has a bit more modern sounds that the first one, still being purely Portuguese. Even super favorite Diogo Piçarra goes for the slow Portuguese ballad, at least judging the snippets instead of something more uptempo and modern. Besides him I'm curiously waiting for Lili, Paris and Onis in this semi... The two non Portuguese language songs are also both in this one and feel totally out of place and useless as they aren't any good.  Maria Inês Paris – Bandeira Azul Lili – O Voo das Cegonhas Dora Fidalgo – Arco-Iris Cláudia Pascoal – O Jardim David Pessoa – Amor Veloz Susana Travassos – Mensageira Rita Ruivo – Anda Daí Paulo Flores, Minnie & Rhayra – Patati Patat...

Portugal has published snippets for the Festival da Canção semifinal one entries, The reigning Eurovision champion will have its first semifinal next Sunday and televoters/jury will send seven songs to the final. And it's nice to hear Portugal sticks to its own music as most songs are simple acoustic ballads full of Lusitanan elements and passion. Still hard to judge the songs with 45 second only, but Janeiro, Madureira, Miranda, Amaral, Pessoa and Dias sound the most promising. Maybe.  But we are all waiting for Diogo Piçarra, aren't we? I surely am.  1. Peu Madureira – Só Por Ela 2. Anabela – Para Te Dar Abrigo 3. Joana Barra Vaz – Anda Estragar-me os Planos 4. Janeiro – (sem título) 5. Rui David – Sem Medo 6. José Cid & Gonçalo Tavares – O som da guitarra é a alma de um povo 7. JP Simões – Alvoroço 8. Catarina Miranda – Para não sorrir eu não preciso de nada 9. Joana Espadinha – Zero a Zero 10. Beatriz Pessoa – Eu Te Amo 11. Bruno...

    Reigning Eurovision winner Portugal has revealed all details about their national final Festival da Canção 2018. Two semifinals (February 19 and 25) before the final, seven out of each will move on to the final. In the semis there will be 50-50 televote-jury, and in the final 50-50 regional juries-jury. And yes, this bloggers superfavorite Diogo Picarra will sing his own song :-) Besides we have Anabela (ESC 1993) and José Cid (ESC 1980) in the list. There was a freedom of language but apparently only two songs are in English :-) Joana Espadinha – “Zero a Zero” (Benjamim) Peu Madureira – “Só Por Ela” (Diogo Clemente) Anabela “Para Te Dar Abrigo” (Fernando Tordo) Janeiro – “(sem título)” (Janeiro) Rui David – “Sem Medo” (Jorge Palma) José Cid & Gonçalo Tavares – “O Som da Guitarra É a Alma de Um Povo” (José Cid) JP Simões – “Alvoroço” (JP Simões) Catarina Miranda – “Para Sorrir Eu Não Preciso de Nada” (Júlio Resende) Beatriz Pessoa – “Eu Te Am...

  Reigning Eurovision champion RTP has chosen the composers for the national selection Festival da Canção 2018. Just like this year, after their relaunched the contest, they have chosen composers to come up with a song, who can choose the artist for the song. This year Luisa Sobral was chosen, she wrote Amar pelos dois and chose her brother Salvador to sing it and the rest is history. This blogger is very excited to see Diogo Piçarra in the list, an Eurovision wish for years already. Now fingers crossed he decides to perform his own song! Other names are from Eurovision veteram Josè Cid to rapper Capicua.  Salvador and Luisa also had a chance to pick up one and chose Janeiro, and Onis was selected through a radio selection amongst new composers without any releases so far, Serrado and Dias were picked among the 346 open submission for any Portuguese or authors living in Portugal. Overall the demand was so high RTP in the end picked up 26 composers instead o...

  Fernando Daniel is known to Eurovision fans from this year's Portuguese national selection. His new one for this summer is Espera , a dramatic pop ballad. Diogo Piçarra came to spot light in Pop Idol 2012 and has since released two #1 albums and a string of hits.  Já Não Falamos is one of the latest ones. His got the talent and tats to prove it. He could be a wise card to play in Eurovision to keep Portugal's golden moment shining for another year.... If it isn't clear he has been this blogger's Portuguese favorites already some years... A.M.A . is another name to consider for the home ground Eurovision. They've been delivering hit after hit recently and Faltou-nos um beijo is one of them.  JameSi is a new artist and Saudade tua his debut single. Very, very promising indeed! Another one for Eurovision 2018 selection perhaps?

The charity concert for the forest fire victims in Pedrógão Grande and bordering areas is becoming a huge and heartfelt affair in Portugal. The broadcast from MEO Arena in Lisbon will be live on television as well - in all channels! Yes, RTP, SIC and TVI have all got on same boat for the good cause, and all the Portuguese radio stations will join in as well. The income obtained will be delivered to the Union of Portuguese Misericórdias to help the victims and rebuilding the area. Participating artists are AGIR, Amor Electro, Ana Moura, Aurea, Camané, Carlos do Carmo, Carminho, D.A.M.A, David Fonseca, Diogo Piçarra, Gisela João, Hélder Moutinho, João Gil, Jorge Palma, Luísa Sobral, Luís Represas, Matias Damásio, Miguel Araújo, Paulo Gonzo, Pedro Abrunhosa, Raquel Tavares, Rita Redshoes, Rui Veloso, Salvador Sobral and Sérgio Godinho - a mix of Portuguese music legends and newer artists. 

Diogo Piçarra is the Idols winner back in 2012 in Portugal and today an all around artists, writer and producer. He has lived and studied in Czech Republic as well as London and has been building his career slowly and released the debut album only after all these expriences. You can found on Youtube a lot of covers he has done over the years, including Stay with me ,  Say something and All of me   as well as his original songs like Verdadeiro , Tu e eu and Volta . Below is Breve . No wonder he was voted the Best Portuguese Youtuber in 2014! Portugal has been looking for the succesful recipe for 5 decades now, could this be it? As they don't seem to want to take from their rich traditional music heritage like Fado or borrowing some Brasilian rhythms ... This will do (instead of some borrowed useless europop written propably by foreigners). At least for me.