Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Loreen of Sweden is the 15th previous Eurovision song contest winner who has decided and/or managed give it another try. Only Ireland's Johnny Logan has managed to win twice, as we all know. One can't really do a ranking however as the contest had changed so much from the 1950's with maybe a dozen songs to the approx 40 we have these days. In coming days I will feature the winners who decided to come back  after  winning the contest as there also many winners who have won with their second or third try.   We don't give enough credit for Elisabeth Andreassen/Andreasson (65) as this Norwegian-Swedish woman has an incredible Eurovision track record: 8-1-6-2. Four Top-10 finishes, two of them after winning in 1985 together with Hanne Krogh as Bobbysocks, the legendary feel good first win for Norway after having the last one for so many years. But it was her second Eurovision duet, having represented Sweden with Kikki Danielsson in 1982 . She would return with yet another du...

As always there are quite a few familiar names among the spokespersons. Nina Sublatti (Georgia), Sebalter (Switzerland), Trijntje Oosterhuis (the Netherlands), Uzari (Belarus), Elisabeth Andreasson (Norway), Constantinos (Greece, for some reason), Verka Serduchka (Ukraine) are some of the Eurovision veterans but there are also many familiar faces from national finals like Gina Dirawi (Sweden), Kati Bellowitch (Austria), Ben Camille (Malta). Finland goes for a random tv face, San Marino for a local rapper.  Check out the full list and the order of appearance (like the Olympics, from last year's host to this year's) after the jump....

NRK has made public the line up for their MGP15. Eleven acts in one off final with live orchestra like in the good old days. Old good days maybe also in the line up as it includes shameless old times schlager! There's a bit of everything from dance band to Idol winner, I feed you my love, part 2, Talent winner, violinist, artists with Greek, Swiss and British influence, a possible joke entry and finally two Eurovision veterans with 22 participations in national finals with five wins and Eurovision song contests in their CV. Also among the songwriters several familiar names. Could be ask for more? Listen to snippets here .  Alexandra Joner - Cinderella Contrazt - Heaven Erlend Bratland - Thunderstruck Ira Konstantinidis - We don't worry Jenny Langlo - Next to you Karin Park - Human beings Marie Klåpbakken - Ta meg tilbake Kjetil Mørland & Debrah Scarlett - A monster like me Raylee - Louder Staysman & Lazz - En godt stekt pizza Tor Endresen &...

Tonight the second semifinal in Sweden will take place when Melodifestivalen hits Gothenburg. Amongst the participants Eurovision winner (1985) and runner up (1996) Elisabeth Andreassen making a MF come back. Also fan favourite Sanna Nielsen is in.  Brolle – 7 days and 7 nights -> FINAL Loreen – My heart is refusing me -> 2nd chance Babsan – Ge mig en spanjor (7th) Elisabeth Andreassen – Vaken i en dröm (8th) Sanna Nielsen - I’m in love -> FINAL (winner) The Moniker – Oh my God! -> 2nd chance Anniela – Elektrisk (6th) Christian Walz – Like suicide (5th)

Tomorrow we should know all the artists in the first two Melodifestivalen 2011 semifinals and next Monday the rest but apparently it's not all yet clear in Christer Björkman's camp. One of the names he desperately wanted in was September who after initial yes decided to say no instead and concentrates on her international career and launch of her new single. While Björkman is still hunting for big names apparently Jenny Silver and Daniel Karlsson have been accepted just a few days ago. " Since Peter Jöback's flop last year many serious artists have lost their interest in Melodifestivalen and wish to have nothing to do with it" commented an insider. We already know 18 names and Erik Saade, Linda Bengtzig, Elisabeth Andreasson, Danny and Sanna Nielsen could remain the biggest names along side with various Mr Gay Sweden's, dragqueens and Idols drop outs?

Propably the most experienced Eurovision artist in history is back at it: Elisabeth Andreasson. She has sung in Eurovision final already four times, finishing 1st, 2nd, 6th and 8th. Now beat that! Besides that she has taken part in the Norwegian final five times and now returns to Melodifestivalen for the 6th time. She has also co-hosted both the Swedish and the Norwegian final once." I have been sent songs and asked to take part every year since 2002 but I have won already so much that it had to be perfect. Now it is. It's great to be back! " she says. Melodifestivalen (Sweden) 1981. Chips - God morgon, 2nd 1982. Chips - Dag efter dag , WINNER-> 8th 1984. Elisabeth Andreassen - Kärleksmagi , 6th  1990. Elisabeth Andreassen - Jag ser en stjärna falla , 7th 2000. TV-host, with nine other artists. 2002. Kikki, Bettan & Lotta - Vem é dé du vill ha , 3rd  2011 Elisabeth Andreasson - Vaken i en dröm Melodi Grand Prix (Norway) 1985. Bobbysocks - La det swinge , WINNER -...

Aftonbladet once again thinks they have got the "secret" list of Christer Björkman of the possible names for the next Melodifestivalen. The selection process has slightly changed from the previous years and Björkman might be moving from Sweden to take charge of Eurovision itself after dear Svante, but this is what they have come up with: Danny Saucedo will go solo again after E.M.D years, Nanne Grönvall's One More Time will reunite, Lili & Susie will be back, Lasse Stefanz is sure, strong ladies Sanna Nielsen and Shirley Clamp will return. Anders Fernette previously Johansson, the winner of Fame Factory 2003 should be there, Sara Varga, Marie Picasso, Rebound, Marie Serneholt, Magnus Carlsson, Le Kid, Timoteij, Sarah Dawn Finer, Elisabeth Andreasson and Linda Bengtzing should be pretty sure amd he is still working on Timo Räisänen, Ace of Base, Laleh, Sahara Hotnights, Maia Hirasawa, Elena Paparizou, Lisa Nilsson, Sofia Jannok and Annika Nordin. He's also trying t...

Bobbysocks (Hanne Krogh and Elisabeth Andreassen) have released a best of album to celebrate their 25th anniversary of winning the Eurovision song contest in 1985. The album includes also a duet with Alexander Rybak, Thank you . That's also their new single, the first in 23 years! Or rather Alexander playing the violin! The winning song is featured in both in Norwegian original version and the English version Let it swing . Waiting for the morning is also included. Originally the due released three albums: Bobbysocks! (1984 and re-released in 1985), Waiting for the morning (1986) and Walkin' on air (1987).

Every now and then previous Eurovision winners want to try it again and this year we have Ireland's Niamh Kavanagh. She won back in 1993 with wonderful In your eyes and tries again this year with It's for you. Let's see how it has been for the previous returning winners in the past.... So far only Johnny Logan, also for Ireland, has managed to win Eurovision twice; in 1980 with What's another year and in 1987 with Hold me now . Italy's Gigliola Cinquetti came close in 1974 with Si as she was only beaten by ABBA. She won ten years earlier with Non ho l'etá . Also Lys Assia for Switzerland and Elisabeth Andreasson for Norway have scored a second place after their win. Lys took part three years in a row and came 1-8-2 in 1956, 1957 and 1958. Elisabeth on the other hand won with Hanne Krogh in 1985, came 6th with Jan Wener in 1994 and finally went solo in 1996 and scored a 2nd place.  Isabelle Aubret won in 1962 for France with Un premier amour and went on to ...

Rolf Løvland wrote this song, Brendan Graham wrote later the lyrics. Both Eurovision veterans and winner. Brian Kennedy provided the first published vocals to the song, later made a big hit by the version of Josh Groban . Now there are over 125 covers of it in various languages. Another Eurovision star, late Jan Werner Danielsen also recorded it as he replaced Brian on Secret Garden's world tour when he fell ill but that has not been released. Elisabeth Andreasson performed it in his funeral with Rolf.  Brian Kennedy later re-recorded the song as well. Westlife did it, Sissel Kyrkjebo did it, Michael Ball did it. Paul Potts and Il Divo recorded it in Spanish. It has also become a regular song for various Idols and Talent show hopefuls. And this brings us to Markku Laamanen , Finland's answer to Susan Boyle in Britain's Got Talent. The song has been recorded in Finnish by - yet another - Eurovision star Kari Tapio . Is this the song with the most Eurovision connecti...

The little birds are telling Elisabeth Andreasson has sent in a song to Melodifestivalen. Just imagine her on stage in Oslo singing for Sweden.... shivers! She is one of the most succesful Eurovision artists in history: singing for Sweden in 1982 Dag efter dag as Chips with Kikki Danielsson (8th), winning it for Norway in 1985 in Sweden with La det swinge as Bobbysocks with Hanne Krogh. In 1994 she was there again for Norway and dueting this time with Jan Werner in Duett (6th). Her first only solo appearance took place in 1996 when Norway last hosted the show and she took the homecountry to 2nd place with I evighet . Besides that she has taken part in Melodifestivalen also in 1981 with God morgon (2nd), 1984 Kärleksmagi (6th), 1990 Jag ser en stjärna falla (7th) and in 2002 with Kikki Danielsson and Lotta Engberg and Vem é dé du vill ha (3rd). In Norway she took Winds of the Northern sea to 2nd place in 1998 and the same trio Kikki, Bettan & Lotta tried their luck in Norwa...

Does it pay off to return to Eurovision after you have already won it once? Generally previous winners do well. Some acts have returned over and over again without winning and with variable results. Honorable mentions go to Peter, Sue & Marc from Switzerland, Katja Epstein and Wind from Germany... but let's have a look at the winners: The very first winner Lys Assia returned again in 1957 and 1958 (were there no other singers in Switzerland back then??) but the victory didn't struck her again, even if she came 2nd in 1958. Isabelle Aubret, the French winner in 1961 returned in 1968 and came third. Italy's Gigliola Cinquetti was close to win twice, too. In 1964 as sweet 16 and ten year's later a grown up woman came 2nd behind ABBA. In 1991 she was back on Eurovision stage in Rome, trying to keep Toto Cutugno making a complete disaster of the final in Cinecittà. The we have Ireland's Johnny Logan, the only one to win twice (or rather 3 times as Linda Martin's...