Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  Latvian Justs is back with another goodie, Are you there . Electric beats and his voice mixed with a video full of skaters, models, empty industrial spaces.... Nice effort! Australian Guy Sebastian is back big time, and Bloodstone is his latest from his new album Conscious featuring lovely gospely undertones. Great beat and great vocals again.  Eurovision runner up Ukrainian Ani Lorak and Eurovision interval act Emin from Azerbaijan are hitting the Russian charts with  Prostit'sya (Проститься) that comes with a beautifully shot bath tub video. The song itself is a very typical Russian radio charts song that could be sung by any of the big names. But it's a very pleasant one masterfully performed by the stars.  Slovakian (and Czechian) superstar Kristina has released Sympatie (from Tri želania/Three wishes film soundtrack) continuing her endless string of hits. Slovakian tv, wake up and send her off to Eurovision again!

As every year the lists of nominees are filled with Eurovision stars only proving that Russia indeed does send their biggest guns to Eurovision. Serebro was once again nominated for the best group, Dima Bilan for the best song ( Не молчи ), as was Svetlana Loboda ( К чёрту любовь ), Polina Gagarina for the best video ( Я не буду ), with Alexey Vorobyov ( Сумасшедшая ), Sergey Lazarev ( Это все она ) and Dan Balan ( Плачь ). Dima Bilan and Sergey Lazarev once again battled against each other in the best male singer category and Sergey won the second year in a row. Eye on Egor Kreed who could be the next one with Eurovision glory.... Ani Lorak - these days a persona non grata at home in Ukraine - was nominated for the best female artist again with Polina Gagarina, but  Ёлка won this time around. Nyusha , also a very possible future Eurovision name was nomintaed for the best dance video, as was Egor Kreed . Emin was nominated for the best acting role in a movie....

Jūrmala in Latvia is the place to be if you are singer in ex-USSR countries and not only as the New Wave - the international contest of new pop voices is taking place again. Sixteen singers or groups have made it to the contest this year coming from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Germany, Armenia, Latvia, Cuba, Georgia and Vietnam. No Finnish or Italian singers made the cut this year. In the coming days the performers will do world-wide hits and local hits, while guest stars will perform as well. There will be also gala concerts, tennis, soccer.... a lot goijg on indeed. If the contestants are new and fresh the guest stars include a lot of familiar names: Valeria, Sergey Lazarev, Intars Busulis , Dima Bilan , Emin , Garou, Julio Iglesias , Il Divo, Natalia Podolskaya , Ani Lorak , Serebro , Lara Fabian , Timati, Verka Serduchka , Alsou , Alessandro Safina, Emma Shaplin.... and if that wasn't enough Toto Cutugno is one of the judges! You ...

Some more songs I've been listening this week. John Mamann ft Kika has an insanely catchy summer vibe in their Love life . Beware! Azerbaijan's favorite son-in-law Emin goes for summer hit recipe as well in Amor . As a video bonus there is Miss Universe Olivia Culpo. All the incredients are there but... somehow something is missing, don't you think? Swedish Ola is hit in Italy with his I'm in love . The song was a hit in Sweden already last summer but now he's ready to conquer the world, without Melodifestivalen and Eurovision, it seems. Finally, another one wishing for a world domination is Finnish Diandra . She didn't win UMK but she won Idols, and is about to release her second album, the first single is Lost . She's got the voice and a song that wouldn't be out of place in any chart, but she desperately needs to sack her stylist! She's 18 for God's sake!

Italian Eurovision entrants and Sanremo 2013 winner Marco Mengoni has picked up five nominations in the World Music Awards, the ones held in Monte Carlo with Prince Albert . Mengoni is nominated as the best male artist, live act and entertainer of the year and L'Essenziale as the best song, #prontoacorrere as the best album. You can vote here (max 5 times a day, so it's easy; 5 votes, 5 nominations) Other Eurovision related nominees are Euphoria as the best song, Céline Dion as the best female artist and live act, Dima Bilan and Emin both as the beest male artist, live act and entertainer of the year and Loreen as the female artist.

Emin, who performed Never enoug h in the Eurovision 2012 final's interval act may have not gotten the boost he hoped for in the western Europe for his music. Most of the fans just dismissed him the second they heard he's the president's son-in-law and his dad's a multimillionaire. So what? (Hint: Alsou, anyone?) These facts put aside, Emin sings better than many of those in the charts today and he's easy on the eye, too, besides releasing good enough songs regularly. Should we give him another chance? Currently he has released   Сердце Бьется for the Russian market. The songs was originally released as Heart keeps beating  His latest single off his already sixth studio album After the thunde r is   Walk through walls . Here's the acoustic version. Another goodie is Baby get higher . Get to know Emin and his latest album here . And here's the somewhat troubled  Baku 2012 performance.