Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The rumours about Geri Halliwell representing the United Kingdom in the coming Eurovisin song contest 2014 in Copenhagen have been all over the internet for weeks if not months already. Certainly she hasn't done anything to stop them, on the contrary. If chosen - or it seems rather if she accepts the job - she kind of continues the BBC trend, The Hump was big in the 70's, Bonnie in the 80's and Geri along with the Spice Girls in the 90's. In a couple of years BBC might give us something from the 2010's if we are lucky.... Anyways, Geri would be just taylor made for Eurovision in many ways. She could have an instant pop song, fabulous over the top staging and a house hold name in the most parts of Europe. And a lot of adoring (gay) fans, likable and funny enough personality to keep the media busy and entertained. The only excuse and fear she might have to face and not to accept the job is the possibility of bombing in Eurovision (too). But as her come back with ...

Bonnie Tyler has revealed she was asked back in 1983 to represent UK in the Eurovision. But she was having a worldwide success with Total eclipse of the hear t and was too busy in the USA where the song also topped the charts for four weeks to do it. Wrong timing. But now she proud and honored to do it and believes Believe in me has the right title and ingredients to do well. "I'm still having success in Europe. I expect some votes from Germany, France and Scandinavia to start with. I hope I can win it, at least I'm gonna give my best shot!" She is known for her leather outfits but for the Eurovision we won't be seeing leather pants, Welch designer Julien MacDonald will take care of that. Bonnie admits being a fan of reality shows like X Factor and also follows Eurovision. "I watched Eurovision last year from my place in Portugal. I think Engelbert had a bad night. I don’t think the song was the best for him. It didn’t have any oomph. " She counts...

Today has been all about United Kingdom and BBC's possible choice for Malmö 2013 Eurovision. The names have been flying like there's no tomorrow but apparently it's going to be a power ballad by a female singer. Is it going to be already previously rumored Kimberley Walsh of Girls Aloud? Or a local favorite and ex-child star Bonnie Langford ? Or another, better known Bonnie 'Total exlipse of the heart' Tyler , a new name to the race?! Or Kim Wilde , this blogger's eternal favorite to do Eurovision but how will be put that with a power ballad? That could be easily handled though by Shirley Bassey , a Bond themes legend and certainy would be a classy pick. And then we have also Alesha Dixon , ex-Mis-teeq and Strickly come dancing winner...  Time and BBC will tell in coming days who it's going to be... after Engelbet Humperdinck anything is possible!

I knew it. I have always thought it's just a matter of time (even if their time is slowly and sadly passing by) but Pet Shop Boys have been already asked not once but twice by BBC to write (and not perform?) the UK entry for the Eurovision! And judging Neil Tennant's words it's something they are still considering once the right song comes along. All this was revealed in an interview where the boys talked about their new album Elysium out this month and the new single Winner . Neil tells: "The song was written during and after the Take That tour last year. Every night we would leave the stadium and Take That would come on singing this song they had called “ The Greatest Day ”. Chris said, "Why don’t we try writing a mid-tempo anthem?" We finished it off in the autumn, but the truth of the matter is that, from my perspective, I was thinking about the Eurovision Song Contest. The BBC have twice asked us to write the Eurovision entry for Britain and ...

"I would go to Eurovision. Totally." told Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters on BBC Radio Five live. "If I was asked I would gladly do it for you. I'd be happy to! " So, after BBC asked Jason Donovan and apparently Hurts this year and ended up wwith Engelbert Humperdinck and 25th place, maybe they should not look any further than this. Scissor Sisters would actually be pretty perfect for an Eurovision stage, especially in Sweden. They might be American (but so is Katrina of The Waves) but they call the UK their spiritual home and have a following in Europe. This could also be of course only a publicity stunt as their new album Magic Hou r hits the stores this week.... The latest single is Only the horses and other hits include  I don't feel like dancing , Any which way and  Fire with fire . They could surely stage one Eurovision cliches filled 3 minutes! In a good way...

Nina Zilli is back in Italy where many expected a victory but she came home with a respectful 9th place, or "nono posto" and it's that what she has now taken as her new nickname, Nona Zilli, 9th Zilli. "I knew I was considered a candidate for the victory but it didn't come. But it's ok, I'm happy anyways. I managed to make my music known in many, many countries and everything went well, that's all that matters. I have played basket ball for many years and I know how to take defeat. You win and you lose. You just have to level with it and go on."   She also tells she prefered in Baku the old town to the new town but unfortunately she had to spend more time in the new one. "From my hotel room I saw the Flame towers and a boutique with all the luxury labels but just around the corner was the old city, alleys from the 6th century, echoes of the minarets, people who love Italy and like in Italy, those you have little are easier to share the ...

Here it is again, what's another year? In semifinals we have said good byes to Montenegro, Latvia, Switzerland, Belgium, Finland, Israel, San Marino, Austria, the Netherlands, Belarus, Portugal, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Georgia and Slovakia - no big surprises there really. Tonight the grand final at 21 CET for the 57th time. The biggest favorite of them all to win this is Sweden followed by Russia and Italy, but we can't rule out United Kingdom, Spain, Germany and Serbia either. And what about Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Romania? I guess we can't rule out Ukraine, Estonia and Iceland either... Can Sweden keep up with the hype and win it after all? Or will the Russian grannies melt the hearts of the juries as well? Or will Nina Zilli boom boom her way to the top and give RAI something to think about? Tonight we will know... 01. UNITED KINGDOM - Engelbert Humperdinck - Love will set you free 02. HUNGARY - Compact Disco - Sound of our hearts 03. ALBANIA - Rona Nis...

United Kingdom starts the second round of rehearsals for the Big5+1. Dark stage for Engelbert Humperdinck and his dancer and the guitar player with some white and red images in the backdrop. Much better vocally today than yesterday so it's all becoming together well for the UK. And if he hits that last note come Saturday... he will surely hit the right cords with the older viewers who also tend to vote, so... Definitely one of the winning candidates this year. More here . 

Last but not least, United Kingdom . The backdrop and stage is beautiful, he has the guitarist and a dancing couple with him just like in the video and the song is well penned beautiful song. Engelbert Humperdinck has also the fame and fanbase to lift him very high on the scoreboard and even, perhaps, win this all. I wouldn't be surprised. The main problem is his voice - if he sings like in this rehearsal video it will be painful to watch and listen. People can be really cruel. On the other hand if he nails it and gives a stunning vocal performance he will gain many extra points. Being 76 is tricky. The Russian grannies are a group, he's all alone in this. I like the song and I keep fingers crossed he nails it and raises the standard for all the other 25 acts that will follow him in the final! More here .

Two May born men, two classy ballads. United Kingdom is the most successful Eurovision nation overall with 5 wins and 15 runner ups, but it's been already 14 years since they got one of those. Estonia has a string of great success in 1999-2002 but has been less fortunate since, with the exception of 2009 . Now these two countries go to Baku with pretty much the same recipe. While Estonia's Ott (25 in May) is still a quite a newcomer with a couple of years adult fame to his credit, United Kingdom's Engelbert (76 in May) has over 45 years of career and worldwide success behind him. This is 5-4 for Estonia. United Kingdom - Engelbert Humperdinck - Love will set you free ****1/2 Is this the right card to turn the UK's Eurovision bad record in recent years? If you can overcome Engelbert's age - as it is clear many Eurovision fans are age racist but then, the hardcore fans have no power in the final result whatsoever, even if some seem to...

Valentina Monetta, the Sammarinese entrant in Eurovision 2012 in Baku is living busy times. The fairytale that started from her family's restaurant in Riccione some time ago will culminate on the stage of Crystal Hall in Baku on May 22 when she enters the stage as number 11, right after Finland's Pernilla Karlsson  and just before Israel's Izabo. "I have watched the 2011 edition on DVD, talked with the guys of Miodio that I know for several years already and we have given concerts together as well. I'm more than ready! " she tells happily. "They told me not to worry about the result, or the number I'm singing in the line up and such things. Just to make a "bella figura" and proudly be Sammarinese. To show that we are small but able. At the moment I'm working with the chorists and Ralph Siegel and I'm learning a lot. We had a great feeling from the start, Ralph and I. I liked the song from the start, the text and the melody. Workin...

Eurovision 2012 is more Swedish than ever. Would it be ironic if once again a Swedish song will win but not being the Swedish entry? We will see in May. This year there are ten songs out of 42 that are written or co-written by Swedes it seems: Sweden itself, Norway, Greece, Cyprus, Ireland, Malta and quite stunningly four out of the Big5+1: Spain, Italy, United Kingdom and Azerbaijan. Luckily in most of them at least apparently a local author is included in the list. If they all make it to the final which is a possibility, the percentage rises to  38,5%. Makes you wonder....And on top of that we have an entry sung in Swedish that is not Sweden either but that's another story.... Semifinal one: 03. Greece - Aphrodisiac - Eleftheria Eleftheriou ( Dimitri Stassos, Mikaela Stenström, Dajana Lööf) 12. Cyprus - La la love - Ivi Adamou (Alex Papaconstantinou, Bjorn Djupström, Alexandra Zakka & Viktor Svensson) 18. Ireland - Waterline - Jedward (Nick Jarl & Sharo...

Engelbert Humperdinck's entry for the UK is Love will set you free . Hmmm, a pleasant surprise I would say. Rather classy song. Graceful and pure I'd say. And all considered this could even be a winner....

The 2012 season just got a bit weirder when BBC announced the nearly 76-year-old Engelbert Humperdinck will be their entrant in Baku 2012. Martin Terefe who has worked with Mary J. Blige has written the song with Sasha Skarbek who has worked with Adele, Lana Del Rey and James Blunt amongst others. Engelbert himself has a career going on for 45 years now, has sold over 150 million records, has received 63 gold and 24 platinum records, has won a Golden Globe and has stars on both Hollywood Walk of Fame and Las Vegas Walk of Fame. Now beat that! Who knows, maybe it's a goodie? And shame Lys Assia isn't going for Switzerland - they would have had a nostalgic small talk together!