Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Armenia is one of those many countries that have relaunched national selection after selecting internally many years for the Eurovision song contest. The chosen artists were revealed on February 6, 2025 and the songs three days later. The final takes place on February 16 in Yerevan. Among the artists Athena Manoukian who was due to represent Armenia in 2020 with Chains on you before the contest got cancelled. Fandom has been waiting for her return since. Anahit Adamyan has done Junior Eurovision 2016 placing second. Anahit Hakobyan represented Armenia in Russia's prime propaganda shows New Wave 2024 festival, that might cause problems should she win. Kamil took part in the national selection 2018 with unforgettable Puerto Rico . Here he duets with himself as Arsen Grigoryan is none other than Kamil. Also Gevorg Harutyunyan is familiar from 2018 with Stand up .  And yes, Thomas G:son is here, too, as songwriter. Armenian pretty unheard except in a couple of songs some bits. I gues...

Benidorm fest returns for the fourth year as the relaunched Spanish national selection for the Eurovision song contest 2025. As usual it is three nights affair with two semi-finals and the grand final on January 28 and 30 and February 1, 2025. A threesome jury will send four out of eight semi-finalist to the grand final with 50% professional jury, demoscopic panel 25% and televote 25%. The 16 semi-finalist have been chosen among the almost 1000 submissions.  Below are my first time hearing ratings as usual. Sadly there isn't much to get very excited by. Spanish pop by numbers and their own style added with some Latin flavor but very little imagination or originality. Shame. Most fall into *** meaning harmless and listenable but nothing special I'd listen outside Eurovision national finals. This said I know further listening will surely change ratings for some but in the end it's the first impact that matters in Eurovision. The staging and live performance will be crucial to...

Montenegro is making a welcome return to Eurovision song contest in 2025 in Basel, Switzerland after two years absence. To do so they have reinstalled Montesong contest to pick up the entry. A total of 32 valid submissions were received and they were announced on October 10, and published on November 10, 2024. The Montesong 2025 is set for November 27, 2024 becoming thus the very first national final of the season. Among the artists season's first Eurovision returnee aiming for another go: Nina Žižić of 2013 with Who See and fabulously original Igranka that sadly and undeservedly missed the final placing only 12th in the semi-final.  Below are the entries with my first time hearing generous ranking from * to ***** If in hurry here's a recap Anastasija Koprolčec - Kraj  **** Bend "9" - Stop War  * Boban Rajović - Suze Dolce Hera - Repeat  ** Đurđa - To Ljubav Je  ** Glumci Bend - San  ** Isak Šabanović - Ljeto, Ljeto, Ljeto  *** Kejt - Obala Raja ...

So, the media vote put Loredana Berté's Pazza in lead but quite frankly that feels like an award for career and her rebirth rather than the song. Angelina Mango with La noia second as expected followed by Annalisa, Diodato and Mahmood. Should this go on like this after other voting I see a little trouble in Eurovision. Pazza just isn't for the international audience, La noia has already (and surely more to come) Malta and Luxemburg for the same votes. On the other hand Annalisa, Diodato and Mahmood all would work very well. Add The Kolors and Il Volo to the mix and Italy should land at least top-10 again easily. Angelina Mango - La noia Annalisa - Sinceramente Diodato - Ti muovi Mahmood - Tuta gold The Kolors - Un ragazzo, una ragazza Il Volo - Capolavoro Clara - Diamanti grezzi Ghali - Casa mia Alessandra Amoroso - Fino a qui Ricchi e Poveri - Ma non tutta la vita Fred De palma - Il cielo non ci vuole Emma - Apnea lfa - Vai! Gazzelle - Tutto qui Irama - Tu no Negramaro - Ricom...

Latvia's Supernova had one semi-final were five entries were dropped from the grand final line up and among qualifiers was Markus Riva, on his 9th attempt. He has declared he will try forever, or until he wins and gets to Eurovision. Another known name, Euroviison veteran Justs didn't make the cut. 24. Avēnija - You said * Ok, that was more like a modern dance performance rather than a proper song. Yawn. Alise Haijima - Tricky* Ok, this is exactly kind of music that I don't care for. Rather annoying realy but that's just me.  Artūrs Hatti - Love vibes *** Now this is a lot my cup of tea! The song is though better than his performance and what an earth is that jacket with that beanie?! Sadly the studio version is a lot better. Some eye contact with the camera would help, too. Avéi - Let me go ** Another confusing performance that doesn't convince me. The song itself isn't maybe that bad but that dress and dancer distract from hearing it. Luize - You to hold me *...

Ireland will have its Eurosong 2023 final on February 3 and the winner will be chosen via professional national jury, international jury and televote. These six made it to the final out of 330 submissions. Is there one to secure their 8th record breaking win and first since 1996?  No. I ended up giving a middle of the road three stars to most every one as none is really bad, nor very good. Most of them feel like demos and not finished versions, I hope that'd be the case as there's material but it's not fully developed. One song, the most unthinkable one, in the end shines above the rest and could be worth the risk as none other will go very far I'm afraid. It might. Maybe. Who knows? Adgy - Too good for your love *** Nice, atmospheric verse but the chorus is a let down. Trendy arrangement but nothing original or new. The verse is so much better, nice voice. Then nothing really happens and the song ends. Good effort but .... Needs a total revamp and stellar staging to ma...

Business as usual in Iceland. Two semi-finals, each with five songs, two getting the ticket for the grand final (and maybe there's the usual wildcard as well), and in the semi-finals the songs will be performed in Icelandic but those qualifying may switch into English for the final if they intend to sing in English in Liverpool should they get that far. These songs have been selected among the 132 submissions. The semi-finals will be on February 18 and 25, while the final is set for March 4. I think I'm already in love with one of the songs.... 1st Semi-Final  BRAGI – Stundum snýst heimurinn gegn þér/ Sometimes the World´s Against You FINALIST  MÓA – Glötuð ást / Loose this dream Benedikt – Þora / Brave Face Celebs – Dómsdagsdans / Doomsday Dancing Diljá – Lifandi inni í mér / Power FINALIST 2nd Semi-Final : Kristín Sesselja – Óbyggðir / Terrified Langi Seli og Skuggarnir – OK Silja Rós & Kjalar – Ég styð þína braut / Together we grow   Úlfar – Betri maður / Impossible...

The songs keep dropping and today also Portugal has revealed the songs for the coming Festival da Canção 2023. Once again RTP invited 15 composers and gave them free hands to choose the song and the artist, and it seems most everyone this time around is singing their own song instead of choosing someone else to sing it. Additional five songs were selected among the 667 open call submissions. Or maybe that was their purpose in the first place? Get the big ones involved big time. Including Cláudia Pascoal who sung for Portugal at home soil in Lisbon 2018. There will be two semi-finals with ten songs. Six of them will reach the final. Five simply by 50/50 televote/jury vote and one additional one by second round of televoting only. In the final there are seven regional juries and televote on 50/50 basis. The televote opens right after second semi-final. Semi-final One - February 25 April Ivy - Modo voo Bolha - Sonhos de liberdade Churky - Encruzilhada Cláudia Pascoal - Nasci Maria Esse Po...

Denmark is next in line to reveal their entries, a total of eight for one off final on February 11, 2023. There will be first round with only televoting to determinate the top-3 who will face the second round of voting, this time 50/50 televote/jury. The app voting will open already on February 6 and runs until the day before the broadcast. Eyjaa - I was gonna marry him Frederik Leopold - Stuck on you Maia Maia - Beautiful bullshit Mariyah LeBerg - Human Micky Skeel - Glansbillede Nicklas Sonne - Freedom Reiley - Breaking my heart Søren Torpegaard Lund - Lige her

Here's a recap of everything happening in the Eurovision 2023 bubble; all selections, internal selections and the rest. Enjoy! To be updated until all is said and done. ISRAEL  Artist (Internal): Noa Kirel (read more) Song: Unicorn (8.3.2023) Read more here CYPRUS Artist (internal):  Andrew Lambrou (read more) Song: Break a broken heart (2.3.2023) Read more here NETHERLANDS Artists (internal): Mia Nikolai & Dion Cooper (read more) Song: Burning daylight (1.3.2023) Read more here SLOVENIA Artist (internal) : Joker Out   ( read more ) Song: Carpe diem UKRAINE (Vidbir 17.12.2022) Read more here Artist: Tvorchi Song: Heart of steel Read more here ALBANIA (Festivali i Këngës 19-22.12.2022) Artist: Albina and Familja Kelmendi Song: Duje  Read more here Read more here FRANCE  Artist (internal): La Zarra ( read more ) Song: Èvidemment 19.2 BELGIUM (Eurosong 14.1.2023) Artist: Gustaph Song: Because of you Read more here GREECE  (internal, 30.1.2023) Art...