Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  Belarus joins the list of countries bringing a song in native language to the contest in 2020 (so far we have only Croatia, Ukraine, Serbia, Portugal, Italy and Spain with Slovenia in doubt) when duo VAL came second in both televotes and jury vote and secured a win. Below is the full chart of points. VAL is lead singer, songwriter and dancer Valerie Gribusova (25) and also performs as soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra of Belarus, who has experience in The Voice of Ukraine and has won Slavensky Bazaar festival previously. Vlad Pashkevich is producer, multi instrumentalist and and owner a production studio who produced for example another dating Belarusian couple Navi Band in Eurovision 2017. VAL has been making music since 2016 and moves from one genre to another. They have released one album and two singles before Da vidna .  1. VAL - Da vidna (jury 10 + televoters 10) 20 2. Yan Yarosh - Fire (12 + 6) 18 3. CHAKRAS - La-ley-la (6 + 12) 18 4. K...

Belarus had its legendary auditions today for the Eurovision song contest and the rather surprising results are out. I have no idea what they are looking for this year but I can say already now I won't like it. These twelve made the cut: Анастасія Гламозда/Anastasiya Glamozda - Burning again Дар'я Хмяльніцкая/Darya Khmelnitskaya – On Fire AURA – Барані сваё  VAL – Да вiдна  Ангеліка Пушнова/Angelika Pushnova - True Love NAPOLI – Dоn’t let me down Саша Захарык/Sasha Zakharik - Rocky Road КейСи/KeyCi – Chili Pepper Ян Ярош/Yan Yaroche – Fire Анастасія Развадоўская/Anastasia Razvadovsky - Hello Chakras - La la ley Анастасія Малашкевіч/Anastasia Malashkevich - Invisible For further entertainment check out the auditions here  

Belarus has had its already legendary live auditions and as they were open to anyone this year you got UK Eurovision veteran Daz Sampson, onmipresent MIHAI (even if he pulled out the last minute apparently) and many more creatures.... Some familiar names made the cut again: NAPOLI and PROvokatsiya, along with random Swedish Sebastian Roos, Here are the finalists Michael Soul - Humanize  PROvokatsiya - Running Away From The Sun Eva Kogan - Run Sebastian Roos - Never Getting Close ZENA - Like It Alyona Gorbachova - Can We Dream Aura - Čaravala Emmanuel Imagbe- Champion NAPOLI - Let It Go KeySi - No Love Lost

Belarus has its national final and it wouldn't be Belarusian final without some extra dtama and controversy. Seven out of 11 selected finalists threated to withdraw when it became known that Ukrainian Alekseev's song didn't quite respect the September 1, 2017 rule. In the end it seems only Sofi Lapina stood for her word and withdrawn while the others are here, despite the accusations the final is rigged to make Alekseev win. Later also accusations for Shuma's song's lyrics that include lines from a traditional Belarusian folk song.  The final songs were selected among 95 submissions and live auditions in January. Half the participants are regulars and have participated before. Let's see if anyone of them can beat Alekseev and stop participating every year..... The songs vary from Adagio's Il Volo-esque light pop opera to Alekseev's overproduced standard modern Eurovision pop and Shuma's pseudo etno, Napoli's and Gunesh's yet another ho...

Belarus will select its entry for Kyiv 2017 Eurovision song contest tonight. There will be a jury-televote deciding on the winner. Several familiar names trying once again, from Nuteki to NAPOLI and Navi. These songs were selected from the 67 submitted entries. This blogger has no idea who will win. This is Belarus after all. Anything can happen. July, Lexy, Kattie, Nuteki, Angelica... or why not NAVI? Hopefully one of these. Maybe. 20.00 CET here or here July - Children of the World Lexy Weaver - Be Stronger Vladislav Kurasov - Follow the Play NAVI - Historyja majho žyccia (Story of my life) Isaac Nightingale - On the Red Line Kattie - Wild Wind Nuteki - Take My Heart NAPOLI - Let's Come Together Nikita Hodas - Voices In My Head Angelica Pushnova - We Should Be Together Anastasiya Sheverenko - We'll Be Together Lermont x Julic - Heartbeat PROvokatsiya - #mylove

Belarus is having its final tonight. Alexey Gross with his pompous anthemic power ballad and Kirill Ermakov, already familiar name from JESC, have emerged as pre-contest favorites. Alexandr Ivanov seem to have some following too, and it wouldn't be the first time Belarus sends a blond long haired simil-rocker. The EM has something going on and could be worked into something. Anastasiya would follow the trend of screaming ladies with heavy beats but it's not all that bad really.... Nicely 90's.  Napoli goes all sugary Disney. Yuk. Quite a few jazzy flirty elevator music pieces are included in the very bland line up. Not forgetting the strong Russian accents :-) You can watch it live from 20.00 CET at eurovision.tv Alexey Gross - Flame   studio Sasha Zakharik - Glory night   studio Valeria Sadovskaya - Not alone   studio Radiovolna - Radiowave (Ne shodi s uma)   studio The EM - Turn around   studio Navi - Gyeta zyamlya (This land)   st...

The Belarusian jury has done its job and hopefully no one suffered any permanent damage. I stopped watching any audition videos after one Hello and a live chicken.... Veterans Alexey Gross, Alexander Ivanov and Napoli made the cut, now it's up to televoting public to send one of them to Stockholm come January 25. Alexey Gross is ready to fight it seems.... Alexander Ivanov - How to fly Valeriya Sadovskaya - Not alone Anastasiya Malashkevich - Pray for love Navi - Gyeta zyamlya Alexey Gross - Flame  ( live ) Kirill Yermakov - Running to the sun  ( live ) Radiovolna - Radiowave (Ne shodi s uma) Sasha Zakharik - Glory night Napoli - My universe  ( live ) The EM (Michael Soul & Egor Sharankov) - Turn around

Belarus has received 84 songs for their national final, quite a drop from last year's 110. Tomorrow November 26 and December 1 these 84 songs will be performed live for a jury (you can follow it live on tvr.by it seems) that will select the finalists (15) for the national final to be held on January 15, 2016 in Minsk. The names should be out on December 2. In the final there will be televote only and let's see how that will end like. Belarus is famous for scandals and changes and all sort of things before and especially after their national final..... Can they make it right the first time? What will Lukashenko say? Quite many previous wannabes are at it again from Alexey Gross to Janet , Chistyi Golos  and Napoli. And Aura , Sweet Brains ..,  Alexey Gross (pictured) has a long history in the contest, he has taken part most every year lately.... will he finally win? Here are some of his entries: One way love (2013), If I could do it all again (2014), Stand as one (2...

Belarus has chosen and I could say "What did I say?". Uzari & Maimuna won the jury vote and came third in the televoting and another violin player goes to Vienna instead of Rybak (who didn't win the televoting either btw). Oh the irony!  Uzari was third time lucky and usually I have more or less liked his entries, but this one is the best of them and yes, it was my favorite out of these so I can't complain tonight. Here's Time . The televotes: 1. Muzzart     2862 2. Milki     2226 3. Uzari & Maimuna     1188 4. Napoli     1159 5. Beatris     939 6. Alexey Gross     917 7. Anastasia M.     710 8. Gunesh     531 9. Lis     424 10. Tasha Odi     408 11. Valeria S.     403 12. Rostany     373 13. Vitaly V.     268 14. Janette     200 15. Daria     193 Uzari has taken part also in 20...

Belarus is having its EuroFest final tonight. Alexander Rybak's Milki project is the one to beat, it seems. Wouldn't it be ironic if Uzari with his violin player would beat him? Anyways, there isn't much to write about; mediocre or simply bad songs, Belarusian "English" and propably the singer and/or the song will be changed anyways before mid-March if it isn't Milki, so I will stick to my Christmas relaxing instead of watching this..... Anyways, it starts at 8pm CET and you can watch it live here .  NAPOLI  –  My dreams Lis  –  Angel Daria  -   Love is my colour Gunesh  –  I believe in a miracle Yana Butskevich & Muzzart  –  Tolko tantsuy Valeria Sadovskaya  –  Summer love Rostany  –  Electric toys Janette  –  Supernova Alexey Gross  –  Stand as one Milki  –  Accent Uzari & Maimuna  -   Time Beatris  –  Fighter Vitaly Voronko  –...

Belarus will have its national final on December 26, 2014 and a jury has picked up the 15 finalists after casting auditions. Several familiar names but not Alyona Lanskaya who either didn't pass the casting or didn't participate at all after all. Not that this blogger misses her one bit. As expected the designed winner Milki did it with a song penned by Alexander Rybak. It would a surprise if they didn't win eventually. If they don't, there's always a way to make it happen afterwords. This is Belarus after all. And therefor there's also a lot of broken English and some rather horrid songs in the line up that have no life but in national Eurovision selections. This said, it has been worse so the jury has done quite decent job... Listen with caution:  Gunesh - I believe in a miracle Janette - Supernova Alexey Gross - Stand as one Daria - Love is my colour Valeria Sadovskaya - Summer love Uzari & Maimuma - Time Milki - Accent Yana Butskevich...

So, the Belarusian final is over and we have a winner tonight. Alena Lanskaya won it again, time will tell if she gets to Malmö 2013. (Sorry if I'm a bit sceptical, but....). Is Belarusian Kylie what Europe wants? Anyways her Rhythm of love will be a fan favourite for sure and come in abbout a zillion remixes most likely.  The show itself was ok, but were some acts play-back? And the applause at parts? Many songs were ruined anyways by the Eurrovision curse: bad English. The performances mostly were nice, and they had put some effort in them and some were even rather effective, like Satsura, Nuteki and Alena. In the end I was still for Alex and surprisingly Satsura. His macho Rammstein-ish performance might have done well in Malmö 2013, me thinks!  Vitaly Voronko, Max Lorens, Yankey Beaver Band, Daria, Alexei Gross Uzari , Nuteki , Satsura But somehow the best songs were by the previous winners Alexandra & Konstantin, Gunesh and Dima Koldun!  S...

Now that we've got Junior Eurovision and OGAE Song contest out of the way we can close the season 2012 and start concentrating on 2013 and it starts already this Friday when Belarus is having its national final. I guess a winner will be picked out but only time and regime will tell if that one is really going to Malmö or will the singer/song/both be changed before mid-March.... However, the songs in theory are online here . All ten of them that made past the jury.  Rhythm of love seems to be the pre-contest favorite and would give Alena a revenge as she sort of won the national final already last year but was later kicked out. The song is a 13 in a dozen kind of pop tune but does have a hook that kinda sticks into your head. Will surely please the fans in Malmö but I doubt televoters or jurors will fall for it. One way love is like a good old boyband song that could have been a Backstreet Boys hit in the 1990's. But I like it. Get out of my way is... I don't kno...

Belarus is planning big for their Eurofest final. There are only five names left to represant Belarus in Baku 2012 - Alena Lanskaya, Gunesh, Viktoria Aleshko, Litesound and Uzari - but the guest list is impressive: Eurovision 1956 winner Lys Assia , 2004 winner Ruslana , 2007 winner Marija Serifovic , 2009 winner Alexander Rybak , 2010 winner Lena and 2011 winners Ell/Nikki along with Koldun , Belarus best placed artist so far (6th in Helsinki 2007), fan favourite Sakis Rouvas and Switzerland's this year's represant Sinplus . The Eurofest final will be held next week, February 14, 2012.

Litesound may be the most international band in Belarus (as far as I know) and for a change they can even sing without sounding... err... Russian. 2011 marks their 5th attempt to win the Belarusian national final. In 2006 they tried with My faith (6th), 2007 with Summertrip (actually came 2nd in televoting but jury didn't include them in the superfinal), 2008 Do you believe (in top-4) and in 2009 with Carry on with Dakota (3rd). Now they are once again in the final with We are the heroes . Clearly their best effort so far if you ask me. The band is lead by brothers Dmitrij and Vladimir Karyakin and celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Last year was the year of twins in Eurovision, is this going to be the brothers year? They have also been present in Jurmala's New Wave 2010 (6th) and their other songs include Solo per te with Italian Jacopo Massa (who now seems to have joined the band), See you in Vegas that won the award for the best video in Belarus 2011...

The semifinal in Belarus took part tonight and five acts qualified to the final on January 28, 2012.  Gunesh and Litesound both made it to the final once again, time will tell if one of them will finally make it? The other qualifiers are Alena Lanskaya , Victoria Aleshko and Uzari . This blogger doesn't bother much about the songs as they can and will change them for the final anyways.... most likely anyways. UPDATED: Now with the videos. The lady ballads are all a bore me thinks. Uzari has some potential but clearly the best choice is Litesound. Not very original but cathy pop song indeed.

Belarus has announced the 15 semifinalists that will battle it out on December 21, 2011 for the place in the mid-January 2012 Eurofest final. Amongst the candidates everpresent Litesound and Gunesh and this year's Anastasiya Vinnikova hunting for a bis but actually for the first time in a selection as she was internally selected. Thriller - Message to the world Gunesh - And morning will come Litesound - We are the heroes The champions - It's your time Uzari - The winner Nuteki - Superheroes Aleksandra Gaiduk & Nataliya Baldina - Loveless German - Keep fight Anastasiya Vinnikova - Shining in twilight Ekivoki - Number one Yan Zhenchak & Outerplain - A point of no return Victoria Aleshko - Dream Alena Lanskaya - All my life Aura - Hands up Anna Blagova – You're the world

These five acts made it to the final. It's worth remembering they still may change the song. Petr Elfimov - Eyes that never lie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_14DqiGhIU4 Litesound feat. Dakota - Carry on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLNiShrsPyY Domenika - This is my day http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DU996bfh89U Gunesh - Fantastic girl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8fIlnQnzQ8 Veter v Golove - Or - or - and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vO1SkwqgGbI

It's time for Belarus to start its process to find the song for Moscow 2009. !5 songs will be performed tonight in a gala concert and a jury will pick up 5 of them to the final next year. Televoting will choose the winner in the final. As usual, one should not count these are the songs the qualified singers will perform in the final.... 01. Alex Patalis Band - Who Said It? 02. SingeRin - Don't think about it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQnCsPEIkBw 03. Uncle Vanya - Our Belarussia 04. Petr Yelfimov - Eye, that never lie 05. Venera - Big Game http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzHMBRCGDIw 06. Litesound - Miracle 07. Anna Blagova & Yury Vashchuk - Behind http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fG1VDH-AqqA 08. Gunesh - Fantastic Girl 09. Victoria Belova - Don't give up from love http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy8MsFppD8A 10. Cola & Lidya Zabolotskaya - Honk 11. Dominica - My Day 12. Wind in the Head - And - Or- And 13. Alexei Krechet - Joy and freedom http://www.youtube.com/wa...