Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The Nordic countries are known for huge amount of songs sent to their national finals and this year is no exception. Sweden has to pick up their songs for Melodifestivalen among the 2628 wannabes but the Danish and Norwegian TV has a ot of work also with their 872 and 600 songs for their MGPs. UMK in Finland got 420 songs and the 12 finalist are already selected but yet to be made public. Last but not least Iceland let us know this week that they have received a record number of entries: 297 . That makes a total of 4817 Nordic entries for 2014! So the chances to win in these countries are minimal, from 0,038% in Sweden to 0,34% in Iceland.  Despite all these songs to choose from not always the local taste fits in with the pan-European vote, as in the past ten editions "only" 76% of the Nordic entries has reached the final. But then, four out of five countries have won the contest the past ten years and even the one missing out, Iceland, has been the runner up - to an...

In our exlusive interviews in Malmö 2013 Eurovision we asked the artists who would they like to see represent their country in Denmark 2014. Icelandic Eyþór Ingi mentioned Ásgeir Trausti , who has had a rather amazing star for his recording career. Ásgeir Trausti released his debut album Dýrð í dauðaþögn in 2012 . and so far he has scored five singles off it. Leyndarmál and Dýrð í dauðaþögn made it to #1 in Icelandic charts, Sumargestur #2, Nýfallið regn #5 and Hærra #15. meantime he also released another #1 single, Hvítir skór , with Blaz Roca . That one stayed at #1 for nine weeks! He also sings in English, like Going home . And it sounds very good indeed! Very interesting suggestion. Could he be the one to bring Iceland its first Eurovision win? 

.. in form of the interviews that is. Have you read what they had to say in the Bicyckling reporter Robert's interviews that went a bit deeper than the usual ones? Among things - sometimeS under pressure - they also revealed who they would like to see representing their countries in Eurovision 2014. Read them here from A to Z:  Amandine Bourgeois (France) Birgit (Estonia) ByeAlex (Hungary) ESDM (Spain) Eythor Ingi (Iceland) Gor Sujyan (Armenia) Krista Siegfrids (Finland) Marco Mengoni (Italy) Nodi & Sophie (Georgia) Roberto Bellarosa (Belgium) Zlata Ognevich (Ukraine) And there's more. Check the right hand side panel for links!

Have you checked the exclusive in depth interview we have done with the stars of the Second semifinal? All of them will also reveal who would they like to represent their country next year! The links are on the right hand side panel. Click away!

His interview is here

And we continue... MALTA - Gianluca Bezzina - Tomorrow Ever smiling and tanned Gianluca next with his band doing a relaxed and some what retro feeling including song in the staging that fits it like a glove. This is a feel good song and crowd pleaser if things go right and might sail to the final. He also takes use of the catwalk. But who knows? I like it when I hear it, but pretty much forget it the second it's over. Will it get people vote? Who knows.... For me it comes across a bit over eager but then it's just me. BULGARIA - Elitsa & Stoyan - Samo shampioni This is a bit of a deja vú, but we have to remember the "normal people", that is not Eurovision fans won't propably remember they did pretty much the same act already in Helsinki 2007. Then they liked it and the drumming and banging brought then 5th place. Now they have added some "ethnic grannies" and a bare chested guy jumping around with a strange mask and indeed it will be a...

Blogilkar's Flying reporter Robert who has turned into Bicycling reporter for the Malmö 2013 experience has sat with Eyþór Ingi representing Iceland this morning. His song has proved to be a real evergreen that is sung in weddings and funerals alike, by kids and elderly, even choirs. Who is this guy from fishing village getting married this summer? And who would he want for his country for Eurovision 2014? Find it out here: Thank you  Eyþór Ingi for this interview. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself? I come from Dalvik, a little fishing village in north of Iceland. I used to work with my dad in a little fishing boat when I was younger. His intention was maybe that you'd become a fisherman yourself? No, not at all. I have had only one wish since I was like 6 years or so, to be a singer or an actor.  Where did this come from? I don't really know! But in my family we have always been singing, my grandfather is a great tenor and he also loved to a...

Iceland - Eythor Ingi - Ég Á Líf One of the most underrated songs this year. I admit this wasn't my favorite in the Icelandic national final but it was a good runner up for me. The song has a quiet beauty about it and luckily it also stays in Icelandic that sounds especially soft and delicate in this particular song. Eyþór himself comes across rough and sweet at the same time. Like a heavyrocker daddy singing a lullaby to his kid, and the song is indeed a lullabylike one that works also well live . Hard to say how the televoters react to this, and will the jury overlook it as well. This said, one of the better songs this year, and one of the best singers, too. No matter what happens, Iceland should be proud! Croatia - Klapa s Mora - Mižerja Croatia surprised us all with their choice (anticipated by last year's Nina Badric exclusively to Blogilkar here ) but like Iceland, whatever happens they can be proud of it. The song is similar to the Icelandic one in the way that...