Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Igor Cukrov has released a new video and song titled  Jedna duša jedno tilo (One soul one flesh) full of Slavic pathos and melancholy. The video was shot in Abu Dhabi and Dubai and gives us a hint what an United Arab Emirates preview video would look like if they were to enter Eurovision song contest one day. But back to Igor. After representing Croatia in Eurovision 2009 with Lijepa tena he has released a string of singles like Prolij vino po meni ,  Mjesečar , Fali mi  and Treba li mi netko kao ti and didn't he even win some other festival if my memory serves me right? Anyways, this blogger has a soft spot for this now 30-year-old singer with deep voice and old soul. Nice to have news from him! And it would be great to have him back in Eurovision as well one day. 

Last year it was Portugal, now it's Croatia. Namely the country I will miss a lot. HRT has made public they won't be in Copenhagen 2014 and thus joins Turkey, Andorra, Czech Republic, Monaco, Luxembourg, Morocco and Slovakia as countries that won't participate in 2014 (either). Portugal instead is apparently returning :-) Croatia joined the Eurovision family in 1993 and did very well scoring six top-10 placings between 1995 and 2001. Then the success vanished and Croatia hasn't been in the final since 2009, when they were actually picked up by jury's wildcard after finishing 13th in the semifinal.  This blogger has several big favorites among the Croatian entries like Sveta ljubav , Marija Magdalena , Everything I want, You are the only one , Romanca , Lijepa Tena , Lako je sve and Nebo , and how could we forget Neka mi ne svane or Moja stikla ? Croatia will be greatly missed in Denmark....

Time to check out once again some more or less new songs and videos by Eurovision artists that you can also listen on EFR12 here. First of all return of Kate Ryan with Broken off her worthcoming album. She was once again rumoured to be the one for Belgium in Baku 2012 but no, she isn't it. Maybe one day? Igor Cukrov has released Fali mi , yet another great track from one of this blogger's favourite voices. Bulgarian creature Aziz has released St. Tropez in his true style. Last but not least Mixalis Hatzigiannis has released a video for his latest Tharos i alitheia and continues his success stroy with great songs.

One of this blogger's favourite singers, Igor Cukrov has released a new single Cácá moj that may sound a bit funny as a title but actually means My daddy , which comes quite clear from the beautifully shot video. This is yet another single after Lijepa Tena , Mjesecar , N ebesa , Treba li mi netko kao ti , Proli vino po meni and Moja draga . Apparently he is now freed from some contractual problems and is to release his debut album some time soon. I hope so! A perfect song for a lazy grey Sunday with fine vocals.

Portugal's Setùbal hosts already for the third time Eurovision stars live in concert on September 10, 2011. The guest of honour is none other than Marie Myriam , the French winner of 1977 of Portuguese origin and this bloggers most significant ever Eurovision entry's performer. Other guests who have already had the taste of the Eurovision stage are Jari Sillanpää from Finland, Marcin Mrozinski from Poland, Igor Cukrov from Croatia,  Lucia Perez from Spain, Chiara from Malta and Andrea Demirovic from Montenegro. On top of that familiar names from various national finals: Chen Aharoni from Israel, Jenny Silver from Sweden besides local stars Filipa Ruas and Rui Andrade . I see there several names I'd love to see besides lovely Marie M but sigh, have to skip this time again..... :-(

The underwater theme continues in the Eurovision stars's videos when Igor Cukrov's new video Mjesečar mainly takes place ... underwater! This single was released as the follow up to his Eurovision 2009 entry for Croatia Lijepa Tena . His latest single is Moja draga that he participated in Pjesma mediterana earlier this month with. He's still to release his debut album.

Vukašin Brajić (soon 26) will represant Bosnia-Herzgovina in Oslo 2010. He's of Fame Academy fame. His song is called Munja i grom (Thunder and lightning). He is known all over the Balcan region; Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. Listen him here , here and here with last year's Igor Cukrov for Croatia. So we have now six male solo singers selected and one female .

OGAE Germany is having its annual convention tomorrow in Cologne. The special guests for the night are Croatia's Igor Cukrov and Germany's Oscar Loya from Moscow 2009 as well as Hera Björk who has been backing the Icelandic entries both 2008 and 2009 , almost won in Denmark this year and is highly actual in the Icelandic 2010 selection as well. If you are nearby drop in Gloria Theatre and join in the fun!

Croatia opened this morning rehearsals and is clearly recreating the atmosphere of their video on stage. Beautiful blue setting, wind machines and slow wavy movements... with their stage wear (white I suppose) they will look fantastic on TV. The vocals were good and balanced, and I was pleased to notice there were more rather neutral or positive comments on various blogs and sites about them, as Croatia is not one of the favourites in polls this year. I still think this can make it to the final, especially as it is in the much weaker semi. Well done, Igor & co. http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YKvhp4PT3M

Who reads this blog knows I usually love the Croatian entries and 2009 is no exception! This year they offer a very melancholy Slavic sounding ballad full of Mediterranean - a great mix and very suitable for Moscow I think - by two great vocalists and beautiful guitar. Igor Cukrov is a 24-year old theology student who wanted to become a priest at some point but his desire to sing was stronger. He was a finalist in Croatian Operacija Trijumf last year. In 2007 he took part in Split music festival where he won the best debutant award. Besides singing first tenor in the Dalmatian vocal ensemble Combi he is also a multi instrumentalist. He plays guitar, piano, trumpet and clarinet. The composer Tonci Huljic is no stranger to Eurovision or fame and success. He's the most succesful composer in ex-Yugoslavia in the 90's and this is already his 4th Eurovision entry after Nostalgija (1995/6th), Maria Magdalena (1999/4th) and Strings of my hear t (2001/10th). Lyricist Vjekoslava Hulji...

Igor Cukrov with Lijepa tena has won the Croation selection, Dora 2009. He came second in both televote and jury vote while Feminnem won the jury vote and Tomislav Branic the televote. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQagJ1axM1o 01. Igor Cukrov (jury/televote) 15 + 15 = 30 02. Tomislav Bralic & Klapa Intrade 13 + 16 = 29 03. Feminnem 16 + 12 = 28 04. Ivo Gamulin Gianni 14 + 13 = 27 05. Aria 11+ 8 = 19 05. Cager Zoc & Papak Dance Company 10 + 9 = 19 05. Ana Bebic 8 + 11 = 19 08. Franka 4 + 14 = 18 09. Drazen Zanko 10 + 7 = 17 09. Mario Battifiaca 7 + 10 = 17 11. Mijo Lesina 12 + 2 = 14 12. Danijela Pintaric 10 + 3 = 13 13. Denis Dumancic 5 + 5 = 10 14. Hari Roncevic & Kvartet Bravo 7 + 1 = 8 15. Ruswaj 3 + 4 = 7 15. Viva 1 + 6 = 7