Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

¡Objetivo Eurovisión! That's what's happening in Spain tonight when they will choose their entry for Stockholm 2016 Eurovision song contest. Six songs, televote and jury of Eurovision winner Loreen from Sweden (sharing sonwriters with Xuso so how fair that is remains to be seen...), last year's Spanish represant Edurne (also sharing the same songwriter with Xuso, tsk tsk) and Carlos Marin of Il Divo (I suppose they couldn't get Il Volo...) will decide who goes to Stockholm for Spain. Barei is already topping the iTunes chart in Spain and has become the biggest fan favorite, too. This is easily the best Spanish national final since forever and I could live with any song really, even with the corniest one (Victorious) and the one that inspires me the least (Dias de alegria) but let's see how they do live. My hopes are on Maverick and Barei. Watch the final tonight here at 22.15 Maverick - Un mondo más feliz Barei - Say Yay! Xuso Jones - Victorious ...

Jūrmala in Latvia is the place to be if you are singer in ex-USSR countries and not only as the New Wave - the international contest of new pop voices is taking place again. Sixteen singers or groups have made it to the contest this year coming from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, Russia, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Germany, Armenia, Latvia, Cuba, Georgia and Vietnam. No Finnish or Italian singers made the cut this year. In the coming days the performers will do world-wide hits and local hits, while guest stars will perform as well. There will be also gala concerts, tennis, soccer.... a lot goijg on indeed. If the contestants are new and fresh the guest stars include a lot of familiar names: Valeria, Sergey Lazarev, Intars Busulis , Dima Bilan , Emin , Garou, Julio Iglesias , Il Divo, Natalia Podolskaya , Ani Lorak , Serebro , Lara Fabian , Timati, Verka Serduchka , Alsou , Alessandro Safina, Emma Shaplin.... and if that wasn't enough Toto Cutugno is one of the judges! You ...

Sounds like money making heaven, doesn't it? Il Divo has covered ABBA's The winner takes it all in Spanish, titled Va todo al ganador . The song itself is so great no one can ruin it apparently but it's a far cry from Meryl Streep's recent cover, or the way Il Divo itself covered Toni Braxton's Un-break my heart previously... Judge yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lppheZNlAKQ , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QK2LRbXB7A&feature=related , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yay4W9hkJJM&feature=related