Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

On Sundays I will feature lesser known Motown songs and the first one might be quite surprising: Waylon! Yes, Waylon of The Common Linnets fame and Eurovision song contest runner up was signed to Universal and he released his debut album through their then owned Motown label.  Title track Wicked ways was a top-10 hit in the Netherlands.  An album followed (peaking #3 in the charts but staýing in top-100 for 80 weeks and selling platinum) and earned him awards as the newcomer of the year and later Singer of the year as his success continued and grew. 

One of the most glamourous Eurovision break ups happened this year when Waylon left The Common Linnets as soon as the lights in B & W Hallerne in Copenhagen were dimmed and the Netherlands stopped partying for their excellent 2nd place with Calm after the storm . He decided to concentrate on his solo career and this summer saw the release of his third solo album Heaven after midnight and the first single of it, Love drunk .  Now The Common Linnets, where he was replaced in a nanosecond by Jake Etheridge, has releaed their follow up single, Give me a reason . And the band goes by as Ilse DeLange and The Common Linnets these days.... (Sounds so The Supremesque..... and curiously Diana Ross singing about Love hangover ...) This blogger joins the Waylon camp as Love drunk is one of the best songs heard this fall while Give me a reason ... well, it's just ok. Waylon-The Common Linnets 1-0.  What do you think?

It seems the Netherlands have chosen. This time it should be singer, producer and musician Alain Clark (35). His first album came out back in 2004 without much of a success. Change to sing in English produced a triple platinum Live it out three years later. Since then three more top-3 albums of his groovy soul, latest this year, Walk with me . His biggest hits are This ain't gonna work ,  Father & Friend and Back in my world .  If this turns out true, like the main newspaper De Telegraaf suggests this morning the Netherlands continue their string of serious artist with a real career. Apparently Alain has tried an international career before without too much of a success, but Eurovision could change all that..... This isn't his first adventure to the Eurovision world. In 2012 he co-wrote Ivan Peroti's  Take me as I am and came 3rd. 

The Dutch Eurovision entry Calm after the storm is proving all but what the name suggests. First it scored an amazing 2nd place in the Eurovision 2014 against all odds and right after stormed the charts all over the world doing even better than the winner Rise like a Phoenix by Conchita Wurst for Austria. Now, less than three weeks later the other half of the duo Waylon as left the duo. Or should I say the band? Anyways, in his statement in Facebook he says it was always Ilse DeLange's project. Instead of riding the success that may include touring the States and promo gigs all over Europe he will concentrate on his solo career and worthcoming album. Time will tell how wise that decision is - it seems fans haven't taken his decision so kindly.....  Ilse Delange has already performed with Jake Etherigde replacing Waylon this week.... who looks like a younger and prettier version of Waylon really. So, will we miss Waylon? Calm after the storm is still in iTunes chart...

San Marino had its first technical rehearsal this morning as the second country after Moldova. It ment also a very early wake up and pick up to the venue "just to be sure". It sure was sure as the ride took 15 minutes instead of 1 h 40 min scheduled.... Anyways, the rest went on smoothly and Valentina had time to reconnect with Cristina Scarlat and later Suzy from Portugal joined in and by the time we were ready to leave also the Netherlands, Montenegro, Hungary and Malta had arrived. In the 40 minutes of rehearsal the song was performed four times, each performance followed immediate rescreening for changes. Smoke and wind machine were tested as well as different colors. More changes and minor hickups will be fine tuned for the second rehearsal on Friday. Valentina stands on a giant sea shell like a Botticelli's Venus while her four backing singers (Giovanna Naber, Giacomo Di Benedetto, Sandrina Sedona and Paulo Alves) are placed in the bachround by the side o...

Waiting and waiting. That's what it is all about. But while you wait you may meet some cool people, like these in the pics :-)   You may also need ear plugs....

Friday March 28, Hind, the Dutch Eurovision representative 2008 with Your heart belongs to me , gave an excellent performance in the North Sea Jazz Club in Amsterdam. The venue has this night club look and relaxed atmosphere that made Hind shine and sound bright. With her excellent new band, she delivered around 10 songs. Hind's music is not easy to be put in a box. At the moment, it's a mix of pop, Maroccan, Spanish and jazz and she fuses it to Crosspop , a name she used for her latest cd. Check it out here .  A few days earlier my Flying reporter Robert got a chance to have an interview with Hind where he asked her to look back on her Eurovision adventure. What does she remember from 2008? Who was nice? Who was doing something naughty? Would she do it again? What does she think of Ilse & Waylon's song? And should artists try it more than once? Read it all here: Hind, what have you been doing since Eurovision 2008, it's been six years? I ha...

The Netherlands, once an Eurovision power state has struggled for years and last year they took a change and chose Anouk, a big name at home and abroad. Anouk took them back to the final and this year they follow with the same recipe: big local name(s). Ilse DeLange and Waylon teamed up and represent the low lands with a song from their duo project The Common Linnets. Calm after the storm is different from the rest but will this acoustic, quiet country song do the trick? Robert: I'm so happy with the path that the Netherlands is taking right now. After Anouk, another 2 great artists are representing the Netherlands with a self-willed song which is very daring and couregeous. It's not obvious yet if the Netherlands will reach the final with this choice but to me, this song is a jewel which even after 30 years will be judged as quality, and quality may come more to Eurovision. If it was up to me, they belong in the final and after in the top 5. After many many years, I have...

The Dutch duo Ilse Delange and Waylon aka The Common Linnets presented the acoustic version of their entry Calm after the storm . Atmospheric little country tune it is and their voices blend in nicely. Tomorrow the real version will be out. It will be curious to see how different it is?! And a rather interesting way of presenting their entry, usually the acoustic versions come after.... Update: Here's the studio version . Very nice, understated, simple, haunting.... lovely arrangement. :-)

I'm back! During my absense I checked the internet only once or twice and nothing much seemed to had happened in the wonderful Euovision world but now I see actually there's been some major news. Like Agnetha performing live! For the first time since 1982, mind you! Take That's Gary Barlow managed in what the others have failed so far when they sung together the song he penned for her in her latest album, I should have followed you home in London's Children in Need Rocks 2013. Now that she's back on stage, let's start the ABBA reunion rumours, will we? European Music Awards 2013 went to the usual non-European acts and Marco Mengoni nor Lena took home the trophy for the Best Worldwide act won by... err, who ??!! Montenegro has confirmed Sergej Ćetković as their representative. It seems we will get a real Balcan ballad in Joksimovic style. Now that Serbia and Croatia are missing, will Montengero sweep that vote and finally make impact in the final? Clev...