Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The 2025 was kinder to Eurovision family than some previous ones but we did lose some Eurovision artists and personalities, let them rest in peace and live forever in our collective memory.  Here they are in random photo (above) order: Tapani Kansa (1949-2025): He took part in the Finland's national selection Euroviisut with 13 different songs between 1975-2009. He may have not hit it big in Euroviisut but his biggest hits came from somewhere else . He recorded 39 albums and had countless hits, awards and nominations and was one of the most loved and versatile artists. Tali Eshkoli (1964-2025): israeli producer and Eurovision personality. She launched The Next Star national selection and Israel Calling event, produced a documentary on Harel Skaat where he came out, she was the executive producer of Eurovision song contest 2019 in Tel Aviv and she was a regular in juries across Europe to select songs for Eurovision. Shpat Kasapi (1985-2025): Albanian singer-songwriter. He took part...

Another year has passed and sadly more Eurovision song contest veterans and winners have joined the heavenly band. Below are some of the artists, song writers, conductors of Eurovision that we lost this year.  Francois Hardy (1944-2024) - L'amour s'en va (Monaco 1963) Dickie Rock (1936-2024) - Come back to stay (Ireland 1966) Guy Bonnet (1945-2024) - Marie-Blanche (France 1970), Vivre (France 1983), writer for La Source (France 1968) Joe Cujatar (1941-2024) - L'imħabba (Malta 1972) Humbrey Campbell (1958-2024) - Wijs me de weg (Netherlands 1992) Marjorie (1965-2024) - participated in the Finnish national selection 1988 , 1989 , 1990 , 1994 Hans Blum (1928-2024) -writer of German entries 1967 , 1969 , 1986 Martin Lee of Brotherhood of Men (1946-2024) - Save your kisses for me (UK 1976) Colin Gibb (1953-2024) of Black Lace - Mary Ann  fame (UK 1979) Emre Tukur of Klips ve Onlar and Pan fame (Turkey 1986, 1989 ) Shmulik Bilu of Milk & Honey (1952-31.12.2023) - Hallel...

  Odd Børre (Norway 1968, Stress , 13th) (9.8.1939-28.1.2023) Heddy Lester (Netherlands 1977, De mallomolen , 12th) (18.6.1950-29.1.2023) Laura Valenzuela ( ESC 1969 hostess ) (18.2.1931-17.3.2023) Anita Thallaug (Norway 1963, Solhverv, 13th) (14.2.1938-20.3.2023) Dario Campeotto (Denmark 1961, Angelique , 5th) (1.2.1939-1.4.2023) Roy Taylor (of Jump the Gun, Ireland 1988, Take him home , 8th) (1957 -1.6.2023) Rachel Haim (of Lehakat Shiru Israel 1993, Shiru, 24th) (1957 -18.6.2023) Rele Kosunen (Finland choir 1985 , 1986 + national final entries ) (30.7.1962-23.6.2023) Özkan Uğur (of MFÖ, 1985 Didai didai dai , 14th, 1988 Turkey, Sufi , 15th) (17.10.1953-8.7.2023) Liisa Tavi (Finland national selection 1980, Nopea talven valo , 6th) (12.5.1956- 10.7.2023) Patricia Bredin UK 1957, All , 7th) (14.2.1935-13.8.2023) Luc Smets (of Dream Express, Belgium 1977, A million in one, two, three , 7th) (1.8.1947-20.8.2023) Toto Cutugno (Italy 1990, Insieme: 1992, Winner...

It's been a sad year in the Eurovision family. We lost a great number of Eurovision artists from young Örs to eldest of them all Emil, and Finland particularly was hit hard with three artists and also a legendary songwriter. Another great loss was Franco Battiato, an Italian legend to whom Eurovision is just a minor chapter in his curriculum.  Carlos Do Carmo (21.12.1939-1.1.2021)  Portugal 1976 Uma flor de verde pinho Liam Reilly (29.1.1955-1.1.2021) Ireland 1990 Somewhere in Europe Ireland 1991 Could it be I'm in love (composer) Pave Maijanen (3.9.1050-16.1.2021) Finland 1992 Yamma yamma Örs Siklósi (1992-5.2.2021) Hungary 2018 with AWS - Viszlát nyár Sanja Ilic (27.3.1951-7.3.2021) Serbia 2018 with Balkanika - Nova deca Patrick Juvet (21.8.1950-1.4.2021) Switzerland 1973 Je vais me marier, Marie Shay Healy (29.4.1943-9.4.2021) Ireland 1980 What's another year (composer) Matti " Fredi " Siitonen (23.7.1942-23.4.2021) Finland 1967 Varjoon - suojaan Finland ...

Franco Battiato was very much considered as a Sicilian artist besides Italian and after his professional adventures up north in Milano he returned to his beloved Sicily under the shadow of Mount Etna where he was born. Now Riposto (ex-Ionia) where he was born, Milo up the Etna hill where he had his house for decades and where he died plus the capital of region Catania all have plans to commemorate the music legend. "The spectacular nature of our lungomare (waterfront) that visually unites Etna with the Ionian sea, in the context of the lava rock of the ancient eruptions of our volcano - explained Mayor of Catania Pogliese - will become a symbol of a man, an artist who has magnificently interpreted the values ​​of nature, transcending the borders of Sicily and Italy for its innate ability to grasp the deepest feelings of humanity. The great emotion that the death of Franco Battiato aroused throughout Italy convinced us that to remember a personality who has marked the feelings of g...

What a sad day. Somehow I knew it was coming but still it is a shock. I'm just too sad and numb to say anything now, I'll do proper post for his honor after Eurovision. His music has been such a big part of my life since 1980's and shaped my music taste more than I ever know. Rest in peace. You won't be forgotten.

Eurovision song contest is heading to its 64th edition so the sad side of long history is we are losing its key personalities every year. The 2018 hasn't been exception when we have lost two winners, a legendary hostess and very sadly some youngers names, too... France Gall  (9 October 1947 - 7 January 2018) ESC 1965 winner Madalena Iglesias  (24 October 1939 - 16 January 2018) ESC 1966 Katie Boyle (26 May 1926 - 20 March 2018)  ESC 1960, 1963, 1968, 1974 hostess Lys Assia  (3 March 1924 - 24 March 2018) ESC 1956 winner, 1957 , 1958 Sabahudin Kurt  (18 July 1935 - 30 March 2018) ESC 1964 Lill-Babs  (9 March 1938 - 3 April 2018) ESC 1961 Jürgen Marcus  (6 June 1946 - 17 May 2018) ESC 1976 Teddy Johnson  (4 September 1919 - 6 June 2018) ESC 1959 Vlatko Ilievski  (2 July 1985 - 6 July 2018) ESC ESC 2011 Hanna-Riikka Siitonen  (13 March 1970 - 23 July 2018)  multiple backing singer and nationa...

Hanna-Riikka Siitonen (47) has died of thyroid cancer she was diagnosed in 2000.  She was multiple times a backing singer for Finland in the Eurovision song contest (1996, 2004, 2005) and participated in the national selection 2006 and was a featuring figure in the opening and interval acts in Helsinki 2007 Eurovision. She was one of the most used backing and studio singers in Finland, and worked a lot in television and theatre both in music and acting, radio and was Idols vocal coach. She was a daughter of Fredi aka Matti Siitonen (Finland ESC 1967, 1976, composer 1979).  In 1990's she formed multiplatinum selling duo Taikapeili with Nina Tapio. 

Indonesian born Sandra Reemer aka Xandra has died at the age of 66 in Amsterdam. She represented the Netherlands three times at the Eurovision song contest; 1972 with Andres and Als het om de liefde gaat , 1976 with The party's over and in 1979 with Colorado . She died of breast cancer after being diagnosed earlier this year.... 

Today we remember the amazing Mia Martini, twice the Italian entrant. Rest in peace.

2016 has been a sad year in entertainment industry and also in the Eurovision world. So many familir names have left us. Here are some of them.... Sir Terry Wogan , the face of the British Eurovision at the age of 77. He commented the Eurovision for the BBC from 1971 to 2008, and hosted the show in 1998. He died of cancer. Kevin aka Danny Finn of Prima Donna (UK 1980). He was married to Eve Graham and they both were also part of The New Seekers. He was 70. Jānis Vaišļa of Pirates of the Sea (Latvia 2008) died at the age of 46 of heart complications. He had also competed in The Amazing Race with fellow pirate Alexandra Kurusova. Lola Novaković (Yogoslavia 1962) died at the age of 80. Roger Cicero (Germany 2007) died at the age of 45 of a stroke. He was to start a new tour and projects after releasing two albums in 2015. The Eurovision 1957 winner Corry Brokken (The Netherlands) dies at the age of 83. She represented the Netherlands also in 1956 and 1958. In...

Ofra Haza passed away 16 years ago today. Her legacy and her voice live on .  Tell me how do I stop the tears  Tell me where there's a different world to live in  Tell me why there is no truth, only hallucinations  So why try and keep crying now? By the sea  There are no waves there is a world that is  Broken pieces on the dock.  Tell me how to stop the tears  Tell me where there's a different world to live in  When people run into Inferno like into the Sea  I will run into the fire if they will return from there  Along the sea ...  Tell me how you live with death  hide the tears every night, tell me how long  The fire that calls me is not really there  And the one who disappeared,  will he return or he is already dead?  Along the sea .. Tell me how to stop the tears Tell me how 

Exactly one year ago tonight, one of the greatest and most original voices and musicians was taken away from us. A heart attack on stage next to adoring fans. Singing his first success Oro .... Somehow it's all very poetic but so sad.... and unfair.  Below are the two covers released during this year when he's no longer with us. Hiss music lives on!

Kikka died ten years ago today. Heart attack took her at the age of 41. Finland's very own Samantha Fox or Sabrina Salerno shot to the fame with her sexy image and provocative but always funny lyrics full of double meanings in the late 1980's. In a year or two all of sudden she was lusted by men, adored by kids and liked by women. A wierd combo that has left a mark in the Finnish music business and her legacy lives on. Her biggest dream was Eurovision and she did take part in the national final Euroviisut in 1992 with Parhaat puoleni (My best parts). Before that she scored twice a third place in the biggest Finnish music contest Syksysn Sävel; 1990 with Sukkula Veenukseen (Shuttle to Venus) and 1991 with Kierrätä, pyöritä mua (Recycle me, roll me over). Her debut single Mä haluun viihdyttää (I want to entertain you) in 1989 was a huge hit while Onnen nainenkin silloin vasta saa (Only then a woman is satisfied)  in 1991 was the very first female rap song in Finland.  H...