Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

It's already a tradition YLE dusts off some old Euroviisut broadcasts for the May Day and today is no exception. On Yle Teema channel at noon we have again Eurovision Brunch with the Finnish selections of 1993 and 1994. HAPPY WAPPU EVERYONE! The 1993 was a bit special one as that year YLE invited four super ladies for the competition: Katri Helena, Paula Koivuniemi, Marjorie and Arja Koriseva . Each had two songs selected from the submitted ones and the whole show was very low key in YLE's studios. Katri Helena's Tule luo was a clear winner. In 1994 it was back to normal, big show in Tampere talo. But it was a flop, they didn't manage to fill the concert hall even half way, maybe due to the very unknown line up, but in television it was a success when almost 1,2 million watched CatCat march to the victory with Bye bye baby . There was the telvoting for the first time and the votes were given out by regions plus the ones from the audience in the hall. CatCa...

Samuli Edelmann will release his new album Pienellä kivellä next week. The album was mainly recorded in Malta where he lives these days and its first single Ei mitään hätää is one of the biggest hits on radios this fall. Several songwriters have been involved, including Hanna Pakarinen and Chisu! Last year he scored big with a duet album with Jippu with #1 hit Jos sä tahdot niin . Before that he released a trilogy of psalms and religious music. And countless pop hits and platinum selling albums since 1992, including Euroviisut 1991 runner up Peggy and Olen luonasi sun from 1998 with Sani.  Besides that he is a very respected actor both in movies and TV. He is currently filming a new movie called Tie pohjoiseen that will be his 25th. That follows his first Hollywood film. He is starring next to Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 4 - Ghost protocol that will premiere in December 2011. It seems nothing is impossible for this talented artist! His other musical goodies include Palava...

Janita has finally released her album Haunted also in the States, Canada and Japan. The album was released in Finland already in September 2009 following her second participation in Euroviisut 2009 with Martian . This is her 4th album in English made in the US after her three albums in Finland before that. After charming Finns when she was only 13-17 years old she now gets praise in New York where she has lived for 15 years now. Billboard magazine writes " talented woman, on the way to stars ", The Village Voice says " this beautiful woman can really sing and write songs " and All Music Guide states " her beautiful and soulful singing is even more beautiful than her face ". The album has been remastered and remixed for the US release. You can listen to Haunted the album  here .  Here's Janita in Euroviisut 1994 with Enkeli . And here are I miss you , Enjoy the silence and Angel eyes .

Janita has recently released a new album Haunted and will be performing live in New York October 27, 8pm in 184 Allen St. New York NY 10002. She will be also signing the CD so if in New York go and get one! Janita has participated in Euroviisut twice, in 1994 with Enkeli and in 2009 with Martian .

Janita has finally released her new album Haunted. You can watch the video here . And more of her on her MySpace . She took part in Euroviisut 2009 with Martian .

Jaana Pelkonen and Peltsi Peltola are presenting live from Tampere Fair and Sports Center the Finnish final for Eurovision song contest 2009 in Moscow. Tonight's propably the coldest night of the year with temperatures around -20C in most parts of Finland but in the sold out hall it's hot with 1.800 people! Before the final there will be a second chance round for the songs that didn't qualify directly. The entry chosen tonight will be Finland's 43rd entry. Finland has had a very rocky past in the contest finishing usually in the last places until the monstreous victory of Lordi in 2006. Finland has now been present in the final ever since. The show has started with Teräsbetoni presenting a new version of their last year's winner Missä miehet ratsastaa .The stage looks pretty fantastic! Jaana looks very glamorous tonight and Peltsi, well... casual as always. THE SECOND CHANCE ROUND : 01. Passionworks fr. Tony Turunen - Surrender Passionworks is the big fan favourite...

The show is about to start live from Tohloppi TV-studios in Tampere. Jaana and Peltsi are now on stage and here we go. First a recap of what's happened so far and some Moscow info about the semifinals etc. First one tonight is Signmark & co. He has previously told this song is written specially for Euroviisut, not to promote them or their new album but to write a good Eurovision track. The song is performed in English and American signlanguage. They also tell they stand for all minorities. Signmark ft Osmo Ikonen - Speakerbox The band is on stage, rapping is good and clear, Osmo's vocals are great and Signmark's signs flawless. Well I can only guess about that obviously. This would be a very interesting choise for Moscow. If Lordi got all the heavyrockers in Europe to vote for them, could Signmark get all the deaf people vote for them? And they are millions.... Next is Janita, who is seeking revenge for her 3rd place back in 1994. The song is from her worthcoming album ...

The talk about the Finnish Euroviisut entries is hot on many chatrooms and blogs and it seems, as usual, that foreign people think it's a very good selection of songs while Finns tend to think it's worthless, there's nothing good and whoever go to Moscow will put us in shame. Things never change! Passionworks seems to be the favourite but I don't see, or hear, why? It's not bad. But it's nothing special unless they're really really good on stage. But I will judge and comment once we get into the business for real. For now just groups of songs without further comments based on 2-3 listenings. The songs I'd love to see and hear in Moscow: Kwan, Remu, Janita The songs I will be less passionate if they win: Sani, Passionworks, Waldo's People The songs I would hate to see going to Moscow (it doesn't mean they are bad necessarily): Riikka, Tapani Kansa, Tiara, Jari Sillanpää, Vink The outsider: Signmark What do you think? Vote for your favourite in my ...

YLE has made video interviews of the artists and here comes some main facts what the artists told us. Janita, who left for New York right after Thursdays' press made headlines over the weekend when the yellow press picked up her coming divorce from her husband with whom she has been collaborating all her career. She stated their working relationship will go on. "I was very surprised but very happy for the invitation and think Lordi's victory has changed Euroviisut a lot. I believe my song is great and I have a lot of experience in performing, after been a professional artist for the past 16 years, 12 of them abroad." She describes her song as alternative soul and hopes people will like it...

I was hoping Janita (30) for Euroviisut 2008 but she's here now a year later when I had lost my faith, great! I'm really curious how her 2nd try will go as her 1994 Enkeli was very good and despite being the hot favourite finished only 3rd. Her career has been rather strange. She became a hit making, Finnish Grammy winning, platinum selling artist at the age of 13, was voted the most sensual woman at the age of 15 and left the country at the age of 17 when being on the top. Since then she has been living in New York and making music there, touring the world and releasing albums and getting excellent critic in jazz circuits. Her discography so far includes 4 albums in Finnish ( 1992, 1994, 2001 and compilation in 2005) and also 4 albums in English and a new one is in the making. Watch Enkeli here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-lYGXmOjiU and one of her biggest hits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRNHeSXxN5Y and some material in English: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7JWbD...