Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

After all those zeros in previous posts let's have a look at the highest scores over the years in Eurovision song contest televoting .For obvious reasons they are all from the past years.  Ukraine's Kalush Orchestra is a runaway winner in this chart followed by Norway's Alexander Rybak with a tiny difference to Portugal's Salvador Sobral. With the same amount of points but fewer countries to colect them is the first non-winning entry, Finland's Käärijä followed by another non winner, Russia's Sergey Lazarev, followed by yet another non-winning entry Italy's Il Volo. Loreen's first win follows and then this year's Croatia before Bulgaria's runner up, Russia's runner up, this year's Israel before yet another Ukrainian winner by Jamala. Kalush Orchestra - Stefania  439 (Ukraine 2022/winner) Alexander Rybak - Fairytale 378 (Norway 2009/winner) Käärijä - Cha cha cha  376 (Finland 2023/2nd) Salvador Sobral - Amar pelos dos  376 (Portugal 2017/w...

Ukraine organized once again Vidbir, the national selection for Eurovision song contest. This time it was broadcast from Kiev's National museum of  history of Ukraine WW II instead of underground metro station bunker. The show was hosted Eurovision veterans hosts Timur Miroshnychenko and Julia Sanina.  Out of 389 submission 20 were selected for auditions and eventually ten chosen out of them. The 11th entry, Anka,  was voted by people, as were the three judges as well. Alyona Alyona & Jerry Heil won the final with outstanding numbers, nearly 7 times more votes than the second most voted act. Alyona Alyona or Aliona Olehiva Savranenko (Альо́на Олегівна Савране́нко) (32) is Ukrainina rapper and songwriter. She's been described by Ukrainian media The Sensation of rap and The new rap star, while New York Times included her among 15 European Pop star that matter right now comparing her to Azelia Banks. She has released four albums and an EP, over 20 solo singles and severa...

The Eurovision song contest 2023 in Liverpool on behalf of Ukraine is turning out very Ukraine as promised with a string of Ukrainian artists coming back to belt out their Eurovision successes. Throw in a bit of British by giving a slot also to last year's runner up (and not only), invite some Eurovision favorites to sing Liverpool Songbook. Add Rita Ora and some drag queens (because why not?) and me thinks it looks like a very nice mix! Grand final Opening act: Kalush Orchestra - Stefania Interval act: Sam Ryder - Space man  Flag parade: Go_A - Shum, Jamala - 1944, Tina Karol - Show me your love, Verka Serduchka - Dncing lasha tumbai Liverpool Songbook: Mahmood, Netta, Dadi Freyer, Cornelia Jakobs, Duncan Laurence, Sonia Semifinal One Opening act: Julia Sanina - Mayak Interval acts: Rita Ora - Medley of hits + Praising you,  Alyosha with Rebecca Ferguson - Ordinary world Semifinal Two Interval acts: Maria Yaremchuk, Otoy, Zlata Dziunka - Medley of Ukrainian Music Podilya dan...

The Ukrainian Eurovision song contest 2022 winner Kalush Orchestra is returning to front and other military and humanitarian services to help and support their nation under Russian bombardment and war right after returning home today. Instead of going on international tour promoting their entry and all that usual stuff. They have declared that all the profits from their winning entry Stefania will be handed over to organisations that help people and provide arms to the fighters against Russian aggressors. But that's not all. They are going to auction the Eurovision crystal microphone to raise funds for before mentioned aids. Now it's your chance to get this unique piece AND help suffering people in Ukraine. Meanwhile stream Stefania . Over and over again! Deatils about the auction and how to participate and donate here.

Ukraine received the incredible 28 times 12 points, 8 times 10 points, 2 times 8 (North Macedonia, Malta) points and once 7 points (Serbia) or 431 out of 468. That is certainly something that won't be repeated very easily. The European television audience really felt a need to support Ukraine and all I can say to that is Slava Ukraini! But the juries supported Ukraine as well. Poland, Moldova, Latvia, Romania and Lithuania gave them 12 points and Germany, Iceland and France 10 points, and they got 192 points in total, placing fourth after United Kingdom, Sweden and Spain.  What comes to the separate voting results by juries versus televotes it's remarkable how different they are. They totally agreed only on Spain (3rd) and less than five place difference on Armenia, Italy, Ukraine, UK, Sweden, Poland, Estonia, Czech Republic and the very bottom ones. Moldova has a difference of 18 places, and big differences also for Portugal, Norway, Australia, Azerbaijan and Switzerland.  An...

After Ukraine's win at Eurovision song contest the president Zelenskiy congratulated the winners on Instagram and welcomed everyone back to Ukraine next year. Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe! Next year Ukraine will host Eurovision! For the third time in its history. And I believe - not the last.We will do our best to one day host the participants and guests of Eurovision in Ukrainian Mariupol. Free, peaceful, rebuilt! Thank you for winning @ Kalush.official and everyone who voted for us! I am sure that our victorious chord in the battle with the enemy is not far off. Glory to Ukraine! This is all we hope and pray for but at the moment it looks very unlikely. The Eurovision 2023 preparations should start as soon as tomorrow as usual but the thought it beautiful and will lift the spirits, I hope, of those still wrapped there under Russian bombardments and fire. The fact that Mariupol maybe didn't have a suitable arena etc even before war to start with m...

The Eurovision song contest final is over and we have a winner: Ukraine! Some random thoughts: The show went on smoothly despite a few wrong camera angles, spotlights and impromptu nonsense from the hosts to cover up some time while the stage wasn't ready.  Most artists did really save their beast for tonight, including Italy, Romania, Armenia, Germany, Belgium and Greece.... No one really did badly which is always wonderful. Italy, Moldova, Romania, Ukraine, Finland, Serbia and Spain really got the arena wild. Laura's opening number was a real wardrobe gimmick extravaganza she did a pretty good job with Cattelan and Mika.  Ankle injured Damiano and Måneskin came and sung but I was more thrilled for Gigliola Cinquetti to be honest.  The voting...... well, the juries were all over the place really! And the juries are supposed to be professional but they just vote their neighbors worse than locals....And Martin gave so many votes like no one ever before, wtf? And as expecte...

The Eurovision song contest 2022 has begun in Turin this morning with the first rehearsals of Albania, Latvia, Lithuania, Switzerland, Slovenia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, The Netherlands and Moldova. And with rehearsals come problems as everything isn't (yet) perfect despite stand-in rehearsals and all that, which is very normal and adjustable. Apparently The Netherlands weren't happy with their stand-in for example but the bigger problem is the malfunction of the sun on stage that may have caused Lithuania to alter their staging. It looks like there's a problem with its motor that causes problems with the LED wall as the sun doesn't rotate all the way as it  should and it may not be fixable.... We'll see. Ukraine has had different kind of problems as they have had to change their staging several times as Ebu has considered their ideas too political until they have come to an agreement what is acceptable and suitable for Eurovision. And yes, the Green room is Green. There ...

  Here we go again! Once again Blogilkar's home jury has sat through the songs and videos and voted from 1 to 10. This year the jury consisted of pre-teens, 20somethings, 30somethngs, 40somethings and 50somethings. Even a dog participated and went nuts for Romania but was not allowed to vote. Most of the jury members had not heard any of the songs beforehand, some not even the Finnish one.And yes, this jury didn't care for betting odds, fan favorites or wanks but only their own taste and first impression! I will be counting down from bottom to the top and  here are places 25-28. Check out also places 29-32 here .  25. AUSTRALIA - SHELDON RILEY - NOT THE SAME  (Average score 5,14) Another self discovery song from a person who needs to be a weird, I mean original in his look. We didn't connect at all, take of the mask off and be real. Comes across fake, we don't believe you. This said the beginning of the song is good, then nothing developes or goes anywhere. Not even ...

Ukraine has re-chosen after Alina Pash, the winner withdrawn from Eurovision due travel document scandal and backlash on social medias etc. Among other things. Long story short the runner up (and televoting winner) Kalush orchestra was asked to do the honors and after few days of thinking they have accepted.  Kalush is Ukrainian rapper Pleh Psiuk, multi instrumentalist Ihor Didenchuk (also a member of Go_A) and DJ MC Kilimmen. The band was formed in 2019. Last year Kalush became a parallel project with added multi instrumentalis members Tymofil Muzychuk and Vitali Duzhuk and added folk and traditional music to the sound, just like their Eurovision entry Stefania. Today the full results of Vidbir 2022 were also published: 1. Alina Pash - Tini zabutykh predkiv (jury 8 + televote 7) 15 , total televotes 19.535 2. Kalush orchestra - Stefania (6 + 8) 14, 31.634 3. Wellboy - Nozzy bossy (7 + 6) 13 , 5.642 4. Roxolana - Girlzzzz (3 + 5) 8 , 5.034 5. Barleben - Hear my words (4 + 3) 7 , 2....

UPDATE 16.2.2022:  Alina Pash withdraws - or is forced to. The same old Crimea/Russia/Ukraine affair. Let's see if Ukraine sends someone else or withdraws completely..... :-( Ukraine has its national final Vidbir 2022 this weekend and chose Alina Pash with  Тіні забутих предків aka Shadows of forgotten ancestors , a song heavy with Ukrainian flavor. This one of the better ones this year for sure. And Vidbir 2022 was such a feast for eyes and ears, with a lot of local flavor indeed that it shot among the best national finals this season for sure.  Alina Ivanivna Pash (28) is an Ukrainian singer/rapper, writer and actress. Her career started already 2010 when she took part in Karaoke na majdani, but her major fame arrived with X Factor where she placed third. Various nominations and awards followed after 2019. Three albums, two EPs and a dozen singles later she's ready to take on the international stage with her Eurovision entry, unless the political situation once again m...

Along with the three Baltic states also Ukraine is to have its national final for the Eurovision song contest tonight. No semi-finals but a straight up final in Kyiv eight finalists. Before the announcement of those a short list of 27 acts in consideration was published, and right after Laud had made it he was disqualified as his song Head under water was proved to have been published already in 2018. Barleben got his place in the final line up. There will be a jury/televote 50/50. So what to think about these? Most everyone needs a revamp to stand out. Alina Pash, Kalush orchestra and Roxolana are for me the three possible ones, all needing a major revamp before Turin though.  Barleben - Hear my words ** I listened and this went by without a trace. I like the piano though. Cloudless - All be alright ** Quite standers pop rock. You wait forever to this take off and it never does really. Verses are pretty nice but chorus a yawn.  Michael Soul - Demons * Very uninteresting three...