Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

BBC chose internally Olly Alexander for United Kingdom at Eurovision song contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden. Olly himself told the news on December 16, 2023 during the final of Strictly come dancing, and the song Dizzy was premiered on March 1, 2024. The music video was shot in mid February in Tbilisi, Georgia.  Oliver Alexander Thornton (33) is an actor, singer and LGBT+ activist. He was the singer of Years & Years before the band ended its journey by 2023 it being already more or less Olly's solo project since 2021. As Years & Years they released three studio albums (two #1s, one #3) and five Top-20 hits including #1 King . For this blogger the most familiar hit is Dreamland with Pet Shop Boys though. Other collaborations include Tove Lo , Elton John and Kylie Minogue (twice) Besides music Olly has a successful acting career going on since teenage years and has been nominated to various awards over the years. Besides movies (13 so far) he has done theater and musicals on s...

Ebu made the painful but sensible decision not to let the 2023 Eurovision song contest be held in Ukraine, the 2022 winning country due to ongoing Russian aggression and full blast war that seems to not be ending anytime soon sadly.  When the speculation started immediately, or even before their win, many broadcasters and countries stepped in line more or less seriously to have it from Italy to Poland, Sweden, the Netherlands and Spain but the Ebu decision fell on BBC and United Kingdom, the historical back up country and this time also the runner up with the official announcement on July 25. By then most every UK city has expressed its willingness to host Eurovision 2023: Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Nottingham, Newcastle, Sheffield, Sunderland and Wolverhampton.  This will be 9th time United Kingdom hosts the contest: 1968 London, 1977 Wembley/London, 1982 Harrogate, 1998 Birmingham after...

  Oh Kylie, the Queen of PWL! Who would have thought her career still goes on over 30 years later, a bit like Madonna's. Over the years she has changed - or tried to change styles - but she's always Kylie, and I was rather surprised when seeing her live what a showgirl and fine vocalist she's on stage. She's one of those rare ones I have kept eye and ear on ever since her start.... Check out also:

It's no seecret to any reader of this blog Gente De Zona has become my favorite ever since I started planning by trip to Cuba about a year ago. To my great surprise and pleasure they are indeed number one band there as they were played everywhere during all my holidays. All the time. everywhere. Their fame has spread all over the globe also thanks to their numerous collaborations and songs they have written for from Enrique Iglesias to Marc Anthony and many other local names. Recently they also turned Laura Pausini 's ballad and Kylie's country into Cubaton heaven. Their most recent ones include Eurovision veterans Il Volo, beforementioned fifty and fabulous Kylie Minogue, Jennifer Lopez and this week they have finally released also something on their own, too. Enjoy!

The moment Australia's third consegutive participation at the Eurovision song contest was confirmed the guessing started downunder who will follow Guy Sebastian (5th) and Dami Im (2nd) in Kyiv 2017. Meanwhile EBU has also stated Australia is not granted a permanent slot in the contest but will be given access year by year based on Reference Group's decision. This time they all voted for Australia's favor. And no, we can't expect various Chinas and others taking part in the contest anytime soon, but as a guest performance is a possibility... Anyways, Australia press has thrown in various names to Kyiv: Tina Arena, Tim Omaji, The Veronicas, Montaigne, Anthony Callea, Emma Louise, Cyrus Villanueva, Darren Hayes , forever tipped Delta Goodrem, Dan Sultan, Empire of the Sun and Dannii Minogue as a substitute for the big sister.... as t he ultimate wet dream remains Kylie MInogue , but would it be fair for the other countries? But then again, if you want to win .......

  Australian sisters Miriam and Olivia have got Kylie, Jake and Nile for their latest and it's pretty fantastic! Strangely this seems to have passed totally unnoticed. Their songwriting CV is impressive and yes, you have heard their songs for sure - just not knowing it's written by them. What's there not to love about this one?

As already seen on the video for Walk on water , the incredibly flexible dancer Skorpion will be on stage with her also in Stockholm. This is a nice add to his CV that already includes dancing with and choreographing for names like Kylie Minogue, Taylor Swift, Madonna and Cinrque du Soleil, just to name a few random names.  Ira's song isn't perfect but it's ok me thinks, and Skorpion will bring in some welcomed disruption from noticing the song is kinda messy.... I hope he will include in the choreography his signature scorpion walk moves ;-p

As soon as it was announced Australia would be taking part in the Eurovision song contest 2015 one name popped up, and even petition by fans was made to get her involved. Well, she didn't and Guy Sebastian went to Vienna instead. When it was known Australia would indeed return for the 2016 edition her name was up again.  Now she has finally spoken herself about the matter. The woman who has performed on the biggest stages of the world, in the Olympic games, to the royals confessed she'd be too nervous to do it! Too terrified so it's something not for her. Shame. Maybe it's the competition factor..... Anyways to be honest, she's too big for Eurovision anyways. She wouldn't be treated equally to the others. Who wouldn't vote for her just because she's Kylie? (I would!) Or the other way round. It's not a win-win situation at all. Anything but victory would be a disaster. (Unless UK entered Madonna or something similar.....) Meanwhile she...

Italian artists who sing in English are a rarity. (The big names go for Spanish and Latin market and make wonders there from Pausni to Ramazzotti, Ferro and Nek.) Not many have made a career of it, if we don't count some dance acts. Those who did - Alexia, Spagna and Elisa come in mind - have sooner or later switched into Italian after all. Now all of sudden we have two new very interesting debuts in English. First of all Michele Bravi . He won the X Factor, got songs written by Tiziano Ferro among others for his debut album and EP. The EP was a success with #1 La vita e felicità but everything ever since went downhill and it seemed he'd be yet another forgotten winner. Now he's back with the single The Days and new album I hate music . (I suppose he means music business....:-) ) All of sudden he's very interesting..... Virginio Simonelli , another reality talent show winner (Amici). Similar story, after initial success a career that went downhill fast. His bi...

The moment the news broke (and devided the Eurovision fans all over Europe like nothing ever before except the decision to drop the live orchestra back in 1999) that Australia will be taking part as a competing nation in the Eurovision song contest 2015 in Vienna Kylie Minogue's name was dropped. She'd be by far the most obvious choice. Kylie is known all over Europe, she's pure pop. She's 100% Eurovision. We want Kylie! There is already a petition to make it happen.  There's also a rumour Australia is not paying the participation fee so they can use that money on her, can't they? Kylie has 25 years of career behind her already and 70 million sold records in her sleeve, countless hits and bubbly likablle personality, she can pull a mean show and sing surprisngly well live, witnessed also by yours truly in a Helsinki concert some years ago. Interestingsly her calendar is also free from April to mid-June so it's perfect! 

Laura Pausini is making a comeback from maternity leave with a new album and new duets. The first one features Kylie Minogue ! Sounds a rather strange pairing but Limpido works out well. And the ladies get to take some very colorful baths in the video. Staying in Italy we have Quando una stella muore by Giorgia . Once again: What an Eurovision entry this would have been for Italy! Remember Lucy Was Driving from UMK? They're back with The anthem of broken dreams . The video is very innotive and... ehmm... educative? In the end music can make wonders! There's plenty of drama, education and high notes as added bonus in Robin Stjernberg' s new one, Pieces , too. Hands free, I say!

The second day of technical rehearsals has started and Israel will be the first act on stage this morning. Israel has a huge clock in the background, pulsing red and green lights and two backing singers-dancers in the catwalk doing 60's-70's style groovy moves. Vocally also good. Hmmm, now I have to say this sounded and looked good! More here . San Marino next. Yes, the laptop is on stage with Valentina and her five backing singers who all are involved in the choreography. A million friends are featured in the backdrop with various "Oh"s and "Uh"s. It all comes across light and bubbly, carefree and happy. If the televoters or jurors will get the irony of it, is another matter. More here . Cyprus is on stage next and one of the most curiously awaited ones: can Ivi sing live? She and her four dancing girls are in a white-blue setting that reminds a bit Kylie Minogue's Afrodite stuff and rightly so. The choreography is rather demanding and by...

This is one of the songs that make me think of sweaty summer nights, humid air and being slightly drunk... I wonder where that all comes from? Anyways. Kylie Minogue recorded On a night like this, maybe not first but better than Pandora or Anna Vissi . And Lord which is actually great!

If you think this sounds like good old Stock-Aitken-Waterman you are right. It is! Seems like the whole PWL team is behind this one and indeed it sounds just like if Rick Astley, Mel & Kim or the likes could have recorded this some 25 years ago. But it's Aussie Peter Wilson with his Stereo . The vid is so gay it hurts and I have a feeling it's not intentional.....

Merry Christmas to all my readers, collaborators, friends and admirers!  Only one thing seems fitting this year: Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!!

Pete Waterman, the man behind the countless hits of Kylie Minogue , Jason Donovan , Sinitta , Hazell Dean , Bananarama , Cliff Richard, Sonia , Mel & Kim , Rick Astley , Steps .... the list is endless. His PWL ruled the British charts - and not only - in the late 80's-early 90's. His first chart topper was John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John's You're the one that I want in 1978 and the latest Six's Let me be the one in 2002. In total he has written/producer/promoted 40 UK number ones and over 300 top-40 songs. PWL was considered a sort of modern day Motown, a real Hit Factory where several singers sung the same song and the most potential one was released and sometimes others, too. Like Turn it into love by Hazell and Kylie.   Or once again Hazell and Liza Minnelli in Love pains . With the 80's revival going on, has BBC got it right this time?

The ABBA tribute concert was held in London's Hyde Park yesterday and Kylie was there, too, doing Super trouper and When all is said and done with Benny :-) and practically stole the show, the reports tell. About 30.000-40.000 people attended the concert that celebrated ABBA's songs from the past four decades.

Kylie Minogue is the latest addition to the list of singers performing in the ABBA tribute along with Benny Andersson in London's Hyde Park on September 13, 2009. She will be united by fellow soap opera star and ex-PWL artist Jason Donovan. Eurovision winner Lulu (1969) will be reunited with Marti Pellow (fantastic duet in With you I'm born again from Lulu's duets album), ex-Wet Wet Wet and one of the finest male singers around (where has he been all this time???). Chaka Khan, Elaine Page, Jamie Cullum with the London cast of Mamma mia! will be there as well.... This is not the first time Kylie is performing ABBA as you can see here . And here's one of the best Wet Wet Wet songs, Angel eyes

Apparently Anna Vissi's version was released before Kylie Minogue's but it didn't go anywhere while Kylie had a big hit with it and took the first step to make a real grand come back with Can't get you out of my head a bit later. And indeed, Kylie has something in her version La Vissi can only dream of, lifting the song to a new level of a dance classic... http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=zfER3jhUC2E and http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=51OTH85l0fo