Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

As expected Poland's absence didn't last but the football year 2012 and next year they are back it seems. There's no confirmation by EBU but apparently TVP has confirmed it themselves yet not telling how the entry will be selected this time. The Polish national final has often been rather good and they have sent some interesting and good songs as well, even if they haven't been so much favored by the voters. Poland has only made it twice to the final since the semifinals were introduced  in 2004 with Love song and in 2008 with For life but they have almost made it to the final in several occasions: 2005 and 2006 11th while in 2009-2010 they finished close 12th and 13th with I don't wanna leave and Legenda . Their 2011 entry Jestem was a fan favorite but dropped to 19th (one may also add the live performance wasn't that good, sadly.) Their best placing remains the debut in 1994 when Edyta Gorniak charmed Europe with To nie ja! and came 2nd...

It seems Poland is withdrawing from Eurovision 2012 in Baku. They debuted with a bang back in 1994 when Edyta Gòrniak's To nie ja came second. Since then Poland has failed to make the top-10 with the exception of 2003 when Ich Troje's Keine Grenzen scored 7th place. The last seven editions Poland has made the final only once but even then Isis Gee's For life was only 23rd in the final. This blogger thinks Poland should have done a bit better most of the times as their songs have been better than their placements generally... like in 2004 , 2010 and 2011 for example. Well, hopefully they will be back in 2013 again when they don't have to host some footballing event....

The commercially rather bland 2011 edition of Eurovision is over and it seems real international hits are missing this year and the winner just doesn't match the success of the two previous winners. Oh well, that was to expected when the voting was over, wasn't it? But hey, it's time to sit back and have a look what else was there to offer and I will go country by country presenting songs from every country that didn't win the national selection but that were my favourites to win earlier this year or just songs that now relistening them sound good and we start with Poland . I may agree with the Polish winner even if Magdalena Tul unfortunately didn't deliver live on stage and scored only disappointing 19th place in the first semifinal with Jestem despite being tipped for the final. What if they had sent Ada Fijal's Hot like fire or the violin triplets Alizma and Bow to the bow ?

Poland started the second round of technical rehearsals. Magdalena and her team were wearing the outfits for the real thing and unfortunately they are rather horrible vision of white and silver. Vocally she wasn't in top form today either and with that drops in my list from a possible finalist back to non-finalist. Stella from Norway lit up her smile today and it makes all the difference. The song is fun and happy and will surely get the whole arena dancing and singing along. Will it make people also vote for it? I think it does and Norway's in the final. Like Poland there are no visible changes to the set or the choreography.  Aurela from Albania has also changed to her outfit and it's the one seen on the video with the matching very blue make up.  She's vocally as stunning as always really not holding back but giving it all even if this is just a rehearsal and there's the biggest danger: she's on the edge of overdoing it going over dramatic. But I think Alb...

So, the first day of rehearsals is over. They might be "only" technical but already give hints what to expect how things will turn out later. This first part of the first semifinal turned out to be a solid pack and when five songs were presented I had five possible or sure qualifiers. Disturbing! Of course it's not going to be like that when tomorrow we have another nine songs to go through ( btw, tomorrow I can't be blogging until the evening so tomorrow's comments and posts will all come together, not as the day progresses ) and the things may look a bit clearer - or then not.  The biggest positive surprise today was maybe Albania . I didn't count much on it but it did make an impact. I was also very relieved Finland did look stunning and sounded as good as I hoped it would. Way to go Axel! I have to admit Armenia gave a good show without being over the top and as much as I wished it would be a disaster it's a contender. Not for the victory but for a g...

The rehearsals have started and Poland had the honors to start the show. Magdalena delivers as expected and has changed her male dancers to female ones and has now four female dancers and a sleak coreography she participates herself nicely. The colors of the stage are bluish just like in her video and indeed it promises to be a good opener for the show. The only disturbing thing is the male backing singer who seems to be just hanging around the stage's edge hoping not to fall of...  They need to do something to him as you can check on the AKOE's video here . Poland could squeeze into the final or end up 11th again as so many times before it seems. Here's the official video.

Also Dana International has finished her video for Ding dong just in time as the holabaloo in Dusselsdorf has officially just kicked off this morning when Magdalena Tul from Poland took the stage. Reports coming later today but here's Ding dong - the video !

Spain - Lucia Perez - Que me quiten lo bailao ** What to say about this? Clearly not the best offer in the Spanish final. This song could have been the Spanish entry in any year in the past 30 years. Does it make it timeless? Or simply one in a dozen? Is it too much carneval so it works only there and comes across as tired and boring late Saturday night? And the fact that Lucia looks like a rabbit in the flashlights doesn't help either. Time will tell but I don't have high hopes for Spain bothering the battle on top this year (either). Shame.  Poland - Magdalena Tul - Jestem **** This is a good entry, well sung, produced and performed. And at least the fans are pleased they chose to perform the original Polish version instead of the English one, First class ticket to heaven . In my books this competes with Hungary and unfortunately loses but I'd be happy if they both make the final, especially because of the Finnish touch in it. Qualifier: Hopefully .  Italy - Raphael G...

The favourite Magdalena Tul with Jestem won the Polish final moments ago. I like it. Here is her live performance. I'm a bit shocked 3 out of my 4 favourites finished in top-3! 1. Magdalena Tul - Jestem   44,47% 2. Anna Gogola -Ktos taki jak ty   22,57% 3. Alizma - Bow to the bow   12,76%