Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Let's continue the series and kill some time having a look at the last decade and see who were the Top-10 best scoring countries in the Eurovision song contest in the past ten years. The ways to calculate are many and here I have used the simple average placement method (and it's not all so serious). Next up is Ukraine at n.o 4. Ukraine, Ukraine.... so many troubles this decade. Still doing great success - when they managed to take part. Due to the crisis with Russia and financial matter they stayed home in 2015 just to come back and win it in 2016. And just like back in 2005 they did poorly at home compared to their other efforts. 2019 again the trouble with Russia caused withdrawel for Maruv (that I have included here just because it's so awesome and err,.. I needed nine songs) Unlike many I think Jamala was a worthy winner in 2016 and the only Ukrainian entry I never cared for is Be my guest really.... The Ukrainian national finals also provide a lot of drama every...

Finally, my number one and the song that could have been my number two, or at least Top-5 Italy - Mahmood - Soldi ***** Penso più veloce per capire se domani tu mi fregherai Non ho tempo per chiarire perché solo ora so cosa sei I think faster trying to figure out whether tomorrow you will fool me I got no time to clear things up Because only now I found out what you are Alessandro Mahmoud aka Mahmood (26) came out of nowhere and beat entablished and Big singers in Sanremo 2019, and caused quite a stir and even political case of racism and all that. Or so it seemed. In reality he had been taking steps into business since The Voice in 2012 becoming a succesful songwriter to others (Marco Mengoni, Michele Bravi etc). After the initial outcry that the juries made him win for who knows what political reason and that he wasn't the people's winner his song has proven it all wrong: it went to #1 in all possible charts from radio play to streams to digital sales a...

After days of speculating and refusals from both runner up Freedom Jazz and third placed Kazka (and 4th placed Brunettes Shoot Blondes even before they were asked and apparently they never were) after the winner Maruv and negotiating with EBU Ukraine has decided to withdraw from Eurovision song contest 2019. They will however broadcast the shows as planned. One can suppose for 2020 they go for an internal selection or carefully selected artists..... if they will be there.  Should Russia win in 2019 and organize in 2020 UA:PBC confirmed they won't be there. 

Public broadcaster of Ukraine and singer MARUV did not sign an agreement on the participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019. Negotiations for the next candidate start tomorrow morning. Logicly it would be runner up Freedom Jazz, but also they have performed in Russia last year apparently..... same goes for 3rd placed Kazka. Update: UA:PBC to consult EBU lawyers to consider withdrawal from the contest before approaching other candidates. If decision will be taken to participate after all, the representative will be chosen among the Vidbir acts.  Update 2: Runner up Freedom Jazz has rejected the offer. Update 3: 3rd placd Kazka also rejected thee offer.... Update 4: Ukraine officially confirms withdrawel. However they will broadcast thee shows and hope to be back in 2020. UA:PBC statement: “The public broadcaster and  MARUV, who won the national selection for the Eurovision, did not agree on the terms of participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 ...

The Ukraininian national final Vidbir 2019 for Eurovision song contest in Tel Aviv had its heated moments when politics entered the judging and for example Maruv (or Hanna Korsun) was demanded an answer by Jamala what she will answer when she will asked if Crimea is part of Ukraine or not.... She answered that of course it is but looking painfully cornered and somewhat afraid. Despite her win her going actually to Tel Aviv in doubt until Ukrainian television confirms it as the national final wasn't staged by them. The winner is proposed to them as the entry and they can still say No and pick someone else.... Apparently Maruv has a planned tour and other apparances coming up in Russia and she's given 24h to cancel them all to be allowed to do Eurovision.... All this apart the jury placed her second and she won the televote beating Freedom Jazz as televoters placd them only third... Bang! Maruv - Siren Song (5+6) 11 Freedom Jazz - Cupidon (jury 6 + televote 4) 10 ...

Ukraine is proving ónce again why it is an Eurovision superpower. Their national selection final offers us six songs that all could go easily to Eurovision and do well. There will be 50-50 televote-jury and while in the semi-finals the votes have spread evenly among the contestants, only Freedom Jazz took home full votes from televoters and jury.... Their song and performance is something else, bum bum bum! Housewife version of Verka  Serduchka meets girls gone wild on spring break. Yuko continues with the catchy tunes and way of singing that you either like or hate. Enter Maruv with hypnotic beat and horns. Bang! Brunettes Shoots Blondes offer something less immediate. Pre-contest favorite Kazka may have not delivered and featured as well as expected and the song lacks a hook coming after the three first bangers. Anna Maria last but not least with their most traditional song of this final.  My votes go to Freedom Jazz and Maruv, anything else would be a little disappoi...