Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Last night San Marino hosted its party and Valentina Monetta impressed on stage singing her more familiar repertoire of jazz and stuff, including a jazzy version of The Network song, which works wonders.Good music, good food, good people, good party.... this is what Eurovision is at its best! (Extra photos by Alessandro Banti)

Mauro Balestri, the lyricist of Crisalide, the Sammarinese entry and this year's fan favorite makes his Eurovision debut. Before that he sat down and had a little chat with yours truly. Here's the English edited interview (and here the original Italian version). How the song was born, what he thinks of Mengoni and what does his surname has to do with San Marino? Read it all here:  Mauro, first of all thanks for the interview. How excited are you for the Eurovision? What is happening is extraordinary, I am experiencing a time of great enthusiasm for participation in Eurovision. A re you familiar with the whole circus called Eurovision song contest? It 's my first time as an author in Eurovision, a new experience for me even though I have often paid attention to what was happening as a viewer. Are you going to Malmö yourself and what do you expect from that experience? It's your first time, right? Of course I'm going to Malmo and follow our Chrysalis...

Mauro Balestri, the lyricist of Crisalide, the Sammarinese entry and this year's fan favorite makes his Eurovision debut. Before that he sat down and had a little chat with yours truly. Here's the original Italian interview (and here the English edited version). How the song was born, what he thinks of Mengoni and what does his surname has to do with San Marino? Read it all here: Mauro, anzitutto grazie per l'intervista. Quanto sei eccitato per l'Eurovision? Quello che stà accadendo è straordinario, sto vivendo un momento di grande entusiasmo per questa partecipazione all'Eurovision. Quanto sei familiare con tutto il circo chiamato Eurovision song contest? E' il mio primo accesso come autore all'Eurovision, un'esperienza nuova per me anche se da ascoltatore sono spesso stato attento a quanto avveniva. Vai anche tu a Malmö e che cosa aspetti di quella esperienza? É la tua prima volta, vero? Certamente andrò a Malmo per seguire diretta...

Valentina Monetta is doing another Blogilkar exclusive interview! Here is the original Italian one (check out the English one here ) . If last year her song was the laughing stock of the season, this year she's among the hot fan favorites! How things change! Read here how she feels this time around, who her favorites are, what she thinks of Mengoni, how her stage presentation will be.... and all the rest! Enjoy! And listen Crisalide here .  Valentina, di nuovo al Eurovision! Da Baku a Malmö,  sembra che è stata una vita in mezzo guardando a te ora, ma è passato solo un anno. Come descriveresti i cambiamento e hai mai pensato che hai fatto un errore accettando di cantare The social network song? In effetti l'anno scorso è stato come buttarsi da un aereo senza paracadute …ma è stata un opportunità per crescere e vivere la consapevolezza che ho ora dopo tutto. Onestamente, quanto sei stata stufa di tutte le parole negative e commenti cattivi  l'anno scorso? ...

Valentina Monetta's song Crisalide/Chrysalis will have its worldwide debut at March 15 , 2013 at 20.25 CET on SMRTV San Marino. This will be the event that flips the cards and changes the rules of the Eurovision game, you can't afford to miss it! A live stream of the event will be provided on the TV's web site www.smtvsanmarino.sm , on eurovision.tv and esctoday.com.  Just one week remain until San Marino's entry to the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö, Sweden is released! Crisalide will be sung by no other than Valentina Monetta who we all remember from last year's Contest in Baku. The song is composed by Ralph Siegel with lyrics written by Mauro Balestri. This will be Mr. Siegel's 21st entry at the Eurovision Song Contest, and the second one in a row for San Marino. Also watch out for Valentina's brand new website www.valentinamonetta.com , which will come online upon release of the song. The song will be made availa...