Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Tonight's Romania's turn to select its entry for Eurovision 2019. Two semi-finals have dropped half the songs voted by a jury (five finalists per semi) and televoters (one of the leftovers per semi).  The season hasn't been saved of scandals and withdrawels. First Eurovision veteran Dan Bittman decided to withdraw due conflicting schedules and was soon replaced by two wildcards (Bella Santiago and Linda Teodosiu) and that angered the ultimate Eurovision Diva extraordinaire MIHAI who in turn withdraw. Later also Xandra withdraw without giving a reason. MIHAI on the other hand then tried to apply for Moldova and Belarus it seems, but didn't show up in either, and apparently even tried to get a wildcard to Romanian selection again. Or so they say.... And finally Laura Bretan  (of America's Got Talent fame) caused a storm in a glass with her views about gays apparently. Olivier Kaye, Golden Stag 2018 1st prize from The Voice Belgium has a song written by Ovi aka ...

  Romania's Selecția Națională 2018 final takes place tonight after five semifinals. Judging the semifinals Alexia & Matei, Jukebox feat Bella Santiago, Claudia Andas and The Humans would be the front runners but that's only the according the jury vote in the semifinals. In the final we will have 100% televote and everything might change, because people tend to vote the artist, not the song.... Rafael sounds like Toto Cutugno song, TIRI had some plagiation accusation flying around. Eduard Santha has some cool gipsy thing going on and divided the jury totally and barely made it this far. Let's see how televoters react. This blogger approves big time! Same goes for VYROS.  Feli brings some etnovibe to the contest but what is it? African? Brazilian? MIHAI is back for the 978th time with another overproduced 13 in a dozen nonsense in ill fitting jacket and surprisingly manages not to include his trademark sneaky high notes! But there's also Xandra, doing the sa...

TVR has released the semifinalists for Selecţia Naţională Eurovision 2018. Some things never change: MIHAI tries again as a singer, and various Perssons, Downs and Gladnikoffs with quite a few Swedes are at it again. Among the songwriters also Ovidiu Anton that EBU made to stay home in 2016 when he had already packed his bags thanks to TVR's unpaid bills to EBU. Last year's Alex Florea tries again, this time solo. Then he have again Sergiu Bogota, this time with a self penned song when he tries last year with Stig Rästa's excellent We were young , one of this blogger's favorites. But the real surprise is (Italian?) Erminio Sinni singing with Titziana Camelin. This blogger wonders if it's the Erminio Sinni who took part in Sanremo 1993 with L'amore vero and left an everlasting mark in my mind. He's long disappeared from my radar, last seen in Latin America so could it be he has ended in Romania or is it just another Sinni? Any excuse is good enou...

Douwe Bob in shower.... Vaclav likes Frozen - who doesn't? Andras goes Tweety Amir picked yet another award.  This time NRJ's Francophone song of the year  Freddie promotes Pepe Iveta promotes her own watches, jumpers and stuff Dima got a phone. No, it's not the new iPhone Poli had a sweet moment Ira and.... OMG this photo is so wrong in so many ways....  Hovi did Rome Imri did Copenhagen Jamala and hubby did Tbilisi Emma did Brooklyn Måns and fiancee did Asia Tijana took a classic bathroom mirror selfie ... as did MIHAI. His 376.549.075th Claudia and Kurt having cozy kitchen time Svala... well,,,, wtf?! Gianluca got married! Congratulations! How was your week?

Yodel it was the obvious winner since its participation was revealed ages ago and apparently indeed it scored well above the others in the final. Ilinca with Alex Florea will yodle it in Kyiv. MIHAI managed econd place this time and my favorite Instict third....

Romania has its final tonight. In the last week's semifinal the jury kicked out five songs and these ten are left. Now in the final only televoters have a say, so let's see if they agreed with the jurors that all gave their top marks to Ilinca ft. Alex Florea? Also the nasty pre-contest rumors say it's the one to be chosen no matter what.... Below are the entries in the order they qualified for the final: Ilinca ft. Alex Florea - Yodel it! Xandra - Walk on by MIHAI - I won't surrender Cristina Vasiu - Set the skies on fire Instinct - Petale Ramona Nerra - Save me Eduard Santha - Wild child Maxim -  Adu-ți aminte Tavi Cohen & Emma - We own the night Ana-Maria Mirică - Spune-mi tu

Romania returns to Eurovision after last year's fiasco and has its Selecția Națională again. Tonight a jury will pick up the ten finalists, while in the final thee will be only televote. The selection hasn't been without scandals this year either and apparently it doesn't matter who are in what happens, the yoel thingy will win it anyways. Maybe. The rest are pretty much inoffensive fillers with a few exceptions like Petale and my original favorite is already out. I'm also amazed MIHAI manages to do a song without falsetto oh-oh-oh's. I'm shocked.  Alexandra Crăescu - Hope Ana-Maria Mirică - Spune-mi tu  Cristina Vasiu - Set the skies on fire D-lema - Adventure Eduard Santha - Wild child Elizé & No Stress -  Fără bariere Ilinca ft. Alex Florea - Yodel it! Instinct - Petale Maxim -  Adu-ți aminte MIHAI - I won't surrender Ramona Nerra - Save me Tavi Colen & Emma - We own the night Tudor Turcu - Limitless Xandra - Walk o...

Romania's Selecţia Naţionala 2016 had its semifinal on Friday sending half the songs home, selected by jury or televoters. Tonight only televoters rule. Let's see how that will shake the outcome. The jury ignored Vanotek & co but televoters had them as their clear favorite out of the drops outs along with the duo Doru & Irina. The jury preferred the Queenish theatrical nonsense fake drama by Ovidiu. They also liked the let's-cash-in-Il-Volo's-success boyband. They just forgot you need a song, too. And voices. Then there's yet another midtempo shouty female ballad. Mihai has copied his act from Swedes, the ih-ih-ih-iih-IIH from himself and stuffed his crotch. Yet there was no connection whatsoever without any close shots. (Of his face I mean.) The duo brings us back in style and time, and mix ballad, opera, dance and evening gown in a hot mess that is after all entertaining and not dull 3 minutes. That's already something! Vanotek is from another pla...

Romanian Selectia nationala 2016 has its semifinal tonight. Only six songs will reach the final - four thanks to expert jury and two thanks to televoters - day after tomorrow. In the final there will be only televote. Mihai ih-ih-ih-ihhh is back for real for once, but my one and only favorite is Vanotek & co. Watch live here from 19.30 CET Doru Todorut feat. Irina Baiant – The Voice  32 (televoters) Andreea Olteanu – Nai Nai   5 Dream Walkers – Let It Shine   47 Irina Popa – Letting Go  12 Jukebox – Come On Everybody   27 Mihai Bajinaru – Never Too Late   0 Vanotek feat. The Code and Georgian – I’m Coming Home  18 (televoters) M I H A I – Paradisio  33 Florena – Behind The Shadows  44 Gasca De Acasa – Tu esti povestea   10 Ovidiu Anton – Moment Of Silence   54 Xandra – Superhuman   8