Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Krista Siegfrids and Roope Salminen hosted the first #UMK16 semifinal fro YLE's studios in Helsinki and we have the first qualifiers... with some surprises! The show went smoothly and nicely, Krista and Roope provided the interval act show with their theme show, the history spots of Finland's Eurovision in the 1960's and 1970's - remember this year we will select our 50th entry! - and general the show was followed closely on social medias and one of the most used comments was #WTF? Hopefully meaning the show was good and surprising.  People have been able to vote for the entries all week online and the three qualifiers based on those were Saara Aalto, Stella Christine and Pää-äijät. That result changed after tonight's live performances.... (click artists for videos) Saara Aalto featured in her number a perfect clichée Eurovision number with bare chested male dancers, wardrobe trick and all that.... More is more.  Mikko Herranen had a static rock perfo...

The first #UMK16 semifinal will take place on February 6, 2016 in YLE's studios, Helsinki. Six acts will fight for the three places in the final and there will be only televote. In this one we have well known names Eini and Saara Aalto. Mikko Herranen might be remembered by some, and some might know the humour act Pää-äijät while Stella Christine and ClemSo are totally unknown.  Saara Aaalto - No fear (Saara Aalto) Review Mikko Herranen - Evil tone (Mikko Herranen) Review Stella Christine - Ain't got time for boys (Stella Christine) Review Eini - Draamaa (Drama) (Janne Rintala) Review ClemSo - Thief (Clement Ogundipe,Gideon Aiyegunle /Clement Ogundipe) Review Pää-äijät - Shampanjataivas (Champagne heaven) (Julmari, Juba, Jimi, Heku, Samu) Review In our little review panel we had a tie with 12 points for Saara Aalto, ClemSo and Stella Christine, Eini one point behind. But, we all predict Pää-äijät to make it, along with Saara Aalto. The third qualif...

Mikko Herranen made himself known in The Voice 2012 - in the same team with Saara Aalto and Krista Siegfrids! - but he's been around for 20 years making music and performing and writing songs, mostly in post grunge/metal bands RUST and Velcra. He plays most of the instruments on his solo albums and has been involved in nearly 40 albums as musicians, producer and/or writer.  Despite his vision loss he's able to read and operate computers. He's prepairing his third solo album at the moment and says he took part in #UMK2016 as a new experience and challenge, as it is something he hasn't done yet. Fair enough. He also states he has all the plans ready for Stockholm and promises a show that will be spectacular, loved and unseen before with cool, big and strange things.....  5/20

What would the national selection season be without a review by Peter Clancy, already a Blogilkar tradition! He reviews the songs in the Finnish national selection #UMK2016. First semifinals, then the final once the finalists are out and later on this spring also the Eurovision song contest entries as well. Hopefully! Here is the Semifinal one of #UMK2016. Enjoy! Saara Aalto - No Fear I love the opening, and like Saara's voice. Very warm. There's a nice buildup to some kind of neo-Chinese type music, the flow is continually broken though and unfortunately it doesn't do it for me. In the middle I had hope that something would change, but unfortunately it lead nowhere and ends nowhere (points: 3 out of 5 ) qualifies Mikko Herranen - Evil Tone Don't get the point of the driving given that he's blind .. Go figure … I don't particularily like his voice and the lyrics are a bit haphazzard - almost a mistake. This could be characterised by being one bi...