Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

It's been three years Käärijä cha cha chaed his way to Finnish people's heart and not only: sold out European tours where locations have been updated to larger ones, three years in a row performing at Eurovision song contest final in one form or another (plus Cha cha cha played this year making it four), hundreds of gigs and festivals, millions of streams and countless collaborations with local and foreign artists. Not bad for an unknown guy from Vantaa who didn't quite speak English. In Finland he has two Top-5 albums, one has sold triple platinum. Ten top-10 singles, 23 Top-50 singles. 17 singles with other artists. New album comes out in October 2026.  Sold out Veikkaus Arena (Eurovision 2007 arena) saw a show described by critics (and music lovers)  as one of the best Finnish productions ever. A bit messy as he delivered all his hits with guests and the genres go from TRAFIK! to I miss us.... Understandable. But enjoyable. Bojan and Joker Out were the warm up act.  Se...

It's finally here. People's champion, Käärijä's second album including a string of hits already released as singles ( Huhhahhei , Kot kot , Sex = Money ) and new songs and the new fantastic single Autiomaa. The album has streamed already triple platinum at its release. The Joost Klein duet TRAFIK! , Antti Tuisku's Auto jää didn't make the cut, nor Toiset samanlaiset with Elastinen.  And before people without sense of humor get upset about the title it simply refers to word play of Finnish champignon/champion as the lyrics go: "When I was little my mom said I would become a champignon, people's champion. I won't get defeated, I stand tall as a mushroom" And indeed he WAS the people's champion in Eurovision 2023 winning the televote. There. And since then has done two sold out European tours with added gigs due high demand, as well as upgraded larger venues. And in Finland he has done probably hundreds of gigs already and all major festivals.  ...

Marco Mengoni will release his new album Materia (Prisma) on May 26, 2023, a third album of his Materia trilogia following Materia (Terra) 2021, Materia (Pelle) 2022, both selling multiple platinum already.  Mengoni is used to collecting platinum for his works, he has already 70 of them! In all Materia (Prisma) will be his 8th studio album. Due vite is his 38th single and he has scored 17 Top-10 singles so far. In his current European mini tour he has previewed a new song, Fiori d'orgoglio , possible his next single? Enjoy below the Materia singles so far:

  Alice returns to recording business with a new tribute album to late Franco Battiato. Eri con me, It includes 16 Battiato songs recorded in studio with pianist Carlo Guaitoli and I Solisti Filarmonici Italiani, a continuation of her long and still on going concert tour celebrating the music of late Franco Battiato. The album will be released on November 25, 2022 as a CD and a double LP. Alice and Battiato had a 40 year old collaboration going on until his death in May 2021. Most Eurovision fans may only recall their Eurovision 1984 duet I treni di Tozeur (placed 5th) but there's so much more! Battiato co-write and arranged her albums Caponord (1980) and Alice (1981) and also her Sanremo 1981 winner Per Elisa . He wrote, arranged and /or produced songs also in Azimut (1982) and Alice's Gioielli rubati (1985) is a cover album of Battiato's songs. Her albums Elisir (1987), God is my Dj (1999), Personal Jukebox (2000) and Viaggio in Italia (2003) include versions of hi...

Oh yes, he's done it again! A new sound that still sounds exactly like Mengoni and blends beautifully with his back catalogue. Not a single song on the album is a filler in my opinion and I'm just liking them all a lot. There are two featuring, both excellent choices that fit in like a glove. This Terra is the first part of series of three albums, and refers to his musical background, the foundation of his musical style and art.  As for the songs Luce is dedicated to his mom, and Proibito is about love between two men told in first person. He showcased the whole album in a secret private show last night to selected few with a nine member band that brought the soul and blues, r'n'b side of Mengoni alive. Next spring he will do stadiums in Italy for the first time.  Cambia un uomo Una canzone triste Il meno possibile (feat. Gazzelle) In due minuti Mi fiderò (feat. Madame) Ma stasera Proibito Luce Un fiore contro il diluvio

Mr Lordi and his band have been a bit bored during the pandemic and after the fun idea of their fictional greatest hits compilation Killection last year they have now extended it to fictional seven albums of different decades and genres those songs could've been from. Clever, no?   Skelectric Dinosaur, Superflytrap, The Masterbeast from the Moon, Abusement Park, Humanimals, Abracadaver and Spooky Sextravaganza Spectacular are the album titles including influences and sounds inspired from likes of Bee Gees, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Boney M, Earth Wind and Fire, Pink Floyd, Bon Jovi and more... This blogger has enjoyed with amusement the disco one, Superflytrap wherefrom single Believe me is taken from. The latest single Borderline is from Humanimals. 

Now and them combined, as they sing in Don't shut me down . Abba is back and what a relief they still sound like themselves and instead of the break of 39 years it could be three years, or nine. But then again, the 1980's sound is back so the timing is perfect - or was it this they were waiting all this time?  Agnetha and Frida may have lost the crystalline edge of their voice but they still are totally recognizable. A bit deeper and huskier but still the voice mix that always made Abba stand out. Despite the comeback the ladies have chosen to stay out of spotlight and leave the talking to Björn and Benny. While the two now released songs ahead of the album Voyage to be released in November 2021 are already storming the global charts it will be interesting to see how this develops. Another album after this one? Or is this is, with the virtual show in London May 2022 and eventual world tour after that. Meanwhile the fandom all over the world has gone crazy and one can pre-order...

Mahmood's very much awaited new album, his second is finally out. Ghettolimpo unites ghetto and Olympus being a sort of concept album and each song having a new personality and character for Mahmood. The album was already planned for 2020 release but as we know, sh*t happened and it was postponed. Rapide (#5), Dorado (#19), Inuyasha (#21), Zero (#44), Klan (#59) and now Kobra are the singles off it already, as well as Barrio (#4) as a bonus track. This said the album still has eight new and fresh song, including a duet with Elisa, Rubini . Moonlight popolare (#3) released between Rapide and Dorado didn't make the album cut. 

It's finally here, Conchita Wurst's second album, or rather WURST's debut album following that of self titled Conchita in 2015 including the Euroviison song contest winner Rise like phoenix , and the cover album From Vienna with love  released last year with Wiener Symphoniker. Or is this Conchita's third album? How do you count Tom's various projects and alter egos? Anyways. From the new one, already four videos have been released:

Eurovision song contest winner Måns Zelmerlöw has released a new album, his first since 2016's Chameleon . Time is a sort of concept album going through his life starting with On my own , an open letter to the young Måns and with the songs that follow he sings about his life until now with its ups and downs, dark periods and good times after.  At the same time a new single, One , has been released following the previous Walk with me, Better now and Grow up to be you . 

Mahmood already co-wrote several songs on Marco Mengoni's #1 and double platinum selling Atlantico album, and there's more: Mengoni is releasing a double-CD packaging of the album that includes three new songs and live recording from his #AtlanticoLive2019 tour, and a new single Duemila volte , co-written again by Mahmood. The other new songs are Calci e pugni and Il destino davanti .  The live CD includes 19 songs, a mix of his biggest hits like Ti ho voluto bene veramente , Guerriero and Io ti aspetto , and the songs of Atlantico. Among the songs also obviously L'Essenziale .  The single Duemila volte will be released October 4:

Franco Battiato (74) returns with a new release, his first since the accident at home in November 2017 when he broke his hip. Rumours and gossip has been wild since then, as he hasn't really appeared in public ever since. Occasionally collegues and friends like Alice have stated he's fine and very amused about the rumours that have had even dead a few times already.  The album, recorded in London together with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra two years ago, includes only one new song, the title track Torneremo ancora (We will be back)  giving as hopeful greeting he's coming back for real sometime soon, while the others are re-arranged versions of his classics.  The release date is October 18, 2019. It seems the release is taken care by Battiato's brother Michele and his daughter Grazia Christina, as his health conditions are still considered fragile. This is his 91st album release and 9th live album. He has released 29 studio albums, 18 compilations, 12 albums in...

The wait is over. Marco Mengoni's new album Atlantico is out and already topping the charts and no wonder. The two singles released to launch it earlier, Voglio and Buona vita were said to represant the two ends of the album and indeed they do: the sound varies from electric pop to latin sounds and everything in between. Tom Walker duets in Hola (I say) and  Latin Grammy winner, Brazilian Vanessa Da Mate and Seiton in Amalia . Among the writers we have Fabio Ilacqua (in Buona vita, La casa azul , La ragione del mondo , Amalia, I giorni di domani , Dialogo tra due pazzi , known for his work with Francesco Gabbani), Mahmood, who's in Sanremo Giovani and could end up winning Sanremo and going to Tel Aviv 2019 (in Hola, Mille lire , Rivoluzione ), Tony Maiello of San Marino Eurovision wannabe fame and hitmaker for Laura Pausini ( Muhammed Ali ) and even legendary Adriano Celentano makes a cameo in La casa azul . Mengoni himself is credited as writer for each song as well, e...

Douwe Bob is one of the artists I've been following since he slowed down Eurovision in 2016. Judging his resent interviews he's had a rough ride since including too many parties, alcohol and becoming a not so nice a person. Add breaking up with his girlfriend and alcohol abusing dad in a care center and that got him sitting on his sofa in a boat - he's Dutch after all - for months until he realized music is his savior and he better shake himself out of that misery. Thus The Shape I'm In .  If you liked his previous album Fool bar you are going to like this one, too. This blogger isn't a big fan of country pop/rock but for some reason Douwe hits the right spots and this new album is something I listen with pleasure over and over again. The lead single is Shine , and also I do has been released for promotion, a duet with Jacqueline Govaert. Twelve songs in all and they all could be next singles, but I took instant liking to Consider , Make believe and Running ...

  Undoubtly one of the biggest stars in his native Italy Marco Mengoni has been having a break after his megasuccesses in recent years but now he's back with a new album due next month and today he has launched two new singles both in Italian and Spanish showcasing the stylistic sides of his new effort. Buona vita is Latin influenced number while Voglio is more electronic pop anthem. Listen in all digital forms (I'll add the vids as soon as available)

Brand new studio album SEXORCISM is released tomorrow, 12 years and 5 days after their monstreous victory in Athens 2006 Eurovision song contest. It is quite possibly the most controversial Lordi album yet and already their 9th stuido album (plus three compilations and one Ep)

The Eurovision song contest 1981 winner Bucks Fizz who may not call themselves Bucks Fizz for legal reasons anymore even if everyone does so anyways, are reunited and in the studio recording new material with producer Mike Stock  of Stock-Aitken-Waterman fame and the new album will be released in September as The Fizz.   Read more here . Can't wait! And below are some of this blogger's favorite Bucks Fizz hits.....

Today's the day we all have been waiting for all spring: Francesco Gabbani releases his third album Magellano . (That you can hear already in Spotify at least in Italy....) Update noon: The album is already #1 in iTunes. Quel surprise! This blogger is already in love with the graphics and photoshoot style he has opted for the promotion! The album includes nine songs, including obviously Occidentali's Karma and also F oglie al gelo , released already last year.  The international version of the album Magellan includes also Amen , his winning song in the Sanremo Newcomers 2016. And the new single off the album is T ra le granite e le granate to be released as a video shortly, but you can already hear a bit of it here. TRACKLIST 01. Magellano 02. Tra le granite e le granate 03. Occidentali's karma  04. A moment of silence 05. La mia versione dei ricordi 06. Susanna, Susanna 07. Foglie al gelo  08. Pachidermi e pappagalli 09. Spogliarmi ...

Patricia Kaas is back! I mean the Patricia who's not doing cabaret or paying hommage to Edith Piaf. She's back as herself in a new album (propably titled La langue que je parle) to be released in November, her first of that kind since 2003's Sexe fort . Even if 13 years cap may sound a lot she's been busy in between with Kabaret album (2009) and Kaas chante Piaf (2012), Eurovision song contest 2009 and two world tour,s writing an autobiography L'Ombre de ma voix .....  Here are the first two singles off the new album: She will be touring from January 2017 again all over France

One would have thought Marco Mengoni would like to take some time off after releasing two albums last year, scoring countless hits, touring Italy with two sold out tours and all the rest but no. In October  comes a new album that follows the multiplatinum success of Parole in circolo and Le cose che non ho (the 5th and 8th most sold albums in Italy in 2015). The new leg of his tour #MengoniLive2016  starts on November 12 with ten dates in Italy and then continues to Lugano (CH), Frankfurt (D), Brussels (B), Amsterdam (NL), Paris (F), Luxembourg, Zurich (CH), Köln (D), Wien (A) and Warzaw (PL) on December 20, 2016.