Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Emmelie has been a bit lost ever since her win, and has released a sting of undisturbing singles and History isn't any exception. Nice but forgettable.... After dusting off I didn't know with Martha Wash Serhat does the same with Helena Paparizou for his oldie Total disguise , then in duet with Eurovision presenter Viktor Lazlo.... The question remains: why? The Azeri victory remains still a mystery (well... really?) and both winners haven't really been heard of ever since. This is one of Eldar's latest, dating 1,5 years ago. I miss you is his latest.  His partner in victory Nigar Jamal hasn't bothered the international charts since then either. Her latest (?) Sus is kinda nice ethnic pop. Worth a listen. 

I'm free is the title of Eurovision 2011 winner Eldar Qasimov's new single following the ballad  Birlikdə nəhayət released after Running scared . A famous DJ Aligee is involved in this production and without him the song might sound like this . It's his attempt to free himself known only as an Eurovision winner and one hit wonder. He's been busy also as TV-host - including co-hosting the Baku 2012 edition - and he is starring also in a movie directed by Julian Gusman to be released later this year.  Considering he's the voice of the duo Ell/Nikki one can only hope him better success than Nigar Jamal has had with her solo career that seems to have crushed already!

The song was presented during Eurovision 2012 in Baku and the preview has been online already but here's finally the full version of Come into my world . Oh well, rather boring, isn't it? Sometimes having two Eurovision winners together just isn't enough.... :-)

Two Eurovision winners together? Oh yes. Dima Bilan and Nigar Jamal aka Nikki are dueting in a new song  Obnimi menya and its English version Come into my world . As both are in Baku at the moment to perform in Eurovision intervals they will premiere the song in EuroClub on May 23, 2012. 

The Danish are determined to do well and win Eurovision after a string of top placings. So there are changes in the selection procedure next Saturday January 21, 2012. A jury will be added and it will count 50% of the final result. And part of the jury is made of international Eurovision stars including the winners Ell/Nikki from Azerbaijan and Alexander Rybak from Norway. Azeri Aysel , German Roger Cicero and Russian Alexej Vorobjev is added for further flavour with other music professionals. Will this bring the trophy back to Denmark? Nine songs are in the running after one disqualification, amongst them Finnish Emilia :-)

A quartet of more or less new songs from Eurovision artists. Helena Paparizou returns with Mr Perfect that does sound quite different from her previous efforts and after initial Hmmm... proves to be rather good. Another Greek, Kostas Martakis duets with Russian Diana Diez in Sex indigo / Vres ton dropo / Sex indigo (Spanish version) which is rather nice (even if I prefer Kostas with ballads) while Julia Volkova of t.A.T.u. fame starts her solo career as well (remember Lena's Never forget ) with All because of you . Why I have a feeling the t.A.T.u. girls are singing to each other? Last but not least reigning Eurovision winner Azerbaijan's Nigar Jamal debuts solo with Crush on you . Quite frankly it lacks all personality and originality and could be anonymous album track by any female singer...

Azerbaijan, the host country sticks to its formula used last year to find its represant on home soil somewhere in Baku - in the Chrystal Hall under construction or somewhere else. Like in 2010-2011 this will be one of the longest selection procedures: for 8 weeks 9 artists every week sing 5 songs in 5 shows. Or Mondays they do worldhits, Tuesdays Azeri songs, Wednesdays Eurovision hits, Thursday is the performance day and Friday they can sing whatever they want to. All this shown also on TV every night starting tonight. There is a televote 50%-jury vote 50%. After all this there will be 8 semifinalists known and the shows start again... In the end there should be only one artists left but we saw this year they matched Eldar and Nigar as a duo in the end with known results. And once they have the artist(s) they can hunt for a suitable song. Like from Sweden or some other place but this blogger surely hopes they should stick to domestic product this time around at least! Tonight we have...

South African artists are real Eurovision fans as the most cover versions come from there these days. David Fourie has recorded several like Norway 2003 I'm not afraid to move on and MoniQue covered amongst others Finland 2009 as Ek val vir jou with Snotkop. Now they have joined forces and covered Azerbaijan's winning Running scared as My hart het klaar besluit . And in my opinion it's much more interesting than the original, rougher arrangement and Afrikaans just sounds so great!

Azerbaijan's song was selected internally and Running scared won the contest and was pretty much forgotten in most parts of Europe the moment the show was over. In Greece they did have a selection and apparently did the right choice in Watch my dance as it won the first semifinal and came 7th in the final continuing the strong of success for Greece. Even if most of the fans didn't seem to fancy the song at all. I kinda liked it. The fans favourited Nikki Ponte with her MF-reject like song that I think would have ended in the first Greek flop since the semifinals were introduced. Now, relistening the songs The time is now by Valanto Trifonos sounds still good. Nothing original but easy on the ear and would have fit nicely on AOR radios.

Azerbaijan won with a duet  but Albania could have given them a true run for the money and points if they only had sent the runner up Ende ka shpresë by Alban Skenderaj and Miriam Cani instead, a song that feels a lot more honest and autenthic than the Azeri effort Running scared made of Swedish plastic. Melodic, catchy and maybe easier to the ear than the drama Aurela Gace offered missing the final. We just might be going to Tirana istead of Baku..... (or Rome if they ate each others votes...)

The winning duo of Eldar and Nigar, or Ell/Nikki has signed to Universal records and will be recording their joint album in Germany and Sweden shortly with local songwriters. The album will be published in varipus markets through Universal's local labels in Europe but also in Australia and New Zealand. Once the album is done they will hit the road and tour all over Europe. I am personally a bit sceptical about their chances to make it big but then, who knows...? Good luck anyways!

When is the last time we have a winner with such a low score? The lowest since 2003, before the semifinal system. Besides that if you look in detail Azerbaijan got only three times the full 12 points: from Malta, Russia and Turkey. Five times 10 from Croatia, Moldova, Romania, San Marino and Ukraine. And finally 10 times 8 points - talk about compromise! On the other hand twelve (12) countries didn't vote Azerbaijan at all: Bulgaria, Denmark, FYR Macedonia, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, United Kingdom and not surprisingly Armenia. Even Sweden gave them only 3 points. What does that tell? (Finland gave 5 points) Italy that came second againt all predictions and odds got points from all but 12 countries as well. Four full marks, five times 10 and once 8. Anyways, that should make RAI happy - the same way iceland was happy for the second place in 2009 - and make them return also next year. Or will they? More about the Italian media reaction, the commentator...

Lithunia seems unchanged as well. The same dress, the same big voice, the same song. And the much critized sign language. It does indeed feel a bit clued on and cheap but if it makes them happy why not? The stage looks beautiful, too. Still, I fall to the side of non qualification for Lithuania after all.... Azerbaijan follows and are wearing their outfits, all white. The staging seems to be working, the lightning, too. The weakest part is Nikki herself while Eldar delivers vocally. They have no trouble qualifying and will be top-10 in the final, no doubt about that. Greece next. Apparently they have not been satisfied with their first rehearsal (well then, are they ever??) But it's all quite wonderful when Loucas sings, less so when Mike takes the mic. And what happened to the beautiful Greek pillars? I hope they are back and they were just testing something else. I wonder if this is what they are going to wear as it looks rather boring and in general I'm not sure if this i...

I expected a lot from this but the first impression is rather weak. The song is nice but missing the high point, it's a bit like Malta; just goes on and one without any development. Add Nigar's very weak vocals and the mess is ready. The choreography is rather nice though, all happening like in a slow motion all through the song but will this cougar-teen boy romance work? Leaves me a bit of a bad after taste, they have a lot of work to do to keep up Azerbaijan's good record and keep their position as one of the favourites.  Here are the videos: AKOE , Escdaily , Official

Some 200.000 people gathered in the main square of Kyiv to the farewell concert of Mika Newton before she heads to Düsseldorf. She had invited along Austria's Nadine Beiler , Moldova's Zdob si Zdub, Azerbaizan's Nikki and Eldar , Amaury Vassili from France and United Kingsom's Blue making this a real treat. The artists of course shared compliments and will meet again in Germany next week. Watch the artists perform in a beautiful city scenery here .

The eternal Eurovision enemies Armenia and Azerbaijan have both released a video for their entries these past few days. Armenia's Emmy is rather noisy and confusing in her Boom boom . The song's not amongst my favourites but unfortunately I must admit it is rather catchy after all and sticks to your head.... Sigh.  Azerbaijan sends Eldar and Nigar - who took back their names after being renamed Ell & Nikki at some point - with Running scared and the videoclip is a traditional Eurovision videoclip propably sponsored by the local tourist board but it's pretty to see and the song is lovely.

I have seen quite a few national final but I guess I hit the rock bottom tonight. Even if I didn't have high expectations it's rare today see such a technically bad programme. And un-smiley Eurovision. I wish I could say something nice but the words escape me. The audience didn't help much as they looked like they miserable throughout the show and as if they were forced to sit and watch as punishment - what did they do? And why was the director showing them in every given chance? (If you compare to the Spanish show later same night it's like day and night) The four ladies came and went each equally missing notes and words and only Eldar was worth listening to - and the only one who managed to crap any reaction from the audience. But this was just another Eurovision karaoke show that went on and one and on. When the fourth round started I was ready to throw in the towel but you know how it is, you just sit and keep watching.... But with every round it was more evident t...