Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Ireland will have its final this Friday. In apparent lack of Irish songwriters and artists it's a bit international mix. Alex was born in Zambia, Erika is Swedish and it seems she even flies Timotej to back her up in the final. Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan has written Kat's song, and Nikki we all remember as runner up in 2011 Irish final behind Jedward and doing the backing vocals in Eurovision 2010 for Niamh. Alex is out first and the song doesn't just go anywhere. The rapping is useless and annoying. Next please! Kat offers a tender ballad with piano and violins in the classic Irish Eurovision mode. Beautiful and old fashioned but didn't this train pass already? Or would this stand a chance among all those fierce angry women with heavy beats in Vienna? Hmmm... maybe. Erika takes us to MF. If she was there she'd be one of my favorites propably. In Ireland I'm only asking myself why? Especially if Timotej will be there, too. Sounds like a winner t...

Ireland has announced their five entries this morning and later tonight they will be played on radio. I will add links as usua later, but if you want to listen them live, you can do it here . From 4pm CET. Some familiar names among the artists an song writers. Nikki Kavanagh returns after being 2nd in 2011 behind Jedward. Eurovision winner Charlie McGettigan has written Kat Mohan's song. Alex Saint comes from Zambia and Erika Selin from Sweden, also known from Swedish Idols. Molly Sterling is only 16 so also ireland plays the teenager card. One can only wonder why Ireland has hired foreign songwriters and artists.... I have no clue! Nikki Kavaragh - Memories Kat Mohan - Anybody got a shoulder Alex Saint & MJ's - She's so fine Erika Selin - Break me up Molly Sterling - Playing with numbers

There's no doubt the irish did the right thing by sending that ADHD twinset to Germany with Lipstick . I thought they would do even better than they did but then maybe that was good enough? Eurovision needs these acts every now and then to stir the soup a bit. The only other choice could have been Nikki Kavanagh's Falling but now relistening it it sounds a bit dull. And would have done just what the title suggests in Germany. Jedward's bad behaviour is so much more fun!

Next Friday we will get another Eurovision entry to talk about when Ireland chooses the song they hope will bring back the glory days for them. Five entries in the run that you can listen a bit here (in the last five minutes of the snow actually) There has also been a minor scandal in the emerald island as Jedward's entry Lipstick was available to listen as a MP3 preview in Universal's website, and later of course on Youtube and most every blog and Eurovision website. However that was midly against the rules and the other competitors were asking to disqualify them but as they are the biggest act of the night that would have caused not so minor problems to RTÉ. So, in compromise the 50-50 televote-jury has been changed to 33-67. Will that have any impact we will see. Listening these snippets I think Jedward might be fun and "modern" but I have doubts it would do any good for Ireland but then again, what do I know? My favourite might be Nikki Kavanagh's Falling . ...

It seems a bit family affair in Ireland this year. Four out of the five acts in the national final are out and we have The Vard Ssters, the Jedward twins, Nikki Kavanagh, who is Ireland's last year's entrant Niamh Kavanagh's cousin and her backing singer in Oslo. Then we have also Don Mescall who apparently has no family ties with anyone involved it seems but he has written hits to everybody from Lulu to Backstreet Boys and Boyzone. The one missing act is unnamed foursome of two guys and two girls. I wouldn't be surprised if that's going to be a family affair, too...