Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Another year, another sad goodbyes to many Eurovision stars, including the ones below. Carmela Corren (13.2.1938 - 15.1.2022), Austria 1963 Armando Gama (1.4.1954 - 17.1.2022), Portugal 1983 Thierry Mugler (21.12.1948 - 23.1.2022), designer for various ESC hostesses and artists Nora Nova aka Ahinora Kumanova (8.5.1928 - 9.2.2022), West-Germany 1964 Roberto Cogoi (25.10.1939-14.5.2022) Belgium 1964 Kari Salli (1961 - 14.5.2022), composer of Finland 1994 Dani aka Daniele Graule (1.10.1044 -14.6.2022), France 1974 Margot Eskens (12.8.1936 -29.7.2022), Germany 1966 Torgny Söderberg (26.11.1944 - 5.8.2022), composer of ESC 1984 winner Svika Pik (3.10.1949-14.8.2022) Composer of 1998 ESC winner Olivia Newton-John (26.9.1948 - 8.8.2022), United Kingdom 1974 Vesa-Matti Loiri (4.1.1945 -10.8.2022), Finland 1980 Ann-Christine Nyström (26.7.1944-5.10.2022) Finland 1966 Franco Gatti (4.10.1942 -18.10,2022) Of Ricchi e Poveri, Italy 1978 Nicole Josy (21.10.1946 - 4.11.2022) Belgium 1973 Claes-Göra...

 

The Dome in Brighton hosted the 19th Eurovision song contest on April 6, 1974. BBC took over the contest after Luxembourg declined to host for the second year in a row after their win in 1973 at home. All of 17 countries took part when Greece debuted, and France withdraw in the middle of Eurovision week after the death of president Pompidou, whose funeral fell on the day of the contest. Their entry was ment to be number 14, Dani's La vie à vingt-cinq ans . Also Malta withdraw without giving reasons but before the contest. Their chosen entry was Enzo Guzman's Paci fid dinja . Portugal's entry literally started a revolution. It being payed on radio on April 24 was a signal to get ready and start the coup! Italy also had some drama when their entry titled Si (Yes) was banned from RAI for over a month due the divorce referendum. Italy didn't even broadcast the contest until summer. Shame, as Italians missed the excitement of the 1964 winner Gigliola Cinquetti almost...

As we know Australians are crazy for Eurovision. Some Aussies have even song in Eurovision for other countries, from Gina G to Johnny Logan and Olivia Newton-John . In mid 1990's the Australian TV apparently even offered to host the show in Sydney opera house if only they could take part in it. Or then maybe they didn't but the rumor was there. It's an intriguing idea, isn't it? Anyways, Australian SBS has broadcasted the Eurovision nearly 40 years now and it every year gathers a few million Aussies to watch it downunder. After a long wait finally in 2014 Australia will be present in the Eurovision stage officially. They will provide us the interval act in the second semifinal on May 8, 2014. The lucky chosen one is Jessica Mauboy who will sing her hit Never be the same and another brand new, especially for Eurovision written song.  She is "super excited" and declared a fan of the contest since she was 11 years old.

Some girls have maybe a bit too much drama for one life time. Not only did Olivia do Eurovision and Grease in the 1970's for the glittery drama, she also battled breast cancer in the early 1990's and beat it. In 2005 her boyfriend of nine years, Patrick McDermott went missing on a fish trip. He was believed to have drown but was tracked down living in a fishing village in Mexico years later. Nice way to treat your lady! And now a dead body has been found in Olivia's house in Florida! Apparently he was hired to renovate it as Olivia wanted to sell the house - to Rosie O'Donnell it seems - but he decided to shoot himself in the head instead.... How much can a girl take? Maybe she wants to escape to Xanadu , or will getting Physical make her forget her worries easier?

esctoday.com has made a list of best selling Eurovision artists. No surprise ABBA tops the list but there are some surprises, who would have thought Nana Mouskouri at the top? But she has been extremely popular at her day. Some names are not in the top-10 like Lara Fabian who might be the 11th. Bucks Fizz might be 12th and Lulu have also sold a lot, including the single To Sir with love , that was the most sold single in the US in 1967. Then we have the outsiders Ajda Pekkan , Samira Bensaid and Albano . Ajda Pekkan is said to have sold some 50 million records but there's no official proof of that. Samira Bensaid is one of the best sellers in the Arabic world and her record sales are said to be anything between 20 to 200 million. But there's no proof either. Albano claims to have sold something like 160 million records but that most likely includes his solo mefferts and the records sold with Romina Power, so... excluded. But then we have also Ricchi e Poveri with record sal...

The Australian broadcaster SBS will show the Eurovision 2010 semifinals and the final but not only: On may 14 and 21 they will have special Countdown to Eurovision shows as a warm up continued on May 22 with another special A-Z of Eurovision . And before the real thing they will also show the Junior Eurovision 2009 on May 25. The three main shows will run on May 28, 29 and 30. They will also send their own commentators Julia Zemiro and Sam Peng to Oslo 2010. The latest Aussie to sing in Eurovision was Jane Camerford of Texas Lightning , the German represant in 2006 but also UK have borrowed Aussies like Gina G and Olivia Newton-John .

It's here. The Christmas album by Elvis with duet by Hanna Pakarinen. Another Eurovision star is also on it: Olivia Newton-John. Here's the tracklist of the Finnish release of the album. There will be also special editions in other countries with added local stars. "I was proposed by my record company. They send my CV with photos and music to Priscilla & co and they liked what they saw and heard so I was chosen " Hanna tells about the process. 01.Winter Wonderland (with Hanna Pakarinen) 02.Blue Christmas (with Martina McBride) 03.I’ll Be Home For Christmas (with Carrie Underwood) 04.Here Comes Santa Claus (Right Down Santa Claus Lane) (with LeAnn Rimes) 05.Santa Claus Is Back In Town (with Wynonna Judd) 06.Silent Night (with Sara Evans) 07.White Christmas (with Any Grant) 08.Merry Christmas Baby (with Gretchen Wilson) 09.Little Town Of Bethlehem (with Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman of Little Big Town) 10.Silver Bells (with Anne Murray) 11.O Come, All Ye ...