Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  This song is very dear to my heart for reasons I don't even know myself. All I know when I heard this for the first time on a Sanremo oldies sampler it was love at first hearing. Casa bianca was the runner up in 1968 festival and was performed by both Marisa Sannia and Ornella Vanoni.   I prefer Marisa's version for reasons unknown.

It has been a couple of days with Sanremo 2013 news. The political situation and coming elections after Monti's goodbye to the sinking ship have caused the rumors about the possible change of dates for Sanremo festival that would take place during the final days of elections and who would care about the politics if the festival is going on? Or is it the other way around? Anyways, today RAI has put the videos of the eight newcomers online here . I still haven't really listened the songs so I won't say more. Tomorrow RAI will announce the names of the Big category singers but Twitter may have betrayed them when you can read some names in a photo published by Duccio Forzano, RAI's director for the festival: Almamegretta,  Anna Oxa, Max Gazzè, Nesli, Annalisa, Chiara Galiazzo, Modà, Antonella Ruggiero and Ornella Vanoni... that's 9 out of the 16 names.... Well, tomorrow we will know better!

In Italy they have this very popular Tale e quale TV-show on RAI1 were a number of singers/actors each week practice and then imitate in a live show other singers. This season among the ones we have for example Gigliola Cinquetti who has done already another Eurovision legend, Domenico Modugno . She's done also Milva so far. But the real surprise has been Mietta who we know as a dark husky voiced pop singer, winner of OGAE Song contest 1990 and has delivered some great tracks in Sanremo over the years ( Baciami adesso and Fare l'amore for example). The first week she did Ornella Vanoni , then Donna Summer and this week Maria Callas! And who thought she could sing like that???  Mietta won the second show as Donna Summer and came third in the third one as Maria Calla s while Gigiloa Cinquetti won that one as Gianna Nannini ! Next week Mietta will do Jennifer Lopes while Gigilola will be Gloria Gaynor! You can follow the progress of the show here . 

Mietta is one of the chosen mentors in Italian Star Academy. She won Sanremo 1989 newcomers and has since been active in Italian music business as a singer and she is known to give a hand for new young songwriters by recording their songs. And no need to mention she is one of my favourite singers! She is joined by another Sanremo newcomers winner Syria ( 1996 ), Sanremo winner Ron of the same year and Gianluca Grignani who also has 20+ years of experience as a recording artists and teenage heartthrob. The jurors of the show are legendary singer Ornella Vanoni , one of the best show girls around Lorella Cuccarini and Nicola Savino who's a radio and Tv personality as well as imitator. And as the rumour and speculation is Star Academy might provide the possible Italian entrant for the Eurovision 2012...  The other rumour is Mietta was destined for Eurovision 1990 but as RAI was pulling it till the last minute she had to turn down the offer as her career was taking off big time in...