Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

22.22 Time for results! First finalist is..... Shava! The second one is...  Jouni Aslak! Siru is out. That's all for tonight. Join me in Sanremo! 22.18 Televote is over. It's time for Laura Voutilainen, Virve Rosti and Krista Siegfrids and Nuku pommiin, the Finnish null pointer of 1982. If only it was performed this way back then.... 22.15 The atmosphere in the studio is very noisy and wild! I read somewhere there are about 300 fans so it is not such a big studio but YLE has created a great stage that does looks very different for every act. Well done. Another recap. 22.07 After recap we have a chat again with Siru and Shava, the biggest favorites tonight and what do they think about it. Talk continues with the others. For Eeverest being here is "dream come true". Opera Skaala's Essi is a real diva, in a good sense; funny and witty and lovable! She'd love Eurovision and Eurovision would love her for sure! 21.58 Back to green room and we talk to Eever...

The second semifinal takes place tonight from YLE Studios in Helsinki. Once again six songs on stage, three of them will be televoted to the final. Among tonight's entries three favourites: Shava, Siru and Opera Skaala. Shava seems to be a big favorite at home, Siru abroad and Opera Skaala the one that divides people to haters and lovers. At least it sticks out and creates reactions and commotion which is always good. It's a close call for all of them really. Anything can happen. This seifinal more than any other has songs that can die or triumph on stage depending on staging and live vocals....  This is how my little Finnish-Swedish-Italian-British panel judged the songs already ages ago when they were released: Opera Skaala - Heart of light 18/20 Siru - Mustelmat 17/20 Eeverest - Love it all away 13/20 Shava - Ostarilla 12/20 Otto Ivar - Truth or dare 11/20 Jouni Aslak - Lions and lambs 10/20 Agree or disagree? Vote in the poll -> UPDATE: Opera ...

Once again the voting on YLE's website gives us the favorites.  In the first semifinal the voters got 2/3 right but then there were only two favorites and the other four were very close. Here things are more even and the three favorites also on other polls and reviews are on top. But anything can happen. Also this week the nasty flu has hit one of the contestants who is forbidden to talk or sing, Jouni Aslak. Last week Norlan El Misionario had the same but managed to perform (and qualify) after all come Saturday evening. Shava won the YLE's preview show ahead of Pertti Kurikan Nimipäivät while Opera Skaala won my blog's panel reviews.... This blogger would be happy with this top-3 indeed! Have you already voted in my poll? If not, do it now! Here, on right ->

Otto Ivar debuts as solo singer after years in various bands, most notably Superscar , that released one album and toured Europe. Otto is a big Eurovision fan and has dreamed of taking part since forever. He sent his first demo to the contest at 16 and finally he has arrived with Truth or dare ! He comes from Kokkola and releases stress by boxing. Music is his life and he says his living his dream right now: waking up in the morning, making coffee and going to his studio to write some new music. He likes to dress smart and takes pride of the best fitting jacket in #umk15. And his video was shot in Iceland. Timo: I was wondering while listening this song how it can be so full of nothingness. Is Finnish pop music always this bland? Or Finnish music in general? It is not finished, just left like it was a demo and in the end it says nothing to no one and moves nothing. Could someone for once really take control and make something that shakes you, either with love or hate, but awake...

In the second semifinal we will have these six entries. Three of them will be televoted to the final. Jouni Aslak - Lions and lambs Eeverest - Love it all away Otto Ivar - Truth or dare Opera Skaala - Heart of light Shava - Ostarilla Siru - Mustelmat

I already posted some of the UMK 2015 artists and their previous musical history here  and here . But we have still some more! Stadion pop, a tango queen, religious pop, Finnish EMD, cute boy pop and a mystery act no one seems to know anything about.....  Pihka ja Myrsky is a stadium pop band with two singers, they describe themselves. Apparently including this singer and this no longer existing band's guitarist . Their songs include Et koskaan kaipaa takaisin , Sumun läpi and Milloin on aika . Heidi Pakarinen won Tangomarkkinat's Tango Queen title in 2013. And tango is serious business in Finland and Tangomarkkinat the biggest music festival. Tango royalties haven't really crossed well over to pop (except Jari Sillanpää) nor featured well in national finals. Her songs include Sun kuningatar , Värähtelyjä  and Näiden tähtien alla. Ida Bois is a singer-songwritr. She has released Nukkuva maa and Tarinoita meistä album, listen the trailer here . She ...