Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Iceland's Söngvakeppni 2019 is full of familiar names from Eurovision veterans Hera Björk to Friðrik Ómar with Svala and Malta's very own veteran Richard Micallef aka Edwards among songwriters. Daniel took part in Söngvakeppni 2015 as CADEM, Kristina Skoubo Bærendsen tried her luck two years ago in duet with Páll Rósenkrans and comes actually from Faroe Islands. And Elli is transgender. If you need to know. The songs are as usual mostly recorded in both Icelandic and English versions. Nice variety of songs with a couple of ones edging novelty but nothing extraordinary or standout....  Semi-final one - February 9, 2019 Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra  * video   FINAL live (Hatari) Hera Björk - Eitt andartak / Moving On  *** FINAL  live (Örlygur Smári, Hera Björk Þórhallsdóttir & Valgeir Magnússon) Kristina Skoubo Bærendsen - Ég á mig sjálf / Mama Said  ** live (Sveinn Rúnar Sigurðsson & Valgeir Magnússon) Þórdís Imsland - Nú og hér ...

Eurovision has seen all sort of family based acts over the years, mom & daughter duet and eveen this year Swiss brother & sister but the Maltese national final runner ups Richard & Joe Micallef would have been the first ever son & dad duo as far as I know. Song for dad is Eurovision veteran's tributo to his dad and after bringing sister and brothers to the contest, he would have brought the musical clan's dad, too....

  Malta's Eurovision final takes places tonight in Valletta's Ta'Qali and there will be 50-50 televote-juries. What can I say about the songs? There's no Eurovision winner this year either among them, that's for sure, sadly. Nor a sure qualifier either. I guess my favorites - not thinking at all in Eurovision terms - are Richard & Joe and Eleanor I guess, followed by Deborah C and Dwett (maybe for all the wrong reasons though). Turn it up needs a good remix and it could become something great though. Christabelle and Brooke are quite good if staged and sung well live, Jasmine, Matthew Anthony and Tiziana follow on my list with Lawrence Gray , even if takes some moments to let it sink in it's Lawrence baby. Aidan leaves me borderline, I might learn to like it a lot or then not with further listenings but these comments are based on hearing the songs when they came out, and now for the second time after all these weeks. I have no clue who's goi...

Here they are. The lucky 16. As it is Malta the list is filled with seasonal veterans (Deborah C for the 7th year in a row, for example) and even one previous winner (Richard Micallef aka Edwards aka Firelight 2014 frontman), some newcomers and some comebacks after years, like Eleanor Cassar. And not forgetting previous runner ups Lawrence Gray,  Brooke and Christabelle looking for another shot. Thomas G:son, not welcome in Cyprus anymore has squeezed in a song in Malta instead, the Christabelle's one. Sadly quite a few other foreign composers in the list, too. The real veterans in this editions are Lawrence Gray reaching his 14th entry, Eleanor Cassar her 12th and Richard Micallef (in various combos or solo) 9th. This  time he brings along his dad! Keep the family together, after doing Eurovision with brothers and sister.  Aidan - Dai Laga  (Aidan Cassar) Avenue Sky - We Can Run  (Jonas Gladnikoff, Matthew Ker, Glen Vella) Brooke Borg - He...