Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  After this exhausting and exciting Eurovision season it's time to take a break of it.  First off to my spiritual home,  Rome  and therefor here comes a series of songs celebrating Rome in its lyrics and/or videos.  After that at some point I'll relaunch the  #FinPop  series with all the goodies that have been released since January 2026. Have a good one !

Deadline has passed and the original 17 host city bidders were supposed to hand over their detailed offers to Rai for further examination and at this point six of them failed to do so, among them Florence. Surprisingly still 11 towns are in the process so one can only wonder what they have come up with! Especially Palazzolo Acreide! Addio to Bertinoro di Romagna, Firenze, Jesolo, Matera, Trieste and Viterbo at this stage.  Still in the race are Acireale, Alessandria, Bologna, Genova, Milano, Palazzolo Acreide, Pesaro, Rimini, Roma, Sanremo and Torino . As we know only Bologna, Milano, Roma and Torino have at first glance a suitable arena and all the rest, and Roma and Milano have already ruled themselves out with recently booked concerts by  Francesco Gabbani . Time will tell what the others included still in the list have in offer... some Italian style compromising and improvisation?  Palazzolo Acreide is a town of 8.668 souls in the deep south Sicily, living off agr...

  Eurovision favorite Francesco Gabbani has today announced two gigs in big arenas next May. What is evident that both arenas Mediolanum in Milan and Palazzo dello sport in Rome are, or were, running for the Eurovision song contest 2022 venue as well. Have they thrown in the towel so to speak? Does it make any sense to announce new events just weeks before they might be cancelled, rescheduled or moved elsewhere? Early May days are already in full Eurovision on spot period. The again, this is Italy. Everything is possible. (Then again, I repeat myself but Turin it is)

The Italian legend, ultimate television diva, singer, dancer, presenter, actress, hostess, icon and all around showgirl like they don't make them anymore sadly left us last Monday at the age of 78 after an illness she kept hidden from her fans. In fact, Rai was planning to have her collaborate in both Sanremo 2022 and the next Eurovision song contest in Italy. She could have been an excellent green room host for example! News of her death took Italians and Rai by surprise causing a general shock in the country and not anly Italy. Her success and fame is also immense in Spain and in the Latin America, who are mourning the Lady of television along with Italians. Her body was taken from her home in Via Nemea to Rome's city hall Campidoglio in a funeral procession passing by all important places in her career in the capital from Rai's studios and headquarters to Teatro delle Vittorie. Her burial chamber in Sala Protomoteca in Campidoglio . Her funeral takes place at midday on F...

Hours after Måneskin won Eurovision 2021 in Rotterdam and well before they went to dominate the global streaming charts (and not only) starting to collect gold discs from all over several cities stepped ahead in line to announce they are able and willing to host Eurovision 2022 in Italy. Or in most cases willing but not able. Check out EBU's requirements here Italy being the football nation (and soon European champions again, this blogger hopes) it does have countless arenas but for football, not indoor arenas suitable for Eurovision that can be counted by the fingers of one hand really.... That didn't stop a total of 12 cities shout out their willingness but I suppose once they actually take two minutes to read the requirements to drop out from this official bid and we can say grazie, ma no grazie already at this stage to Bari, Firenze, Napoli, Pesaro, San Remo, Reggio Emilia, Rimini and Verona.  We are left with Torino, Milano, Roma and Bologna. Bologna may be in trouble at t...

After a string of top-10 places since their return to the contest back in 2011 (2nd, 9th, 7th, 21st, 3rd, 16th, 6th, 5th, 2nd) Måneskin managed to finish the business Raphael Gualazzi, Nina Zilli, Marco Mengoni, Il Volo, Francesco Gabbani, Ermal Meta, Fabrizio Moro and Mahmood started nor forgetting Francesca Michielin and Emma. Now it's time to Rai to show what they can do and put the legend "Rai doesn't want to win" to rest for good. Italy has hosted the contest twice before but that was a long time ago and a different concept. In 1965 Naples had the honors in Rai's tv-studios there, and in 1991 originally planned Sanremo changed to Cinecittá studios in Rome due to the Gulf war in the last minute that caused some hick ups to the Italian style already a bit confused organisation. But that was and this is now.  Back then it was much small event and could be held in a theater or big studio but not now. And here comes the problem with Italy: the lack of suitable, bi...

Just 16-year-old Gigliola Cinquetti charmed first Italy by winning the talent contest Castrocaro 1963 and then Sanremo 1964 with her Non ho l'etá, and went on to charm the rest of Europe as well by winning the Eurovision song contest a few weeks later in Copenhagen.  She beat UK to second place by scoring 47 points vs. their 17, when over half the juries gave her full marks. The song sold over 4 million singles worldwide and launched her international career. She has had singles released in 120 countries! In Italy she enjoys fame and success participating in various festivals and Sanremo. She almost got back to the contest already in 1966 when she won Sanremo with Domenico Modugno and Dio come ti amo . Modugno decided to go himself back to the contest and came last....  (Such a shame as it is one of the best Italia entries ever, if you ask me! And Gigliola's version is much bettr anyways) In 1974 she was chosen to represent Italy again and the song is Si. Italy ...

Tonight's the night of Francesco Gabbani's debut as a show host as he presents the Tim MTV Music Awards 2017 live from Piazza del Popolo in Rome. He will also perform with another Eurovision veteran Nina Zilli who has just made a comeback with a new single , Sanremo 2017 revelations Michele Bravi and Paola Turci, Fabri Fibra, Samuel, Levante, Sanremo newcomers winner Lele, Elodie and Gabry Ponte feat. Danti.  Manchester is in everyone's mind but he has stated: "Manchester has been so sad and an absolutely unjustifiable situation, but the fact that we will be out in the square on May 27 is the demonstration that we will continue to have the sense of freedom to share the joy and emotions of music!" Besides hosting and performing Gabbani is also nominated as the Best Male artist along with another Eurovision veteran Marco Mengoni, Tiziano Ferro and Michele Bravi. Two more Eurovision stars are nominated for the Best Female artist; Emma and Francesca Michiel...

Emmelie De Forest has released a new single with a new sound, Hopscotch . This blogger is not very convinced, the song's rather irritating and annoying to say the least but it's saved by a lovely video shot in the streets of Rome around Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori, this blogger's beloved neighbourhood and the place to spot me having an aperativo when in Rome. She enjoys some Vespa rides in true Roman holiday style but not only, she also climbs to the town of Calcata, between Rome and Viterbo. Feast for eyes but as I said it's better with the sound turned down a bit.....