Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  This is where things get tricky - they are just so many! Besides artists it also includes songwriters, producers and so on but I have picked a few and as with the other categories some these also fall into other categories, namely Vain elämää that both Samuli Edelmann and Samu Haber have done, too. Samu Haber - Emma winner 2006 for the New band, 2007 and 2019 for Export award Now that Sunrise Avenue is only waiting for the postponed farewell tour in 2021 Samu has been here and everywhere with his biography and singing also in Finnish and there's a clear public demand for his solo career. Could he surprise us all and launch it in UMK2021? More likely he could have written a song for someone else, something he planned already for Hanna Pakarinen in 2007 (Forever yours) LEO or Leo Stillman - Emma winner 2017 for the Newcomer of the year Leo, the Mikko Leppilampi lookalike who stole his girlfriend and had a baby with has been releasing singles ever since his explosive Emma winning ...

SBS is in charge and it seems the very first Asian-Pacific Asiavision song contest will take place in Sydney in March 2017, just in time that the winner could possibly maybe in theory take part at the 2017 Eurovision song contest as well. This blogger thinks it's an interesting idea and won't say No right away. The original plan may have been 2018 kick off but Dami Im's 2nd place this year has caused the speed up in the process. Let's see how this will turn out.... They are hoping to get at least 12 countries taking part (out of 68 possible). Australia is set to form the reference group with China, Japan, South Korea and India. And yes, an European country could be also invited to take part at the Asiavision.... Turkey is also a member of ABU, will they make a comeback here? And so is Azerbaijan. And Kazakhstan. Associate members include France and Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Switzerland and United Kingdom.  Lots of ideas and a lot of talk. This blo...

Chisu has been the most played artist in the Finnish radios in 2012. Her songs were aired a total of 23.278 times - or there were 2-3 of her songs playing somewhere all the time - and she had three big hits besides the older ones still playing: Kohtalon oma (5.107 being the 2nd most played song of the year beated only by Loreen's Euphoria , 5.574), Tie (4.588) and Kolnas pyörä . Madonna was once again the most played foreign artist followed by Bruce Springsteen, Juha Tapio, late Michael Jackson, Nickelback, Rihanna, Eppu Normaali, Jenni Vartiainen and Bon Jovi. That's for all the radio stations. If we look at only the nationwide ones, Bruce and Michael has to do way to locals Laura Närhi and Samuli Edelmann in top-10.

Christmas albums are something most artists do at some point of their career for some reason; to cash in, to revive the career or just for fun or other reason. This year in Finland Samuli Edelmann does it after singing pop, rock, psalms so in his career it's a rather logical step after starring alongside Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. The album Hiljaisuuden valo (Light of the silence) is reached top-5 in its second week. Very popular Juha Tapio who started with religious music before hitting pop rock debuted at #4 with his album Joululauluja (Christmas songs). Also for him, I must admit it is a logical step in his career and there's no hint about the previously mentioned reasons to do such albums. The third success album this season comes from Jarkko Ahola of Teräsbetoni fame. This is actually his first solo album and shows there's more to him and his vocals than just metal rock and long hair in the air. Ave Maria - joulun klassikot (Ave Maria - Christmas classics) i...

Kaija Koo, Laura Voutilainen, Cheek The Finnish Independence day on December 6 is traditionally celebrated with the glamorous ball in the president's castle. This year Finland celebrated its 95th birthday as we gained independence in 1917. We also had a new presidential couple in charge after 12 years with Tarja Halonen, the first female president. it was pretty close we didn't have a gay president this time around as Pekka Haavisto came close second earlier this year, and his partner Antonio Flores, originally from Columbia would have been "the first lady". Such joy and fun that would have been! Maybe in six years... Anyways, the ball is a little bit "Who's who" in Finland and among this year's some 1800 guests besides all the diplomats, big bosses, political figures, members of parliaments, sportsmen who have made the nation proud over the year there are always some artists for a reason or another. This year among them Laura Voutilainen, Cheek...

Most Eurovision fans know Vesa-Matti Loiri only for his last place in Eurovision 1980 with Huilumies . But in Finland this man in a legend. Actor, athlete, comedian and singer he has been conquering the audiences in movie theaters, TV, clubs and arenas already for 50 years. His acting career started in 1962's movie Pojat that gave him the Finnish Oscar, Jussi. Later he concentrated on sports playing football, winning Finnish championship in a handball team and did boxing in the national league as well. All this while doing the Theater school and working at YLE's radio theater. Soon after finishing the theater school he worked at the Helsinki city theater.  Here are his incredible career highlights in short: His comedic skills were first displayed in 1966's TV hit Hanski .  His recording career started in 1966.  His first starring role in a movie came in 1969 and first solo album in 1971.  He played in national football league in 1972.  The ye...

"Sometimes you have to go far to see near" is the slogan of this sort of a road movie where one day at the door of a concert pianist played by Samuli Edelmann stands his long lost father, played by Vesa-Matti Loiri who stated a couple of years ago he wouldn't do any movies anymore. "When I read the script, was told Mika Kaurismäki would direct and Samuli would pay my son, I couldn-t but accept" he told the press once the news is out. The preview of Tie pohjoiseen (Road to the north) was last weekend and it was a box office smash hit like one would have imagined; nearly 37.000 viewers and this year's second best opening and clearly the most watched movie over the weekend beating Disney's brave by 20.000 viewers.  Obviously they have also sung the title song of the film, Tuomittuna kulkemaan .

Jippu is all of sudden everywhere. She's to release her third solo album Väärinpäin lentävät linnut (Birds flying backwards or something...) next week. She caused a stir with her look in a charity concert yesterday and now it's revealed she was cancelled from the artists list on a gospel happening due to her unfortunate comments on a talk show earlier this week where she said things like she's into sin and would do old gents like Silvio Berlusconi. Not suitable stuff for a youth gospel camp it seems. On top of that she's involved in a big political scandal in Finland when a couple that used the raise her for several years in her youth has been sentenced to jail for six and three years this week. Talk about right timing! Here's the title song. Jippu released her debut album Salaisuuksia, joita yksinäiset huutaa unissaan (Secret that the lonely cry out in their sleep) in 2006. She was awarded the Emma as the best newcomers and scored several radiohits. The s...

The Emma awards were give out last Friday again and I wrote about them here . But let's now take a look at the category of The Song of the Year. I was surprised Chisu wasn't even nominated in this one, but then she has won it already twice. The award went to Jukka Poika's Silkkii, and I totally agree. In this category the awards have been given out since 1996 under this name, before it there was The Schlager of the year or The composition of the year. And in 1988-1990 there was nothing for some weird reason! It is good to see now that the awards usually have gone to the right address as the songs are still here and alive.  And when the songs turn into English they are usually worldhits. Here are the winners in all three differently named categories: 1983 Avaa hakas - Kake Randelin, 1984 Levoton Tuhkimo - Dingo, 1985 Autiotalo - Dingo, 1986 Kaksoielämää - Juice Leskinen, 1987 Marraskuu - Miljoonasade, 1991 Taivas varjele - Mikko Kuustonen, 1992 Mies, jolle ei koskaan...

Remember Samuli Edelmann, the runner up of Euroviisut 1991 with Peggy ? He has done a long career ever since as a singer and an actor, just like he wished to do in the postcard there. His latest is being hunted down by Tom Cruise himself in Mission Impossible 4 ... Samuli tells he had a couple of days to pack her things and go to Prag without even seeing the script if he accepted the role. Which he did so he could act next to his teenage hero.  The movie got its red carpet premier last night in London and Samuli was there, too.

Rihanna's We found love climbs to #1 in Finland this week. In albums Chisu keeps her #1 spot for the third week and has sold double platinum. Kaija Koo drops to #3 from last weeks #2, Juha Tapio is at #4, Samuli Edelmann is at #9, Johanna Kurkela at #10, Jari Sillanpää stays at #13 while Laura Voutilainen enters at #20.

Samuli Edelmann will release his new album Pienellä kivellä next week. The album was mainly recorded in Malta where he lives these days and its first single Ei mitään hätää is one of the biggest hits on radios this fall. Several songwriters have been involved, including Hanna Pakarinen and Chisu! Last year he scored big with a duet album with Jippu with #1 hit Jos sä tahdot niin . Before that he released a trilogy of psalms and religious music. And countless pop hits and platinum selling albums since 1992, including Euroviisut 1991 runner up Peggy and Olen luonasi sun from 1998 with Sani.  Besides that he is a very respected actor both in movies and TV. He is currently filming a new movie called Tie pohjoiseen that will be his 25th. That follows his first Hollywood film. He is starring next to Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 4 - Ghost protocol that will premiere in December 2011. It seems nothing is impossible for this talented artist! His other musical goodies include Palava...

They are 21 the songs that made it to #1 in the official Finnish charts in 2010. The change in the top position was constant, as only two songs made a good long run in the number one position but even both of them had to drop down and re-enter to the spot. Eleven songs resisted only one week. Only Jenni Vartiainen and Lady Gaga scored two #1's. In albums Chisu's Vapaa ja yksin made it to #1 only one week but is still in the top-40 after 65 weeks.... They were: Jenni Vartiainen - En haluu kuolla tänä yönä (week 6, total 21 weeks) Jippu & Samuli Edelmann - Jos sä tahdot niin (week 9, total 31 weeks) The Giant Leap - The best time of your life (week 12, total 4 weeks) Viikate - Linna Espanjassa (week 13, total 5 weeks) Before the Dawn - Decade of dark (week 14, total 1 week) Kymppilinja ft. Mariska - Minä (week 27, total 5 weeks) Yolanda B Cool Vs. D Cup - We no speak Americano (week 32, total 12 weeks) Cheek - Jippikayjei (week 33, total 13 weeks) Mokoma - Juurta...

October 20 sees the release of a new Hanna Pakarinen album, Paperimiehen tytär . It's her first in Finnish and she describes it as a sort of a debut album, being so personal and result of a hard work. She has written most of the lyrics herself. The reviews and critic has been very favourable for the album so far and the title track was the first single and now comes Se yksi ainoa . The same day Jonna "ex-Nylon Beat" Geagea releases her first debut album Katso mua and its debut single was Taasko se alkaa while the title track is the new single and video. A week later is a real rush for the charts as several propably top selling albums are released. Antti Tuisku releases his Kaunis kaaos . The first single was Atlantti . And now comes Hyökyaalto . 1990's stars Ressu Redford and Jussi Rainio of Neon2 have re-recorded their hits they have been performing live with success recently in tour. Klassikot includes songs like Prinsessa . Tomi Metsäketo releases a Chr...

Kaija Koo's latest single Vapaa ( dance mix ) hits number one in the single's charts and despite all her hits, half a million albums sold and all her awards it is her very first single number one! She kicks from the spot Jenni Vartiainen's third single Missä muruseni on ( remix ) off her second album. Laura Närhi drops to 5th with her Tämä on totta . Seal ft. Anna Eriksson with You get me enters at #17 and Jippu and Samuli Edelmann still stay at #18 with Jos sä tahdot niin . They've have recorded an album together to be released before Christmas!  In albums Suvi Teräsniska drops one to 5th while Jenni Vartiainen is on way to up again at #6. Chisu is going up again - on her 53rd week! Tarja Turunen is on the way out after peaking at only #7 and Lordi's new stayed in Top-50 only 2 weeks, peaking at #9.  And none of these artists are involved in Euroviisut 2011 after all :-(

The usual cast here, too: Kari Tapio, Sillanpää, Yö. Eppu Normaali, Kela, Edelmann, Eriksson but then we have Janne Raappana with his fantastic cover of Biagio Antonacci's Iris and one hit wonder Teleks. 81. SE JOKIN ALKAA - KARI TAPIO 82. TAHDOIN TAIKKA EN - JARI SILLANPÄÄ 83. HÄN TANSSI KANSSA ENKELEIDEN - YÖ 84. TAHDON SUT - EPPU NORMAALI 85. 1972 - ANSSI KELA 86. JOS VAIN VOISIN - JANNE RAAPPANA 87. SININEN SOINTU - SAMULI EDELMANN 88. KUKA SAA SUT NYT - ANNA ERIKSSON 89. KAKSOISELÄMÄÄ - PATE MUSTAJÄRVI 90. TUULILASIN NURKKAAN - TELEKS

This set of ten songs is very good. Disco is here, so is Irina, Juha Metsäperä, Simo Silmu, Samuli, Mari... and Laura Voutilainen with the song that I personally is one of her best if not the best! 161. USKON JA LUOTAN - FINLANDERS 162. KETÄ SINÄ ODOTAT - DISCO 163. PIENEN HETKEN - JUHA METSÄPERÄ 164. ÄLÄ SANO MITÄÄN - IRINA 165. ENKELTEN TULI - SAMULI EDELMANN 166. VAIN RAKKAUS - MARI RANTASILA 167. TAIVAAN TUHAT KYNTTILÄÄ - SIMO SILMU 168. SYVÄÄN PÄÄHÄN - EPPU NORMAALI 169. AAMUISIN - ZEN CAFÉ 170. EN MIELESTÄIN SUA SAA - LAURA VOUTILAINEN

More poppier than schlager this set with Samuli Edelmann and Kirka from Euroviisut, Kaija Koo and Paula Koivuniemi gain with superpopular Juha Tapio and late Nylon Beat and then the usual Tangomarkkinat artists and dancebands.... 241. JOS MINUT KESYTTÄISIT - CHARLES PLOGMAN 242. ARVAAMATTA TUULI KÄÄNTYY VASTAAN - JUHA TAPIO 243. ET VOI SATUTTAA ENÄÄ - KAIJA KOO 244. PÄÄTÄ JO - MARKO LÄMSÄ 245. NAINEN - PAULA KOIVUNIEMI 246. SUN KANSSA - NELJÄNSUORA 247. SYYTÖN - NYLON BEAT 248. TAIKAA - KIRKA 249. LEVOTTOMAT - SAMULI EDELMANN 250. KOVAA JA KORKEALTA - MIKKO MÄKELÄINEN

Several Euroviisut artists in this one: Eija Kantola (again!), Kirka, Kristian Meurman, Laura Voutilainen with her 2002 entry, Jani & The Jetsetters and Samuli Edelmann. Matti & Teppo is in with yet another song of theirs and Antti Raiski from Tangomarkkinat completes the set. Katri Ylander is an Idol runner up. 251. AAMUAURINKOON - KATRI YLANDER 252. HÄNELLE - MATTI JA TEPPO 253. ROSALITA - ANTTI RAISKI 254. KUKA - EIJA KANTOLA 255. KARVAS VIINI - KIRKA 256. NÄIDEN KYYNELIEN JÄLKEEN - KRISTIAN MEURMAN 257. ADDICTED TO YOU - LAURA VOUTILAINEN 258. LENNÄ POIS - JANI & JETSETTERS 259. MUISTATKO KUN - JANI & JETSETTERS 260. KAIKKI TAHTOO - SAMULI EDELMANN

Anna Eriksson's risky business of releasing an album in English seems to be paying off as she enters the Top-50 at number 3 with Garden of love . It's also a historic milestone as before her only Marion Rung of female artists has managed to get a top-10 album both in Finnish and English (Tarja Turunen's Christmas album was only partly Finnish). Also only two male artists have managed this: Riki Sorsa and Remu so Eurovision artists rule this record. Vuokko Hovatta's new album Liaani also enters the Top-10 at #10. Janne Raappana who tried to get to Euroviisut 2010 through the internet voting also enter the charts at #20 with Rakkaus on hulluus , and Amadeus 's debut album falls to #21 from last weeks #14. It debuted at #6 five weeks ago and has been dropping ever since. Meanwhile Vesa-Matti Loiri's Hyvää puuta climbs again to #27 and also Mikael Konttinen clibs to #34 with Ota kiinni . And Alexander Rybak drops to #44. In singles chart Jippu & Samuli Edelmann...