Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

It seems MRT hasn't yet made any announcement how their Eurovision song contest 2016 entry for Stockholm will be chosen but the chances are the Skopje Fest will once again be it. Skopje Fest that originally run from 1968-1980 become one of the biggest festivals in Yogoslavia. It rose like a Phoenix from ashed in 1994 to become now independent Macedonia's main festival and run now until 2002. Financial problems put a stop to it until 2008. It has also used several times as the selection for the ESC. Last year's winner Daniel Kajmakoski went to Eurovision but his song Lisna esenski went through a total make over and was almost a different song in Vienna..... Listen below. Anyways, the list for 2015 Skopje fest is very much male dominated (Måns-effect?) and among the names we have several familiar ones, even a veteran trying again and again, Vlatko Ilievski, this time in duet. Also a Junior veteran makes her debut among the big ones, Anja Veterova. Skopje Fest takes pla...

Daniel Kajmakoski (31) is the fresh winner of Skopje Fest and the Macedonian entrant for the Eurovision song contest 2015 in Vienna. His winning song is Lisja esenski , here's the studio version . There is a possibility the song will be changed before March 2015, but this blogger ctually likes it a lot so I hope they will stick with it.  He's also the winner of the first X Factor Adria where his mentor was none other than Zeljko Joksimovic, they also recorded a duet together Skopje-Beograd . Another Eurovision connection is he wrote to Karolina Goceva Vis ne se vrakas in 2010 that was a big hit. For him it's a return to Vienna as that's where he grew up after moving there when six year's old. He even participated in the Austrian talent show Starmania seasson two in 2003 where he reached the top-8. (The next season was won by Nadine Beiler and runner up being certain Tom Neuwirth aka Conchita Wurst! Even Eric Papilaya was in it). His career didn't quite g...

The Macedonian Skopje Fest ended with Daniel Kajmakoski's win with Esenski lisja . Tamara Todevska finished second with Brod sto tone and Evgenija Cancalova third with Da ne te sakam . All three were in both international jury's and televoters top-3. This blogger agrees with the top-2 but had a little preference to Tamara, like most fans online it seems and she indeed was also the international jury's favorite but in the televoting she only managed third that cost her victory while Daniel and Evgenija were in the league of their own in that.... Reality television rules.... Here above you have the jury votes.... ... and here the televotes.... .... and here the final result. Today the vote rigging claims have arisen in Macedonia and police is investigating a question of about 1000 seized phonecards.... Let's see how this ends....

Tonight's the night. The first national final of the season takes place in Metropol Arena in Skopje, Macedonia where 20 acts take the stage and 50-50 televote-jury vote will decide the winner and the Macedonian Eurovision song contest 2015 entry for Vienna.  The show starts at 20.15 CET and you can watch it here or here .  Read more about the songs and participants here . 

The season's first national final takes places in Macedonia in less than two weeks when Skopje Fest will take place (November 12, 2014) and give us the Macedonian entry as well. It seems to be a grand show that will also celebrate MRT's 50th and Eurovision's 60th anniversary.  The winner will be decided by 50-50 televote-international jury. Seven different countries with five jurors each will provide the international votes and they will vote on the dress rehearsal performances the night before - sounds very old school Eurovision, doesn't it? Special guests will be the Macedonian ladies in Eurovision: Karolina Goceva ( Od naz zavisi 2002 and Mojot svet 2007) and ever so wonderful Kaliopi ( Cnro i belo 2012). The running order was drawn with a special gimmick that I hope more countries will adopt: songs were divided in ballads (even numbers) and uptempos (odd numbers) before drawing the positions.  Lena Zatkoska –  Alo Tanja Carovska –  Ako mi se vra...

Tijana's sister Tamara is among the 20 Skopje festival participants. She must have gotten the spark in Copenhagen 2014 where she was providing backing vocals and enjoying the atmosphere besides being very nice to everyone. She's no stranger to Eurovision anyways as she did represent Macedonia already back in 2008 with Adrian Gaxha and   Vrčak. Also Vlatko Ilievski who already did 2011 is trying to get another go at it.  MRT received about 200 songs and these 20 will battle it out already on November 12, 2014 and the winner will get the ticket to Vienna 2015 Eurovision song contest after 505/50 jury/televote. Risto Samardziev & Vlatko Ilievski  –  North–South Lena Zatkoska  –  Hello Aleksandra Janeva  –  In your world Nade Talevska  –  I know Sanja Gjoshevska  –  I want to fly Viktorija Loba  –  I’m missing someone like you Goran Naumovski & Sanja Kerkez  –  A moment without you Lidija ...

Macedonia has confirmed their presense in the 2015 Eurovision song contest and the biggest local music festival, Skopje Fest will be the selection form as its winner will go to Austria. Last year Lambe Alabakovski won with Ke te chekam jas but internally selected Tijana went to Copenhagen instead. (Hopefully Lambe comes back!) But this is not the first time the Skopje winner goes to Eurovision as it has happened already more often that not, namely in ( 1996 ), 1998 , 2000 , 2002 , 2008 , 2009 , 2010 and 2011 . However Macedonia hasn't feared so well in Eurovision failing six times out of the last seven participations to qualify to the final. The exception is Kaliopi's fantastic Crno i belo in 2012 that sailed to the final and finished 13th - the best ever for Macedonia so far.  This year Skopje Fest will take place on November 13 and 20 songs will take part. The application period to take part is open until July 31, 2014. In the final there is a 50-50 televote-internat...

Skopje Fest 2010 reached its final tonight after two days of semifinals. 16 songs in the running to go to Oslo 2010 still. Here is how the scoreboard looks like after the two semifinals (votes combined from both semifinals). Judging this it looks like it's going to be Vlatko or... Vlatko! I go for Lazanovski. Let'see how it will look tonight! When? 20.30 CET. Where? Here . 1. Vlatko Ilievski - Sreka      22 (10 jury + 12 televote) 2. Vlatko Lazanovski - Letam kan tebe      20 (10 + 10) 3. Esma's Band - Dz ipsi dens       19 (7 + 12) 4. Suzana Spasovska & Darko Nesovski - Bog Go Ima Sekoj Kljuc 18 (12 + 6) 5. Maja Vukicevic - Fama     16 (12 + 4) 6. Aleksandar Belov - Ostani     15 (7 + 8) 7. Gjoko Taneski - Jas Ja Imam Silata     15 (8 + 7) 8. Nade Talevska - Sreken kraj     14 (6 + 8) 9. Viktorija Apostolova - Zaboravi na Se ...

The second semifinal in FYR Macedonia tonight. Just like last night 8 songs will proceeed to tomorrow's final. Listen to the songs here . Qualified. Pampers - Sni Vodolija - Solza Nade Talevska - Sreken kraj Teodora Trajkovska - Ljubovna Pesna Boyan Aleksovski - Beli Konji Dimitar Andonovski - Kameno srce Angela Zdravkova - Zaboravaš Viktorija Apostolova - Zaboravi Na Se Vlatko Lozanoski - Letam Kon Tebe Jova Radevska - Se Ushte Ä�ekame Esma's Band - Džipsi Dens Maja Vukicevic - Fama Kristijan Jovanov - Nikoj Na Ovoj Svet Parketi - Ti Si Kisi Fenomen

Skopje Fest 2010, or the FYR Macedonia's selection for Eurovision kicks off tonight with the first semifinal. Eight of these will proceed to the final on February 20, so it's a three day event. 50/50 televote and jury will pick up the winner just like in Eurovision itself. Listen to the songs here . The quality seems to be rather low and the only songs that I personally would care to listen the full versions are Belov, Malinkova and Mitrovic... When? 20.30 CET. Where? Here . Qualifiers. Duo Slide - Mrazam Suzana Spasovska & Darko Nešovski - Bog Go Ima Sekoj Kljuc Kerber - Chorbadzija Treta Dimenzija - Bolest Zaraza Tumbao Salsa Bend - Poludena Vo Nokta Studena Bravo Band - Taa Ima Se Vlatko Ilievski - Sreka Gorjan Stojanovski - Najmila Aleksandar Belov - Ostani Gjoko Taneski - Jas Ja Imam Silata Daniel Stojmanovski - Akcija Reakcija Darko Ilievski - Lagi Nataša Malinkova - Sever I Jug Igor Mitrovic - Malecka