Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

It's September and the Eurovision 2018 season is officially on. I will feature in coming days names that could be in UMK18, if only...... I say if only, as most likely we won't see any of them in there for UMK is profilied as a newcomers contest instead of being our own Sanremo or Melodifestivalen. In short: a major contest all the big names want to take part not only to win but to boost their record sales and score hits. But one can dream, right? I have thrown in some not so known names for variety. Let's go.... Vol.10 Check out the previous posts by scrolling down. Vesala is singer-songwriter, actress and playwriter, started in hugely popular PMMP before going solo, writes hit songs to other artists as well and Lauri's ex-wife and mother of his kid. Past few years it seems everything she touches turns into a success and she's got her shelves full of awards to prove it. This week it was revealed she has written the Finnish version of  hit musical Mamma M...

Jari Sillanpää's Sinä ansaitset kultaa celebrates 100th consegutive week in the Finnish radio top-100. The ballad climbs again from last week's 84th to this week's 63rd. The song has never made it to number one on radio chart reaching #4 in March 2015 and again in May 2015. It spent four weeks in the official singles chart reaching #13 in January 2015. In download chart it made it to #1 for two weeks in December 2014 and spent there a total of 35 weeks, 12 of them in top-10.  This is no doubt one of the biggest hits of the 2010's in Finland and his biggest one with his debut Satulinna from 1995.... Congratulations!

Namely the biggest entertaining holabaloo in Finland is over for another year. This week Seinäjoki has been filled with tango when the new hopefuls and old royals like Jari Sillanpää, Amadeus Lundberg and Arja Koriseva have been entertaining the tango people along with names like Katri Helena and Antti Tuisku. The new Tango Queen was crowned this Thursday and she is Heidi Pakarinen. Tonight the new king was chosen by the televote and the jury as well and he is Kyösti Mäkimattila, the 28th in the history. Watch the performances here . As there is now UMK, the tango royals don't have an access to Euroviisut final, like Marko Maunuksela and Amadeus Lundberg had. However Kyösti has a rather poppy sound and looks for it, so maybe he should think about it?

Mariska has moved from hip hop to schlager pop and in both styles has collected nominations for awards and hits. She has also written lyrics to other artists, like Jenni Vartiainen and Anna Puu. In 2010 she won the new tango song competition in Tangomarkkinat with Sua kaipaan and has since moved more to the schlager field with two latest albums and hits like Liekki . This year Kukkurukuu has been one of the biggest radio hits and she hopes to bis it with this Kuolema on kalamies . 

Kalle Kaaja is a Topi Sorsakoski protegee whose past includes two participations in Tangomarkkinat and also rockabilly band The Wagtails. In 2009 he released an album with his band Caravan, produced by before mentioned, late Topi Sorsakoski. He didn't want his band Kulkukoirat to end with him so Kalle Kaaja stepped in and is now the solist. Their song Sielusi kaipaa surely will appeal to fans of this kind of music.... 

Last weekend the big Finnish schlager event Vihreät niityt took place in Kajaani, northern Finland. Several Eurovision veterans were present from Katri Helena to Marion, Laura Voutilainen and Riki Sorsa. And the new tango king without a crown, Heikki Koskelo. Marion was singing and performing with bronchitis but no one really noticed. She's touring this summer with her 50th anniversary tour in business and she's freshly married with a man 20 years to her senior. And her latest album sold gold last year.  Katri Helena is having an easy summer gigwise as she performed only five times while she is recording her new album, the first for the new rock orientad label with songs from new writers to her. She will be back on tour only next spring. Later this autumn a musical based on her life will premiere in Helsinki. The tickets are sold out already for dozens of nights.... Laura Voutilainen is also recording a new album in Iceland and promises "ballads to listen in candleligh...

Heikki Koskelo didn't take it very well he was left second in the Tangomarkkinat final accusing the jury to have decided beforehand that a woman should win. Indeed Mervi Koponen won against all odds and popular polls. But now there are good news to him: he is about to record an album and not necessarily a tango one. He has already released Rakkaus ei mittaa matkaa that is real Finnish schlagerpop. Maybe he will want to take revenge in Euroviisut 2012? (Or whatever the contest will be called next year.....) And we might also see the reigning Tango Queen there as she declared amongst the winning holabaloo that if she gets the competition mood again she's aiming for Eurovision....  Which one is your favourite? Check them both performing La cumparsita here .

Mervi Koponen was crowned the new Tango Queen moment ago. She beat superfavourite Heikki Koskelo 47-46 in the juryvote. One might note all the male jurors gave full marks to her while all the female jurors gave full marks to him but as the male jurors were 3 and female 2.... Oh well... Update: Also Koskelo critizied the results by asking why they wanted men in the competition if it had been decided it was time for a queen? In Ilta-Sanomat poll Koponen came last of the six finalists.... This story will surely continue.....

Tonight's the 27th Tangomarkkinat final and Iltalehti's readers have voted for their all time favourite amongst the Tango Kings and Queens selected annually. Jari Sillanpää got over the half of the votes, 53,9% followed by another Euroviisut veteran, Arja Koriseva (14,1%) The televote has chosen the qualifiers until now but tonight the jury will pick up the winner. If people would choose it would be Heikki Koskelo but later tonight we will see what the jury thinks. All the finalists have already been in the contest so none of them is a real newcomer.Antti Ahopelto has been already once 3rd and twice 2nd, and Tino Alhgren's father Sebastian was the King in 1993.... My favourite part of the show is when they perform tango versions of pop and rock songs! You can follow the final live here .

The annual Tangomarkkinat circus has reached its final stage last night and tomorrow night the six finalists will battle out the crown and we will see who will follow the footsteps of Marko Maunuksela, last year's Tango King. Unlike the past two years when the winners Amadeus and Maunuksela were also granted a spot in the Euroviisut semifinal line up the winner does not get that extra award. Nothing stops him/her or any other finalist to try to get into Euroviisut 2012 anyways as the competition is open to anyone. Many are saying we should have a female winner this time after two male winners but the biggest favourite is Heikki Koskelo . He already won Suomi Iskelmä SM 2010 contest and the polls indicate him as the clear favourite. The other male finalists Tino Ahlgren and Antti Ahopelto who has taken part in both kids and teenage competition before are also strong having reached the final already before. The female favourite in the first round was Maria Tyyster who was in th...

The reigning Tango King Marko Maunuksela will participate in Euroviisut 2011 with Synkän maan tango , or Tango of a gloomy land. Doen't sound very bright, does it? But then it's written by Mika Toivanen who also wrote Takes two 2 tango . The couple met during Tangomarkkinat and Marko's debut album also includes a couple of collaborations. But the whole thing is becoming a sort of tribute for Tangomarkkinat as Marko will be joined on stage by his runner up this year, Suvi Karjula, Tango Queen 2008 Hanna Talikainen, Tango Queen 2004 Johanna Debreczeni, Tango prince Esa Nummela and bandoneon artist Petri Ikkelä. "If we should win the songs stays in Finnish also in Germany. I have alsways been singing in Finnish and it would feel unnatural to change language at this point" Marko tells. He also proclaim himself as Eurovision fan." It is a must. I remember The Herrey's winning with Diggi-loo diggi-ley and that song was included in the very first C-cassette I r...

Another Tango King in the race. Tommi (27) won the contest in 2004 and since then released three albums. After a little break he came back this year with his 4th album and aiming now for a pop career more on the Robbie Williams style than tangos. Which suits this blogger fine as he's got the voice and the looks for it. He also declared already earlier this year he wants to do Euroviisut and indeed YLE invited him. Music has been in his life since he was 4 when he started singing to anyone who would listen to him. At school came the choirs and plays, piano and later guitar. During high school he started taking part in various contests and won Lavatähti in 2000 and Ponnahdus pinnalle in 2001. Then finally the title of Tango King at the age of 21 and since then he has been touring all over Finland but also finished his studies as music teacher..He has four different teams writing the song for him and as he has two ballads and two up tempo ones to choose from the entry can be either o...

Marko Maunuksela (36) got the ticket to Euroviisut 2011 by winning the Tangomarkkinat 2010 last summer thus following Amadeus example who beat him to the crown in last edition despite Marko being the audience's favourite. He is no stranger to the stage though. He has a lot of experience as live singer, actor in musicals and opera. He is a nurse and has been working with autistic children before he won the title of Tango King. He released his first single Lintu ja pesäpuu in early 2010 following his independent releases of Olet mulle kaikki, Se sattuu   in 2009. Thanks to Tangomarrkinat he got a recording deal and the first single off his debut album Uuteen valoon (release November 10, 2010)  is Maailmanloppu . He has been featured also in various compilations Unfortunately the album does not include his great cover of Lauri Tähkä's Rakkaus ei oo pysyvää from Tangomarkkinat where he also performed Onnemme kyyneleet , Hulluna tangoon (Takes two 2 tango) and Öiset kitarat ....

Euroviisut 2011 participant and Tango King 2010 Marko Maunuksela has released a new single Maailman loppu (End of the world). Sounds very typical Finnish schlagerpop aimed for tango folks. Let's see if this is what he will offer in Euroviisut or is that going to be poppier? His debut album Uuteen valoon will be released on November 11 so it also must include his Euroviisut entry! Track list is here .

Amadeus Lundberg, now ex-Tango King will take part in his aunt Anneli Sari's next tour and musical production Taivaan portit (Gates of heaven). The tour will start on October 21 in Varkaus and end on November 27 in Hämeenlinna and 31 shows has been set.  Maybe that collaboration will give a boost to his career that has gone from The Next Big Thing to almost forgotten within a year to the wider audience excluding the tango crowds. His album sold only 7.000 copies and can be found on sale boxes in record stores and supermarkets by now for a few euros, and his pre-announced victory in Euroviisut ended outside the super final. His private life has given more headlines than his career thriumps but hey, he's still only 21....

Marko Maunuksela (36) was crowned the new Tango King last weekend in Seinäjoki's Tangomarkkinat and got also a free ticket to the Euroviisut 2011. He was my favourite from the beginning and has proved already he is confortable with poppier material as well than only tangos, like Anssi Kela's 1972 and Lauri Tähkä's Rakkaus ei oo pysyvää . And of course Hulluna tangoon (Takes two 2 tango) He has released three promosingles so far: Tämä yö / Se sattuu in 2008, Olet mulle kaikki in 2009 and Lintu ja pesäpuu in 2010. He was also present in last year's tango compilation where he did Hernandon salaisuus . You can listen more of him on his MySpace . He has been singing since 2001 in Marit ja Mikot choir and ever since as a solist in various occasions. In 2007 he won Somero soikoon singing contest, and came 3rd in last year's Tangomarkkinat where he was also public's favourite in a big gala concert.. "I was left with a bit bitter taste in my mouth from last year...

My favourite and semifinal's winner Marko Maunuksela held it til the end and took over the crown as the new Tango King from Amadeus tonight. Marko (36) managed to win over the voters this year and the past 24 hours has been a real emotional roller coaster for him as he lost his beloved grandmother last night. He was in top-4 already last year but was second to Amadeus Lundberg.

The six finalists for the Tangomarkkinat final have been televoted moments ago and my favourite Marko Maunuksela has emerged as the main contender for the title this year. He reached the final also last year. He scored 15,1% of the votes followed by Mia Leivo 13,3%, Juha Hautaluoma 12,3%, Maria Tyyster 12,3%, Tapani Kangas 10,3% and Suvi Karjula 8,3%. The final will be on Saturday night.

The biggest music festival in Finland with Euroviisut kicks off its final stage today. The various semifinal stages are over and the finalist will start their fight for the crown of Tango King or Tango Queen, still firmly in Amadeus's head until Saturday evening. Last year the winner got a free ticket to the Euroviisut final and even if Amadeus was a strong contender for the victory with Anastacia he failed to make the superfinal. In 2010 the finalist are: Maria Tyyster from Lappeenranta, Mia Leivo and Suvi Karjula from Tampere, Sanna Arell from Uusikaupunki, Sanna-Marika Jääskeläinen from Helsinki, Juha Hautaluoma and Tapani Kangas from Seinäjoki, Marko Maunuksela from Ilmajoki, Tino Ahlgren from Turku and Tuomas Kaikkonen from Oulu. The semifinal will take place July 8 and six artists will make the final on July 10.  I guess the winner has an option for Euroviisut 2011 again. YLE broadcasts both finals live on TV, radio and internet. My fafourite might be Marko Maunuksela w...

Amadeus, the reigning Tango King and favourite to win Euroviisut 2010 where he didn't reach the top-3 in the end has come out to media for his money problems. He is complaining about bad marketing as his debut album has sold only about 7.000 copies. It includes also his Euroviisut track Anastacia . He has no manager and now blames his record compay for leaving him alone. "I'm a young artist in the beginning of his career. I thought a Tango King would be taken better care of. My album haven't been marketed almost at all." . Then he admits he has been spending too much money and has already moved to suburb from his city center penthouse and stopped eating in restaurants where he spent about 3000 euros a month. No wonder he has no money!