Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  So, YLE decided to go the Belarusian way and just throw out all the selection process ignoring all the over 300 submitted entries stating they "didn't find a suitable entry" even if "the interest was high and standard high" even this year. Instead they chose Saara Aalto and are looking for her three songs for the final on March 3, 2018 in Espoo's Metro Areena, to be judged by televoters and international jury. The eternal runner up gets her dream job finally. I wonder how much this has to do with her recent change of record label, and the rumors about her being asked by BBC as well to represent the UK. "Now my fans in UK have a chance to vote for me, too" ever chirpy Saara says.  Hmm, if UK votes in the other semifinal it won't be much of a help. And even in final it will be only 12 points (if she can push pass various diasporas that is). 12 points won't take very far..... Being used to finish second the equilevant in Eurovision...

Karoliina Kallio os Waldo's people fame turns 38 today! Her career started already as a kid in 1990 in a talent contest. Finnish national finals, Idols and other stuff followed until 2008 she joined Waldo's People line up just in time for Eurovision. In 2011 she tried also The Voice but only got to the first live. She's been singing backing vocals, gigging and became a mother in 2014.  Congratulations!

A star is born. Steve Brookstein, Leon Jackson, Matt Cardle... and Matt. Or  is it better end up like Olly Murs, One Direction, Fleur East, Eoghan Quigg... Saara was born in May 1987 in north of Finland. (Photo from Aalto family album/Iltalehti) Coming from a musical and artistic family she wrote her first songs at the age of five, and at 11 she won her Kotkan Merilaulukilpailu (whatever that was) with self written song. She spent her teenage summers singing in weddings. 2004 she was backing Heidi Kyrö in the Finnish Eurovision selection 2004 she represanted Finland in Romania's Cerbul de Aur festival. No awards won. 2007 she finished second in Talent Finland. She didn't manage to get a record deal after that. 2008 she was backing Hanna Marsh in the Finnish Eurovision selection 2008-2009 she did High School Musicals 1 & 2 in Helsinki City Theater 2009 she was backing Riikka in the Finnish Eurovision selection 2010-2011 she did musical Wicked ...

Krista did a good job hosting the #UMK2016 next to Roope Salminen. When she wasn't competing in Melodifestivalen that is. Now she'll be back as Yle's special reporter inside and outside Globen and all over Stockholm during the Eurovision hulabaloo.  You can follow what's she's up to from May 6 on YLE's Eurovision page and in all social medias. Get ready to ding dong! The day after, Saturday May 7 Yle is broadcasting a live 4-hrs long preview marathon hosted by Raakel Liekki with a panel that includes ever so wonderful Jaana Pelkonen, the Eurovision 2007 hostess, among others. They will comment and rate the songs.... And of course Yle is broadcasting all the three shows live on YLE2. Besides that, the Swedish speaking YleFem is having its usual Eurovisa panels, already on air since April 9 until May 7. All shows have been recorded and already online on Yle Areena .  Then there's Yle Teema broadcasting some Eurovision related goodies: On May 1...

The final of The Voice of Finland took place last night with several Eurovision connections. First of all Sweden's Måns Zelmerlöw was the guest and performed his Heroes . To be honest, he didn't impress that much. He is good and all, but the song without the gimmick just isn't very engaging, is it? Anyways, one of the main winning candidates was Jennie Storbacka. She only managed third though. Just like she did in Euroviisut 2005 with Kiss me . In 2006 she was 4th with Take me higher . Since then she has done a long career in musicals and is now ready to kickstart her solo career. But Eurovision is a part of a pastlife she declared.... The winner is another lady with a big voice, Miia Kosunen, from ex-Nightwish's Tarja Turunen's team. Her final song was surprisingly Bed on fire , from Melodifestivalen 2013 and Ralf Gyllenhammar. Watch Miia's performance here .

Siru Airistola is the latest The Voice of Finland winner last April. Since then she has released two singles ( Sä et kulu pois and Kaksi naista )and is currently working on her debut album. She has done also musicals and operas and studies musical theater. She is yet to breakthrough though so let's see if UMK will finish what The Voice started. She says her music is soul influenced pop with big emotions, and her entry Mustelmat (Bruises) is about being imperfect and accepting it. Or is it about domestic violance? Three songs that have made her are Lara Fabian's Adagio (in Italian ), Alicia Keys' Fallin' and Eva Cassidy's Over the rainbow . Without them she wouldn't be here now.  Timo : Siru has a strong voice that makes me listen to her. She even made me think about the lyrics and what they are all about and I'm not so sure I really got the point but then that's nothing new for me. I kinda liked this even if the main thing or the melody remain...

Lauri Mikkola is no stranger to TV audiences who followed The Voice, just like Krista Siegfrids he was kicked out way too early as this boy surely can sing! Now he's trying to do what Krista did and get a revenge in UMK and Eurovision instead and very well so. His Going down is a self penned song with great atmosphere and fine vocals. And Lauri oozes charisma (even more in real life than on TV screen or photos, I may add having been in his presense). He's from Turku, but like many others is now based in Helsinki. He's a bit of a Finnish Justin Timberlake, and surely has the blackest voice of any young male singers. Besides Justin also Otis Redding and Jonny Lang have influenced his sound. Like him in his Facebook here , his homepage is here and vote for him on my poll on the right side. Watch him doing September , featuring in Elastinen's Uus , and singing with Krista Siegfrids Blame it on the boogie

Krista Siegfrids may have been the Queen bee last year but here coms Dennis singing about honey bee. He's already little known thanks to his participation in the Voice of Finland 2013 where he got to the semifinals. He's originally from Hanko but lives now in Helsinki. He's aim is to bring happiness and positivity to the rather melancholy Finnish music business and his influences include Robbie Williams and Michael Bublé and he wishes to be able to perform in the same twinkle in the eye style. He started with saxophone when he was 8 and singing came along only later. He's also described as every mother's dream son-in-law.... His song My little honey bee is written by a well know group of Eurovision fans Michael James Down, Niklas Hast, Andreas Anastasiou, Primoz Pogdalen along with Dennis himself.  You can find links to his Facebook etc here . Here are some of his performances: Minun tuulessa soi , Näytän sulle rannan , Ainutkertainen

Krista Siegfrids is one of the couches in The Voice Kids and performs this Sunday with her remaining two girls Rebecca and Molly her latest single Can you see me . And it's pretty stunning. Watch the preview here . She has released also a very beautiful video for this touching ballad dedicated to her late father.

Krista Siegfrids has released the third single/video of her debut album and it's a far cry from Marry me 's ding dongs and Amen 's party. Can you see me? is a heartfelt ballad dedicated to her late father. Elias Koskimies also once again as director makes a great job. Simply and beautiful perfectly fitting the song. Well done! UPDATE : Can you see me climbs the Finnish iTunes charts to #3! Ahead her only the megastar of the day Cheek and Jenni Vartiainen with her comeback single. Well done and ding dong!!!!

Remember Saara Aalto who was the runner up behind Paradise Oskar with her Blessed with love ?  Since then she has been busy with her career in Finland and also in Asia, mainly in China of all places. Now her latest album will be released in China titled Ai De Zhu Fu 爱的祝福 . The album includes 13 songs: 1. 前进的脚步 （Qianjin de jiaobu） 2. 宽恕 （Kuanshu） 3. My Love 4. 来呀来呀飞起来 （Laiya laiya feiqilai） 5. 你让我无助 (Ai ni rang wo wuzhu) 6. 十点 （Shi dian） 7. 爱的祝福 (Ai De Zhu Fu) 8. 受伤的心 （Shou shang de xin） 9. 我心慢慢沉 （Wo xin manman chen） 10. Out of Sight, Out of Mind 11. You Gotta Go 12. My Bird 13. Je Suis Malade The lead single is the very Bond-esque 受伤的心 （Shou shang de xin） , that is the Chinese version of You had my heart .  But she's also singing in Japanese, like in Blessed with love . She's been the runner up in Talent, Voice and Euroviisut, will she finally make it - in China? She's gaining success there also with  Out of sight, out of mind . The album releas...

Redrama will be once again one of the judges for UMK 2014 or Uuden musiikin kilpailu aka ex-Euroviisut. The submission is due September 16, 2013 so there's still some time to send in entries. He spoke about UMK in YleX radio interview: "It's really cool to be part of it again, it was a great experience and gave me a chance to listen to all kind of music that I would never have heard otherwise. I ask all of you out there to send in your best song, not a leftover from your last album. UMK can give you visibility that those participating in The Voice of Finland or Idols can only dream of. It's all about the song, not the performance. The possibility to end up representing Finland in the Eurovision is alone a good enough reason to take part. It's also proven out that getting a recording deal thanks to UMK is much easier than Idols or Voice. Most of the 12 artists or bands this year have gotten pretty far and it's mostly thanks to UMK. This said, I want also ...

London calling Krista Siegfrids! She will be the guest star in the UK's Big Brother on Sunday July 7, 2013. She will perform Marry me in her wedding dress. Big Brother UK is already on it's 14th season and still very popular with an average viewers around 2 million per episode.  Eurovision has done good for her career also otherwise. In August she will be also starring in Stockholm Pride, and she will also visit popular kids and youth show Sommarlov. In Finland she will be on TV-screen weekly with The Voice Kids, where she is one of the coaches. But before all that she will be headlining the Helsinki Pride this Saturday in Helsinki.

That's the new version of Marry me by Krista Siegfrids, the Finnish entry in Malmö 2013 Eurovision. Retouches to the intro, outre, beat and tempo, me thinks.... Ding dong!

Krista Siegfrids was on live chat with Ilta-Sanomat's Poppipoliisit today and some facts were revealed along the chat with the hosts and questions by the followers. She's very un-Finnish artists as she started with a bang with her More os more theme and wasn't asking apologies from anyone for breaking through, and she has managed to avoid being labeled both Voice-Krista or UMK-Krista - maybe because she's so different and has been around for such a long time working her butt off.... She will on stage in Malmö in all female company; five girls and herself (three dancers, two backing singers) She will be doing promo in Amsterdam's Eurovision in Concert as well as London Eurovision, and Stockholm, too Her album will be released on May 10, 2013 and is called Ding Dong! She describes it as a mix between the styles of Kesha and Joan Jett! She told that she feels completely confortable alterning from rock to pop. With a hint of dance thrown in! She also told ...

Regina has released a very beautiful song Na balkanu . From the category "I don't understand a word but believe it all"....  Saara Aalto (Talent, Euroviisut and The Voice runner up) has released her new single and video You had my heart . She's really aiming for the Asian market and both Japanese and Chinese versions will follow in due time. Arash features Sean Paul in his new She makes me go that could have been released some 20 years ago really. Finns must feel nostalgic as it has hit the charts here...  Ramdadamdamdigidigi! ABBA's Agnetha Fältskog has made a comeback and the first single When you really loved someone is really a nice tune..... relaxing, sad and wonderfully old fashioned at the same time. And on top of that oh so familiar voice of Agnetha :-)

The Finnish Grammys or Emmas were given out last night in Espoo's Barona Areena and even if Krista Siegfrids didn't perform she pretty much stole the show in medias with her red carpet photos and her evil-rock n' roll-bat woman look! She also told her life is programmed by the minute until Malmö 2013 while she's prepairing for Eurovision and the party pop 'n roll album that will be now released already in May in time for the main event. And she's looking out for sponsors, too. As we know she funded her UMK performances from her own purse but apparently it's now empty and she needs help for Malmö! Anyone? Pretty please? PS. The awards? Nothing special to tell about.... Robin and Jukka Poika both got 3 of them....

Krista has been giving interviews all day and tells in her Facebook page she hasn't slept for 48 hours (except one hour powernap at some point). She even ended up in TV-news where she was interviewed and she confessed being "very, very happy and tired. But happier than ever! " Meanwhile it's not been all roses. Some feminists have attacked the lyrics in the song where the woman in question would do anything, even starve just to get married. And especially the line "I'm your slave and you're my master" . She commented she's doing entertainment, not politics. This song has been written with a twinkle in the eye, with humor. If people don't have sense of humor it's not her problem. (I totally agree!) She wrote the song with love and joy. The anti-feminism theme has also created some stirr in Sweden already last week. She also told she wrote the song Eurovision in mind. "It's a good theme, happy and joyful. I only want to bring ...

In this weeks videos we have Matt Zarley with his OUTmusic Awards winning single of the year Change begings with me from the OUTmusic awards winning album of the year. A perfect Eurovision song it would have been.... Compact Disco has released Flying with you that recaps nicely the images from their Eurovision year from Amsterdam to London to Baku and more,  a real nostalgy trip! Melanie Zammit would have been an interesting choice in Malta but she didn't even make the final with Loverdose :-( And finally ever so succesful Jesse Kaikuranta scoring yet another hit with Näytän sulle rannan .