Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Let's continue the series and kill some time having a look at the last decade and see who were the Top-10 best scoring countries in the Eurovision song contest in the past ten years. The ways to calculate are many and here I have used the simple average placement method (and it's not all so serious). Next up is the Netherlands, that has some very mixed results before getting their act togethers. Honestly, I didn't even remember 3JS at all..... and Joan Franka's headpiece hasn't aged so well either. The Netherlands lands at 9th plave despite those flops thanks to a gold and a silver medal and three 9-11th places. 2011 3JS - Never alone - NQ (19th in semi-final) * 2012 Joan Franka - You and me - NQ (15th in semi-final) * 2013 Anouk - Birds - 9th *** 2014 The Common Linnets - Calm after the storm - 2nd ***** 2015 Trijntje Oosterhuis - Walk along - NQ (14th in semi-final) ** 2016 Douwe Bob - Slow down - 11th ***** 2017 O'G3NE - Lights ...

A full week of rehearsals saw the conclusion of the second rehearsals of the semi-finalists. RUSSIA - JULIA SAMOYLOVA - I WON'T BREAK My castle in the sand Is now made of stone and rock Vocals * Staging * Song ** Overall * Hopefully non qualifier MOLDOVA - DOREDOS - MY LUCKY DAY I walk into temptation Something tells me we can make some music Vocals *** Staging *** Song *** Overall **** Qualifier THE NETHERLANDS - WAYLON - OUTLAW IN 'EM Its a fine, fine line Between whiskey and water into wine Vocals **** Staging ** Song **** Overall *** Hopefully qualifier AUSTRALIA - JESSICA MAUBOY - WE GOT LOVE At the end of the day We’ve only got ourselves to blame Vocals ** Staging * Song *** Overall ** Likely qualifier (sadly)

Moldova - DoReDos - My lucky day The three DoReDos are doubled by three dancers in a performance we already know and have reworked it greatly into a box. Funny and clever, and after last year's Moldovan surprise finish we might be better prepaired for this one finishing on the left side of the scoreboard after all. Songwise it doesn't deserve it but as a performance yes. The press center was apparently really captured by this one as will be the televoters forgetting about the song.... "Playful" , #Brilliant", "Incredibly entertaining", "Hilarious", "Cheeky", "Creative" The Netherlands - Waylon - Outlaw in 'em Waylon is full of rock credibilty in his leopard jacket on top of his podium and has musicians that turn into dancers by his side as an unexpected surprise. He delivers vocally as one can only expect from someone who just today let the world know there's a new outlaw coming to the world and...

Not only Germany's Michael but also the Netherland's Waylon is expecting his first child with his girlfriend Bibi.  He states on instagram  "Whoever brings home the trophy, this one's the greatest of them all..."  Congratulations! Waylon is to rehearse for the first time late afternoon today.  Note the cowboy at, (s)he's got outlaw already!

Waylon it getting ready for his second Eurovision song contest by releasing an official music video for his entry Outlaw in 'em - better late than never! But that's not all as his new album The world can wait is out, too. This blogger is loving both of them. 

Norway - Alexander Rybak - That's how you write a song Eurovision 2009 winner Alexander Rybak (31) returns with a self written That's how you write a song . that will also be the 1500th Eurovsion song when he opens the 2nd semifinal with it. He won the Norwegian selection as a minor surprise but very convincingly. The fans really didn't believe in his chances but when masses vote... what do fans know? This blogger liked the song from the start and it was one of my three favorites and his live performance took away any doubts. The song itself isn't anything special really, true, but he makes it work and it's very enjoyable and entertaining three minutes. Not a winner in Lisbon but I wouldn't be surprised if he does very well in the final, to the left side of the scoreboard for sure. 8/10 Albania - Eugent Bushpepa - Mall Albania was the first to choose and now it feels already soooo long time ago when we first heard Mall . To compensate Eug...

Oh my, Waylon has chosen the real banger: Outlaw in 'Em. It is really good, and so different from the rest chosen so far and most importantly very different from his Eurovision debut with The Common Linnets. Me likes! A lot! Out of the five songs he presented the past days this one was the one that stood out being so energetic and rough, even if there were some other goodies as well. But yes, great choice!

  Waylon of The Common Linnets (Eurovision 2014 runner ups) fame was internally chosen for the Netherlands already last year. Now the time has come to present his songs. Or actually the song is already chosen but he will tease us all the next week by presenting five songs from his new album The world can wait , but we don't get to know which one is The Song until we have heard all of them. The first one tonight was Back together , listen to it here .  23.2 Back together 26.2 Outlaw in Em 27.2 The world can wait 28.2 That's how she goes 1.3 Thanks but no thanks

Keep them coming! Internally selected artists are dropping now on daily basis and today it was the Netherlands turn to surprise us as Waylon came out of the blue. Sort of. The name of the ex- Common Linnet was mentioned but no one seemed to take it too seriously. But here he is and this blogger is very pleased by it. His entry will be released later.  Got to love the way Avrotros also dealed with the revelation. The teaser video was clearly the best one ever...

On Sundays I will feature lesser known Motown songs and the first one might be quite surprising: Waylon! Yes, Waylon of The Common Linnets fame and Eurovision song contest runner up was signed to Universal and he released his debut album through their then owned Motown label.  Title track Wicked ways was a top-10 hit in the Netherlands.  An album followed (peaking #3 in the charts but staýing in top-100 for 80 weeks and selling platinum) and earned him awards as the newcomer of the year and later Singer of the year as his success continued and grew. 

One of the most glamourous Eurovision break ups happened this year when Waylon left The Common Linnets as soon as the lights in B & W Hallerne in Copenhagen were dimmed and the Netherlands stopped partying for their excellent 2nd place with Calm after the storm . He decided to concentrate on his solo career and this summer saw the release of his third solo album Heaven after midnight and the first single of it, Love drunk .  Now The Common Linnets, where he was replaced in a nanosecond by Jake Etheridge, has releaed their follow up single, Give me a reason . And the band goes by as Ilse DeLange and The Common Linnets these days.... (Sounds so The Supremesque..... and curiously Diana Ross singing about Love hangover ...) This blogger joins the Waylon camp as Love drunk is one of the best songs heard this fall while Give me a reason ... well, it's just ok. Waylon-The Common Linnets 1-0.  What do you think?

It seems the Netherlands have chosen. This time it should be singer, producer and musician Alain Clark (35). His first album came out back in 2004 without much of a success. Change to sing in English produced a triple platinum Live it out three years later. Since then three more top-3 albums of his groovy soul, latest this year, Walk with me . His biggest hits are This ain't gonna work ,  Father & Friend and Back in my world .  If this turns out true, like the main newspaper De Telegraaf suggests this morning the Netherlands continue their string of serious artist with a real career. Apparently Alain has tried an international career before without too much of a success, but Eurovision could change all that..... This isn't his first adventure to the Eurovision world. In 2012 he co-wrote Ivan Peroti's  Take me as I am and came 3rd. 

The Dutch Eurovision entry Calm after the storm is proving all but what the name suggests. First it scored an amazing 2nd place in the Eurovision 2014 against all odds and right after stormed the charts all over the world doing even better than the winner Rise like a Phoenix by Conchita Wurst for Austria. Now, less than three weeks later the other half of the duo Waylon as left the duo. Or should I say the band? Anyways, in his statement in Facebook he says it was always Ilse DeLange's project. Instead of riding the success that may include touring the States and promo gigs all over Europe he will concentrate on his solo career and worthcoming album. Time will tell how wise that decision is - it seems fans haven't taken his decision so kindly.....  Ilse Delange has already performed with Jake Etherigde replacing Waylon this week.... who looks like a younger and prettier version of Waylon really. So, will we miss Waylon? Calm after the storm is still in iTunes chart...

San Marino had its first technical rehearsal this morning as the second country after Moldova. It ment also a very early wake up and pick up to the venue "just to be sure". It sure was sure as the ride took 15 minutes instead of 1 h 40 min scheduled.... Anyways, the rest went on smoothly and Valentina had time to reconnect with Cristina Scarlat and later Suzy from Portugal joined in and by the time we were ready to leave also the Netherlands, Montenegro, Hungary and Malta had arrived. In the 40 minutes of rehearsal the song was performed four times, each performance followed immediate rescreening for changes. Smoke and wind machine were tested as well as different colors. More changes and minor hickups will be fine tuned for the second rehearsal on Friday. Valentina stands on a giant sea shell like a Botticelli's Venus while her four backing singers (Giovanna Naber, Giacomo Di Benedetto, Sandrina Sedona and Paulo Alves) are placed in the bachround by the side o...

Waiting and waiting. That's what it is all about. But while you wait you may meet some cool people, like these in the pics :-)   You may also need ear plugs....

Friday March 28, Hind, the Dutch Eurovision representative 2008 with Your heart belongs to me , gave an excellent performance in the North Sea Jazz Club in Amsterdam. The venue has this night club look and relaxed atmosphere that made Hind shine and sound bright. With her excellent new band, she delivered around 10 songs. Hind's music is not easy to be put in a box. At the moment, it's a mix of pop, Maroccan, Spanish and jazz and she fuses it to Crosspop , a name she used for her latest cd. Check it out here .  A few days earlier my Flying reporter Robert got a chance to have an interview with Hind where he asked her to look back on her Eurovision adventure. What does she remember from 2008? Who was nice? Who was doing something naughty? Would she do it again? What does she think of Ilse & Waylon's song? And should artists try it more than once? Read it all here: Hind, what have you been doing since Eurovision 2008, it's been six years? I ha...

The Netherlands, once an Eurovision power state has struggled for years and last year they took a change and chose Anouk, a big name at home and abroad. Anouk took them back to the final and this year they follow with the same recipe: big local name(s). Ilse DeLange and Waylon teamed up and represent the low lands with a song from their duo project The Common Linnets. Calm after the storm is different from the rest but will this acoustic, quiet country song do the trick? Robert: I'm so happy with the path that the Netherlands is taking right now. After Anouk, another 2 great artists are representing the Netherlands with a self-willed song which is very daring and couregeous. It's not obvious yet if the Netherlands will reach the final with this choice but to me, this song is a jewel which even after 30 years will be judged as quality, and quality may come more to Eurovision. If it was up to me, they belong in the final and after in the top 5. After many many years, I have...

The Dutch duo Ilse Delange and Waylon aka The Common Linnets presented the acoustic version of their entry Calm after the storm . Atmospheric little country tune it is and their voices blend in nicely. Tomorrow the real version will be out. It will be curious to see how different it is?! And a rather interesting way of presenting their entry, usually the acoustic versions come after.... Update: Here's the studio version . Very nice, understated, simple, haunting.... lovely arrangement. :-)

I'm back! During my absense I checked the internet only once or twice and nothing much seemed to had happened in the wonderful Euovision world but now I see actually there's been some major news. Like Agnetha performing live! For the first time since 1982, mind you! Take That's Gary Barlow managed in what the others have failed so far when they sung together the song he penned for her in her latest album, I should have followed you home in London's Children in Need Rocks 2013. Now that she's back on stage, let's start the ABBA reunion rumours, will we? European Music Awards 2013 went to the usual non-European acts and Marco Mengoni nor Lena took home the trophy for the Best Worldwide act won by... err, who ??!! Montenegro has confirmed Sergej Ćetković as their representative. It seems we will get a real Balcan ballad in Joksimovic style. Now that Serbia and Croatia are missing, will Montengero sweep that vote and finally make impact in the final? Clev...