Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

I'm doing with great pleasure a return to my second home town Rome after two years.... The blog will be back in a week or so.... Meanwhile you can enjoy this . Qui nel cuore mio...... I ricordi non passano mai eccoli qui. Sono molto più forti di noi . più vivi.

Here we are, after 300 songs and 88 artists we have the top-5 as voted by the listeners of Iskelmä radio. The most loved songs by (schlager) Finnsof the 2000's. 1. RAKKAUS ON LUMIVALKOINEN - YÖ No wonder this was voted the best song knowing Yö's popularity and this song must pull all the right strings also in non-fans: dramatic and melancholy playing with the patriotic tunes with "for a little moment love is snow white" and such. Calculated or not but a great track anyways. Has become popular song in the funerals so is this the Finnish Angels by Robbie Williams?? 2. KAKSI PUUTA - JUHA TAPIO Juha Tapio won the Emma award last year thanks to this song as the best male artist. His career has been steadily going higher and higher and this might be the culmination where everything falls into place. Or has he something better still coming up? The lyrics of this song are pure poetry that make you think with its story about two trees that grow and stand in the rain and...

6. MÄ PUTOAN - YÖLINTU Yölintu is a danceband that's been around since 1992. Their vocalist is Simo Silmu who also scored single hits on this list, too. Ten albums so far that have sold 7 gold discs, 5 platinum and 2 double platinum albums. This song is maybe their biggest hit and from 2002. 7. KIITOS JA KUNNIA - YÖ Yö has been around since 1981 and were part of the Pori movement that culminated later in Dingo who also may have stolen their fans as their record sales dropped dramatically in mid 1980's. After nearly 15 years of thin years what comes to success Yö came back in early 2000's and has been selling (multi)platinum in each their four latest albums again. Singer Olli Lindholm also won Iskelmä Finlandia 2008. I guess the guys never thought in early 1980's they would end up 30 years later as schlager radio's pets! 8. KAIKISTA KASVOISTA - ANNA ERIKSSON No doubt one of the best singers in Finland. She's now making small steps to conquer Scandinavia with...

Good news for all Alice fans. In an interview in occasion of her concert in Verona Folk earlier this month she confirmed she's planning a new pop album to be released already in 2011! It's about the time, too. Her latest pop album with new songs is Exit (1998). She's also working on a new tour that deals with the concept of time. She says she will sing on that tour also songs from the early 1980's, songs that she hasn't performed live since. But don't expect to hear Messaggio , the only song she admits regretting a bit. On the other hand she is again singing Per Elisa live. "It reminds me of a particular period and it has a good energy. And no, it doesn't talk about drugs as often written. I knew at the time drugs existed but I never was in the crowds where they were used. I wouldn't have enough experience about the matter to write about it. Nor do I now for that matter!" she laughs . "But it is very interesting to see how lyrics can b...

We continue with familiar names with the exception of Neljänsuora, Each song is worth its place here I guess, even Finlanders who really aren't my cup of tea but the song's great. C'est la vie is very recent hit and Milla is a true classic, too. And tomorrow we enter the top-10!! 11. OHIKIITÄVÄÄ - JUHA TAPIO 12. HETKEKSI EN SULLE RUPIA - LAURI TÄHKÄ 13. LOISTO - YÖ 14. OIKEESTI - FINLANDERS 15. SUN SÄRKYÄ ANNA MÄ EN - JOHANNA KURKELA 16. TIE SYDÄMEENI - YÖ 17. C'EST LA VIE - ANNA PUU 18. SIIPIRIKKO - NELJÄNSUORA 19. HUKUN - JANI WICKHOLM 20. MILLA - ANSSI KELA

Alcazar's Andreas Lundstedt surprised his boyfriend figure skater Niklas Hogner in a live nationwide radio program Sommar i P1 by finishing the programe by "... and last but not least, greetings to my boyfiriend Niklas. Do you wanna be my man forever? Will you marry me? " Once Niklas got over the shock by being proposed with a few million listeners he said "yes!". How cute. The lovebirds are not celebrating the event together as Andreas in on tour and Niklas is not with him.  Another high profile gay marriage in Sweden in 2010 after the Peter Jöback wedding in June? Andreas has a long history in Melodifestivalen and has even done Eurovision once, in 2006 but for Switzerland. He has done three times solo: Driver dagg, faller regn (1996), Jag saknar dig, jag saknar dig (1997) and Move (2007) and with Alcazar in Not a sinner, nor a saint ,(2003)  Alcastar .(2005) Stay the night ,(2009) and Headlines (2010). He was also dating Magnus Carlsson for many years and...

Now there's a video for this Safety by Dima Bilan and Anastacia. So far apparently released only in Russia but there are plans for an European wide release and promotion.

Two Swedish Eurovision stars have been abusing alcohol that has caused their careers and private lives to go down the drain. Kikki Danielsson has tried a come back and sober up several times in the 2000's, so far in vain, but now Jan Johansen comes out as clean. "I got drunk for the first time when I was 12. Since then I have been drunk every other day, more or less " he says. "It ruined my career and my personal life, but it is so common in this business to have a drink after show no one noticed. Since September 28, 2008 I haven't touched alcohol. I was diagnosed with ADHD and all of sudden it all fell apart. I was drinking because of that! After diagnosis I got my life back" Well done Jan! Maybe it's time to record some great songs again? Like Se på mig and Let your spirits fly . And best wishes to Kikki to make it. And give us more Bra vibrationer ,  Varför är kärleken röd and I dag & I morgon .

We are nearing the top-20 and the names are already very familiar. Anna Eriksson has some of her best songs here, so does Lauri Tähkä. Popeda enters with their rather dubious song "20 cents" - it remains unclear is he has 20 cents or 20 centimeters in his pockets that she refuses to even look at as they both are the same in Finnish.... Also Jenni Vartiainen is here with her tribut to lesbian affairs. Lauri's Rakkaus ei oo pysyvää has become a very popular with its tango version amongst the tango singers and has been covered by both Amadeus and Marko Maunuksela, tango kings 2009 and 2010.  21. LINTU - ANNA ERIKSSON 22. PREUSSINPUNAISTA - YÖLINTU 23. MAAILMA ON RENKI - LAURI TÄHKÄ 24. UHKAPELURI - AGENTS 25. KAKSKYTÄ SENTTIÄ - POPEDA 26. TAIVAS TIETÄÄ - JARI SILLANPÄÄ 27. OOT VOIMANI MUN - ANNA ERIKSSON 28. RAKKAUS EI OO PYSYVÄÄ - LAURI TÄHKÄ 29. IHMISTEN EDESSÄ - JENNI VARTIAINEN 30. SAMMUNUT NUOTIO - AGENTS

After four years of picking up their nose for Eurovision ORF has decided to return and will be present in Germany 2011. A casting show is apparently being used as the national selection procedure. Last time Austria participated in Helsinki 2007 with Eric Papilaya's Get a life, get alive .

Some great tracks in this part once again and songs by already very familiar names. Worth mentioning PMMP's fantastic Pikkuveli , a story about a (gay?) little brother. Yö's Särkyvää also recorded by Annika Eklund and Pasi won Iskelmä radio's talent hunt last year.  31. HILJAINEN ON LAULU RAKKAUDEN - TAIKAKUU 32. RAKKAUDESSA SUURIA - PASI VAINIONPERÄ 33. MONTA MONTA - LAURA VOUTILAINEN 34. SUOJAAN KAIKELTA - LAURI TÄHKÄ 35. KUUNNELLAAN VAAN TAIVASTA - HECTOR 36. ELÄN ITSELLENI - POPEDA 37. SÄRKYVÄÄ - YÖ 38. PIKKUVELI - PMMP 39. KELPAAT KELLE VAAN - JUHA TAPIO 40. ELÄ VIELÄ - SIMO SILMU

Join CatCat, Euroband and hundreds of Eurovision fans from all over Europe for the very first Eurovision cruise on m/s Baltic Princess on September 4-5. The cruiser leaves Helsinki on September 4 at 6.30pm and returns the day after at 4.30pm. The boat is filled with fans, Eurovision karaoke, Eurovision drag show, CatCat show, Euroband show, Eurovision DJ's.... what else do you need? And did I mention CatCat? Hurry up to book, the offer end July 31 here .

Nina Hagen's new album Personal Jesus has made it to already #16 in the German album charts, making it her best placing since Unbehagen in 1979! Meaning it features better than her hit scoring Angstlos , In ecstase and others! You can prelisten this Jesus filled affair here . I prefer Nina like this or this . Or this . But it was great to see her live in Helsinki this summer even if there was a bit too much Jesus and too little Cosma Shiva! And with Jesus or without, Nina should do Eurovision!

esctoday.com has made a list of best selling Eurovision artists. No surprise ABBA tops the list but there are some surprises, who would have thought Nana Mouskouri at the top? But she has been extremely popular at her day. Some names are not in the top-10 like Lara Fabian who might be the 11th. Bucks Fizz might be 12th and Lulu have also sold a lot, including the single To Sir with love , that was the most sold single in the US in 1967. Then we have the outsiders Ajda Pekkan , Samira Bensaid and Albano . Ajda Pekkan is said to have sold some 50 million records but there's no official proof of that. Samira Bensaid is one of the best sellers in the Arabic world and her record sales are said to be anything between 20 to 200 million. But there's no proof either. Albano claims to have sold something like 160 million records but that most likely includes his solo mefferts and the records sold with Romina Power, so... excluded. But then we have also Ricchi e Poveri with record sal...

Chisu makes only her second entrance here proving Radio Suomi does favour another kind of music. Still, her breakthrough single makes it to #44. The usual Agents, Juha, Paula, Lauri, Jani, Pate and Jari fill in the rest with one hit wonder Vesterinen. 41. MÄ ELÄN VIELÄKIN - AGENTS 42. MITÄ SILMÄT EI NÄÄ - JUHA TAPIO 43. YÖPERHONEN - PAULA KOIVUNIEMI 44. MUN KOTI EI OO TÄÄLLÄ - CHISU 45. SUUDELLAAN - LAURI TÄHKÄ 46. KUKAAN EI KOSKAAN - VESTERINEN YHTYEINEEN 47. EN ANTAA MUUTA VOI - AGENTS 48. KUU - JANI WICKHOLM 49. AJAN PÄIVIN, AJAN ÖIN - PATE MUSTAJÄRVI 50. KAUNIS IKÄVÄ - JARI SILLANPÄÄ

Anna Bergendahl has been having "a fantastic summer" as she says on tour and having a lot of time off, too. She has not decided yet what to do this fall. "I love to study, it's great to learn new things but I also have music in my heart so I hope I can do both in the future. After all I am only 18! Eurovision was a great experience even if I was kicked out in the semifinal like no Swede before and I learned a lot. I would absolutely love to do it again . in 10 or 20 years! " Her new single and video will be The Army off her debut album.

Hello Marshall Islander somewhere between Australia, US and China and welcome! You get the number 184! :-)

Cyprus will use the talent show Performance to pick up their represant for Eurovision 2011 in Germany. The finalist are chosen and the final will be on September 2010. Obviosuloy we won't know the song but the artist only then. Here are the finalists: Costa Ioannides Christos Milordos Nicole Nikolaidou Louis Panagiotou Daphne Seisou Annita Skoutela Stella Stylianou Malvina Charalambidi Marios Charalambous

Dancebands hit back here just before the top-50 but we have Paula, PMMP, Juha, Taikakuu (with vocalist Janne Raappana), Valvomo and Juha Tapio to make it bearable.... 51 . JOS LUOJA SUO - PAULA KOIVUNIEMI 52. PIIKKILANKAA - TAIKAKUU 53. OLEN LÄHELLÄSI - JUHA METSÄPERÄ 54. LAUTTURI - PMMP 55. MIKÄ KESÄ? - VALVOMO 56. UKKOSTA JA ULLAKOLLA - JUHA TAPIO 57. PIMEÄSTÄ VALOON - YÖLINTU 58. IT HURTS TO SAY GOODBYE - AGENTS 59. UKKOMETSO - PATE MUSTAJÄRVI 60. PIENTÄ UNELMAA - CHARLES PLOGMAN

A very good selection of songs here from Elisa to Noemi to Laura Pausini to Gianna Nannini to Biagio Antonacci and so on. I like each and every song (or video) in this list and while you can't vote you can enjoy some good music. Here's the medley and here are the full videos. Enjoy! The Italian OGAE members can vote until August 4, 2010.

Claudia Faniello has released the first single I hate this song from her coming album that is to be released European wide. After a string of rather medicore songs in Malta song for Europe, and participations in various international festivals here and there including Sanremo 2010 she is ready to turn on the rock vibe and finally emerge from being just Fabrizio's lil' sis.

The Tango king 2004 Tommi Soidinmäki who has been a bit away from the spotlight - his latest album is from 2007 - has set a new goal: Euroviisut 2011 as he states in a recent interview. Tommi started singing at 4 and soon participated in children's singing competitions and later on went on to win as adult Lavatähti 2000, Ponnahdus pinnalle 2001 contests for new voices and then Tango king in 2004. In 2006 he was nominated for the best newcomer of 2005 in Iskelmä radio. He has released three albums to date. Here are some of his songs: Sinut , Laulu joutsenien , Takapenkin kuningatar , Korkan siivet . Will he do a comeback in Euroviisut 2011 where he will eventually meet the reigning tango king Marko Maunuksela?

We are nearing the top-50 and the dancebands are making way to poppier and rockier artists. In this part we have a lot of lauras and Lauris, Annika's classic Euroviisut entry and Jari with the omnipresent Yö and Finlanders. 61. KUULTA KYSELEN - LAURA VOUTILAINEN 62. KATUJEN KUNINGATAR - YÖ 63. SHANGHAIN VALOT - ANNIKA EKLUND 64. PITKÄT PELLOT - LAURI TÄHKÄ 65. TIMANTTINEN TÄHTI - LAURA VOUTILAINEN 66. KIMPALE KULTAA - LAURI TÄHKÄ 67. PAREMMIN KUIN KUKAAN MUU - JARI SILLANPÄÄ 68. PUISTOSSA - ANSSI KELA 69. SINUN VUOKSES - FINLANDERS 70. ASFALTTIVIIDAKKO - ANNE MATTILA

The old rivals have put their bras (or the lack of them) in peace and entered the studios together to record Blondie's boombastic Call me . Life could be worse.....

Eurovision winner Lena will do a promo tour in Sweden next week. She will do promo gigs and sign albums in MediaMarkts in Malmö, Stockholm and Uppsala, and perform in Rix FM's festival in Helsingborg and TV4's Sommarkrysset. All this between July 29 and August 1. Her album has made it to only #31 in the Swedish charts but maybe it will get a boost after this visit? Satellite was a number one hit in Sweden, and the other two singles so far made it to numbers 27 and 39.