Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

The voting for the three webjokers for Euroviisut 2011 end this Friday October 15 at 10 AM. Unlike last year YLE has not published half way who would be in the lead - and I'm happy for that - so it's hard to predict what will happen, who will qualify. Fans are saying Tony Green, Chorale and Father McKenzie that would bring three very different songs to the semifinals and I for one could live with that result rather happily. The recap of the songs is here . Listen and vote in my poll your favourites!

It's official. It's Düsseldorf! I must admit I'm a bit disappointed as I was supporting Berlin, one of my favourite cities even if their plan sounded a bit weird, to tell the truth. This choise then means that for another year I am most likely not going to see Eurovision live.....

October 13, 2010 sees the release of a triple CD with the best of the Nordics in Eurovision divided in three categories: Hits, Favourites, Classics. 21 songs from Norway, 16 from Denmark, 15 from Sweden, 12 from Finland and 11 from Iceland - definately worth buying if you're a fan of the Nordic Eurovision!

Att vakna vid din sina is Adam Sandahl Grupp's entry in the Melodifestivalen webjoker this time and just like last year... you guessed it... he's naked in the video! The song's another jolly little number and the video is here . Last year the news about his nakedness started from this blog and made headlines here and there. Read more here . Go Adam, this blog's with you!

The game is on also in Sweden now that the webjoker hopefuls have been but online here . 324 songs in total that will become 100 and then 50, 20, 15 and 10 and finally five that will go on for the live final wherefrom the top-2 will get the ticket to the Melodifestivalen semifinals 2011. Unfortunately also Sweden proves to be full of people who can't sing but think they do, and a lot of blond girls with guitars- With a quick listening songs bumber 112, 176, 212, 219, 227, 275 and 288 got some positive reaction from me somehow....

The Finnish fans in viisukuppila.fi have been voting for their favourites in the Euroviisut internet selection and after 50 votes Tony Green is in the lead followed by Chorale, Father McKenzie, Paul Oxley and Christa Renwall. You can see the full list here . Maybe it is good to keep in mind the general public voting didn't wuite agree with the fans last year, so... And if you can't bother to listen them all here's a recap .

Milva (71) says addio for live performances and maybe artistic life altogether. Non conosco nessun Patrizio , an album recently released in collaboration with Franco Battiato will be propably be her last album even if she leaves the door a little open for further recordings but she's done with live performances. "My voice isn't anymore as it was. I'm 71 and have been singing for 52 years non stop. My voice and body can't stand the physical effort it takes to stage a concert ." Milva has had a great career in Italy and most of all abroad from Corea to Argentina, from Germany to Japan. She has recorded in seven languages, about 100 albums, three of them with Franco Battiato. The latest and last includes one new song, the title track, and covers and new versions of her previous Battiato songs and Battiato's own songs like Le aquile (previously covered also by Alice ) and Segnali di vita . (The album's cover photo is taken by Battiato himself in a beach i...

SVT has corfirmed the first four names for melodifestivalen 2011. It looks like they are going to drop in the names every two weeks or so. Linda returns to the joy of many fans - don't count me in - and along with her we have three MF debutants. It looks like some of the songs for the internet selection have already leaked or rather put into svt.play before the announced date of October 11... This after the minor scandal of some preselection jury members outing themselvas against the rules in social medias. Is SVT losing the firm hand of total control? Anyways here are the entries from schalger to rap via pop: Pernilla Andersson - Desperados Linda Bengtzing - E de fel på mig Lasse Stefanz - En blick och något händer Swingfly - Me and my drum

40 hits, 2 new songs, 2 remixes and a DVD with a full concert - that's what Laura is offering her fans this fall. The remixes are for Palaa and Sydäntuhkaa (where's the Addicted to you remix?). Fabulous Euroviisut entry Kosketa mua is obviously included but Take a chance is not for some reason. The latest hit Rakkauden sotur i is of course in. Other goodies includes Rakkautta ei piiloon saa , Monta monta , Kuulta kyselen , cover of Croatia's 1998 entry Ennen sua , OGAESC 2010 entry Salamataiva s. En mielestäin sua saa and her very first hit Kerran . 11 albums, nearly 40 singles, 4 dubbed Disney cartoons, 2 Emmas, Entertainer of the year award, Artist of the year award, Iskelmä Finlandia award, over 200 TV appearenaces, international festivals in Romania and Latvia, own TV show, 7 gold discs, 2 platinum discs, 2 double platinum discs and one triple platinum disc.... this is just some of the things she has done the past 15 years.

Jenni Vartiainen and Chisu are mongst the five nominess for the Best Finnish Act in the MTV European Music Awards 2010 to be held in Madrid on November 7, 2010. The hostess will be the desperate housewife Eva Longoria. You can vote for your Finnish favourite here .

Jonna Geagea of Nylon Beat fame releases her debut solo album on October 20, 2010 titled Katso mua (Look at me ) and the video sees her performing in a strip club doing some pole dancing to famous actor Juha Veijonen. This is also Jonna's first videoclip in five years - we all remember those fantastic Nylon Beat videos, don't we? "People have a wrong idea of strippers. They're really good dancers of a certain genre. It's beautiful when a woman moves smoothly" Jonna says after visiting a strip club to get ideas and learn a trick or two. Shame she didn't save this for Euroviisut 2011....

Gianni Morandi has been confirmed to be the host of Sanremo 2011 together with Belen Rodriguez and Elisabetta Canalis, the former an Argentinian showgirl and model, the latter a Sardinian model and actress and George Clooney's current girlfiriend. Along with the trio comics Luca and Paolo from Le Iene ItaliaUno's satire show. Gianni Morandi represanted Italy in the Eurovision 1970 with Occhi di ragazza and won Sanremo 1987 with Umberto Tozzi and Enrico Ruggeri with Si puó dare di piú . Hel also came 2nd in 1995 and 3rd in 2000.

Mariella Farré is going for it for the third time. She has entered the Swiss Eurovision internet selection with Should I ? I say she should as so far the level of the songs - eight out of 20 so far by Ciro de Luca and/or Todomondo from Romania - is rather... ehm... low. Mariella who concentrated on coreography and her dance school after her Eurovision expreriences with Io cosi non ci sto in 1983 and Piano piano with Pino Gasparini in 1985 is ready and willing for another Eurovision. And yes, Io cosi non ci sto was fab!

Austria is returning to Eurovision after three years sulking at home. It looks like the previously planned use of a talent show Helden von Morgen to find the represant has been dropped and replaced by a new plan. Now TVMedia reports, that the biggest Austrian radio station “Hitradio Ö3″ will be entrusted with the national selection process. From October on the event will be promoted on Ö3 and they want to find one representative for each of the nine Austrian regions, the “Bundesländer”. Meanwhile authors and composers will also be asked to send in propositions for songs to the hopefully high profile national final in February 2011.

Manuela Zanier, the most professional artist in the X Factor this season is out. She lost to Cassandra Raffaele in duel. No more I love you's indeed. She already did Sanremo 2003 with Amami and has released one album in 2008. Meanwhile the viewing figures are dropping steadily. The start had almost 3,3 million viewers (17% share) while the latest less than 2,5 million (11%). New artists are battling it out to be taken in in coming weeks while we are still waiting for a confirmation that Italy indeed will return to Eurovision and with the X Factor winner.... Or then not.

Kaija Koo's latest single Vapaa ( dance mix ) hits number one in the single's charts and despite all her hits, half a million albums sold and all her awards it is her very first single number one! She kicks from the spot Jenni Vartiainen's third single Missä muruseni on ( remix ) off her second album. Laura Närhi drops to 5th with her Tämä on totta . Seal ft. Anna Eriksson with You get me enters at #17 and Jippu and Samuli Edelmann still stay at #18 with Jos sä tahdot niin . They've have recorded an album together to be released before Christmas!  In albums Suvi Teräsniska drops one to 5th while Jenni Vartiainen is on way to up again at #6. Chisu is going up again - on her 53rd week! Tarja Turunen is on the way out after peaking at only #7 and Lordi's new stayed in Top-50 only 2 weeks, peaking at #9.  And none of these artists are involved in Euroviisut 2011 after all :-(

A record number of 374 entries between soloists, duos and groups have applied for the next Sanremo festival's newcomer's selection. (As we know the artists in the Big category this time come by invitation only). The artists have started lessons this week and 20 of them will be selected to take part in reality show inside Raiuno's Sunday afternoon show Domenica In later this year hosted by fabulous Lorella Cuccarini. Ten of them will proceed to Il festival della canzone Italiana in Sanremo 2011.

Jimi Constantinen (ex-Jimi Pääkallo, real name Konstantinos Hiekkanen, 29) promises the best party in Euroviisut 2011.  "I'm gonna give the biggest party both on stage and in afterparty. Everyone's invited! Euroviisut is nothing new to me, I already did Cristal Snow's Can't save me two years ago. " Jimi has also widen his collaborations last few years with writing to rappers Uniikki and Cheek as well as some schlager for Janne Leino. In his Technicolour days he also scored several hits, has done Strickly gone dancing and Fear factor in 2008. He has also acted in several movies and TV-series and written songs for many Russian (incl. Princessa Avenue) and Latvian artists, too.

Tommi Soidinmäki (27), Tango King 2004 has long moved towards pop and declared now he is seriously aiming for an international pop career. "I'm to record the single in Finninsh and English and it's not schlager. I'm a big fan of Robbie Williams. " Is that a clue to his entry´s style? So far he has released three albums (latest in 2007) and is currently touring Finland. He says he "has been waiting for this invititation for years and is so excited and happy about it!". His song is not yet ready but says he "has several front line composers doing songs for him and within the next two weeks they will choose the one". Looks like we have got a real Eurovision fan here ready to give it the most! His website is here .

Milana Misic (39), one of the artists YLE has directly invited to the Euroviisut 2011 semifinals is "excited, but it's so much fun!" 2011 marks 50th anniversary of Finland's debut in Eurovision song contest when her mother Laila Kinnunen sung Valoa ikkunassa in 1961 and took Finland to 10th place. "I take no pressure of being compared to my legendary mother. The contest has changed so much in 50 years. This warms my heart, I know my mother is watching me from heaven. ". Her song is in Finnish but should she win it will be performed in English in Germany 2011. "I have always thought it's not easy to do well in Finnish. Our language may should a bit harsh to foreign ears. I can't tell much about the song yet but it's a real Eurovision song, with a lot of feeling! "

The rumours are telling Slovenia is seriously considering its participation in Eurovision 2011 due to financial problems and also country's poor results in the last few years. One solution might be skipping EMA and selecting internally, the other skipping Eurovision 2011 altogether. I hope it's only a rumour as EMA is one of the most entertaining national selections around year after year providing us with such eurokitch and bubblegum pop that it's hard to think it has any life outside Eurovision! And even if the Slovenian entries often have been "the wrong ones" they still have sent some goodies over the years, like Tih deževen dan , their debut in 1993 (22nd), Dan najlepših sanj in 1996 (21st), Zbudi se in 1997 (10th), Energy in 2001 (7th), Samo ljubezen in 2002 (13th) and Mr Nobody in 2006. However in the past seven years Slovenia has reached the final only once, in Helsinki 2007 with Cvet z juga , that came 7th in the semifinal and 15th in the final even...

Kita, Lordi's drummer has been kicked out of the band after his other band Stala & So participates in Euroviisut 2011. Stala & So is one of the four artists/songs YLE picked directly from the open internet selection to the in the semifinals line of up of 12. As he has sent in a song he must be eager to live the Eurovision experience again, this time without masks. He was part of the 2006 Eurovision winning Lordi line up but his coming out with his own face and name doesn't fit into Lordi's stragedy as the band states in its website: "Kita has made a decision to pursue his own career publicly as himself. T his is in direct conflict with one of the cornerstones of  Lordi’s image. Therefore it is not possible for him to continue as a member of the band anymore. Lordi will continue as always, masked and costumed, consisting of monster personas. Also, the upcoming tour will happen as planned. 

Soraya has released a new album Dreamer and aims to hit the dance floors all over Europe and challenge the other disco queens. Dreamer has 11 tracks including the fantastic Live your dreams that's been already doing well this summer in charts and collaborations with Wally Lopéz, Antoine Clamaran, Bedük, Roger Sanchez and Juan Magan. The title track is the new single.  "Working with Kate Ryan and Antoine Clamaran have opened me doors in Europe, and a real dance record has been a dream of mine for a long time" she says in Shangay magazine's interview. "Unfortunately the planned duet with Donna Summer didn't happen for economical reasons and for the fact she's busy doing her own new record and promoting it. " And she's not at all sour about her Eurovision experience and is not challanging Kate Ryan: "No, I have turned the page. Despite the result it opened me many doors and gave me contacts. Infact on October 17 I will be back to Moscow...

YLE has cut the number of songs in internet selection in half from last year and they are only 15. Four out of these already made it to the semifinal directly and one can only hope they are better than this ones. I remember last year I was rather happy with the selection and there were many songs I liked but this time listening through these 15 I have been left rather confused: Is this it? There isn't very much on the plate I'm afraid and right now I have only two (2) songs I'd like to put forward: Tony Green and Blackbird. I can't yet decide on the third one - not because they are so good but the opposite. Fans have so far voted Chorale, Tony Green and Christa Renwall most in Viisukuppila.fi but in my opinion Chorale lacks it all but being the only song in its genre... Tony Green, or rather Toni Ruohonen, son of Matti or Teppo is a welcome surprise with his sweet song. Anyways, you can listen to the songs here yourself and then vote in poll on the right. Christa Renw...

Both Finns in the running made it to the final 11 in the Swedish Idol 2010. Eurovision 2005 veteran Geir Rönning (47) made it against some critics due to his age and experience but so did also Elin Blom (16). She also has both MGP Nordic and Euroviisut 2009 experience. Now let's see how far they go in this Idols season that has been described "the strongest and the best" season so far by some critics.