Monday, 30 March 2015

Where Are You? Bulgaria!

Bulgaria decided to withdraw in 2013 due to financial difficulties and despite promising signs they'd make a return for Vienna, I didn't work out unfortunately.

Throughout their nine years of participation, Bulgaria only managed to qualify once and this was in 2007 with the incredible Elitsa & Stoyan. They achieved 5th place. I feel Bulgaria should have made the final in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2013. They're so underrated. Bulgaria's most recent effort, Samo Shampioni, was among my favourites that year so I was naturally gutted when duo failed to make the final. If Bulgaria was to return, I want to see either Dess or Azis compete in the contest. That would be fun! I also wouldn't mind seeing Sofi Marinova come back. She was fab! And totally deserved to have qualified.. Bulgaria are set to host Junior Eurovision at the end of the year - hopegully this is a promising sign for Eurovision 2016. Hopefully BNT, the national broadcaster, have now sorted out their finances and will be able to afford participation next year. Plus if Bulgaria ever did win the contest, Sofia is incredibly cheap apparently! :-)

Vienna 2015: My Introducing Series...

I'll be introducing the entries for Eurovision a little differently this year... Four very good friends of mine from across Europe will be reviewing the participating songs with me. Each reviewer will rank the songs from one to ten giving us a total score of 50. But then I'll double the points so there's a total score of 100, but then divide it by ten - so each song will have an overall score out of ten. For example, let's say one song is awarded 32/50 - the combined score would be 6.4/10. My little panel consist of....
  • Jessica Cambridge from Bristol, UK. She's been a fan of Eurovision since 2011 and runs ESCSTARS. 
  • Ilkar is a Finnish blogger who runs one of the most respected Eurovision blogs Life After Helsinki 2007. 
  • John Conway from Cork, Ireland. He has been a Eurovision fan since 1968..
  • And last but not least we have the lovely Ana Berd from Santiago de Compostela, Spain. 
Stay tuned as this special introducing series will commence on Wednesday with Moldova.. Excited? 





TOMORROW: EUROVISION'S GREATEST HITS!

London will play host to the 60th Anniversary Concert for Eurovision tomorrow night. I'll be there - meeting some amazing friends and having an awesome time. It will be the first time I've ever been to a Eurovision related event live so I am really excited. Tomorrow's line-up includes...

  • Brotherhood of Man (United Kingdom 1976)
  • Anne-Marie David (Luxembourg 1973 and France 1979)
  • Nicole (Germany 1982)
  • Herreys (Sweden 1984)
  • Bobbysocks (Norway 1985)
  • Johnny Logan (Ireland 1980 and 1987)
  • Riverdance (Interval Act 1994)
  • The Olsen Brothers (Denmark 2000)
  • Natasha St- Pier (France 2001)
  • Rosa López (Spain 2002)
  • Lordi (Finland 2006)
  • Dima Bilan (Russia 2006 and 2008)
  • Dana International (Israel 1998 and 2011)
  • Loreen (Sweden 2012)
  • Emmelie De Forest (Denmark 2013)
  • Conchita Wurst (Austria 2014)

Stay tuned for my thoughts etc. from the show on Wednesday :-)

Monday, 23 March 2015

Slovenia: Martina Majerle releases 'Alive'!

Martina Majerle's Alive has been officially released today on all radio stations in Slovenia. The Slovene-Croatian singer failed to win EMA however her song would have been more than worthy of representing the tiny nation in Vienna. Love it! Regarding her latest song, Martina says:
My new single Alive is not a part of my own love story, but I think, that every woman  can find herself in it, as well as I did. Every women  was for sure in situation, when she  had a hard  times because  of  love, that  was never given  back to her or a relationship, that  she did not forget and  that she would like to be in a life of that man again. This song wears  a special meaning. Personally, the melody itself, took me over more than its lyrics and because of that the recording of the single was  a real pleasure to me, even if the song really hard and challenging. If you will like the song as half as I do, my goal will be complete, because the song is  written  and sung with a lots of love.
Do you think Martina should have won Slovenia's national final instead of Maraaya? Could she have won the contest for Slovenia?


Vienna 2015: Running order revealed!

The running order has been revealed today. There's some very interesting choices here... Moldova, arguably the least popular song this year, will open the 2015 contest and Georgia will close the first semi final. As I expected, Lithuania will open the 2nd semi - and Poland will close it. Not quite sure if Poland performing last is a good decision.... Armenia and Ireland are both drawn at the dreaded #2. Regarding the first semi final, I think Belgium would have made a great opener. And the sad irony is that Sunstroke Project's effort in the Moldovan national final would've been a perfect opener! Oh well. Here's the full draw:

SEMI FINAL ONE:

  1. Moldova
  2. Armenia
  3. Belgium
  4. The Netherlands
  5. Finland
  6. Greece
  7. Estonia
  8. FYR Macedonia
  9. Serbia
  10. Hungary
  11. Belarus
  12. Russia
  13. Denmark
  14. Albania
  15. Romania
  16. Georgia

SEMI FINAL TWO:

  1. Lithuania
  2. Ireland
  3. San Marino
  4. Montenegro
  5. Malta
  6. Norway
  7. Portugal
  8. Czech Republic
  9. Israel
  10. Latvia
  11. Azerbaijan
  12. Iceland
  13. Sweden
  14. Switzerland
  15. Cyprus
  16. Slovenia
  17. Poland

The ad breaks are set to take place after song #5 and #12 however that still could change.

Sunday, 22 March 2015

Where Are You? Andorra!

With 40 countries set to compete in Vienna, we shouldn't forget the countries that won't participate! Throughout this little series, I'll be looking into the nations who won't be sending a representative to the contest this year. And Andorra are up first!

The landlocked principality debuted in 2004 with Marta Roure however she was unsuccessful and failed to make the final - throughout the following six years, Andorra's luck didn't change. If the Czech Republic qualify, then Andorra will be the only country never to have made a Eurovision final. This is of course if you don't include Lichtenstein, Vatican City, Kazakhstan and Kosovo who are all yet to even participated in Eurovision.... I personally feel most of Andorra's entries deserved to have qualified. Their efforts in 2005, 2007, 2008 and 2009 were all great. In 2007, Anonymous managed 12th place in a field of 28 which is pretty good. And in a year of two semi finals, Andorra would probably have qualified. San Marino already proved last year that microstates can make the final IF the song is good enough. In 2010, Andorra said enough was enough blaming finance difficulties and withdrew, they haven't been seen since... RTVA, the Andorran national broadcaster, were even considering leaving the EBU at one point but decided to stay in the end.

Wouldn't it be amazing if RTVA did return? This blogger would be thrilled! Susanne Georgi has also stated she wants Andorra to return. I can't see it happening although we should never say never. Who would've thought the Czechs would return? And did anyone expect Italy to return in 2011? If they did make an unexpected comeback, who should represent Andorra? Patxi Leiva or Marian van de Wal would be on my wishlist. It remains to be seen if Andorra will be back next year, it does seem unlikely though, so let's enjoy their entries...


Please come back Andorra! :-)

Eurovision's Greatest Hits: Riverdance to perform!

It's been confirmed that the Irish dance-troupe Riverdance will perform during Eurovision's Greatest Hits on 31st March. They will share the stage with Conchita Wurst, Herreys, Natasha St-Pier, Emmelie de Forest, Lordi, Nicole, Johnny Logan, Rosa López, Anne-Marie David, Olsen Brothers, Loreen, Brotherhood of Man, Dima Bilan, Dana International and Bobbysocks. Yours truly will be there and I'm so excited! Even though the show will take place on 31st March, the BBC won't broadcast it until 3rd April. More countries will also broadcast the show on different days too.

Vienna 2015: Official CD to be released on 20th April!

It's been confirmed the official CD for Eurovision 2015 will be released internationally on 20th April. As usual, you will be able to purchase the CD on Eurovision.tv. The CD will feature the official versions of Spain, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Romania and Greece. But next week, you can buy the t-shirts, mugs, pins, magnets, iPhone covers, wristbands etc.here!

Wednesday, 18 March 2015

Montenegro: Knez releases 'Adio' official video-clip!

The official video-clip of Montenegro's entry has been released. Watch it here. As expected, it's stunning and could easily be a promotional video for Montenegro. I want to visit Montenegro now! It's gorgeous :-) 

Tuesday, 17 March 2015

Armenia: Genealogy's song title changed!

The Armenian entry is no longer called Don't Deny but Face The Shadow instead. It was changed to avoid any controversy as the songs title may have been deemed too political.

Montenegro: Knez releases 'Adio'!

The last song for Eurovision 2015 was released this morning. Knez's Adio. As previously reported, Balkan legend Željko Joksimović composed the song. Is Montenegro's entry going to be a success in Vienna? It can go either way me thinks. Listen here.

Within the next couple of weeks, my introductory series will begin. I will be doing it very differently this year - I'll announce how it's all going to work at the weekend!

Monday, 16 March 2015

Vienna 2015: What's been happening at the HoD's meeting?

All the Heads of Delegations have meet in Vienna today to officially present their songs to the EBU. And here's a brief look at what we've learnt today...  

  • The preliminary dates for Eurovision 2016 are 10th, 12th and 14th May. Of course this could still change...
  • Serbia will defiantly sing 100% in English. Romania's going to sing a bilingual version - after the English version got mixed reactions. 
  • The opening party in Vienna will be held on 17th May.
  • During the grand final, the participating artists will enter the arena via a magic bridge. It's anyone's game what that means.... but I can't wait!
  • Austria will perform at #14 in the final. The host country's position in the running order was chosen by a random draw. 
  • If you have accreditation, you'll be able to use Vienna's measum and public transport for free. 
Montenegro is the only country yet to reveal their entry - that'll be released on 21st March. I'll be doing my introductory series very differently this year. I'm sure y'all are going to love it :-)

Photograph - ESCKAZ 

San Marino: 'Chain of Lights' officially presented!

Chain of Lights by Anita Simoncini & Michele Perniola has been officially presented today. Ralph Siegel composed the song. What to say about this one? This blogger defiantly misses Vale but I do wish them the best of luck. Maybe the song will grow on me.. Maybe ;-)


Photograph - Eurovision.tv 

FYR Macedonia: 'Autumn Leaves' revealed!

The official version of the Macedonian entry was released moments ago and can be listened to here. As previously rumoured, it is in English. And it's much slower.. What do you think about Daniel Kajmakoski's effort? I'm a bit undecided but I think I like it. Shame he's not singing in Macedonian though.

Australia: Guy Sebastian reveals 'Tonight Again'!

Australia's entry was released this morning - and it's uptempo! Guy Sebastian will sing Tonight Again in Vienna... The song didn't come from Guy's previous album, as previously stated, but it's a brand new song all together. He only finished the video-clip yesterday. The overall reaction to this has been very positive. A winner? It's very possible...

Sunday, 15 March 2015

Russia: 'A Million Voices' presented!

THIS IS STUNNING! Russia's entry for Vienna, A Million Voices, has been revealed this evening. After hearing the snippet earlier this week, I was so looking forward to hearing the full version and Polina Gagarina hasn't disappointed. Listen here <3 If she nails this on the night, we're going to Russia next year. Yep, I really think Mother Russia are gonna take the title... it's fab!! #TeamPolina!

Photograph - ESCKAZ

Albania: Elhaida Dani's 'I'm Alive' revealed!

The Albanian entry was presented moments ago. LISTEN HERE! This blogger thinks it's an amazing song... bravo!! :-)

San Marino: A chain of light for Michele and Anita!

San Marino's song will be officially presented tomorrow morning, during the Heads of Delegations meeting. Anita will be the youngest singer in Vienna, she turns 16 next month, and therefore San Marino are sending the youngest duo ever to Eurovision. Their song is entitled A Chain Of Light. Listen to a 40 second snippet here...

UPDATE - Chain Of Lights has been leaked. Valentina's song was also leaked last year before its official release... oppps! Listen to it here

ELNUR HÜSEYNOV TO REPRESENT AZERBAIJAN!

Elnur Hüseynov has been internally chosen to represent The Land of Fire in Vienna. The rumours were true! The song he'll be taking to Vienna is Hour Of The Wolf. He represented Azerbaijan in 2008, with Samir Javadzadeh, and placed 8th. Regarding Vienna, he says..
Eurovision 2015 is a great chance to present myself as a solo artist. I believe in my entry song as it has so many powerful messages. It is truly a song with great meaning of which the most important is ‘that every heart deserves a fight’ and we should never give up. We must fight for our happiness and for the better future. I’m going to the Eurovision to share this message with the European audience.
Listen to his entry on Soundcloud here. Thoughts?

Photograph - Eurovision.tv

Czech Republic: 'Hope Never Dies' video-clip presented!

Who would have thought this time last year that the Czech Republic would return with two of their biggest stars and an awesome song? At first, I was a bit undecided on Marta Jandová, Václav Noid Bárta's entry but after a few listens I think it's pretty amazing. WATCH HERE!

NuVidz: Conchita Wurst, Alexa Feser, Dinah Nah, Loreen!

The national final season is almost over, so I thought it's time to take a look at some recent releases! Here are some of my favourite songs at the moment...

The unofficial queen of Eurovision, Conchita Wurst, has released a new song. You Are Unstoppable. It seems Conchita will perform this song during Eurovision in May. I love it! Will this also be included on the official Eurovision album? Like Rainmaker was last year... Maybe. Germany's national final is one we're going to remember for very long time; mainly due of Andreas, the winner, giving his title to runner-up Ann Sophie. But let's not forget the amazing Glück by Alexa Feser. It's a gorgeous song. Meanwhile, Dinah Nah may have come last in Melodifestivalen last night but Make Me deserved to do so much better. Great song... and finally, Loreen's new single! This blogger adores Paper Light (Higher) - watch her perform it at Melodifestivalen here. An interesting choice of outfit to say the least ;-)

Moldova: Eduard Romanyuta wants your love!

The official video-clip for Eduard Romanyuta's entry has just been released. I Want Your Love isn't getting much love from the fans so far.. but what do you think? Are Moldova being underrated? It's starting to grow on me a little bit, I guess... Enjoy the video-clip HERE!

Saturday, 14 March 2015

MØRLAND & DEBRAH SCARLETT TO REPRESENT NORWAY!

...and Norway opts for Mørland & Debrah Scarlett. Another brilliant choice from the Scandinavians tonight! And so that concludes the national final season. Of course we have some songs yet to be revealed - but this is the last actual show of the 2015 season. I must catch up with the full performances as I was watching Mello tonight :-)



MÅNS ZELMERLÖW TO REPRESENT SWEDEN!

Sweden has selected Måns Zelmerlöw to represent them in Vienna, as expected. Yihuuu! Måns Zelmerlöw won Melodifestivalen with a pretty outstanding 288 points. Once again - Melfest didn't disappoint, amazing show. More to follow....

Special guests included Conchita Wurst and YLVIS, who are no longer singing about foxes but Stonehenge instead.


Måns won over the international juries, as well as the Swedes. Among the spokespersons, there were some familiar names... It's like a mini Eurovision re-union! GOTTA LOVE MELFEST!





Enjoy the Swedish entry below! Are Sweden going to be the ones to beat? I think so..


Switzerland: Is it Mélanie René's time to shine?

Switzerland's official video-clip has been presented. The revamp is very good, it makes the song sound fuller - and Switzerland are defiantly in the mix to qualify now. Enjoy the video-clip below:

Vienna 2015: Super Weekend #8!

It's the last weekend of the 2015 national final season. Sad times! Sweden and Norway will select their entries tonight; and tomorrow the entries from Azerbaijan, Russia and Albania will be presented. San Marino and Australia will follow on Monday....

SWEDEN
It's the night everyone's been waiting for. The grand final of Melodifestivalen 2015! Twelve acts will be figting for the ticket to Vienna but I think it's going to be a three horse race between Måns Zelmerlöw, Eric Saade and Jon Henrik Fjällgren. Maybe. Here's an in depth review of the songs.

  1. Samir & Viktor – Groupie
  2. JTR – Building It Up
  3. Dinah Nah – Make Me (La La La)
  4. Jon-Henrik Fjällgren – Jag Är Fri (Manne Leam Frijje)
  5. Jessica Andersson – Can’t Hurt Me Now
  6. Måns Zelmerlöw – Heroes
  7. Linus Svenning – Forever Starts Today
  8. Isa – Don’t Stop
  9. Magnus Carlsson – Möt Mig I Gamla Stan
  10. Eric Saade – Sting
  11. Mariette – Don’t Stop Believing
  12. Hasse Andersson – Guld Och Gröna Skogar

NORWAY
Let's not forget Norway. MGP will be a one night affair this year, as the semi finals have been scrapped. I think Mørland & Debrah Scarlett will win. Their ballad is very strong and proving to be the favourite with the bookies. My first choice would be Alexandra Joner though. Her song is great fun. I also like Erlend Bratland and Staysman & Lazz. Is a well-done pizza on the menu for Norway tonight?

....AND ON SUNDAY?
Reports say Elnur Hüseynov will represent The Land of Fire - but nothing is official yet. We'll know Azerbaijan's representative and song tomorrow.. I expect great things from them! Elsewhere, Elhaida Dani's I'm Alive will be presented. And if that wasn't enough, the Russian entry is also going to be revealed..

Friday, 13 March 2015

THE MAKEMAKES TO REPRESENT AUSTRIA!

The Makemakes have been won Austria's national final and will therefore represent Austria.. in Austria! The best song did win in a very mediocre national final. They were in the superfinal with Dawa...

Austria: National final tonight!

It's Austria's turn to select their song tonight. Johann Sebastian Bass is something you would expect from Austria and not in a good way. Yikes! I hope they don't opt for this. I personally really like Zoe's effort but why is she singing in French? I have no idea. The Makemakers will probably win though..

  • Dawa - Feel alive
  • Johan Sebastian Bass - Absolutio
  • Celina Ann - Utopia
  • The Makemakes - I am yours
  • Zoe - Quel filou
  • Folkshilfe - Who are you

Thursday, 12 March 2015

Israel: Nadav Guedj releases 'Golden Boy'!

The Israeli song got its official premier tonight - listen to Golden Boy here. This is exactly what I've been waiting for. Love it!

"I'm a golden boy Come here to enjoy And before I leave Let me show you Tel-Aviv"


Armenia: 'Don't Deny' revealed!

The Armenian entry has been revealed! It's another ballad, and not a bad one, but I'm not quite sure what to think about it yet... Judge for yourself here.

Reviews: Melodifestivalen 2015 Final!


Melodifestivalen will conclude on Saturday. Twelve songs are in the running.. and once again, Melfest doesn't disappoint. Here's what this blogger and my friend Robin, from Sweden, thought of the songs!

SAMIR & VIKTOR – GROUPIE

Jack: Groupie is a fun and a decent opener - it's very catchy but their song just isn't for me. The performance itself is a bit messy but it does leave a smile on my face. I don't think they will win but they could place well. 6/10

Robin: This is really catchy. Before I heard this song, I was sure that I was going to hate it. I could not have been more wrong. This song makes me really happy, it makes me wanna dance. And Viktor is so cute. It needs in the final, and I am probably going to give this one or two heart votes on Saturday. 7/10

JTR – BUILDING IT UP

Jack: JRT's song is rather average, isn't it? Not terrible, as it's easy to listen to.. but forgettable and dare I say mediocre... A contender for last place. 2/10

Robin: I seriously don't know what they are trying to build up, but I'm really sure that they fail to do it. I don't like the song, I really don't like the random rap part of the song, only one of the boys can sing. I can go on and on making a list about what I dislike about this entry but I won't. I will leave it here. Sorry boys. 0/10

DINAH NAH – MAKE ME (LA LA LA)

Jack: Love this one! Dinah's performances have been constantly strong and the song is so catchy. Defiantly would make a decent Swedish entry however I can't see them opting for this.. Prove me wrong Sweden, select this little cracker! :-) 9/10

Robin: When I first heard this song, I couldn't stand it. I thought that Dinah had a middle age crisis or something. But then I actually started to like it more and more. It's not the best song. Not the second or even third best song this year. But it's not that bad. Although, her voice is kind of bad at parts of the song. 6/10

JON HENRIK FJÄLLGREN – JAG ÄR FRI (MANNE LEAM FRIJJE)

Jack: I didn't like this much to start with but Jon's song has grown on me. I don't think Sweden has ever sent a song like this - so it would be an interesting and a daring choice... A joik song in Eurovision might not work and even though he isn't my favourite, I wouldn't be disappointed if he was victorious on Saturday. 7/10

Robin: This is magical. I had goosebumps the first time I heard this song. I like that it's something different. Something that we are not used to hear in Melodifestivalen. The staging is simple and perfect. I'm not going to be surprised if this is going to make it to top five on Saturday. I wouldn't mind to send it to Vienna either. Go Jon Henrik. 8/10

JESSICA ANDERSSON – CAN’T HURT ME NOW

Jack: Hmm, I want to like Jessica's entry however it somehow leaves me a bit cold. Nothing exciting about this one but it's pleasant. 5/10

Robin: I think that this entry is a little bit underrated. No one is talking about it and if they do, they are talking bad about it. Poor Jessica. I like this song. I am a ballad guy and this is a typical ballad. Although she is a little bit too perfect. She stands there in her golden dress, in her blonde hair with the wind machine smiling. Like she have no problems at all. I can see why that is annoying people. 6/10

MÅNS ZELMERLÖW – HEROES

Jack: Måns is my favourite for sure! If chosen, I think Sweden are going to overtake Estonia and Italy in the odds and they will be the ones to beat in Vienna! I love Heroes so much!!! The staging is brilliant and the song could easily be a hit here in the UK. Will he be chosen? I think it's the obvious choice but who knows... 10/10 from me!

Robin: This is really not what I expected from him. Actually this is way better than I expected. I liked it from the first tone in the intro. The staging is perfect. I love the small snowmans. I think this could be the winner even though it's not my personal favorite. And I really wouldn't mind. 9/10

LINUS SVENNING – FOREVER STARTS TODAY

Jack: What can I say? I like him but I expected better. His entry last year was so much better. I don't think he's going to be heading to Vienna...  and there's too much happening on stage! 4/10

Robin: I like this. It's a good song and an okay show. But he do not sing that well live. Unfortunatley. It's nothing really special, and I don't think it's going to do that great in the final either. 5/10

ISA – DON’T STOP

Jack: Many people are comparing Isa's song to Ace Wilder's Busy Doin' Nothin' - I do see the resemblance but I think her look and performance are more similar to Ace's effort than the song itself. Sweden has better songs so I can't see her winning but maybe she will do well on the night. It's very catchy! 6/10

Robin: This is young, this is fresh and this is Taylor Swit-ish. It's amazing. I can't believe that she is only 16 years old. She owns the stage. And she slays it. I am going to dance to this a lot in the future. 8/10

MAGNUS CARLSSON – MÖT MIG I GAMLA STAN

Jack: For some reason, most people seem to love this song yet I find it completely boring and repetitive. Please don't send this Sweden! One of my least favourites.... 3/10

Robin: This is a typical schlager song. Kind of old-fashioned, you've heard it before. I adore Magnus, but this really is nothing special to me. I was disappointed at first, but i've slightly learned to like the song only because it's Magnus. 4/10

ERIC SAADE – STING

Jack: Eric returns with a fantastic entry. I didn't think I would like this song, as I hated his 2011 effort, but I do like it. I can't help it. The instrumental includes a saxaphone during the chorus - LOVE THAT! He has a massive fanbase and a great draw.. A winner? I wouldn't rule it out. Top three for sure. 8/10

Robin: This is up tempo. We need up tempo songs in Eurovision. But I am really not a fan of this. It's a decent song. And the show is okay, but it's something that makes me dislike this and I can't really put my finger on what it is. I don't want us to send this to Vienna. 3/10

MARIETTE – DON’T STOP BELIEVING

Jack: Mariette would stand out in any other yet although we do have several songs similar to Don't Stop Believing already chosen for Vienna. I can't see her winning but what do I know.. It's a fantastic song, she performs it brilliantly and I hope achieve a high position on Saturday! 8/10

Robin: This is my personal favorite of the whole Melodifestivalen. I love everything about this. The song is simply amazing. Mariette have a killer voice and she knows how to use it. It's so dark and mysterious, like she is some kind of vampire warrior or a witch that's putting a spell on us or something. It's pure perfection. 10/10

HASSE ANDERSSON – GULD OCH GRÖNA SKOGAR

Jack: Well it's certainly interesting. Not my favourite but some people will like it. I just find it a bit boring and dated... but hey, anything can happen on Saturday. 2/10

Robin: This is... something. Like the kind of music my grandparents use to listen to. Still it's kind of catchy and I kind of sing along to it, which is embarrassing. 3/10

Here are our rankings...

Måns Zelmerlöw - Heroes 19/20 
Mariette - Don't Stop Believing 18/20
Dinah Nah - Make Me (La La La) 15/20
Jon Henrik Fjällgren - Jag är fri (Manne Leam Frijje) 15/20
Isa - Don't Stop 14/20
Samir & Viktor - Groupie 13/20
Eric Saade - Sting 11/20
Jessica Andersson - Can't Hurt Me Now 11/20
Linus Svenning - Forever Starts Today 9/20
Magnus Carlsson - Möt mig i Gamla stan 7/20
Hasse Andersson - Guld och gröna skogar 5/20
JTR - Building It Up 2/20

Tack så mycket Robin for helping me out with these receives! :-)

Belarus: Uzari & Maimuna release 'Time' video-clip!

Belarus are the next country to present their video-clip for Vienna. I'm really liking this now. The song has also undergone some more work it seems..  I think we'll be seeing Belarus in the final once again.

Wednesday, 11 March 2015

Russia: Here's a sneak peak of 'A Million Voices'!

Polina Gagarina will sing A Million Voices in Vienna. And you guessed it, A Million Voices is yet another ballad. It's sounding great though! The final version will premier on 15th March.

Montenegro: Knez to reveal 'Adio' on 21st March!

Montenegro was the first country to reveal their act, back in October, and now it appears the Balkan country will last to reveal their song - as Knez's song won't be presented until 21st March. As previously reported, Željko Joksimović will compose the song with lyrics by Dejan Ivanović and Marina Tucaković. Rumours say it is going to be an uptempo song.

Georgia: Nina's 'Warrior' video-clip presented!

The official video-clip of the Georgian entry, Warrior, has been revealed today. The song has also undergone a revamp. Enjoy!!

Tuesday, 10 March 2015

Belgium: Loïc Nottet has rhythm inside!

And here's the Belgian entry! Loïc Nottet's song has finally been presented. Not something I was expecting to be honest but it's different, and I think I like it. Rhythm Inside was inspired by Lorde..
"We were put here together to discover, the heart that beats within each other, we’re gonna rap-bop-bop-tonight, and if we die tomorrow, what do we have to show for the wicked ways down below?"
Well done Belgium! Listen to it here....


Czech Republic: Listen to 'Hope Never Dies'!

The Czech entry has been revealed today. You can listen to it here. The video-clip for Marta Jandová & Václav Noid Bárta's entry will be released tomorrow. It's one of the better ones I think.. Welcome back, Czech Republic! :-)

Monday, 9 March 2015

MONIKA KUSZYŃSKA TO REPRESENT POLAND!

Did anyone expect this? It's not Doda after all, but Monika Kuszyńska... Here's the song she will take to Vienna!



Monika was partially paralysed in 2006 due to a car accident but that never stopped her pursing her dream. She says:
Through all my artistic efforts I try to link two worlds that up until recently seemed impossible to combine World of people with and without disabilities. Bridge of understanding between those two becomes stronger and stronger each year. I strongly believe that some day borders separating those worlds will disappear forever. This year Eurovision Song Contest motto is Building Bridges and it fits perfectly the idea I convey through my song. The contest's phrase also inspired me to write lyrics to In The Name Of Love. Because in the name of love we are able to overcome every barrier, aren't we?

Spain: Edurne releases 'Amanecer' video-clip!

The official video-clip of Amanecer has been revealed today. You can watch it here. Edurne rocks the warrior look and shares the spotlight with a tiger! Es bastante increíble!

POLINA GAGARINA TO REPRESENT RUSSIA!


ESCKAZ reports Polina Gagarina will represent Russia in Vienna. The music video for her Eurovision entry is going to be recorded and released very soon..... More information to follow :-)

Malta: Official video-clip of 'Warrior' presented!

The Maltese entry has undergone a minor revamp and the official video-clip has been presented. Sometimes revamps don't work but I think it's worked for the better here. #TeamAmber! Enjoy it below....


Sunday, 8 March 2015

VOLTAJ TO REPRESENT ROMANIA!

Yihuuuu! Voltaj has won Selecția Națională and therefore will fly the Romanian flag in Vienna. Luminiţa Anghel came 2nd. I did love her song but we didn't need another ballad in Vienna, did we? It's unknown whether Voltaj will sing in Romanian or English for Eurovision, but I hope it'll stick in Romanian. Beautiful song. The full results:


Enjoy their live performance below - what's with the suitcases?

Editorial: Has the UK hit an all time low?

Many fans were left shocked last night when our entry was revealed, mainly for the wrong reasons.

As we all know now, the United Kingdom will be represented by the unknown duo Electro Velvet with a funky retro number. The song has not been received well in the UK - as the British press said 'We know we won't win so we haven't really bothered'. Sigh. I appreciate the BBC's efforts though. It's different - something that Eurovision is lacking so far this year - and they could stand out in Vienna. Maybe. It's also very catchy indeed however there's one problem... the song is just a big pile of nothing. In my opinion of course. It might stand out in Eurovision when performed live but I don't think it'll good enough to reach the top ten or anything. I hope I'm wrong though.

Before yesterday, Electro Velvet were completely unknown here in the United Kingdom. Bianca Nicholas did appear on The Voice UK last year though but was eliminated in the first round so no one really remembers her... Watch her perform below:


Bianca has cystic fibrosis and I've read some comments online saying that they hope she dies before the contest. That is disgusting and so awful!!!! I wasn't going to share that but I thought I would as it shows how horrid and nasty some people can be.  It makes me question humanity. We were in a situation similar last week when Finland selected PKN. If you don't like the song, then fine -  but writing these comments is just terrible.. :-(

Moving on. Alex Larke is a lead singer in a Rolling Stones tribute band. So even more unknown. I believe, and you may not agree with me here, but if it's going to be an internal selection - we should at least send an artist who has had some form of success, within the industry. Someone who people are familiar with. If they won the right to represent the UK through an national final process where the public could vote and have a say, then fair enough. Should the UK select their song through a national final next year? I'd like to see that happen but I am not holding my breath. I don't mean to sound cruel here - but many people also felt the same when Molly was chosen so I'm not only aiming this at Electro Velvet but at the BBC's current approach to Eurovision as a whole.

The Big Five (or the Big Six this year) will all send respectable entries to Vienna. Il Volo are massive in Italy at the moment and their entry has been certificated gold already. Grande Amore has had almost 13 million hits on YouTube and they won Sanremo - one of Italy's biggest and well respected contests. It seems they'll be the ones to beat in Vienna. Meanwhile, Spain are also sending a household name. They may have shopped abroad for the song but Edurne is well known. The French and German singers are a bit more unknown, granted, but at least Ann Sophie won the ticket to Eurovision through an open national final. Even though she wasn't the winner but you know what I mean... If you're going to pick someone internally, opt for someone who the people know. Take a leaf out of The Netherlands's book. They may have gone 100% internal this year but at least people are familiar with their act.

Another problem I have is that they have never performed together live! This surely doesn't bode well, does it? Oh I don't know. It's a rather poor effort. The guys at Wiwibloggs sum it up perfectly.....


For example, Kitty Brucknell isn't a massive name here but people do know her and she loves Eurovision so much. Kitty entered the Swiss selection, went to Moldova too.. she is so dedicated to the contest and would give anything to perform on the Eurovision stage. Couldn't the BBC have given her a shot? Here's what she tweeted yesterday.


My biggest fear is coming 27th place in Vienna. It's not just about the song or the way it was chosen, but the idea of coming 27th place would be hideous and I would be so gutted. And we don't know that they're like live. Will they crumble due to the nerves? Performing in front of 200 million people isn't going to be an easy task. I don't know... I felt a bit upset last night actually. Very underwhelmed indeed. More has to be done in this country to ensure the public can back their Eurovision entry. Molly's song was never going to be a mega hit but people liked it. It was a respectable effort. Children Of The Universe had airtime and reached #23 in the British charts. Not amazing but it's something. I don't think the Brits will support Still In Love With You. This blogger doesn't hate the song - but we could have done better. Much better. The Guardian said:
It feels mean-spirited to criticise Electro Velvet too harshly for this. After all, they didn’t write the song – that was the man who wrote the Jim’ll Fix It theme tune – and they certainly weren’t the ones who let it represent the UK. They’re just jobbing performers with an upsetting lack of taste. Our real scorn should be directed at the people who organise the UK entry; the ones who chose this song and hid their process from view. They’re the reason why we’re going to collectively hide our faces behind a pillow come May, and they deserve to be punished. Surely we can do better than this.
We can do better than this! Last year was awesome. Even though Bonnie and Engelbert didn't exactly set the leader-board on fire, they were known and had professionalism behind them. I do respect Electro Velvet and hope they do the UK proud, that goes without saying, But I think the only way London will get to host Eurovision in 2016 will be if Australia wins.. Oh well. There's always next year! ;-)


Please feel free to comment on your thoughts about the British entry below! 

Romania: National final to be held tonight!

The Romanians will select their song tonight. Twelve acts are in the the running and it's a rather weak line-up.. My favourite by far is Voltaj. I'd be thrilled if they won. It's a strong song and would make a fantastic entry for Romania! Will they select it? Who knows... My 2nd choice would be Luminita Anghel and my 3rd choice would be Lara Lee. The others didn't really leave a lasting impression on me. Here's the line-up for tonight:

  1. Voltaj – De la capat
  2. Baietii – Dragoste in lanturi
  3. Tudor Turcu – Save Us
  4. Aurelian Temisan feat. Alexa – Chica Latina
  5. Rodica Aculova – My Light
  6. Blue Noise – Love Won’t Run Away
  7. Ovidiu Anton – Still Alive
  8. Lara Lee – Superman
  9. Super Trooper – Secret Place
  10. Luminita Anghel – A Million Stars
  11. Cristina Vasiu – Nowhere
  12. CEJ – We Were In Love
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