EUROVISION 2018 REVIEW: ISRAEL, BELGIUM, MALTA, CYPRUS

Israel - Netta - Toy

Netta Barzilai (25) is this year's Francesco Gabbani, the one given as a winner before we hit the stage in Lisbon, she has gathered record breaking Youtube views and Spotify streams and is the one everyone's talking about and also dividing opinions to heat up the discussions. I liked this when I heard it the fifrst time for it's craziness, then I put it aside a bit when everyone was screaming this is the Winner and eventually settled to like it a lot. It's refreshing, different, memorable with a gimmick everyone will note. It's fun! Yet I tend to think this is more like Dancing lasha tumbai, a great runner up rather than a winner. To be that it's maybe just a bit too weird and crazy for the great public who seeing/hearing this for the first time might take it as a joke. But who knows? 10/10

Belgium - Sennek - A matter of time

Laura Groeseneken (27) aka Sennek continues the Belgian trend of quality entries and when this came out I may have been one to think for a moment this could be It. But no. The Bondesque melody and arrangement goes well with Sennek's vocals but unless they nail it with staging and vocals, this could be also a shock non-qualifier. The song gets a bit repetitive and she hasn't really delivered live the way she does on record so far. But the again, think about Blanche last year.... 7/10

Malta - Christabelle - Taboo

Christabelle Borg (25) is one of those unfortunate artists who try several times and finally win with not so strong entry. This is her fourth national final entry and in my books her weakest yet. However, she's also one who can breathe life to any song live and somehow just pulls it together and convinces you she's great and likable. I have had a soft spot for her since Lovetricity and of course hope she would make the final. Taboo's problem is it's a bit too dark and never really gets going but repeats the same bits over and over. I hope the staging isn't the same in Lisbon as in national final as it was dark and messy.... Thank heavens she's in the semi-final 2 as in the first one... no way! 7/10

Cyprus - Eleni Foureira - Fuego

Albanian born Entela Fureraj (31) aka Eleni Foureira has been rumored for years for either Greece or Cyprus and here she is finally - after Helena Paparizou turned down the song and the offer apparently. My first reaction was overproduced 13 in a dozen nonsense with a singer who seems to be notorious for singing false live, and the idea hasn't really changed even if I have learned to like this a bit more. Still, generic pop that also never gets going but stops for some senseless ye ah ye ah everytime you think it'll explode finally. The staging will surely be effective and spot on to cover up the absence of a proper song and this is a real gem for fans who live in the bubble. Is anyone surprised this got the last spot in the semifinal? That might save it from being another shock non-qualifier. 5/10

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ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

Małgorzata Jamroży aka Margaret has also been tipped for Eurovision and apparently she did turn it down but she'd be perfect. She's got a look and persona you can't unnotice nor forget, she's got hit songs, she has been voted or nominated for everything from Trendy artist to the Hope of the Year, Fashion Icon and Glamour Woman of the year besides the usual best video, song, album, debut..... Oh she's also a fashion designer! She's very clever with social medias and would surely use it to her advantage if selected for Stockholm 2016. Her debut album is titled Add the blonde , do we need to say more? Except it includes mostly Swedish written pop tunes like Tell me how are ya , Wasted , Start a fire and Heartbeat . And of course her debut single and internationally noticed Thank you very much that you can enjoy below with all its anti-textil feel. I think she's Eurovision perfection, she's cheeky and fun, can we have her?

SONGS OF THE YEAR 2015: #5 KRISTA SIEGFRIDS - ON & OFF

Krista Siegfrids is delivering nice pop tunes one after another and this one is particularly catchy and soon you will be singing along..... Hopefully her Melodifestivalen entry will be equally good!

ESC 2013: SERBIA'S BIG GUNS

Serbia is one of the most succesful Eurovision countries in the recent years and this blogger 's favorites. This year I am again very curiously waiting for their entry and what they will offer us when they have a national final once again after last year's internal selection. Many bigger and smaller names have been rumored to have sent a song, or have confirmed so themselves. Among then a 63-year-old disco diva Neda Ukraden , Eurovision veteran Vukašin Brajić 's OT Band, Danijel Pavlovic who is Marija Serifovic's step-brother, national final veteran Ana Nikolic and other names like Nenad Cvijetic , Dejan Petrovic, Zejna , Ivana Pavkovic , Vanja Mijatovic .... Let's see who really are in when the final 15 out of 80 will be announced for the March 2, 2013 final. These 15 will be cut to five for the superfinal by televoting. Then we have Bojan Bjelic , who apparently was sending his song Mora before he decided not to blaming the contest is fixed and Serbian

GOODBYE, FAREWELL...

The time has come. After all these years, 5,7 million visits, 12.000 articles I guess the time has come. As much as I love and care for Eurovision it just doesn't feel the same. The Corona years took their toll and the past two years and certain decisions have helped me to mature the idea that next year I will hear the songs for the first time in semi-final just like any so called local. The bubble has burst. Add the toxicity in social medias and fandom. The arrogant teenagers who saw their first contest somewhere 2017 or even 2021 who think they know it all and only their opinion matters. Did I mention the toxic atmosphere on social medias? I'm too old for that sh*t. It's been a long ride that took me to various Eurovision on spot as a fan and tourist, as a journalist, as a delegation member. I met some great people, made memories of lifetime. In stressful, sad periods of my life this blog has been my safe place, a place to escape and forget everything else for an hour o

Summer songs: Samantha Fox & Sabrina - Call me

Summertime is the time for cover versions and remixes. The late 1980's war of the boombs is over when Samantha and Sabrina put their bras together and cover Blondie's Call me in peace and harmony. Amore, chiamami!

ESC 2016 BELARUS: NAKED WITH WOLVES?

Today's funniest Eurovision related story comes from Belarus. Some sources claim Ivan wants to perform on stage naked and with live wolf or wolves. It surely would be a first on Eurovision stage! We have seen some forgotten underwear over the years, and some cardbox animals though..... Is it time to take things a bit further? No, according the rules live animals are not allowed, and Eurovision being a family show nudity won't do either. (It seems to be ok to be half naked if you are a dancer though..... )

Et voilà! Anggun presents Echo (You and I)

So today we finally heard the French entry in Eurovision 2012 in Baku by Anggun. Echo (You and I ) is rather bizarre mix of many things and just when you think you get it the songs takes a turn to another direction. Whistling all along. Very catchy it is. Call it an earworm if you want. Still I wouldn't scream a winning entry but... we will see. In Patricia Kaas like ending me thinks.

Blogilkar Exclusive: RAMBO AMADEUS INTERVIEW

My flying reporter Robert met Rambo Amadeus in his hotel this morning and what an interesting and entertaining meet it was! Unfortunately the time wasn't enough as this man has lots to tell about many topics. However, here are the main things! Thank you Rambo for this interview and first of all, how an earth Montenegro wanted you to represent them in Eurovision? I don't know! I really don't know. I didn't want to ask any questions why they wanted me. So they came to you, you didn't go to them? Of course. Everybody comes to me..... And everybody knows you and that you are bit, maybe a lot, Eurovision skeptic. Why did they come to you then? Well, I think they want the audience to pay attention to them? I think the new, young and ambitious director of RTCG decided to do some kind of shock therapy. He probably thinks there's nothing to lose. I asked him "Are you sure? Do you know my work?" and he said yes. I think they are learning how to g

GREECE: HELENA PAPARIZOU HITS AGAIN WITH HAIDE

Eurovision song contest 2005 winner Helena Paparizou has been enjoying Top-5 hits every year since 2003 with the exception of 2010 and 2014, this latest one being already her 27th! And Haide is charting also in Bulgaria and Finland, of all places. The catchiness of her hits has changed less over the years than her face.... Here's the English version , below the Greek version.

REMEMBERING MARILYN MONROE

It's 50 years since Marilyn Monroe passed away on August 5, 1962. Her legend still lives on and there's no doubt she got "it". Probably very much misunderstood and surely underrated she remains one of the biggest stars on this planet ever. How many fans have really seen her movies, I mean all of them? Not only the 2-3 most successful ones where she played pretty much the same dumb blond? Thee's so much more to her if you watch all her work.... And had she lived. She would be 86 now. Like this .

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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