Thirty-nine public broadcasters have confirmed their participation in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, to take place in Malmö, Sweden, on the 14th, 16th and 18th of May. (more…)
Malmo 2013: The Countdown Begins
Every year the generic Eurovision Song Contest logo is accompanied by a graphic identity – also called the theme art – developed by the host broadcaster. This year is no exception and we all will be united under one message this year – ‘We are one’ in Malmö 2013! (more…)
Dana International Returns To Eurovision With Ding Dong
Sharon Cohen, better known by her stage name of Dana International, the winner of the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest, is set to take part in the 2011 competition, the Israeli broadcaster IBA confirms. Dana will be singing the song ‘Ding Dong.’
Germany’s Lena Wins Eurovision
Germany’s Lena Meyer-Landrut has won the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, edging out Turkey and Romania.
Meyer-Landrut, who turned 19 during the competition in Norway, sang the upbeat, dance-floor friendly “Satellite,” which was one of the favorites to win.
This is the second time that Germany has won in the songfest’s 55-year history. It will host next year’s contest.
This year’s competition was overshadowed by the continent’s financial woes, with four countries pulling out for lack of funds.
The contest is decided by a panel of judges and telephone voting by the 39 participating countries.
Eurovision 2010 Update: Will The Competition Become A Battle Between Two Teen Pop Queens
Will Eurovision 2010 be a battle between two teen pop queens: Germany’s Lena Meyer-Landrut and Azerbaijan’s Safura Alizade.
When London-based betting agency Boylesports released the first set of betting odds in late March, Safura, the 17-year old winner of Azerbaijani Idol, was the odds-on favorite at 7:2. Germany was listed fourth highest at 14:1. In subsequent weeks, however, Lena has narrowed that gap significantly and the two now stand in a virtual deadlock atop the table.
Voters will have to decide whether they prefer Lena’s quirkiness or Safura’s theatrics. On stage, Lena comes off as likable, if a bit kooky. She can’t dance, but doesn’t seem to care, and her natural awkwardness transforms into something endearing. You get the sense she wants to be a singer, not a pop star. As in her preview video, she’ll likely appear on stage in Oslo alone, sparing us the bare-chested backup dancers and trapeze swings Eurovision fans have grown accustomed to.
Today’s Top Eurotastic Song By Kikki Danielsson
Bra vibrationer (Good vibrations), written by Ingela Forsman and composed by Lasse Holm, was the Swedish entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1985, performed by Kikki Danielsson.
At the end of judging that evening, Bra vibrationer took the third-place slot with 103 points. Finland and Norway both awarded Sweden 12 points that night.
Sung in contemporary schlager music style, the singer relates her strong emotions upon falling in love with a man with whom she had just met. She is concerned about things moving too fast, but in the end, she feels good vibrations and is very happy with what has transpired.
After Eurovision, the song was placed at #12 on the Swedish charts, and it stayed in the top 50 for eight weeks.
Ann-Kristin “Kikki” Danielsson (born 10 May 1952 in Osby, Sweden) is a Swedish country, dansband and pop singer. Sometimes, she also plays the accordion and she has also written some lyrics. She is also famous for yodeling in some songs. Kikki Danielsson gained her largest popularity in the Nordic region from the late 1970s until the late 1990s. She also gained popularity at the US country stage during the 1980s. In 1986, she had the “Kikki i Nashville” TV show.
Today’s Top Eurotastic Song By Amina
Le Dernier qui a parlé… (English translation: The last one who spoke…) was the French entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1991, performed in French by Amina as C’est le dernier qui a parlé qui a raison.
The song – the full title of which is one of the longest in Contest history – was written by Amina herself (of North African ancestry) and composed by Wasis Diop, resulting in an African feel to the music.
Lyrically, Amina sings about the truth of the saying referenced in the title. She also extends it to It’s the loudest one who spoke who is right.
At the close of voting, the song had received 146 points, placing 2nd in a field of 22 (she tied with Carola for the win, but the tie-break rules gave the crown to Sweden).
In 1991 Amina won Le prix Piaf as Best Female Singer of the Year, then she went on to get involved in Peter Gabriel’s peace project during the Gulf War. Joining a host of international stars in the studio, Amina took part in the recording of an EP which featured a new version of Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance”.
Today’s Top Eurotastic Song By Domenico Modugno
Nel blu dipinto di blu (In the Blue Painted Blue), popularly known as Volare (Italian for: to fly), is Domenico Modugno’s signature song and Italy’s entry in the 1958 Eurovision Song Contest.
At the end of the voting, Volare had received 13 points, placing 3rd in a field of 10.
Modugno’s recording became the first Grammy winner for the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 1958. It is the only foreign-language recording to achieve this honor. It spent six weeks atop the Hot 100 in August and September 1958 and was Billboard’s number-one single for the year. It is one of only three one-hit wonders to become single of the year in the history of the Hot 100 (followed by Stranger on the Shore by Acker Bilk in 1962 and Bad Day by Daniel Powter in 2006).
Domenico Modugno (9 January 1928 – 6 August 1994) was a twice Grammy Award-winning Italian singer, songwriter, actor, and later in life, a member of the Italian Parliament.
21 years after Volare’s release Chrysler brought the song back – remember this:
Today’s Top Eurotastic Song By Toto Cutugno
Insieme: 1992 (English translation: Together: 1992) was the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest 1990, in Zagreb, Croatia (then SFR Yugoslavia), performed in Italian by Toto Cutugno for Italy, that country’s second and final (to date) victory in the Contest.
Cutugno sang about bringing the disparate nations of Europe together. The 1992 of the title refers to the year in which the European Union was scheduled to begin operation, thus bringing the hope of the lyric to fruition. Cutugno sang the song with a backing group of five singers from Slovenia, the group Pepel in Kri, who represented Yugoslavia in 1975.
At the close of voting, the song had received 149 points, placing 1st in a field of 22.
Today’s Top Eurotastic Song By Tommy Körberg
Stad i ljus (Town in light) is a ballad, which was the Swedish Melodifestivalen 1988 winning song and entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 1988, where it finished 12th.
The song was written by Py Bäckman performed by Tommy Körberg.
Stad i ljus was also released as a single in 1988. It peaked at #8 at the Swedish singles chart.
Tommy Körberg is a Swedish singer, actor, and musician. In 1969, he won Swedish Recording Industry Award Grammis in a category Best Debut Performance.
English-speaking audiences know him best for his role in the Benny Andersson–Björn Ulvaeus–Tim Rice musical Chess. He was the first to play the role of “The Russian” on the 1984 concept album Chess, and performed the same role on stage in the 1986 world première West End production in London, for which he was nominated for Laurence Olivier Award in category Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Musical.
