Let’s take ourselves back a month. To the Eurovision Song Contest. Remember the Norwegian entry, ‘My Heart Is Yours’ by the handsome Didrik Solli-Tangen? A celtic, ‘You Raise Me Up’ style soaring ballad with Didrik’s operatic vocals. It’s a beautiful song and was one of our favourites in the contest this year. Well…….
….now we have a hands in the air remix of it to enjoy too! Courtesy of 7th Heaven, who also did a magical remix of Agnes’ ‘On & On’ a few months back. This remix starts off a bit strange, sounding a lot like Dario G’s ‘Sunchyme’. But before you know it, you’re transported into camp euphoria – where you want all remixes to take you really! And that last key change really is something else indeed.
To close our coverage of the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest, and to perhaps draw a (bright) line under our many thoughts on the whole drama of Sweden not qualifying for the final, we are launching a competition that is either quite amazing, or absolutely ridiculous, we haven’t decided yet. And how you decide which camp it falls into, depends on your views on Eurovision. But we’re hoping to attract the more hardcore fans of the great contest, as they will have more of an appreciation of what we think is a nice piece of Eurovision memorabilia, but what others might see as a bit ‘WTF’! One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and all that. etc etc.
If you watched Sweden’s participation in semi final 2 of this year’s Eurovision, you’ll remember perhaps what was the highlight of said performance, and one of the highlights of the whole night – the sea of red glow sticks that were waved as Anna Bergendahl sang ‘This Is My Life’. It was a beautiful moment on screen, but of course we didn’t see it on tv at the time, as we were there in the actual arena audience, waving one of the glow sticks in the scene that was broadcast to over 100 million people worldwide. And that, ladies and gentleman, is what we’re giving away in this competition. The red glowstick that we were waving during Sweden’s performance at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest!
If you look closely, you might be able to see it here;
If you should wish to own an object like this, just drop us an email to scandipop@googlemail.com to tell us what you think Sweden needs to do to get into the Eurovision final next year. Is there a certain artist they should send? A certain type of song? Does Melodifestivalen need a complete overhaul? Or anything you’ve been thinking of in light of Thursday’s events. There is of course no right or wrong answer though. We’ll just pick whatever idea is our absolute favourite, publish it on here, and send you a piece of Eurovision history!
We’ll leave the competition open for a few weeks or so.
And here’s the individual glow stick in all its glory in the cold light of day;
It’s going to be one of the most exciting contests in years. There’s no clear winner, about a dozen or so songs could realistically walk away with it, and we reckon that the scoreboard will be impossibly close throughout all of the voting.
We watched the dress rehearsal yesterday afternoon and there’s 15 that we like out of the 25 competing. Not a bad tally, although not as good as last year’s 20 out of 25! But still, an enjoyable show with its fair share of treats of songs and performances.
We’re not going to make any predictions, as that’s just impossible. But instead, here’s our top 5 absolute favourite songs that will be performing tonight.
5. Azerbaijan, Safura, ‘Drip Drop’
4. Ireland, Niamh Kavanagh, ‘It’s For You’
3. Norway, Didrik Solli Tangen, ‘My Heart Is Yours’
2. Denmark, Chenee & N’evergreen, ‘In A Moment Like This’
Josh Dubovie is the gentleman with the weight of the UK’s Eurovision hopes on him this evening. He’ll be representing the country at the annual song competition with ‘That Sounds Good To Me’. The song’s had its fair bit of controversy surrounding it, but it’s true to say that it’s now got its fair share of hardcore followers too. Here in Oslo, the Eurovision fans from the UK and beyond are looking at it with a certain amount of affection. Josh’s performance of it in rehearsals has been great, and the staging of the song itself is visually impressive. It’s also been one of the uptempo reliefs in a Euroclub full of slower songs this year. The overwhelming majority of its supporters all cite the same reasons for liking it too; ”it’s all a bit of fun”.
There are critics of the song too though. A lot of them. But fortunately for Josh (and deservedly so), the song’s critics aren’t aiming their vitriol at him – that’s being reserved for the song’s creator, the much more famous Pete Waterman. We’re chanelling a certain amount of criticism towards Pete ourselves too. He’s not a fan of Eurovision at all, he ‘s said that on many occasions before, and had always ridiculed the idea when asked if he’d ever write a song for Eurovision. That’s fair enough of course, but it’s rather annoying that when he did finally agree to take a cheque for contributing to Eurovision, he allowed his detestment of the contest get in the way of writing a song that would be good enough for it. He instead produced a track that he felt would be fitting for the way he looked upon Eurovision; ”oh this will do, no matter what I compose it’ll still be far better than anything else on that stage that night”. Hmmm.
But that’s just Pete. The song we can now enjoy, and Josh is absolutely great as its performer. So we met up with him this week here in Oslo for a chat about everything; his experience of Eurovision, what he thought of the song, and of all of the good and bad press surrounding it.
scandipop: Hi Josh, so how have your first few days been here in Oslo?
Josh: Very good thank you. Although I spent my first days in Scandinavia sitting on a coach and in a ferry! But it was good because I could see a lot of it out the window, and Norway is a beautiful country. Everyone’s been really welcoming too. And last night at the Euroclub my song was playing, and everyone was singing along and dancing, so that was great.
scandipop: Oh that’s a nice feeling I imagine!
Josh: Yeah it’s very cool.
scandipop: Ok. And what are you favourite songs this year?
Josh: My opinion keeps on changing really. But one song that tops everything at the moment I think is Harel Skaat, ‘Words’. The Israeli entry. I think it’s a lovely ballad, and it just keeps growing and growing. And then when you think it can’t grow anymore, it just gets even bigger!
scandipop: Yeah that last minute is pretty special isn’t it?!
Josh: It is, it’s brilliant, I really like it. But also some other entries that I like are the Spanish entry. I met him actually which was really nice. But there’s so much strong competition this year that it’s hard to decide the best really.
scandipop: Did you listen to all of the songs before coming here then? Or have you only really started listening in the last week or so?
Josh: Not all of them, no. I think I’ve mostly concentrated on my own performance more than anything. But then I did go through all of them last week. Ha ha, I actually sat down with my Mum and we gave each of them votes out of 12. I can’t remember who won though, I think it was Spain or Germany. So that was good, but it’s nice to meet them too and say hello.
scandipop: We saw your first few rehearsals at the weekend, and we have to say that the UK’s performance is one of the most visually impressive. We really like the light boxes and the backing dancers and the dresses of the backing dancers! The song really comes alive in the arena. But how did you think your first rehearsals in the arena went? How did it feel?
Josh: I think that the first rehearsal was trying to get my head around the size of the huge Telenor arena, it’s pretty amazing. And then the second rehearsal was me trying to get my performance down. But it’s gone really well. And they’ve done a great job getting those light boxes, they look really good.
scandipop: They really do. Ok, and of the rehearsals you’ve seen of other countries this year, who else has impressed you visually?
Josh: I think the pyro-technics during the Norwegian song are absolutely fantastic. And he’s got a huge voice too, it sounds amazing. But yeah, I’ve seen a few now, but it’s that one that really stands out for me.
scandipop: Ok. Eurovision in the UK, whilst being well loved, isn’t really held in very high regard, compared to in some other countries. It isn’t seen as being in any way credible at all. So were you surprised when you got here, to see just how seriously other countries take it?
Josh: No, I think that everyone I’ve been surrounded by at the moment actually has taken Eurovision very seriously. In the Your Country Needs You final, everyone there was a fan of Eurovision, and I’ve been surrounded by everyone who loves it. And that’s all I’ve seen really, I haven’t seen anyone who doesn’t enjoy it. And now especially, I think that last year helped, with Andrew Lloyd Webber and Jade Ewen doing well. So I think that now people look at it with a more positive attitude and think, ”oh now actually we have a shot at this”.
scandipop: Yeah I think before that, people just thought that the UK never stood a chance again really.
Josh: Exactly, and so that’s what needed to happen. And hopefully we can follow in their footsteps!
scandipop: Ok, and staying with the UK now, how have you found the experience of being the UK’s Eurovision entry? All of the media focus, and being the topic of so much discussion. Has it been even bigger than you expected?
Josh: It’s been completely surreal. If I’m being totally honest with you, I didn’t have a clue what to expect. I’ve taken everything with open arms and it’s been great. Whatever happens, I’ll just enjoy the whole moment. But everybody’s been so supportive so far. I come from Basildon and they’ve had posters up everywhere and I’ve people greeting me in the street saying ”good luck mate”! So yeah it’s been quite positive so far, and I hope that I can do everyone proud, I really do.
scandipop: And when you used to watch Eurovision when you were growing up, did you expect that it was going to be this big media circus behind the scenes?!
Josh: No! It’s funny because when you watch it you never really think about what’s going on backstage. You just think about what’s on the stage. I’ve always had dreams about doing it, but I never really thought about all that. And if I did think about, I certainly didn’t think it would be on this huge scale. It’s so well organised for something so big though.
scandipop: Ok. And have you bee reading all of the press articles, both good and bad?
Josh: I’ve read a few yeah. But it’s probably best for me not to. There was one thing that Cheryl Cole said and that’s that you shouldn’t read any press about yourself, good or bad, because if you read something it can boost your ego and if you read something bad then it can make you feel like rubbish. But yeah occasionally I treat myself and I’ll read a few things. Because reading constructive criticism is what I need, for people to say it was good but that I needed to do this or that.
scandipop: Ok. We think the song really comes to life on stage, and our favourite part is during the first verse when the beat kicks in. But what do you like best about the song?
Josh: I love the beginning, being in the box. And the intro, that sound effect gets my heart going. But also I love the last notes as well, because I think that it’s such a crescendo. So hopefully people will get involved on the night and sing along.
scandipop: And the song itself was altered and changed quite a bit between the Your Country Needs You final and the version we have now. Did Pete Waterman and Mike Stock consult you along the way with any of the changes?
Josh: I think it’s difficult to write a song for six acts, so when they found out that I’d won, they tried to create a new version that suited me, they incorporated my voice to the instruments. But it was mostly their doing, although I did have a few ideas here and there in the studio. It was a bit of a team effort in that sense.
scandipop: Ok, so I guess they used you as more of an inspiration than anything else.
Josh: Yes. But these guys know what they’re doing of course!
scandipop: Indeed. And best of luck on Saturday night Josh! Thank you.
So, last night’s result at Eurovision Semi Final 2 was very pleasing in some ways (Denmark, Ireland, Azerbaijan, and Israel progressing to the final), but it was utterly disappointing in one major way – the failure of Sweden to qualify to the final.
Long time fans of both Eurovision and Melodifestivalen, will say that the song ‘This Is My Life’ should never have won Melodifestivalen, and thus gone to Eurovision to represent Sweden. It’s not the schlager music that Sweden is known for in these competitions. It’s not the uptempo, bpm heavy song performed with an eye catching routine, in a fabulously glamorous fashion. But at the end of the day, nobody can deny the fact that Anna Bergendahl’s ‘This Is My Life’ is good song. And in the context of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, it’s actually an amazing song!
Last night’s performance of it was beautiful. Perfectly staged, flawlessly delivered, and the inclusion of the red glow sticks transferred amazingly on screen. It was a great moment on tv. It was also one of the few times in recent history that the Swedish entry actually looked better at Eurovision than it did when it was performed at Melodifestivalen. Think of Malena Ernman’s ‘La Voix’, Carola’s ‘Invincible’, and especially Charlotte Perrelli’s ‘Hero’. All amazing performances when they won Melodifestivalen, but all that lost a little something when they were transferred onto the Eurovision stage. ‘This Is My Life’ looked even better on stage in Oslo last night than it did in Stockholm in March.
Basically, we just wanted to say that Sweden really deserved to be in tomorrow’s Eurovision Song Contest final. Especially over six of the songs that actually did qualify from last night’s semi final. The song, the performance, the singer, didn’t deserve to be sent home from the competition. But then, that’s always the way with Eurovision of course. And so trying hard to blame a certain factor, is usually mostly pointless.
Because of this, we don’t agree with some sectors of the Swedish press today dropping the axe on Christer Bjorkman, calling for him to be sacked as head of the Swedish delegation. And we don’t think too fondly of the reports blaming Anna and her performance. But most surprisingly of all possibly, is that we disagree with the online blogs that are taking great delight in berating Sweden for temporarily turning their back on schlager music and championing a song that they think is unforgivably boring in comparison. No other country sticks to a certain type of song at Eurovision every year, so why should Sweden? This year’s Melodifestivalen ended up doing what it does every year – choosing a great song as it’s winner. And as always, we got a dozen or so other great songs to cherish too!
Next year’s Melodifestivalen was rumoured to be Christer Bjorkman’s last anyway. And those in the know have been predicting that it’s going to be a spectacular contest, as he’ll want to go out with a bang. So it’s fair to say that all types of Melodifestivalen fan will be catered to, and it’ll continue to be the amazing show that it always is – with the actual prize of going to Eurovision, really just being an add-on to it, as opposed to the ‘be all and end all’ of it. It stopped being that earlier in the last decade!
Oooh, we do love a good ol’ rant don’t you?!
And here’s that performance again in case you missed it.
Look closely at tonight’s Azerbaijan performance at the Eurovision Song Contest semi final 2 – one of the backing singers is Johanna from scandipop favourite, Nexx. And she’s wearing some killer hot blonde hair extensions.
The song, ‘Drip Drop’ by Safura, is one of our favourites of the evening. And the performance is quite amazing too, with Safura dominating the stage in what’s far and away the best frock to grace the Eurovision stage this year.
Here’s Johanna doing her thing with Nexx, in case you’re unfortunate enough to be unfamiliar with it!
Well, the first semi final took place last night. And THANKFULLY, the best song rightfully qualified for Saturday’s final.
We were actually pleased with 7 of the 10 songs that progressed to the final. Iceland, Moldova, Albania, Russia, Portugal, Serbia, and Greece. We were disappointed that Malta, Slovakia, and Finland didn’t do better though.
The show was spectacular, and the atmosphere in the arena was amazing, as you probably could tell on television. Iceland is certainly one of the fan favourites this year, and Hera Bjork got the best reaction in the arena on the night. Perhaps that’s why they chose to announce Iceland as the last of the ten qualifiers. It was a horribly tense moment!
We’ve been in Oslo for 5 days now, making the most of all of what’s been happening and going on. It’s been a Eurovision bubble, with dress rehearsals during the day, and parties during the evening. We were planning on writing a lot more Eurovision coverage on here, but to be honest, dress rehearsals and parties is all we’ve been doing really, and we’re not entirely sure how interested anyone would be in reading about that!
We went to the first dress rehearsal of semi final 2 this afternoon. It’s a stronger line up of songs than in semi final 1, and we’re worried that some of our favourites like Ireland and Denmark will struggle to qualify, simply because there seems to be so many ‘guaranteed’ qualifiers in this line up. As with last night, there is no opening act, and not much of an interval act either really. Which is disappointing – couldn’t they wheel out all of their schlager stars at least once?! Where’s Guri or Wenche?!
The best party we’ve been to so far was Saturday night at Ballroom. There, the particpants from Iceland, Estonia, Switzerland, and Ukraine performed. Hera Bjork performed a number of tracks from her album, including ‘Someday’, which was amazing obviously! And we actually met one of the composers of ‘Someday’ too, at the official welcome party at Oslo city hall on Sunday night. Naturally we thanked him on behalf of the whole world, for his genius! He also co-wrote the Irish entry this year. Monday night we spent the evening at the Euroclub venue. It’s a bit small this year and can get quite crowded, but hip flasks of vodka are helping to block out any annoyance at that! Tonight we’re torn between Euroclub again (where a lot of artists are performing) or gay club Latter (where Alexander Stenerud, Jenny Jenssen, and Queentastic are apparently performing!). We’ll probably try to do both.
Best musical discovery we’ve made so far has been the 7th Heaven remix of the Norwegian entry, ‘My Heart Is Yours’ – amazing!
We are right in the middle of Eurovision season. And all around the world, proud lovers of a certain kind of pop music are getting ready for next week’s trinity of shows. To get us in the mood, our iPod has been playing nothing but Eurovision songs and Eurovision related music for the past few days. And it struck us that there are plenty of amazing songs with a connection to the Eurovision Song Contest that perhaps some of you might never have heard before. Songs that didn’t actually compete in the contest, but that are far too great to go unheard. So…..we thought we’d go by this year’s contest’s mission statement, and ‘Share The Moment’! We’ve compiled a list of ten must-hear Eurovision related tracks, and we highly recommend you play each and every one of them!
Sister Sway entered this into the UK national finals in 1999, but lost out to Precious. AATW picked it up for release anyway, but even then it failed to chart. It’s a forgotten gem that deserves to be remembered.
Euroband covered Israeli Eurovision classic ‘A Ba Ni Bi’ for their 2008 album which coincided with their appearance at Eurovision for Iceland. They made it into a phenomenal (gay)club track!
Sasa Lendero should have represented Slovenia in 2006 with this. Or any year for that matter! But in 2006 this lost out in the national finals to a song fittingly called ‘Mr Nobody’.
Helena Paparizou won the contest for Greece in 2005. In their national final that year, she performed 3 songs that the public could vote for. ‘My Number One’ won obviously, but this song below was our favourite.
Timoteij were the shining beacon of hope in this year’s Melodifestivalen with ‘Kom’, and should have gone to Eurovision. Their debut album was released earlier in the month in Sweden, and this track is one of our favourites. The whole album is worth checking out actually.
LaGaylia gives us pure unadulterated schlager at the Romanian national finals in 2008. This was co-composed by one of the writers of Carola’s ‘Invincible’, and contains SERIOUSLY one of the best key changes of all time!
Silvia Night followed up her ‘controversial’ Eurovision appearance in 2006 with this single and its amazing video.
Coral Segovia almost got to represent Spain at this year’s Eurovision with this stunning ballad, but fell at the last hurdle unfortunately. Not fair.
Queentastic give one of the campest performances of one of the campest schlager songs of all time. Never has a song lived up to its title so well. This was the song we were so rooting for at the 2006 national finals in Norway.
And finally here’s Dana International’s interval act song from Eurovision 1999 that was later released as a single. Pure ethnic pop euphoria!
We don’t usually watch the videos of the first week rehearsals of Eurovision before actually arriving at the event in time for the dress rehearsals. But we had to make an exception for Hera Bjork this year. Obviously the video below looks very different from what will actually be seen on television in two weeks’ time, but it’s still exciting to watch.
So here it is, Hera Bjork’s first rehearsal of ‘Je Ne Sais Quoi’, and some pictures too;
Annikafiore goes through her Alcazar wardrobe in her blog at http://www.annikafiore.com Nice to hear she has fond memories of her time with them. - posted on 10/09/2010 14:08:28
