A total of ten entries were unveiled yesterday when details surrounding the Icelandic national selection Söngvakeppnin were made known. Both song titles, as well as the names of artists and composers were confirmed. Fans were finally given three more dates to pencil into their calendars, with the news of two semi finals and a final… Read more
Even prior to his entry Núna for Iceland at the 1995 Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin, Björgvin (Bo) Halldórsson was already an established name on the domestic music scene, having had a career from the late sixties. He still enjoys enormous popularity to this day, and his latest project, the album Duet 3, is garnering rave… Read more
Krista Siegfrieds, winner of Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2013 managed to bring Finland back to the final after the failure of 2012. With a quirky, not least controversial stage show, Marry Me certainly got people talking and can therefore be deemed a success. Broadcaster YLE hope to emulate that success next year, unveiling the first acts for… Read more
With a fourth place under their belt from 2013, Norwegian broadcaster NRK has a great deal to prove when finding a worthy successor to Margaret Berger. An announcement was made earlier in the year, telling of plans to revamp the MGP concept. Today NRK finally gave fans the details they’ve been waiting for, including dates and host names.… Read more
Latvian broadcaster LTV has had a hard time at Eurovision lately, with 2008 being the last time Latvia managed to qualify for the final. They’re hoping to reverse their failing fortunes with one of the 24 entries that were published online today for Dziesma 2014. Rules for next year’s national selection Dziesma 2014 were tightened… Read more
Dutch trio 3JS are currently enjoying success and riding high in the Dutch charts with their latest offering, Dichter bij de horizon. This is their first studio album featuring the newest line up following the replacement of Jaap de Witte by his son Jan at the start of the year. The trio’s eagerly anticipated album… Read more
Tuesday saw SVT present some pretty big names returning to the fold for Melodifestivalen 2014. Competition would be pretty fierce in the first two heats from Malmö and Linköping. This morning, the final 16 candidates were revealed – would host cities Gothenburg and Örnsköldsvik be able to match the first two heats in terms of the fame factor?… Read more
Hosting the Eurovision Song Contest is costly, as countries such as Azerbaijan and Russia showed viewers across the globe. Despite a trend in the last couple of contests to downsize costs, the budget is still formidable and sponsors play a vital role in making figures add up. The EBU named today TDC as presenting partner at the 2014 contest.… Read more
One of the most anticipated events of the forthcoming Eurovision season got underway today, when Swedish broadcaster SVT held a press conference, revealing the first sixteen contenders who will vy for a place in the final of Melodifestivalen 2014. The line up featured some familiar names for many, alongside some relatively unknown artists. One of… Read more
Anouk managed what many had tried to do before her : bring the Netherlands back into the Eurovision final for the first time since 2004. Rumours have been circulating as to who will represent the Netherlands next year in Copenhagen. Broadcaster AvroTros confirmed today that Ilse DeLange and Waylon would be defending the Dutch honour on stage next… Read more
Norwegian 2010 entrant Didrik Solli-Tangen struck while the iron was hot with the release of his debut album Guilty Pleasures, following his participation at the Eurovision Song Contest with My Heart is Yours. The 26 year old from Porsgrunn has however taken his time working on his sophomore album, The Journey, released late last week. … Read more
This year’s Estonian entrant Birgit Õigemeel is hoping to replacate the success of her last two singles with the release of her newest single Olen Loodud Rändama. The track is produced by the same team behind her Eurovision entry Et Uus Saks Alguse and will of course be included on her latest album, due for release in December.… Read more
It was a case of third time lucky for sole Austrian winner Udo Jürgens, when he won the contest back in 1966 with Merci, Chérie. Since then, he has enjoyed a long and eventful career. Next month, fans and media will pay tribute to the veteran in a televised show from Berlin. Udo Jürgens is… Read more
Dutch megastar and 2013 Eurovision Song Contest entrant Anouk has been experiencing severe vocal problems of late, which has led to the cancellation of two out of three concerts that were due to take place last week. The first in a series of three concerts entitled Symphonica in Rosso was due to take place last Wednesday at… Read more
Everything good must come to an end, the saying goes. Dutch artist Gordon knows this better than anyone else, following the latest dramatic turn in his career. Following a triumphant apperance as part of Gerard Joling’s sellout Lekker concerts and his first Dutch number one single, the singer is now in the middle of a… Read more
Seasonal albums are all part and parcel of being a recording artist in Scandinavia and two times Swedish Eurovision entrant Charlotte Perrelli is no exception. Not only does she have the annual Christmas present list to take care of, but she’s also working hard on promoting her upcoming album, due for release next month. Hits… Read more
Gerard Joling succeeded where others failed before him, bringing about a Maywood reunion for his sell out Lekker concerts last weekend. The experience of performing together on stage once again clearly gave the sisters a taste for more, judging by their comments to the Dutch press this week. Duo Maywood fought like cat and dog in… Read more
Students at the University of Reykjavík recently conducted an analysis as part of their "catastrophe week" excercise, where Eurovision and Iceland as host of the contest was the chosen subject. The findings of their analysis made for some particularly surprising reading. "Eurovision nation, your dream’s coming true" sang Silvia Night in the 2006 Icelandic entry… Read more
Spoof EBU spokesperson Lynda Woodruff took viewers on a trip to the frozen north of Sweden as part of this year’s Eurovision, treating us to glimpses of dog sledding and ice hotels. Former winner Loreen has recently followed in her footsteps, but her trip was more business than pleasure as part of an exciting musical… Read more
Glennis Grace has over the past few years become something of a household name in the Netherlands. Her album One Night Only quickly became many nights in a row, as the Dutch couldn’t get enough of her. The versatile soulstress is hoping to emulate that success with the release of a Christmas album. It was… Read more
2014 will give flemish broadcaster VRT the opportunity to select the belgian entry for Copenhagen. Details surrounding the selection process were revelaed today and the belgian final was confirmed for the 16th of March. Put the date in your calendars! Belgium managed to reach the final of this year’s Eurovision with young Roberto Bellarosa and… Read more
Clouseau experienced a European breakthrough with the huge hit Close Encounters following a 16th placing for Belgium at the 1991 contest with Geef Het Op. The group went from strength to strength in their home country, but things came to a rather abrupt stop in 2009. Now the duo are back, much to the delight… Read more
Two time Dutch Eurovision entrant Edsilia Rombley gave birth to her second daughter last week and is now planning on taking things easy to enjoy motherhood before her tour kicks off in March next year. Dutch artist Edsilia Rombley is probably feeling just like her 2007 entry On Top of The World, following the birth… Read more
Things have been fairly quiet around former Swiss Eurovision particpant Michael von der Heide. After a creative hiatus of a year or so, he has just announced dates for a string of concerts this winter, for the mini tour given the rather apt name Winterreise (Winter Journey). Swiss artist Michael von der Heide has always done… Read more
Monica Zetterlund was so much more than her Eurovision entry En Gång i Stockholm back in 1963. The jazz singer was something of a Swedish icon before her untimely death in 2005. This month marks what would have been her 73rd birthday and her life is celebrated both on the silver screen and in the… Read more
With the submissions deadline for next year’s edition of Melodi Grand Prix coming to a close last Sunday, project manager Vivi Stenberg revealed to Norwegian media today that a total of 600 entries had been sent in to the broadcaster. Following Margaret Berger‘s impressive fourth placing in Malmö earlier this year with I Feed You… Read more