Terminal 3.... The Eurovision Blog

Things guaranteed to happen in the Eurovision year..... 1. Deadlines for songs 2. National finals 3. Finals 4. The "we woz robbed" claims from countries who believed they should have won when their song was crap. 5. After the "we woz robbed" claims, comes the we would have won if it hadn't been for the eastern European block voting claims. However, there is one other annual event on the Eurovision calender, which never fails to appear.... 6. THE PLAGIARISM CLAIMS Now there are a number of classes to the plagiarism camps..... a). The "my favourite song woz robbed" camp - These are people who so strongly follow a song that the only way they can rationalise that their song didn't qualify is to claim "wrong-doings" by the winning song. I visited a website today and was totally amazed by one person's comment. In his claim of wrong-doing, he stated that one judge had given a song 11 points in the semi-final and only 7 in the final. So w...

My Top 5 at the moment from those chosen are:- 1 - Iceland 2 - Norway 3 - Ukraine 4 - Ireland 5 - Malta Yes as you can see I like the gimmick this year.....but how right will I be. Still 18 countries to choose and maybe just maybe my Top 5 will change.....but you never know!!!!

and there is still more to come this week, with Greece choosing their song on Wednesday 27 February and then the forthcoming weekend. In my opinion the best and the worst songs were chosen so far - Iceland being the best!!! Im not so sure that I like the Macedonian entry and personally don't think it will qualify to the final on 24th May, however, I could be proved wrong. Romania have decided to send the second song this year which is sung in Italian, which will mean that at least 3 songs will be performed in that Language, those being Switzerland, Romania and of course San Marino who have still to choose. I also think that Bulgaria and Croatia may struggle to qualify for the final but the ones I think are dead cert's to go through from this weekends selections (including tonight) are Iceland, Israel, Ukraine and Poland. And of course this particular entry would not be complete without a mention of the most famous turkey in the whole wide world at the moment - Dustin the Turkey...

List of participants updated for 23rd February 2008..... Albania - Olta Boka - Zemren e lame peng Andorra - Gisela - Casanova Armenia - Sirusho Harutyunyan - (song title not yet known) Azerbaijan - Elnur Gusseinov - Day After Day Belarus - Ruslan Alehno - Hasta la vista Bosnia & Herzegovina - Elvir Lakovic Laka - Pokusaj Bulgaria - Deep Zone & Balthazar - DJ, take me away Croatia - Kraljevi Ulice - Romanca Cyprus - Evdokia Kadi - Femme Fatale Czech Republic - Tereza Kerndlová - Have some fun Denmark - Simon Mathew - All night long Estonia - Kreisiraadio - Leto Svet FYROM - Tamara feat. Vrcak & Adrian Gaxha - Vo imeto ljubovta Hungary - Csézy - Szívverés Iceland - Euroband - This is my life Ireland - Dustin the Turkey - 12 Points to Ireland Israel - Boaz Mauda - (song title not yet known) Lithuania - Jeronimas Milius - Nomads in the night Malta - Morena - Vodka Moldova - Geta Burlacu - A Century Of Love Montenegro - Stefan Filipović - (song title not yet known) Nether...

And what a Saturday night this is going to turn out to be....... Will Dustin The Turkey make it through for Ireland (I do hope not)!!! Will is be Eurobandio or Mercedes Club from Iceland........my money is Eurobandio!! What type of song will Ani Lorak get to sing for Ukraine following their gimmick song last year. Are Macedonia going to send a song that guarantees them a place in the final and then to finish about 14th??? or will they send one that guarantees them a place in the final which they then go on to win!!!? How many more acts will pull out of the Romanian final before tonight and will they be able to choose a song which brings them back into a Top 5 placing? Are Poland going to break with tradition and send a song which qualifies them to the final on 24th May........I hope so!!! Who will qualify from what has probably been the most complicated of National Selections this year Bulgaria Will Croatia send a song which gets them back into the final following last years disappoi...

Well I am still in a state of shock about the 2nd Melodifestivalen heat. Why you ask yourselves? Carola and Andreas didn't qualify automatically for the final. For me it was the best performance of the night along with Sanna who deservedly so qualified to the final at The Globen, Stockholm in March. I am hoping that Carola and Andreas will proceed through to the final but if they do I am thinking that they will have serious competition especially if Linda Bentzing, Charlotte and BWO get through. Just to remind everyone what there song is like here it is to watch.

List of participants updated for 18th February 2008..... Albania - Olta Boka - Zemren e lame peng Andorra - Gisela - Casanova Armenia - Sirusho Harutyunyan - (song title not yet known) Azerbaijan - Elnur Gusseinov - Day After Day Belarus - Ruslan Alehno - Hasta la vista Bosnia & Herzegovina - Elvir Lakovic Laka - Pokusaj Cyprus - Evdokia Kadi - Femme Fatale Czech Republic - Tereza Kerndlová - Have some fun Denmark - Simon Mathew - All night long Estonia - Kreisiraadio - Leto Svet Hungary - Csézy - Szívverés Israel - Boaz Mauda - (song title not yet known) Lithuania - Jeronimas Milius - Nomads in the night Malta - Morena - Vodka Moldova - Geta Burlacu - A Century Of Love Montenegro - Stefan Filipović - (song title not yet known) Netherlands - Hind - (song title not yet known) Norway - Maria Haukaas Storeng - Hold On Be Strong Slovenia - Rebeka Dremelj - Vrag Naj Vzame Switzerland - Paolo Meneguzzi - Era Stupendo Turkey - Mor Ve Otesi - Deli Ukraine - Ani Lorak - (song title no...

Well, it's the day we've all been waiting for... again.... in the UK! The artists that are attempting to represent the UK in Belgrade were announced today. Even though we haven't got the calibre of last year's contest, we do have some well known names. However, you can't blame the bigger names from keeping away after the crap that won last year and did as expected in Helsinki. So what's changed from last year? 1. The show, which was filmed in Maidstone last year, returns to the television centre in London. 2. The "Making Your Mind Up" name is dropped and we are now asked "You Decide". 3. Instead of all songs fighting against each other in a semi-final and then final sing off, we now have a round of two songs battling against each other in categories (solo artist, group and reality show rejects.) The three winners are joined in the final by a wildcard from the three losing songs, all winners and wildcard are chosen by a jury. The public ...

and I so want them to qualify from their respective countries so that I can cheer them all on in Belgrade. The 3 National Finals are in Serbia, Germany and Norway and they all have one thing in common................what is it you ask yourselves, this one thing in common!!! Well I will tell you.........they are all girl groups - No Angels (Germany), Beauty Queens (Serbia) and of course Tinkerbells (Norway). Personally I think that the songs to be performed by the 3 groups are absolutely fabulous!!! and think it would be lovely to see a battle for the points between these 3. However I have to say that I think that The Beauty Queens might have the edge over the other 2. Not long to find out now and at least Germany and Serbia are already in the final if I get my way and these 2 groups are chosen, whilst Norway will have to qualify from Semi Final 1. No Angels - "Disappear" Germany Tinkerbells - "Hold On" Norway Beauty Queens - "Zavet" Serbia

for their entry to represent them in Belgrade? I hope so because they have chosen Csezy to be there with her song "Szívverés". As per the norm in Eurovision World it was not the jury favourite but the public vote managed to push it to the top. Personally I think it is a fabulous song..not sure it will reach the heights of 2007, but it is a blooming good effort. Well done Hungary!!

well apparently they have!!! Elnur Huseynov will be singing "Day after Day" with his friend Samir Javadzadeh. Considering an announcement was not supposed to be confirmed until next week are we going to find our first Eurovision Red Herring!!! The song is a belter and starts with a lot of screaming and has a sort of heaven and hell theme to it......well it does with the costumes and the effects anyway!!! A lot of fans across Europe are already raving about this song and some are stating that is the first real contender so far!! We shall see in a couple of months won't we!! Good Luck Azerbaijan!!

List of participants updated for 3rd February 2008..... Albania - Olta Boka - Zemren e lame peng Andorra - Gisela - Casanova Armenia - Sirusho Harutyunyan - (song title not yet known) Azerbaijan - Elnur Gusseinov - (song t.b.c. 15/02/08) Belarus - Ruslan Alehno - Hasta la vista Bosnia & Herzegovina - Elvir Lakovic Laka - Pokusaj Cyprus - Evdokia Kadi - Femme Fatale Czech Republic - Tereza Kerndlová - Have some fun Denmark - Simon Mathew - All night long Estonia - Kreisiraadio - Leto Svet Israel - Boaz Mauda - (song title not yet known) Lithuania - Jeronimas Milius - Nomads in the night Malta - Morena - Vodka Montenegro - Stefan Filipović - (song title not yet known) Netherlands - Hind - (song title not yet known) Slovenia - Rebeka Dremelj - Vrag Naj Vzame Switzerland - Paolo Meneguzzi - Era Stupendo Turkey - Mor Ve Otesi - (song title not yet known) Ukraine - Ani Lorak - (song title not yet known) (New entrants in red )

Semi finals drawn so we know who is where and then another 3 songs chosen for Lithuania, Estonia and Denmark. How good is that? The semi final draws I think have taken up much of the Euroexcitement this week though so lets see who is in which semi:- Semi 1 Andorra Armenia Azerbaijan Belgium Bosnia & Herzegovina Estonia Finland Greece Ireland Israel Moldova Montenegro The Netherlands Norway Poland Romania Russia San Marino Slovenia Germany (voting rights, will not participate) Spain (voting rights, will not participate) Semi 2 Albania Belarus Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark FYR Macedonia Georgia Hungary Iceland Latvia Lithuania Malta Portugal Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine France (voting rights, will not participate) Serbia (voting rights, will not participate) United Kingdom (voting rights, will not participate) Well the draw has well and truly split up the political voting but will it make much difference on the 24th May......we shall have to see.

Yes I have tickets and a hotel in Belgrade...............OMG I cant believe it after all the hassle of November and December of not being able to book a hotel and then the lateness of the release of the tickets I really didnt think I was going. But a miracle has occurred and even though I didnt book a ticket until 2300hrs on Thursday 31 January 2008 I am now going and I can't wait. Unfortunately my partner in crime on this blog Colin will not be attending and I am highly disappointed. I managed to get the A category tickets and cant wait to see where in fact I will be singing. Of course I will be supporting the United Kingdom and Malta as last year but so far I am tempted to also support Czech Rep and Cyprus. See you all in Belgrade................YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BTW....if anyone wants to meet for a drink in Belgrade or a meal let me know.

and what very different songs they are - we have the gimmick from Estonia, the operatic ballad from Lithuania and the very flawless performance from Denmark. My personal opinion is that the Estonian song is that bad it could actually do very well, but I have to admit its not my favourite at the moment. I have to admit though that so far I am not particularly impressed with some of the songs chosen and feel that this year could be a very weak Eurovision line up.