Back soon...

I haven't been writing much lately,this is for 2 reasons.Mostly because I've been sooooooo busy with work and such stuff,but also (as has been the case more recently),I've become very disillusioned (not sure if that's the right word) with a lot of things lately- in terms of music and more personal things.So I'm going to take a break for a while and be back (preferably before Eurovision :)) hopefully with a few changes to this blog too.
I shall leave you with the new (and rather lovely) video to Era Stupendo,the song which I really hope will win in Belgrade in May.Enjoy,and see you soon!

Am I weak am I strong,in his arms do I belong?

Is it just me who's quite glad Melodifestivalen is over once and for all?Quite possibly.Maybe I'm just a bit miserable,but it seems such a long drawn out process for choosing one song that doesn't seem to do that well at Eurovision anyway.The Russians had a fantastic national final last week with nearly the same amount of songs as Melodifestivalen but it was all over in an evening,just about managing to satisfy my attention span...Still,everyone seems to enjoy it so I suppose that's all that matters.I do love the Melodifestivalen website though,and the final (from what I saw of it) looked pretty good last night.Predictable outcome maybe,but Charlotte looked 100% fabulous,and I'm sure everyone will love her in Belgrade.Bit scared of Ola Salo's beard though- not the best look.

Anyway,now everyone seems to have chosen their songs for Belgrade,it seems like a good time to talk a bit about my favourites so far.Which I will be doing over the next few days.

For now though,I must post the video of one of my favourite Eurovision songs ever.It's still fabulous 6 years on- the Casanova of 2002 I think: happy,cheesy and wonderful :)

Find a brand new sound and spread it all around

To alleviate my sulking about the butchering of Hasta La Vista,I thought I'd post my other favourite song from Russia's national final.We mentioned the New Russian Kalinka on Sounds of Europe last night- we really like it because the point of it is that there's more to Russian music than folk songs like Kalinka.Which is the point we're trying to make on Sounds of Europe too.Of course we also like it because it's just so all-round fabulous and manic.And also maybe a bit because Aleksei Vorobyov is hotter than the sun :)

It's official...

They've butchered Hasta La Vista :( The version Ruslan performed on Sunday night at the Russian national final is now the official version he'll be doing in Belgrade in May.

Shocking!It was so discotastic and a bit Cara Mia to start with.Not too distinctive maybe but still fabulous.I don't know,maybe I'll get used to this version,I didn't like the 'new and improved' version of Tornero when it first came out in 2006,but I probably like it more than the original now.Although to be honest,the difference between the original and final versions wasn't as big as this.Still,from the (admittedly) limited number of comments around at the minute,it seems I'm in the minority and that most people do actually like it.Anyway though,I am rather liking Ruslan's new look.Especially the hair.

There's no limit to what I can dream

In case you missed it last night,here's Russia's winning Eurovision song.

More Dima...

But this time,Dima K.I've finally found the video he seems to have been shooting for ages.Turns out it was for Ya Dlya Tebya,and he looks absolutely divine as usual :)

It's Dima!

So as much as I wanted Sergey to win,I'm still really happy that Dima won.Although I must say,I really didn't understand the voting system...How did the woman doing the Spanish song come 3rd and Aleksei...didn't?Oh well,either way,we have someone definite to support in May now.Someone we've already seen live as well!And was it just me who felt a little bit emotional when the camera went over to Dima when they'd said he'd won?Probably.

Russian national final: Interval

What the hell's happened to Ruslan?! They've made him go all rock with a leather jacket,a Dima Koldun haircut and facial fluff.I don't like it!And whose idea was it to change Hasta La Vista from a disco anthem to...something indescribable?I do hope they don't enter that version at Eurovision...

Russian national final: Sergey!

Aww he looks so happy...that's obviously because he knows his song is the best :) Quite an understated performance I think,both Sergey and his 5 backing dancers are all wearing boring black.Thought there would have been more glitter involved.You can definitely tell this song was written by Swedes,it really wouldn't be out of place at Melodifestivalen.Aaaagggh,just had our first glimpse of Kirkorov.Knew he had to be there somewhere....Well,that was as fabulous as expected.We're not too bothered about the last 3 songs now.I'm thinking (and hoping) it will be between Sergey,Dima,Premier Minister and Aleksei.Although how his Kalinka sticks to Eurovision rules,I'm not sure...

Russian national final: Only 9 left til Sergey...

Mmm,turns out this Gruppa Granat are quite good actually.The presenters described them as 'rock fusion' (I think).Don't know what it means,but I'm loving this song.Also helps that one of them looks a bit like Måns Zelmerlöw.Ooh,now they're drawing hearts on a white wall thing...Quirky.I'm very pleasantly surprised.
Ooh,now it's Sabrina from Fabrika Zvezd 6.Never really took much notice of her on Fabrika but I'm quite intrigued.Ooh,there's lots of harp type music involved.And dodgy rhymes...Keira describes the song as RnB/Gypsy,which is quite a good description I think.Didn't really do it for me unfortunately.
Gruppa BK consists of a guy who loves Benny and Bjorn from ABBA's haircut so much,he's got it himself too,and another guy who can't sing very well.Oooh no,this is boring,no matter how much vigorous waving the guy who can't sing very well does.
Oh dear,there are no words to describe Asia.Her dancers are interesting though,they're dressed like Marija Serifovic and they're dancing like they're on dancemats.Still can't detract from the fact that 'Asia' can't sing to save her life.

----Break time----

We've got the Russkiy Standart vodka out now,might make the wait to Sergey a bit more bearable :)

Mmm...Tamila Grishenko has a nice husky voice.Not sold on the song yet though.It's a bit slow and not Eurovision at all...Actually,no,I do like it.Although Tamila does look rather bored.
Premier Ministr are all dressed up like Bonaparti.lv minus the top hats.I didn't like them when they were in Eurovision before,but this is actually a really funky song.Could be big competition for Dima and Sergey.Oh dear,the longer it goes on,the more I like it :/ Keira's just come up with an interesting point- why can't some of the countries in Eurovision this year with awful songs borrow some of the ones from this Russian final?Would be far more entertaining.
Anatoli Alyoshin really isn't what we were expecting.Beneath the semi scary rock exterior lies a very smooth crooner indeed.Boring typical love song though really.Actually,reminds me a bit of an Enrique song...OK,I'm really bored with him now.
Ooh now this is interesting.Aleksei Vorobyev is quite attractive actually.The presenter said this is a 'new Russian Kalinka'.Nice,a folk song...It's got some interesting new poppy bits in it,but essentially it is exactly the same as the original Kalinka.I actually love this,it's sooooo good.He'll do well in Belgrade,typical Russian music,hot singer,pop elements...Ooh the crowd love it,the jury are trying soooo hard not to smile...Keira's devastated she likes it.
Mmm,Roman Bezhin is a bit disco-rock.He has typical Belarussian hair and an interesting voice.The song is very 80s actually,but a bit naff.

Russian national final: Live again!

Aleksander Panaytov has just given a fabulous performance involving lots of different sized glitterballs.I loved his song actually,can't remember what it was called now,but it's wonderful- a big 'wave your lighter/glowsticks' anthem.
Not sure if I've transliterated this right,but Pierre Narciss and Jam Sheriff are 2 Nigerian guys singing 'Who Am I Without Your Love?',apart from the fact that one of them looks scarily like the evil guy I lived nextdoor to in the Yellow Holiday Camp last year,it's quite a good song.Very 90s and catchy.Can't see Russia voting for it though.
Ooh,now Yulia Mihailchik is singing a very bland song whilst dressed as someone from Serebro.Yawn.
Gruppa Granat are up next.Whoever they are...

Russian national final: Dima!

Aaaaagggh,Dima was sooooooo good!He's looking lovely this evening in a nice funky suit (very smart),and no mullet by the look of things (?!) The performance was wonderful,me and Keira have listened to Believe Me probably a million times between us this afternoon,so when Dima managed to fit in a high note of Mihai quality in the middle of the song,we were pleasantly surprised.Do I like it more than Flyer though?I'm still undecided...

Russian national final: Live

Oh dear,it seems I'm liking some of these Russian songs a bit more than I thought I would.Have to say I wasn't really expecting too much from this evening,just great performances from Dima and Sergey and 25 other people there to make up the numbers.But the first song by Gruppa Assorti was catchy in an annoying way,Alsou's upeat ethnic entry Swallows was fabulous with a very pretty blue and silver themed performance,Gruppa Aero were super and insanely catchy,and the best one so far is Natalia Terehova's 80s/country type effort.Must go now though,Dima's on...

Will there be war?

So it seems Keira has changed her mind at the last minute and decided she'll be supporting Dima tonight.Believe Me is indeed a fabulous song,but it really isn't half as Eurotastic as Flyer.I can imagine the performance will be very interesting,and of course,Dima is always amazing live.But still,I think Flyer has more chance of appealing to the wider European pop-loving demographic.Having said that though,of course I wouldn't exactly be disappointed if Dima won tonight :)

A Party Political broadcast on behalf of Work Your Magic

Russians...

Vote Sergey tonight!

Flyer is a Eurotastic disco anthem that will do sooooo well in Belgrade. So vote for it- you know it makes sense!

*By the way,the final is on at 5.45GMT,and you can (probably) watch it here Sergey's on 24th by the looks of things :)

Got one desire and that is to go straight to your heart

Just a quick post (sooooooo much to do today) to say you can hear a bit more (about a minute) of Sergey's Eurovision attempt here There's a little player about halfway down the page- much better quality than the video from yesterday.It's seriously fabulous :) Enjoy!

Aaaaaahhhh!

So it's all going wrong for Dima (or should that be Viktor?) Bilan/Belan at the minute,but Sergey Lazarev's gonna be in the Russian national final on Sunday- woohoo! From what I've read,he seems quite excited about it and thinks he has a good chance of winning.Here's a little tiny video of him rehearsing the song- Flyer (under fire).Catchy! (Thanks Keira by the way)

Seems pretty good from the little bit you can hear I think.I hope he wins the national final,it'll give us someone definite to support :)

Late again...

I really am getting rubbish at this blogging lark- I hardly ever update it anymore...But worry not,I have a month off of university starting in 2 weeks time,which means gratuitous Chelsi videos and pictures aplenty :) Probably.You can tell I'm insanely busy at the minute- I even missed Eurovision Your Decision on Saturday,because I was out.At Tesco of all places :/ But I did see the results show.I don't mind Andy's song actually,I quite liked him on X Factor too,so I'm quite happy he'll be representing the UK.For many reasons,Michelle's song probably would have done better in Belgrade,but let's be honest- the UK is never going to win,so it doesn't really matter :) The most disappointing thing about the final for me,is that they managed to not show anything of Ruslan or Paolo in the little preview thing of the entries so far.Rubbish!We'll just have to keep on promoting them on Sounds of Europe and hope word travels :)
Great news that Wolves of the Sea will be representing Latvia,I think that's what everyone wanted really.Will Latvia get their best result since the lovely Renars and Brainstorm in 2000?Quite possibly I think.It's all going mad this year- Latvia and Ireland with madly uptempo songs and the Scandinavian countries choosing songs which are really not that good at all...
Anyway,better be off now- got loooooads of work to do as well as getting ready for my first live DJ-ing set at the union tonight.Fun fun fun!