I know I'm overreacting a bit,but....

I'm getting nervous about Norway's MGP now- there are lots of good songs in it,which puts more pressure on a1 next week.Of course I'd love to see them at Eurovision probably more than any of the others,but it is a very good competition this year.Venke got through to Siste Sjansen last night,and I think her song is definitely a grower.She's so cute,I think I love her a bit.

I know you'll make it somehow

I mentioned Brandur Enni briefly yesterday in my little thing about the Danish MGP.I've got a bit of a Faroese thing going on at the minute- my plan was to go there this summer but now that isn't happening,but I do intend on applying to Tórshavn University to do their Summer Institute thing next year.Anyway,that's not the point at all.Basically,Brandur had a new song out last year which I missed,and I think there may be an album too...But the first single is called Sometimes Truth Needs a Lie,and I really like it.Though it is essentially a modern pop song,there are still elements (the strings,mostly) which are so typically Nordic.It's lovely and warming :) And I like the video too,I find desolate buildings interesting somehow.

Dansk Melodi Grand Prix

Oh how annoying it is when your Russian revision is interrupted by the announcement that Denmark's MGP contestants have been announced :) They are:

Bryan Rice - Breathing (wildcard)
Joakim Tranberg - All about a girl
MariaMatilde Band - Panik!
Simone - How will I know
Jens Marni - Gloria
Chanée & N'evergreen - In a moment like this
Kaya Brüel - Only tonight (wildcard)
Thomas Barsøe - Just like rain
Sukkerchok - Kæmper for kærlighed (wildcard)
Silas & Kat - Come come run away


Bryan Rice has a pleasant enough voice,and the songs that I've heard of his so far are pretty good.Especially No Promises,which was also covered by Shayne Ward apparantly.He's a bit easy-listening,radio-friendly though I think,so Breathing will have to be a bit special to get into ESC.

I don't really know anything about Joakim Tranberg,and there isn't much trace of him on youtube,apart from this.I'm not too fussed about that.But good old Ronan Keating is writing his MGP song,so I don't think it will sound anything like that.

MariaMatilde Band are quite new.They're very pretty and their music seems to be the sort of electronic stuff that's inexplicably popular over here nowadays.Though it's all in Danish,so it's a bit more interesting.I quite like them I think,they'd be quite refreshing at ESC.

Simone Egeriis is an X Factor-type winner and she's very 90s.Normally I would say that's a very good thing,but I'm not sure in this case.She's been around for 5 years now,and she's only 18,so a lot of her music is a bit...well,you can decide.This is That's When You Know,which is 90s pop with the odd hint of schlager in it.

Jens Marni is from the Faroe Islands,which is very exciting.Hopefully he'll do better than Brandur,the other Faroese singer who entered Melodifestivalen a few years ago.I'm definitely liking his music so far from what I've heard,but it isn't very Eurovision.His song is written by the guy from Johnny Deluxe (who sang Sindssyg in last year's MGP),so I can't wait to hear what it sounds like.Hopefully it'll have a nice big chorus like I Don't Wanna Wait No More.

More about the others later,but I really have to do some work now :)

Summer nights, forgotten dreams

It's taken me 3 listens to decide,but I'm definitely liking Switzerland's ESC entry.After the weather-induced depression of the last few weeks,there's no better tonic than the start of a new Eurovision season.Sadly I can't see this one reaching the final,but it is a good tune,and I love the idea of "it's raining gold".Anything but more snow.

Forget the Queen...

...Dima Bilan should be on telly all over Europe at 3pm on December 25th with his Christmas message...

Hi everybody!

Looking through the window I see the snow falling and drifting. It's cold out there. But it's warm inside - in my soul. And it's all because of you, my dear friends. This year put us through many things, but all this time I could feel your help and support. All this time we've been trying to get over the difficulties tempting our fate. And we've managed to do it. Together we made a great occasion for the whole Europe - the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow. I think none of us will forget that day - the day that will be forever in our hearts.

I want you to believe in yourselves and I want you to believe that there's nothing impossible. I wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year that will definitely be brighter and more fortunate. Dima


Happy New Year peeps!

You and me and me and you

Probably the winner of Cutest Music Video of 2008,should such a category really exist in the EMAs.



Probably my least favourite song on the album,but it's grown on me a lot since finding this video.I think it's the bee at the end that gets me.

Sounds of Europe Tracklist: 16/11/09

1- BWO and Velvet- Right Here Right Now
2- Luminita Anghel and Sistem- Let Me Try
3- Tiziano Ferro and Kelly Rowland- Breathe Gentle
4- Armin van Buuren and Sharon den Adel- In and Out of Love
5- Sergey Lazarev and Timati- Lazerboy
6- Blestachiye and Arash- Vostochniye Skazki
7- Kate Ryan and Soraya- Caminaré
8- Christophe Willem and Kylie Minogue- Sensitised
9- Azad and Adel Tawil- Ich Glaub an Dich
10- Bjork and Thom Yorke- I’ve Seen It All
11- Counting Crows and Bløf- Holiday in Spain
12- Royksopp and Karin Dreijer- What Else is There?
13- Laura Pausini and James Blunt- La Primavera in Anticipo
14- Lovebugs and Lene Marlin- Avalon
15- Silbermond and Xavier Naidoo- Sehen Wir Uns Wieder?
16- Danny and Therese- If Only You
17- Jan Plestenjak and Lara- Soba 102
18- Ane Brun and Teitur- Rubber and Soul
19- Filip Kirkorov and Dima Koldun- Kak Sumashedshi Ya
20- Antti Tuisku and Jenni Vartiainen- Kahdestaan
21- Eva de Roovere and ?- Slenterblues
22- Jonatan Cerrada and Ophélie Cassy- Ne m’en Veux Pas
23- Lauri Ylönen and Anette Olzon- October and April