Creating a TV show which goes out LIVE to hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide is quite a challenge – It’s not surprising then that there are times when it can all go – very wrong.
Here’s a little video showing some of Eurovision’s more embarrassing moments…
What are Minipops?
Well, they’re tiny cartoon versions of people and characters.
The minipops have taken the internet by storm and are becoming increasingly popular. The fantastic images showing the cartoon version of last year’s Eurovision acts were created by Ben Morris in 2011.
Clearly being incredibly popular, Ben decided to create new ones for the entrants in this year’s Eurovision. If you know what the people look like then you will agree that they truly are amazing!!!! So true to life.
Ben got the idea to create the icons after attending the 2010 contest in Olso. He said “While admiring one of the official merchandise stalls outside the Oslo Telenor Arena, I had the notion of creating a range of Eurovision mini pop icons”. Ben had already created icons for the cult TV show Doctor Who. You can the whole story behind Ben Morris and his ideas here on the ESCInsight site.
Ben now has quite a following – The minipop icons have their own Facebook page. It’s worth a look, for sure.
Last year, Blue represented the United Kingdom in Eurovision. Following their photoshoot for Attitude magazine, Ben Morris decided to undress Blue for their own ‘stripped’ Minipop picture. Take a look at the video showing how they were made below. Amazing stuff!
Less than a week to go! Eurovision Season is starting…
The second semi final for the Eurovision will be on Thursday 24th May.
Here are the entries (in order) for the second semi final. I have said a little about each one. In bold are the ones I hope to qualify.
Serbia: 7/10 – This man knows how to do well in Eurovision. He represented Serbia-Montenegro in 2004, coming 2nd and then wrote the Serbian entry in 2008, coming 6th – as well as hosting it in Belgrade. Watch out…
Macedonia (FYROM): 8/10 – This lady has a voice. What a belter! Effortlessly sung. I think it will get a LOT of Balkan votes.
The Netherlands: 8/10 – The Dutch have a terrible record in qualifying – 2004 was the last time they made the final. I hope this gentle song about childhood memories takes them through. You’ll remember the Indian headdress – that’s for sure.
Malta: 6/10 – 1980s throw back. This is performed by a guy who needs to wear looser clothing.
Belarus: 6/10 – Their 9th entry and one which won’t do particularly well. I liked it to start with, but have gone off it.
Portugal: 8/10 – Typical Portugal – anthemic and possibly not gonna make it through the semi.
Ukraine: 8/10 – This has grown on me. It’s very West End ‘Lion King’…
Bulgaria: Zzzzzzz. Possibly the second worst entry.
Slovenia: 10/10 – My personal favourite! This gentle ballad builds to a fantastic finish. The 16-year-old has a great voice. I LOVE it!
Croatia: 4/10 – A dull Balkan ballad. Zzzzzzz.
Sweden: 10/10 – Whoah! Time to wake up. Something different in Eurovision. Loreen does some contemporary dance with martial arts moves in this attention grabbing number. Brilliant. I won’t be surprised if we’re in Stockholm next year.
Georgia: 5/10 – They qualify every year – I don’t know how. This probably will – but it’s not great.
Turkey: 8/10 – Another grower. After seeing this guy in Amsterdam, I love it. Ahoy there Turkey. See you in the final…
Estonia: 10/10 – A gentle ballad, sung by a handsome chappy. Estonia deserve to do well with this. But, there are a LOT of ballads in this semi.
Slovakia: 5/10 – It’s a bit Bon Jovi – which is a little odd.
Norway: 9/10 – Sung in English; written by a Swede and sung by an Iranian/Norwegian. Recipe for Top 5. They are recreating Sweden’s 2011 entry though…. blatantly.
Bosnia-Herzegovina: 6/10 – And again – another Balkan ballad. Zzzzzz.
Lithuania: 5/10 – A dull end to the night. Not great. This won’t be bringing the prize back to Lithuania. Sounds like Wham!
Which 10 do you think will make the final?
Watch the songs from Semi Final 1 and read my comments here.
Russia could be on the brink of winning the Eurovision Song Contest.
This year it was not a 20-something girl in a short, sparkly skirt who won over the Russian voters – but a group of six gorgeous little grannies, Buranovskiye Babushki – and I love them!
This is my favourite one! She is the star of the show… (Just so cute).
To make them even more amazing, they beat off fierce competition from the Russian superstars, Dima Bilan and Yulia Volkova . Dima had previously achieved 2nd in the Eurovision in 2006 and then went on to win it in 2008. Yulia was no stranger to Eurovision either, having competed as half of t.A.T.u in 2003, coming 3rd. They were the act to beat…
And boy those Russian grans beat them to a pulp.
I don’t know what I enjoyed more – Watching the grannies sing and dance on stage or seeing the facial expressions of Dima and Yulia as the cameras swung past them as the winning song was performed. TV classic!
So, now Russia are second favourites to win the whole contest in just over two weeks in Baku.
Do they have what it takes?
Take a look at their performance in the Russian National Final.
Prepares yourselves people.
The first semi final for the Eurovision will be on Tuesday 22nd May.
Here are the entries (in order) for the first semi final. Underneath the video I have said a little about each one. In bold are the ones I hope to qualify.
Montengro: 3/10 – Very Balkan. A little too odd for my liking.
Iceland: 9/10 – Great duet. Jonsi is back after performing for Iceland a couple of years ago.
Greece: 6/10 – Back with more of the same. It’s like Eurovision-colour-by-numbers.
Latvia: 7/10 – Awful song, but it’s catchy and she has something very endearing about her. It sticks in your head FORVER!
Albania: 1/10 – I HATE this. Ouch! But it seems to be popular with lots of fans and might do well in Baku.
Romania: 8/10 – Great party song. Romania will do well with this.
Switzerland: 7/10 – Rocky number from the Swiss. Shame that the vocals are a bit odd (strong accent).
Belgium: 2/10 – DULL as dishwater!
Finland: 6.5./10 – Singing in Swedish…. Topical. This number bounces along, but doesn’t take me anywhere.
Israel: 6/10 – Odd doesn’t start to explain this. It sounds like it comes straight from Eurovision 1975.
San Marino: 5/10 – This deranged singer ruins every concept of Facebook. She turns it into some stalking seedy site. So wrong.
Cyprus: 9/10 – I L-L-Love it……
Denmark: 8/10 – Again, Denmark hit it big. They’ll do well with this, although I have preferred their previous two entries much more.
Russia: 10/10 – THE ONE TO BEAT! I think these grannies are gonna win it BIG!
Hungary: 4/10 – 80s retro. Not my cup of my tea.
Austria: 5/10 – Woki mit deim popo ‘Wiggle those bums” – no words to explain it.
Moldova: 6.5/10 – Hot guy sings a swinging song.
Ireland: 10/10 – JEDWARD! I hated their song last year but LOVE them this time around.
This year, for the fourth time, Amsterdam was the host city for the biggest pre-Eurovision concert. It has become quite an extraordinary event with more than half of the contestants coming to showcase their entries. There are only a few weeks before the contest goes to Baku in Azerbaijan. The countdown is on…
This year the event was held on Saturday 21st April 2012 in the Melkweg, a popular venue for bands when playing in Amsterdam. The organisation was much better than last year, which had a series of sound problems which created endless issues for the evening. The Melkweg was fantastic and the evening went without a hitch! Perfect!
The hosts for the evening were Cornald Maas and Ruth Jacott, the Dutch performer in the 1993 Eurovision. She strutted her stuff in Millstreet and belted out Vrede coming a very respectable 6th for The Netherlands.
BEST PERFORMANCE: Spain. Pastora blew away the crowd with her live performance of Quédate Conmigo. What a pair of lungs she has on her! I expect (and hope) Spain to do very well this year in Baku.
MOST ENTERTAINING: Ireland. Jedward really know how to entertain a crowd. I really didn’t like them last year in Düsseldorf, but with Waterline as their comeback I love them.
MOST EMBARASSING WARDROBE MALFUNCTION: France. Poor, poor Anggun wore a lovely red dress, which for those on the first 6 rows of audience (me included), got a perfect view up… I rather feel that someone should have advised her against white pants with a red dress… oh la la…
HOTTEST PERFORMER: Moldova. Hello, Pasha! That’s all I have to say on the matter.
MOST CRINGEWORTHY: San Marino. Deranged doesn’t even begin to describe this. San Marino decided to ‘test’ the rules of Eurovision. A song all about ‘Facebook’ although it’s not allowed to be called that now. I think Facebook should sue!
MY FAVOURITE: Slovenia. Eva’s song is my far my favourite for Baku, although on the night it didn’t come across well. Unfortunately, her backing singers weren’t there and they play a vital role in the performance as one sings the gentle aaaah bits.
THE ONES I MISSED: Sweden and Russia. Oh how I would have loved them to be there. Sweden has the song of the year and a great performance (but will it win?) and Russia have the grannies who I adore.
I predict a close one between Sweden and Russia.
Enjoy my photos from the night.
After all my years of watching the Eurovision Song Contest I don’t remember the UK sending an entry to match this. The first time you hear it you may dismiss it, but ‘The Hump’, Engelbert, has got an amazing voice. At 75 years you cannot discount him. Age has nothing to do with his very obvious talent. He can carry a tune – very well. The song is a gentle ballad with a big finish. The lyrics are beautiful too…
In May he will be first up in the final, hoping to bring the contest back to the United Kingdom: It’s a possibility. He is currently 4th favourite to win – after Sweden, Russia and Denmark (however the betting odds will surely change between now and May).
Engelbert had so much negative press after his name was announced as the UK representative. People joked that the BBC were mocking Europe by sending him. I think quite the opposite this year. If the British public are left to make the choice then they send ‘something Eurovisiony’ – Scooch, Andy Abraham, Daz Sampson and Jemini…. all of which prove to be disasters in Europe. The British public do not ‘get it’ when it comes to Eurovision. They still harp on about the bloc voting; they claim that ‘nobody likes the UK’… It’s pretty untrue. The last time the UK actually made an effort they came 5th, in 2009.
This year the UK will do well. Mark my words. Here is the video of the UK’s 2012 Eurovision entry.
Now, time for a little something for the Eurovision fans…..
Okay, if you’re not a “ESC fan” – you’re probably wondering who they are? (If you’re not from Europe then it’ll be even more confusing).
These ladies represented The Netherlands in Eurovision – yes, the good old Eurovision Song Contest. (Not together though. Maybe that’s why they didn’t win). I saw them both live (on separate occasions in 2006 – and they were brilliant live).
Ruth and Edsilia
Ruth Jacott, the elder of the two (The Netherlands’ representative Eurovision 1993) and Edsilia Rombley (The Netherlands’ representative in Eurovision 1998 and Eurovision 2007) have both had successful singing careers in The Netherlands.
Here they are, years later, singing a new song together. It’s quite popular here in The Netherlands and I wish they’d saved it for their 2012 entry – they could do with something like this.
A few other bits that I’ve written about Eurovision:
For anyone out there who has not yet hosted or been to a Eurovision Song Contest party – 2011 is the year. It is a must in everyone’s calendar. You do not need to love the contest, or the music or the voting – but a party to remember the night by will be more fun than you’d initially imagine.
Here is my list of essentials to make your party go with a swing:
The infamous scoreboard. We included all guests with a country but also left a space for a phone vote. There is nothing more entertaining than calling someone (another party, a friend, or as we did, my mum) to get their votes. True-Eurovision style). Put them on loud-speaker for extra effect!
Crazy guests willing to dress up and brings flags. Flags are a must!
A trophy for the winner. (Blue Peter would be proud). 
Food to represent the countries particpating in the contest. Ideas here.
Some great tips for making flags from food of that nation.
Dance moves… There’s nothing better than dressing just like the performer of that year.
Recreating Spain's entry in 2008 (Rodolfo Chikilicuatre)
None other than Ukraine's Verka Serduchka, the 2007 entrant.
Scoresheets (and guests who are really putting the effort into it).
A good imagination is always needed. Look at these countries. Can you guess which country they represent?
A tricky one. This is Oliver. He's hungry... Get it? Hungary. (sigh)
Very clever. Crow. Asia.......Croatia.
An easy one but fab. FIN-land.
I would love to have a Eurovision party this year. But….. I’m going to the real thing! Look out for me in the crowd of 24,000 people!! Enjoy the show.
Part two here, guys. The first semi final has been and gone. #2 is coming up. Do you want to know what you can expect from the second Eurovision Semi Final of 2011? This post gives a summary of the entries in the Semi Final 2 (Thursday 12th May). This is my attempt to show how all the styles and songs have been heard before in one form or another.
The 56th Eurovision Song Contest in Germany is taking place this week. Songs from all around Europe will be competing to make it to the Grand Final on Saturday 14th May. Each song has been written for the contest. They must be original. But, just how original can music be these days? During the national final season (from October to April) there was a lot of debate about ‘certain entries’ being rather similar to other songs.
It is 2011 after all and when it comes to music it is quite a challenge to write a piece of music which bears no resemblance to another piece. There are only so many notes after all.
Who do I think will make the final? Moldova, Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Latvia, Romania, Sweden and Slovenia.
One Life by jamieonline 