Albania 2019: Jonida Maliqi

Photo: Edvina Meta

Hello world, hello Albania, hello Europe! FiKmas season is over and that means we have the 1st Eurovision 2019 entry and it's the song "Ktheju Tokës" by Jonida Maliqi:

It's been a couple of days since the FiK 57 finale and I just rewatched the performance and I like it more than I did back then. It's a pretty decent song and if they work on finding a good visual performance I think it could end up being a great entry.

Shout out to:

Eugent Bushpepa

Marko Strazimiri dhe Imbro

Soni Malaj

Orgesa Zaimi

Eurovision 2018: AND THE WINNER IS...

ISRAEL: NETTA - TOY!

*Chicken sounds* 

I finally had the chance to watch all the performances from the final (In good quality) and I gotta say good job to all the acts that participated this year, what a great show it was, you all should be very proud of what you did on stage! (Also thanks to RTP for giving us 3 fantastic nights)

The jury votes were all over the place (Was not a fan of their top 2) but when the televote results were revealed I had so much fun!. Im actually happy with the final results, I would have liked to see Hungary in the top 10 but yeah I knew the juries (Knowing who they were) were not going to vote for it. I loved Toy since the 1st time I heard it and even if I still dont love the performance, I think Netta really shined in the final (1000 times better than in the semi) and she deserved to win! CONGRATULATIONS TO ISRAEL!

Now I'll add some pictures from my favorite performances:

ITALY: Ermal Meta & Fabrizio Moro

Such a simply yet stunning performance! Seeing them in the televote's top 3 made my night!

CYPRUS: Eleni Foureira

YEAH YEAH FIRE! Eleni would have been a very deserving winner! She is not only a fantastic performer, she is also one of the nicest artists!

HUNGARY: AWS

I love these boys and I cannot wait to get more music from them!

GERMANY: Michael Schulte

One of the most beautiful performances of the night! Good job Michael!

ALBANIA: Eugent Bushpepa

THE VOICE OF 2018! Standing ovation for Eugent!

LITHUANIA: Ieva Zasimauskaitė

Adorable!

CZECH REPUBLIC: Mikolas Josef

Congratulations to Mikolas for getting an amazing result! Thats what you achieve with hard work!

SPAIN: Amaia y Alfred

I think they did their best and I got all emotional with their performance, sadly TVE still dont care about the contest and keep fucking things up. 

UNITED KINGDOM: SuRie

I dont like this song but what SuRie did after the incident left me speechless, WHAT A PRO! I get goosebumps everytime I watch the performance. She is a great artist and I hope the BBC gives her another chance, I would love to see her come back to the contest with a song as good as her!

SLOVENIA: Lea Sirk

Hvala ne ne!

PORTUGAL: Cláudia Pascoal

This didnt deserve last place!

UKRAINE: MELOVIN

Underrated by the juries!

THE NETHERLANDS: Waylon

Yeehaw!

Photos: Andres Putting (EBU) 

Eurovision 2018 - Semifinal 2: Results

Semi 2 is over and here are my opinions about the results:

All the songs I liked in this semi qualified so there are no NQ shout outs.

THE FINALISTS

10. DENMARK: Rasmussen

1st thing I'll say is VIKINGS DONT WEAR EYELINER so they better fix that for the final. I still dont like the song and I thought the performance was kinda flat.

09. SERBIA: Sanja Ilić & Balkanika

This was actually a pretty solid performance!

08. AUSTRALIA: Jessica Mauboy

I really dislike this entry but I gotta say that even if I think the whole performance was a mess, it wasnt as awful as I thought it would be, I dont know if this makes any sense but I truly believe she left her heart on stage and that's what made the audience go wild in the arena.

07. MOLDOVA: DoReDos

Im still not a fan of this song but the perfomance was fun, I enjoyed it. (BTW: Moldova 17 >>>> 18)

06. THE NETHERLANDS: Waylon

This was a great performance, Waylon knows how to move on stage and his vocal perfomance was really good!

05. NORWAY: Alexander Rybak

I love Rybak and the whole act is good but I dont think this is going to win and Im okay with that cause he is much better than this song.

04. SLOVENIA: Lea Sirk

This was amazing! She sells this song so well and even if I didnt like the "technical problem" idea, it kinda worked. Good job, Lea!

03. SWEDEN: Benjamin Ingrosso

There's not much to say about this, I think Benjamin is adorable and the staging is impressive. Do I want it to win? Hmmm nah. Would I be okay if it wins? Yeah.

02. UKRAINE: MELOVIN

He has such a mysterious aura and it works perfectly for this song

01. HUNGARY: AWS

This is probably my favorite entry of 2018 and I would love to see this winning, but sadly I dont think it will happen, however I really hope they get a great result cause they fucking deserve it. The performance was strong but it didnt give me the winner alert vibes I was expecting, still this is a quality metal song and the guys are just brilliant so please vote for them on saturday! GO HUNGARY! GO AWS!

Photos: Andres Putting/EBU

Eurovision 2018 - Semifinal 1: Results

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The hardest semifinal in years is over and now it's time for me to give my opinions about the finalists but as always I'd like to start the post giving a shout out to 2 of the acts that didnt qualify:

Belgium: SENNEK

Love this song and Sennek is so lovely but sadly I dont think this worked on stage.

Switzerland: ZIBBZ

These 2 worked so hard and it showed on stage cause they did such a great performance and they should be really proud of it. Would have loved to see them in the final but the most important thing in ESC is showing yourself to the audience doing what you love to do and what you do best, they did that and Im sure they gained a big number of new fans today.

THE FINALISTS

10. AUSTRIA: Cesár Sampson

I like this song but to me this wasnt a good performance (in a visual way), my fear of his lack of charisma was confirmed and even if his voice is out of this world, I think he looked lost on stage.

09. BULGARIA: Equinox

I wasnt a big fan of this song when it was released but it grew on me a lot, I still dislike the aura of desperation around it, like I dont feel anything with it and to me the performance needs more heart and honesty, they are great singers but there is like all this fake plastic around them and I just want them to get rid of all those rehearsed moves and just jump and show who they really are. (Zhana's reaction to their result was adorable and it showed me a side of her that I have seen a bit on interviews but never on stage so I hope they all let themselves free for the final performance)

08. FINLAND: Saara Aalto

This song is alright, there are too many things happening on stage but that's her style and let's be honest, it could have been worse. I would like her to have more fun on stage, I want too see that "living my dream" sparkle in her eyes!

07. ESTONIA: Elina Nechayeva

I think she did her best, but sadly the camera work didnt, her Eesti Laul performance was so much better.

06. CZECH REPUBLIC: Mikolas Josef

After following the rehearsals I was expecting this to be my fav from this semifinal but even if I liked it a lot, I didnt go crazy for it. There is something missing on it but I dont know what it is.

05. ALBANIA: Eugent Bushpepa

Eugent is one of the best singers of this year and Im so happy we will get to see him perform again on saturday! GO ALBANIA!

04. IRELAND: Ryan O'Shaughnessy

Wow, this just worked on stage so beautifully! One of the best performances of the night!

03. ISRAEL: Netta

I love this song and Netta is such a star! The performance is not a winning perfomance but it is fun and it looked like she was having a great time on stage! (I would take out the pyro from the 1st chorus)

02. LITHUANIA: Ieva Zasimauskaitė

This is such a pretty performance, it truly gets to your heart. Well done Ieva! GO LITHUANIA!

01. CYPRUS: Eleni Foureira

911? THERE IS A BIG FIRE ON THE ESC ARENA! Im so impressed by her stage presence, like damn! I wasnt expecting this to be a contender but guess what Europe?...IT IS! Eleni is a PERFORMER and the Eurovision stage was made for her to burn down! GO CYPRUS!

Photos: Andres Putting/EBU 

Sennek: "I make timeless but still modern music"

Photo: VRT/Marie Wynants

It's time to post a new interview and Im very happy about it cause this act is one of my top favorites of this year, so I hope you all like it as much as me. Here are Senneks answers:
Name: Sennek
Birthday: the 30th of April
Height: 1,72 meters
Favorite color: black ;)
Favorite food: Japanese ramen
Where are you right now? I’m at “Het depot”, a music center in the Belgian city of Leuven
3 things that make you happy: cats, cats and red wine ;)
What’s your strangest talent? I can shake my eyes
What are you really good at? Making excuses
What are you really bad at? Saying sorry (oops)
Childhood idol: Leonardo Dicaprio
Childhood memory: playing on the street
Celebrity crush: Leonardo Dicaprio
Tell me something no one knows about you: I have no secrets!
What would you do if you were invisible? Tickle people
Favorite movie: Titanic
Favorite TV series: Friends
What is your guilty pleasure? Watching Doctor Phill at 2 pm in my pajamas
If you were a boy for a day, what would you do? Wiggle wiggle ;)
Name a song that never fails to make you happy: Happy by Pharrell Williams
Can you teach me some interesting words in dutch? Goesting is a really cool Dutch word, but it’s hard to translate

Photo: VRT/Marie Wynants

Hey Sennek! Welcome to the Eurovision universe! How are you doing?
Good, thank you!

How would you describe yourself as an artist?
I would describe myself as a strong confident woman, with some drama and philosophical influences. I make timeless but still modern music.

Photo: Jean-pol Sedran

You were selected by VRT to represent Belgium in Lisbon. How did it all begin?
Well, they had been following me career for a while, apparently. I didn’t say yes to their proposal right away, because this is a big deal and I wanted to think it through. I’m very happy that I accepted and I hope to make Belgium proud.

Photo: VRT/Marie Wynants

“A matter of time” is the title of your song, and it’s written by you, Alex Callier and Maxime Tribeche. How was it to work with them?
It was the best experience of my live ever!

What’s the story behind the song?
A Matter Of Time is about being able to see beauty in things that are fleeting. The tension of watching something precious slip away and finding the beauty in that. There’s also a bit of a special anecdote; I was with Alex Callier in the studio and he had just made me some tea. But while he was getting it ready, the elegant glass teapot suddenly broke. The next day, we came up with the first words of the song: “Sometimes it feels like it’s meant to be broken”. That's why we also included the glass teapot in the video. I saw the beauty in this broken thing.

Photo: VRT/Marie Wynants

Describe the song with 4 words:
Drama, drama, tea pot, drama ;)

What can we expect to see on stage for the performance?
I can’t tell you yet! You’ll have to wait and see

Photo: VRT/Marie Wynants

Tell me about the official video of “A matter of time”:
The video was directed by Edouard Valette. I wanted to be closely involved in making of it, so I made a whole lot of moodboards. I want people to see my signature in it. Something understated, minimalist and emotional. I specifically asked the director to incorporate the glass teapot in the clip, since the whole story started on Alex’s kitchen counter. I didn't want a narrative clip, but one that’s based on an atmosphere. I wanted to take an artistic approach with a lot of photography and architecture.

What do you like about Eurovision?
It brings people together and celebrates music.

What do you dislike about Eurovision?
So far it’s been the best experience of my life. True story!

Photo: VRT/Marie Wynants

Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word:
Live music: best thing in life
Nightmare: I like it, it’s a cheap horror movie ;)
Chicken sound: Easter eggs
Art: best thing in life after live music
Future: can’t wait
Dreams: a good sleep

What are your plans for 2018?
Working and making music

Is there anything you want to say to close the interview?
See you later, alligator!

Photo: Thomas Richard Mertens

Thanks to Sennek for the interview! I'll be cheering for her in May! Go Belgium!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sennekmusic/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sennekmusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/lauragroes

Cesár Sampson: Everytime I wrote “You”, I either meant my inner self, the higher power, or all of you, who are listening to me

Photo: Jeff Mangione

Hello everybody! It's time to get to know more about the Austrian act for ESC 2018, here are Cesár's answers:
Name: Cesár Sampson
Birthday: 18.08.1983
Height: 183
Favorite color: Gold
Favorite food: Sweetpotato Quinoa Risotto and heaps and heaps of letucce :)
Where are you right now? Munich,Germany for the weekend
3 things that make you happy: Truth, Love, Nature
What’s your strangest talent? I don´t get hematoma :D
What is the strangest thing you have in your room? I don´t think I have any strange things in my room
What are you really good at? Bringing my point across with words
What are you really bad at? smalltalk
Childhood idol: Michael Jackson
Childhood memory: kissing LaToya Jackson (on the lips! haha)
Celebrity crush: LaToya Jackson :D
Tell me something no one knows about you: I am an alien visitor from Planet Melmak
What would you do if you were invisible? Be very very bored. I am a Leo, we don´t fantasize about being invisible:)
Favorite movie: The OA (not exactly a movie but still)
Favorite TV series: Game of Thrones
What is your guilty pleasure? I watch fictional character deathmatches on youtube :D like Mickey Mouse vs Danger Mouse :D
If you were a girl for a day, what would you do? I´d finally find out why girls always go to the rest room as a team.
Name a song that never fails to make you happy: Nobody but You 
Can you teach me some interesting words in German?  « Nahrungsmittelunverträglichkeit » = food intolerance
« Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaft » = Danubian Steamship Company
« Arbeiterunfallversicherungsgesetz » = worker accident insurance law

Photo: Thomas Ramstorfer

Hello Cesár! How are you doing?
Fantastic!

How would you describe yourself as an artist?
I would describe myself as a late blooming artist, considering I´ve been one for about 17 years.

You were part of the Bulgarian team for ESC in 2016 and 2017, what did you learn from those experiences?
More than I can list here, certainly. Most importantly, I learnt how important it is to be yourself and to lower your guards. People have to feel who you are. 

You were selected by ORF to represent Austria in Lisbon. How did it all begin?
The ORF prompted me about submitting a song back in 2016, and then again in 2017. In 2017 all the right ingredients came together and so, here I am.

Photo: Maria Hintz

“Nobody but you” is the title of your song, and it’s written by you, Sebastian Arman, Joacim Persson, Johan Alkenäs and Borislav Milanov. How was it to work with them?
Sebastian, Boris and me know each other since almost 15 years, so we have a good understanding of where everyone is coming from. Joacim and Johan are the coolest guys, they are such fun personalities and amazing professionals. I´m lucky to have them on board. The fact that 5 people can end up on the same page about one song, speaks for itself. 

Photo: Jeff Mangione

What’s the story behind the song?
Since Sebastian and I started writing the song, there have always been two parallel, but not mutually exclusive meanings to it. Let me just say, I didn´t write it with a person in mind. Everytime I wrote “You”, I either meant my inner self, the higher power, or all of you, who are listening to me. Sebastian on the other hand would probably give you a different answer entirely.

Photo: Thomas Ramstorfer

Describe the song with 4 words:
Groovy, rocknroll, grand, spiritual

What can we expect to see on stage for the performance?
Expect the unexpected

Photo: Thomas Ramstorfer

Tell me about the official video of “Nobody but you”:
It was hard work, shooting in the freezing cold for hours on end, and I spent most of that time shivering, as I was the only one who was not sufficiently clothed for the occasion ;)

What do you like about Eurovision?
I like the professionality of it, the size of it, the idea behind it, and the mottos, that always center around inclusion, diversity and feeling connected. 

What do you dislike about Eurovision?
I rather dislike when eurovision (just like any other big event) is abused by indivduals, to further their closed-minded agendas. Individuals that certainly cannot be called true eurovision fans. But we are not letting anyone harsh our mellow:)

Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word:
Freedom: being yourself, always
Nightmare: I don´t have them, the waking world contains all the horrors I can handle
Euroclub: If the Songcontest is the heart of Eurovision, Euroclub is its liver:))) 
Tight pants: not for me
Chicken sound: bagawwwk
Future: Unknown

Photo: Maxwell

What are your plans for 2018?
I take things one step at a time, theres lots to do in the present.

Thank You!

Thanks to Cesár for the interview! All the best in the contest!

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CesarSampsonOfficial/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cesarsampson/