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 

Finland 2018: Saara Aalto

Photo: shotbywarila

YLE ditched the UMK 2018 songs and selected Saara to represent them in Lisbon, this is "Monsters" the song she will sing in May:

I dont like the way YLE handled the UMK 18 thing but I understand their decision to pick Saara, and Im happy for her cause she is living her ESC dream, however I dont get their over the top/glitter/costume change/more is more approach, I know Saara is a campy artist but there are just too many things happening on stage and they just dont work imo. I think the song is nice (Wont be on my favs list though) so I hope they can find a way to fix the messy staging.

2016: National selections (1)

Here is the 1st part of my favorite NF songs from 2016

Muri & Mario - To Stjerner

Annica Milán & Kimmo Blom - Good Enough

SunSay - Love Manifest

Salvador Beltran - Días de alegría

Petruska - Trouble in My Mind

Enxhi Nasufi - Infinit

Margaret - Cool me down

Sophia Nohr - Blue Horizon

Eini - Draamaa

Saara Aalto - No fear

María Isabel - La vida sólo es una

UMK 2016: Semifinal 1

Welcome to the UMK Semifinal 1 post, here are my comments about the performances:

1.Saara Aalto - No Fear 

Oh lord! I like this song and Saara is so talented, I mean she killed it with her vocal performance but that stage act is just too much, so many stuff on stage make it look messy so I hope she tone it down for the final (she also needs better backing vocalists)

2.Mikko Herranen - Evil Tone

I didnt like anything about this entry, sorry.

3.Stella Christine - Ain’t Got Time for Boys

This is one my favorite songs in UMK 2016 and Stella did a fantastic job on stage. Normally I dont like when we get a couple dancing on a performance but that worked pretty well with this act. Go Stella!

4.Eini - Draamaa

This was a YAS QUEEN moment! This song is so catchy and I love that it is in finnish. Eini is a good performer and even if there were some little parts were her voice wasnt great, I liked it.

5.ClemSO - Thief

Fun song that sadly didnt work on stage.

6.Pää-Äijät - Shamppanjataivas

Im kinda sad this didnt make it cause I like this song a lot, the performance was mess but Im glad they had lots of fun on stage!

THE RESULTS

FINALISTS

Saara Aalto

Stella Christine

Eini

Photos: YLE

Saara Aalto: I’m singing “No Fear” to all those people who have prejudices towards other people

Photo: Ville Paul Paasimaa

Today Im feeling fearless so Im going to post a new UMK interview. Here are the answers of SAARA AALTO:
Name: Saara (Sofia) Aalto
Birthday: 2.5
Height: 164 cm
Favorite color: pink
Favorite food: sushi
Where are you right now? In my kitchen, just finished eating breakfast
What’s your strangest talent? I have a very good memory, so I can learn things very quickly. That helps a lot when I study for example Chinese and Japanese, or a new dance routine!
What is the strangest thing you have in your room? Pink table chandelier that most people think is disgusting (but I love it!) and a diamond crown I made for one of my shows.
What are you really good at? Concentrating and focusing on things that interest me… and there are many of those things!
What are you really bad at? Normal practical things like cooking, cleaning the house… understanding jokes!
Childhood idol: Spice Girls
Childhood memory: When I was 10 years old, I wanted to have my own band, just like Spice Girls. So I established a band called “Young Stars” with my friend. We composed all the songs in English and I made the backing tracks with my computer. Dad taught me how to do that :D We were really young, but we had some gigs! It was fun and that’s when I started to compose in English!
Celebrity crush: Adam Lambert :D He’s such a good singer and confident performer! Can’t call that a crush really… :D
Tell me something no one knows about you: I always make sure I don’t have my cellphone near me when I sleep, because of the radiation.
What would you do if you were invisible? I’d like to see what my dogs are doing when I’m not at home.
Favorite movie: Little Women
Favorite TV series: Nashville, L word, 24…
If you were a boy for a day, what would you do? I’d be a charming gentleman and treat every girl as they were princesses.
What is your guilty pleasure? Chocolate ice cream
Name a song that never fails to make you happy: Japanese pop music! Like Mr. Moonlight by Morning Musume!
When did you start singing? I sang before I talked. I first sang on the radio when I was 1,5 years old.
Can you teach me some interesting words in Finnish? There are many interesting words in Finnish language, like: Lämpimämpi (means warmer) Lämmin means warm, but when you want to say warmer, you say lämpimämpi. Also “söpö” means “cute”. And if you say “sikasöpö”, it means VERY cute. But the word sika actually means a pig... so literally it means “pigcute”. But you can add “sika” in front of every word to mean VERY…it’s weird... what has a pig to do with that? :D

How would you describe yourself as an artist?
I’m an exotic fairy princess from Finland. Lots of love to share to the world. It’s all about a good show and emotional singing!

What do you remember the most from your Euroviisut 2011 experience?
I remember I was full of love and good feelings. I had an amazing group of friends with me on stage, and we really enjoyed every minute of it.

You are one of the participants of UMK 2016. How did it all begin?
The ESC is my big dream, so I thought now would be a good time. I composed the song and thought it would fit very well to the competition.

“No fear” is the title of your song, what’s the story behind it? 

Most of us are afraid of people who are different than us… and some of us might even do bad things to others if they are afraid. With this song I’m singing “No Fear” to all those people who have prejudices towards other people. Why can’t we all just forget our fears and live together on this beautiful Earth. I want this song to be the happy funeral of fear, where people are dancing together!

Describe the song with 4 words:
Uplifting, hopeful, strong, loving

What can we expect to see on stage for the performance?
A grand show… one hint: origami!

Photo: Ville Paul Paasimaa

Do you already know what you’re going to wear for the semifinal? Any hint?
No more hints :D

Have you heard any of the other songs in the competition? Any favorite?
I have listened those songs a lot! My favorite would probably be Sadhja’s Sing it Away.

What do you like about Eurovision?
The world is getting together, enjoying music and laughter together!

What do you dislike about Eurovision?

Nothing…

Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word:
Nightmare: Black
Puppies: My own dearest Lily-puppy that I got home last week!
Love: my family
Censorship: China
Clones: Scifi movie
Watermelon: fruit
Dreams: white clouds

What are your plans for 2016?
To celebrate at the Eurovision Song Contest! Sharing my No Fear-attitude to the world and trying to make the world a better place with my music and example.

Photo: YLE

Thanks to Saara for the interview! Wish her all the best in UMK!

Official website: http://www.saaraaalto.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/saaraaaltoofficial
Twitter: http://twitter.com/saaraaalto
Instagram: http://instagram.com/saaraaalto

UMK 2016: The participants

SEMIFINAL 1

Saara Aalto - No Fear 

Mikko Herranen - Evil Tone

Stella Christine - Ain’t Got Time for Boys 

Eini - Draamaa

ClemSO - Thief

Pää-Äijät - Shamppanjataivas

SEMIFINAL 2

Attention 2 - Ready For The Show

 

Cristal Snow - Love Is Blind

Annica Milán & Kimmo Blom - Good Enough

Rafaela Truda - Rise Up

Ylona - Blazing Fire

Mikael Saari - On It Goes

SEMIFINAL 3

Lieminen - Pehmeiden arvojen vaalijat

Tuuli Okkonen - Don’t Wake Me Up

 

Gušani Brothers - Poom Poom 

Barbe-Q-Barbies - Let Me Out

Pietarin Spektaakkeli - Liian kuuma

Sandhja - Sing It Away

Photos: YLE

2011: National Selections (1)

Its the time of the year when i look back to remember and now lets remember some songs and performances that were part of the 2011 national selections, there are a lot of songs so this is going to be the part 1.

Anastasiya Vinnikova - Born in Belorussia

"Belarussia, got you on my mind, you're my passion do it old fashioned you and i"

Lauris Reiniks - Banjo Laura

"Clubbers jump up and down, she goes on and pulls uh ah ah ah uh a magic string, who is she?"

Saara Aalto - Blessed with love

"I dont mind and i dont care, cause i have you and thats enough, i dont mind cause i am blessed with love"

Sara Lumholdt - Enemy

"You're crying with a promise to change, when love becomes war its a dangerous game, cant help feeling sorry about you but what does it matter now"

Linda Sundblad - Lucky you

"I'll let you dive and swim in my ocean, tonight, tonight my heart is wide open"

Ithaka Maria - Hopa'pa-rei!

"Hopa’pa-rei, hopa’pa-rei, hopa’pa-hopa-pei!"


Anastasia Prikhodko - Action

"I dont wanna hear your call anymore but you hold me like a gun, baby"

Millenium - In Memoriam

"And now that you're gone, my world is getting cold"

Lena - Maybe

"I cannot wait any longer, the time is right to hit the road and i wonder would you follow me?"

Noora Noor - Gone with the wind

"Gone with the wind, not coming down till its over, ready to fly one more time"

Christian Walz - Like Suicide

"She is like suicide but i just cant fight her gravity tonight, she's like suicide alright"

April - Ladadidej

"Ladadidej, ustavi lov in misli le name, daj mi povej, da konec tvojih norih je iger za zdej"


Aste & Rikke - Not that easy

"Now i feel the light inside and i am not alone, im not alone, although i am on my own"

Lena - A million and one

"This are the kind of things that are sent to test our relationship, you know? and if it dont kill us, it'll make us even stronger, its not rocket science, is it?"

Euroviisut 2011 - The Final

Last night Paradise Oskar won the Euroviisut 2011 and will represent Finland in Düsseldorf.

I definitely think that the best song won, he has an amazing charisma, knows how to move on stage and i think Finland will be proud of him. His performance in the final was good but i prefer his semifinal performance.

Also i have to say that i was really impressed when my 3 favorites get into the superfinal, so congratulations to Saara who showed that is an AMAZING singer, i hope to see her soon in Eurovision and Father Mckenzie for that great song.

The Results

3.Father Mckenzie - Good enough 12.6%

2.Saara Aalto - Blessed with love 40.7%

1.Paradise Oskar - Da da dam 46.7%

The Lyrics

Da da dam

M&L: Axel Ehnström

Peter is smart,

he knows each European country by heart.

He likes to sit under an apple tree on his yard
and wait for an apple to fall.

When Peter is nine
his teacher tells him that this planet is dying,
that someone needs to put an end to it all
and so when Peter comes home
he tells his mom:

"I'm going out in the world
to save our planet.

And I ain't coming back
until she's saved.

I'll walk my way to see
the King and parliament.
If they don't help
I'll do it by myself.
I don't wanna be

Da da dam
da da da da da da
da da dam"

Peter is young,
he tries to talk
but no one listens to him.

Everybody's busy living and dying,
not thinking about what they're doing.

But look at the boy who
went out in the world
to save our planet.

And he ain't coming back
until she's saved.

He walked his way to see
the King and parliament.

But they all turned their heads
and walked away
singin'
Da da dam

And now I'm going out in the world
to save our planet.

And I ain't coming back
until she's saved.

I'm walking in the footsteps
that young Peter made.
And everybody is welcome to join,
and sing with me:
Da da dam

Well all i can say is good luck to Axel(Paradise Oskar), i really wish him the best in Germany and lets sing da da dam da da dam...