emma's blog

this is my life.

Oh goodness, it's almost here! I am not close to being ready to leave, yet I am doing so on Friday morning.  I'll get myself reacquainted with Brighton, and then head on to Belgrade on Sunday for a week.  I'm nervous as hell, but excited at the same time.  I'm actually amazed all my plans have pulled through, and that I've actually managed to become part of one of the biggest ESC fansites, somewhere I bookmarked over the years and went to every day.

It's amazing how the ESC has evolved for me.  I've only been following the show for three years at this point, I downloaded a torrent of the semi-final in 2005 and there was no turning back.  I watched the shows live online in 2006 from my house in New York, and then last year in Helsinki, watching the semi-final in Senate Square and the final at the Euroclub.  This year, I'll be in Belgrade Arena, surrounded by thousands of people that love this display of camp, tradition, originality and competition as much as I do. This excites me to no end. 

My personal hopes are for Oslo 2009 (although I know this is not going to happen), but I have several favourites this year, and I guess, personally, just the build up to the 24th will make Eurovision this year amazing.

oh uni...

in my last year of university, therefore have no life of my own at the moment

but...

you can catch me over at oikotimes, i'll be covering national finals and the like.  and if i'm motivated, i might possibly journey back here with my inane ramblings.

xx

Caucus hangover cured by my favourites in the Bulgarian final so far? Sure!

Yeah, I'm American and I'm still on a bit of a high from the Iowa caucus earlier (Obama!!), but I don't know, I've been out of the ESC loop over the holidays with friends around and going to see shows on Broadway (it's my...third love, behind football and ESC, obviously) but hmm.  I just remembered how much I want this to go to Belgrade for Bulgaria:

Bulgaria_SF9_Svetozar Hristov - Pandemonium

Svetozar Hristov - Pandemonium

AMAZING.  I don't know how it would fare in Belgrade, but I absolutely love it.  

Nikolai Manolov (Eurovision 2008 Bulgaria)

Nikolai Manolov - Po dobre

this was probably what persuaded me to follow the Bulgarian semis.  It's nothing special, but come on.  I'm just a girl, for Gods sake.

Deep Zone & Balthazar - DJ, Take Me Away

Deep Zone & Balthazar - DJ, take me away

I think this has the most polished sound of any of the other songs, truthfully.  I don't know how this would fare in Belgrade either but I wouldn't mind seeing this represent Bulgaria at all.  I also can't help but think the singer looks like an Aly Michalka/Ashley Tisdale hybrid, but that could mean I've just been watching too much of the Disney Channel.

I don't know but after Voda, I think I'll be happy with whatever they choose this year, because I still can't see the appeal in that song.  

It's 2008!

Albania decides tonight!

I should probably be studying and getting the house ready for my friends who are coming to stay for a few days, and oh yeah, probably should be buying Christmas presents and the like, but no! It's time to watch Albanian television!

I don't think I've liked any of the past Albanian entries if I'm being honest, but hey, maybe it'll be better this year.

So let's see...
1. Samanta Karavello - Pse u harrua dashuria: pretty, a wonderful voice.
2. Produkt 28 - 30 sekonda: you know, it's not terrible if I'm being honest.
3. Eneida Tarifa - E para leter: I'm quite impressed with the quality of the songs, quite like #1 though.
4. Mariza Ikonomi - Mall i tretur: also good, it stands out but I don't see it doing well on the ESC stage, honestly.
5. Mira Konci and Redon Makashi - Nen nje qiell: good sound, yeah.  Loving her hair! Redheads unite.
6. F. Kralani and D. Disha - Jeta kerkon dashuri: WELL, that was interesting. I don't really know what to make of that, I just felt like they were yelling at me the entire time.

SWEET, adverts!  Ah yes, Western Union.  Wow, look at that huge bookstore! It just reminds me how much I really should get off my ass and do some Christmas shopping.  That guy in the ad kissing the frog reminds me of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, maybe I've just been watching too many Inter games.

Oh ok we're back.  I need to fix the collar on the shirt the host is wearing, it's really bothering me.

7. Manjola Nallbani - Njo bote merr fryme nga dashuria: oh God, no. No No No No No!!!!!
8. Kthjellu - Dhoma: this actually isn't bad, but it probably won't win.
9. Kozma Dushi - Tatuazh ne kujtese: lol, ok.  no thanks.
10. Devis Xherahu - Endacaku: I don't know, but this probably would have been better without the little kids.  
11. Teuta Kurti - Qyteti i dashurise: I just keep thinking about how much she looks like the Bosnian performer from 2003. Did we really need the vocal exercise at the end as well? We know you can sing, sweetheart.  It wasn't bad, though.
12. Greta Koci - Naten te kerkove: I'm so hungry.  I might get a snack.  But people are cheering quite loudly for this.  Ooh, I see why.  This is quite good.  Very modern pop sound, not bad at all!
12. Juliana Pasha - Nje qiell te ri: Well I've missed half of this because I was searching for some Goldfish and can't find any.  Where could I have put them?  They are my favourite cheddar based snack food of all!  Oh, the song. Right.  Well I feel like I've heard this song a million times before, so yeah.  Not the worst of the night but not the best.  That got quite a nice cheer at the end though, didn't it!

More ads! Vodafone, oh boy.  They make me want to go to Albania now!  Man I really need to study for my final tomorrow, I just never went to class.  I probably should have, thinking about it now.  I'm having Mexican food tonight, though.  Delicious!

aaaand we're back.

13. Agim Poshka - Kujt I them te dua: LOL WHAT, what's the purpose of the girl on the side? What the hell?  That was strange, and I definitely didn't hear the song at all because of all the action on the side of the stage.
14. Jonida Maliqi - S’ka fajtor ne dashuri: I don't know, I kinda like it.  It might be the redhead connection again, though.  I also wish I had 4 male backing singers.
15. Olta Boka - Zemren e lame peng: She has a sweet voice, pretty song.  Not going to win, but still nice.
16. Rosela Gjylbegu - Bote memece: last song! Oooh, I quite like the chorus. It reminds me of Vertigo a bit.  

alright...a break and then we find out who wins, I guess?  Aw, Neri Per Caso from Italy perform & are quite good, and finish by performing White Christmas with the adorable host. Aw!  I think I'll skip out on the two of them performing, though.

And yes, of course Rednex are there!  It feels like 1995 all over again!

Alright, time for the results? finally?  Yeah, I guess since I don't understand Albanian I won't know who has won until the end of the jury voting.  Oh well, the excitement will tide me over, obviously.

And I believe Olta has won.  I guess I'll take back my "not going to win" comments, I guess I don't know Albanian jury voters very well, do I!

Not bad Albania, not bad.  Don't think it will qualify from the semis, but who knows.  Better than last years choice!  See you in Belgrade, Olta!

and the controversy begins!

It appears that we've already got a problem on our hands, oh boy. The 27 songs submitted for the Moldavian selection were posted here today, and esctoday.com almost immediately posted about song #2, Alexandru Bognibov's I love the girls.  You just...have to listen to the song yourself to understand what the fuss is about.  It's pretty obvious.

On a more positive note, the 2007 Andorran representatives Anonymous have posted their new song Self Belief on their official MySpace page. I still can't believe they didn't make it to the final, sigh.

i...um, oh bloody hell.

Iceland!

Dr. Spock (Eurovision 2008 Iceland)

I just want to imagine what would have happened if this was going to Belgrade for Iceland, that's all.  Also, what's with the guy that thinks he's Nick Cave?!?! AH!

I'm writing a paper for my Politics in the European Union class on widening & deepening in the EU in comparison to the ESC, specifically in 2003.  It's pretty awesome.

I'm definitely excited to see what happens at the Belarusian national final on the 21st, as it's a big ESC reunion party from this year and last.  Will their choice this year be better than Work Your Magic? God, that's a good song.  I might just listen to it now.

And oh oh!! Melodifestivalen!! For the Idol 2005 fangirl I still am was, Sibel Redzep & Ola Svensson participating makes me so very very happy.  I reckon the focus will be on Charlotte Perrelli of course, who won for Sweden in 1999.  I was going to make a Heroes related joke in relation to her last name (you know, the Petrelli family? yeah, ha. ha.) but forgot about the lack of a T present.  Otherwise, it would have been hilarious obviously.

Doesn't Albania decide who they're sending this weekend? GOOD LORD it never ends!

ah, the nationalism...

I've just gotten a hold of the 2003 contest on DVD with Terry Wogan's commentary.  While I love him more than life itself, I was amused by how he dealt with the nul-point UK entry of the year.  I mean, I wasn't expecting him to come out and bash them of course, but during the postcard after Jemini performed he exclaimed, "I think we can agree they've done us proud".

Really, Terry?

Jemini - Cry baby - United Kingdom - Eurovision 2003

He did mention that alcohol was being served in the hall that evening though, so that might explain it.

i think we have a winner, folks!

So I made my way through the Bulgarian heats up to this point, and was seriously underwhelmed with most of it.  I think the 3 acts that have qualified so far are definitely deserving (Nikolai Manolov being the most deserving of a win at this point, I think)

But man, was there a highly overlooked competitor or what!

Begacha - Ne vyarvai

I mean, what kind of commentary can I add to this?  It's simply brilliant.  I've probably watched this 10 times today, just in amazement really.  I definitely think this is a joke entry but I keep holding onto any hope that it's not, which would make this trainwreck 100000x funnier.  The audience are amazing during it as well, that must have been 3 hilarious minutes in that studio.

Tomorrow marks exactly 6 months until the ESC 2008 final!

the thanksgiving break eurovision to-do list.

So, I'm on Thanksgiving break right now (as the subject suggests) which finally gives me a bit of free time to accomplish things I usually don't get to when I'm in the midst of insane uni work.  So here is what I want to do over the next few days while I'm recovering from so much food my head hurts thinking of it.

• read A Song for Europe: Popular Music and Politics in the Eurovision Song Contest (editors Raykoff & Tobin) - this book might be my dream come true as a Political Science major + ESC fanatic. We'll see.
  
• watch the entries from the Bulgarian national heats from the 2nd week on
• same with Icelandic entries, excluding this past week
• find people going to Belgrade
  
• figure out convincing ways to get permission to take finals earlier in May (it figures that the final exam schedule starts the week before and continues until the day of the first semi-final)
• be totally on top of buying any of the tickets I can get my hands on.  Didn't the Helsinki tickets go on sale early December? Hmm.  I don't know if I'd want to be at the Arena for the final - I had what I perceived to be a better time at the Euroclub. Well, at least what I can remember of it.
• I don't know what else right now, I have a headache and I just want Croatia to win today
  

Are Austria the first country to officially opt out of ESC 2008?  I think so, from what I can remember.  Oh well.

good eurovision songs: part one

For a lot of people, the ESC is a joke.  It's full of terrible Europop tunes that incorporate horrible choreography and hideous outfits.  While yeah, this is definitely true for many of entries, there are some great tunes that are overlooked by the general viewing public after being blown away (and not in a good way) by some of the more "interesting" entries.  It's definitely a shame this is happening, because a good amount of songs coming from the ESC are far better than what is on the charts currently (really, if I hear "I Got it From My Mama" again I'm going to lose it)

First song that comes to mine is 2004's "Stronger Every Minute" by Lisa Andreas (representing Cyprus).

Lisa Andreas - Stronger every minute - ESC 2004

Let's put this lightly: 2004 was a terrible ESC year.  Well, at least in the semi-final.  No, actually in the final too.  There were only a handful of songs that I even liked, let alone could stand on their own outside of the contest, because let's face it - as much as ESC fans love some of the entries, they are definitely ESC-specific - by sticking to a well crafted formula that has worked for previous acts over the development of the contest.  The semi-final of the ESC in 2004 was particularly horrible, and while you had Greece and Ukraine at least raise the bar back to back halfway through, I wasn't really captivated by anything until the Cypriot entry.   After all the usual spectacle involved in the majority of the entries, this stripped down ballad was refreshing and absolutely beautiful, a definite highlight of the 2004 contest.  Lisa was also only 16 during this performance, amazing.

"Stronger Every Minute" came in 5th in the contest, tied with Sweden's Lena Philipsson.  Lisa's career didn't really benefit from the contest (sadly) but she seems to still be recording music, she's also a few months younger than me and I still can't believe that.