Indeed Malta is a small country and as people on the island joke, there is at least one person in every family, who has joined Eurovision as least once.
So, it’s small wonder there are gossips and rumours around the Eurosong in Malta, especially about former Maltese Eurovision artists.
Some say that Natalie Gauci, winner of Music Idol 2007, Australia shows interest in the European contest. Ms. Gauci seems to be looking for a winning song for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow.
Four amazing hours of Ukrainian party, and so many other participants performing during it: last night saw a massive Eurovision show at Euroclub, Sava Centre, Belgrade.
A show that we don’t get every day in Eurovision – this was last-night’s Ukrainian party within Eurovision 2008. Most delegations had come to the event marking it as one of the most significant nights withing the Contest.
Ani Lorak had invited the entrants of more than 10 other countries. On stage, we saw Sirusho (Armenia), Dima Bilan (Russia), Kalomira (Greece), Deep Zone (Bulgaria), Pirates of the Sea (Latvia), Boaz (Israel), Geta Burlacu (Moldova), Miodio (San Marino), Charlotte Perrelli (Sweden), Ruslan Alehno (Belarus), Morena (Malta), Diana Gurtskaya (Georgia), all coming out with mighty performances.
Special focuses of the night were Dana International, who wished good luck to Boaz, and most impressive last-year’s Ukrainina entrant Verka Serduchka. Verka gave a fantastic show singing 3 tracks, among them last-year’s cult hit “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” which reached position number 2 in the Final ranking, and two fresh hits. The new tracks follow the old path of her magesty Eurovision Queen’s art.
Ani sang her own interpretations of many world evergreens, such as Tina Turner’s “The Best”, Bon Jovi’s “My Life” to name but a few. The author of the lyrics of Shady Lady, the imminent composer Fillip Kirkorov attended the event, and supported on stage his newly-found hope, wishing her the best of luck.
Another fascinating moment was the presentation of a prototype instrument, which will be used by the Bulgarian entrants Deep Zone and DJ Balthazar. The Bulgarian band uses a Japanese Vesatax DJ guitar, which will be available on the market in not less than two years and promises to change the DJ image completely.
Seems like we are in for a terribly curious Eurovision year.
Now, I really have to add this after hours of fight: the net connection in my hotel is, unlike anything else in Belgrade, so impossibly bad, that you will have photo coverage of the event a bit later.
An ambitious Serbian project gathers six most beautiful Eurovision 2008 women for a special photo session.
Journalist Goran Iovanovic and photographer Zoran Ilic selected six most gourgeous ladies from Eurovision 2008 for a special photo session, which will be published in Alo daily newspaper, and Blitz Puls magazine. What’s so special about it, you might wonder. Well, something you don’t get every day is that the ladies wear nothing but the national flag of their country. Just like Marilyn Monroe with the US flag, back in the 40s.
The beauties, invited to participate in the project are Ani Lorak from Ukraine, Kalomira from Greece, Morena from Malta, Joanna from Bulgaria, Charlotte Perrelli from Sweden, and Isis Gee from Poland.
Asked how he decided to kick off this project, Goran said that he wouldn’t have missed this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, when tens of lovely ladies come to Belgrade. Goran promised to send over photos, so you will be able to enjoy them pretty soon. If you are too impatient, and are luckily in Belgrade, have a look at Monday’s issue of Alo.
Peace will come on the wings of fragrance. Or at least that’s what Diana Gurtskaya’s producers thought in order to produce a perfume with the singer’s name.
The producers and popular Georgian perfume designers created an exquisite perfume branded with the name of Georgian 2008 ESC representative Diana Gurtskaya. Perfume «Diana Gurtskaya» is not aimed to puff the value of Diana Gurtskaya song, but simply to enhance her image. Reflecting Ms. Gurtskaya’s strong personality, the perfume also manages to blend her energetic and independent character, style, and Eurovision track creating a distinct recognisable identity.
A combination of hyacinth, iris, and pink pepper flavours topnoted with warm patchouli and ambergris accords creates a sensation of self-assertion,
Diana’s producers say, and continue:
This will complete and help getting to the audience the true essence of Diana’s inner world expressed in her song «Peace Will Come».
This product is part of a massive production that flourishes over every Eurovision season. The team of all artists are eager to please their fans, and come up with various, sometimes hilarious, ideas in order to boost up their performance. And fans reply with enjoyment of every piece of merchandise and promo item.
Situation with ticket purchase for Eurovision Song Contest, Serbia, 2008 turns out to be Waiting-for-Godot-like.
Picture you’re an average Eurovision fan. You usually plan your trips to the Euro extravaganza well in advance. Buying a ticket is a task number one, once you’ve decided to visit the event. You don’t sleep for days on end waiting for the sacred day, when the host TV will open up the ticket sale.
What is your surprise when neither of the well-known sources refer you to any place where you can buy the cherished piece of paper!
Just like you, I was searching for tickets. As a Eurovision “expert”, I promised my friends to find tickets, “at least for the Final, please”, so that’s how my venture took off: I visited the official website of the venue, the website of the host TV, all the vendors I know. None!! The selling points remained silent till the end of the day, and I remained awaiting their answer.
Anyway, rumours have it that tickets for the 2008 ESC will be available soon. Lets wait and see.
Update: Tickets are now available for package purchase online.
Do you remember Silvia Night? The bold carnival-like girl representing Iceland with a noisy show at the ESC held in Greece last year… So, Silvia has her own mega show on the Swedish channel TV 400, which has been a grand success in Scandinavia. But it has finally come to an end. The last episode features Silvia at last getting over her failure to go to the Final of the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, as she is getting more and more successful in LA.
Miss Night competed with the song “Congratulations”, which, unlike Cliff Richard’s song of the same name performed in 1968, didn’t enjoy the same fame. But for sure, the Icelandic beauty provoked the audiences in Athens with her behaviour and outfit.
Busy as he might be, Dmitry Koldun will next go to Sofia, Bulgaria as a special guest in the national selection show EuroBGvision. Koldun will have a mini-gig as he’ll be singing for like a quarter of an hour, presenting the best of his musical art.
EuroBGvision show is the Bulgarian national broadcaster’s attempt to draw more fans to the Eurovision idea, explaining the basis of the Contest, providing some history, starting up furious discussions between the commentators, and giving the floor to the crowds. The stage is given to singers from all over the country and Bulgarians living abroad, who want to try their luck to qualify for the grand stage in Belgrade. Most of them are way below the average, but this doesn’t seem to bother those with no ear for music.
Koldun is the best qualifying artist for Belarus, since the country’s first participation in 2004. After his grand success in Helsinki this spring, he’s been quite busy, filming videos all over the place, mostly in Moscow. Seems like Russia’s enjoying the miracle from Minsk more than anyone else.
The beginning of this week saw the opening of the Belarusian national selection. State TV of Belarus, along with most broadcasters whose artists finished in the top 10 in this-year’s ESC, protested against the introduction of the new format. Still, the country will continue participating in the Contest with a fresh artist. Who will they be? We’ll know in a couple of months.