Eric Saade meets Uk's Blue in Eurovision city- Dusseldorf

Eric Saade +Blue-what a line up in Dusseldorf old town

Eric Saade finally met U K hot favorites Blue for a photo op for the swedish press- this seems to be the only time both acts have met as they are very likely to be rivals in this years final. Of course Sweden and Eric Saade has to gain a place in the final first,
and the pressure is on.
This year Sweden have gone for a performance based song
With a lot of dancing and finally the Wow factor of the breaking glass along with a
Great song that has been top of the Swedish charts for weeks. Certainly Eric is certainly no newcomer
at home in Sweden he has recently had a few chart hits and top selling debut album. All under the wing of master of svenska pop Fredrik
Kempe so he is 'Popular' already. Eric is creating alot of publicity due to last year's disapointment Sweden became a non-qualifing country in Eurovision 2010 in Oslo

However Eric has also been overwhelmed by international support for him He told Poplight site-

'I have received several awards, it's crazy. In Russia, it felt like I had awesome support, and in France, I got a standing ovation" "It's great to have all this overseas success suddenly abroad.

Eric has come a long way since last May presenting the Swedish votes last year in Oslo- when he really wanted to be there in person. Let hope he does to put Sweden back on the Eurovis' Map- Go Eric--

Check out Eric Saade's full uncut official

video of 'Popular' here

Iceland's magic strikes again in Dusseldorf with 'Coming Home'

-Iceland in 2011 has a song and tribute to the songwriter Sigurjón Brink who died suddenly in the past January.

The only Nordic country without a massive history in Eurovision, they first entered in 1986 with ICY and finished 16th place with 'Gledibankinn' this 80's pop band featured Eirikur Hauksson- who represented Iceland in 2007. This showed the quailty this small country Iceland could offer to Eurovision- Since 1986 they have never -missed a heartbeat!

Johanna- proved they can win coming 2nd to Alexander Rybak in 2009- for sure 'Fairytale' became unbeatable. So to be runner up in 2009 this really was a victory in it's self. Joanna came back to the National Final however did not win witha new ballad 'Slow down' just as good as 'It's True'

For the past 3 years Iceland have qualified in the Eurovision final, not easy as it used to be for some of the nordic countries.

This year's 'Coming Home' is no different, what a terrific melody - a wonderful harmony and performance from Sjonni Friends I hope this tune gets a top 10 it deserves we will see?

Another face you may remember in Sjonni Friends is Gunnar Olason he was part of Two Tricky and sang 'Angel' for Iceland back in 2001- and finished 23th.

The scary truth about Turkey's Yüksek Sadakat !

I knew I had seen Turkey's latest rock band before- in a different decade

maybe - then I learnt how they

"They sleep all day party all night. (kewl)

Never grow old! (hmmmm...)

Never die, its fun

when your a V#***re"

-Now the lyrics of 'Live it up' make sence -

please beware Duncan, Lee, Antony & Simon don't get to near to Yüksek Sadakat just in case..... (we need u guys to bring it home)

My Top 10 Songs--from Semi-Final 0ne

Who would think Eurovision week in Dusseldorf would come around so soon.

Yet each year Eurovision grows not with just more countries, or old ones like Austria & Italia,

also with progress it developes and grows. Certainly the time when this European Song contest

was an introduction to several brand new songs never heard before are over-

With the internet websites u-tube and downloads stores the battle of the favourite song, begins weeks before- if we choose we can hear a countries tune over and over.

This I personally find this all refreshing, as for example Iceland's 'Coming Home' has grown to be a favourite of ESC 2011, and while it may well get missed among the up-beat showstoping effects of the other entries.

Its a tune that grows on you- and in past growers have never stood a chance much.

So after many listens, + having seen some of the rehearsals-

this is schlagertunes top10-- of semi final 1 ( in a random order)

Malta's Glen Vella living the dream of his 'one life'

-Poland -Jestem -Magdalena

-Turkey- Live it up - Yuksek Sadakat

-Norway- Haba haba- Stella

-Russia- Get you- Alexej Vorobjov

-Serbia- Caroban- Nina

-Malta- One Life- Glen Vella

-Azerbaijan- Running scared- Ell & Nikki

-Iceland- Coming home- Sjonni's Friends

-Hungary- What about me? Kati Wolf

-Armenia- Boom boom- Emmy

The Eurovision teens of 2011- Opening party in dusseldorf-

feel the excitment.

BLUE rehearsal in dusseldorf!

Lot of artists have completed rehearsals in Espirt Arena- now it is the turn of the big 5-

Blue finally reveal not only a new mix and take on I can but some wonderful backdrop

screen visuals --

Blue on BBC Breakfast Tv - reveal All !

check it out buff -Blue boys - tatts'n' all

click here to see it.

BLUE interview + graham norton

also one great Tv appearence in Holland- on

Life4you hear gary barlow & robbie williams

views on Blue- 'I can'

jedward have landed in dusseldorf & hung out with Lena already!

during 1st rehearsal - Jedward

Jedward boys are full of irish-joy- check out their first interview with a translator-

we heard the lads were so excited about using a foreign translator.

Everyone else just was left thinkin' just how can anyone possibly translate at the pace the twins both talk? well- it turned out they can, in russian anyhow - Also in true Jed-style Lena the german winner of Eurovision could not wait to met them, she organised to pick them up in a limo from the hotel

to take them on the first journey to Eurovision Espirt Arena. As you can imagine Jedward were in their element to met Princess Lena Meyer Landrut.

Hear all bout that and more - in 3 secs chat here-------

PLuS---

jedward met Lena on U-tube-

check this out for all the fun when the 2 met

Jedward Strike a pose- as they get ready for Eurovision 2011

Jedward follow in UK's Blue centerfold for 'Attutide' They have appeared on GT Magazine (GayTimes) for this month-

check out Jedward- as guests Plus Jedward have this past week interviewed on the 'Late Late Show' - chatting about Royal wedding-goin to Eurovision & how Germany's Lena said raved about Ireland's bid for Euro fame. The guys seem to be very excited ... as the countdown begins...

Lena performs 'Taken by a Stranger' and interviewed on Tv before Dusseldorf

this is a sneak preview of how Lena's performance will look in the final- very different from last year with robotic dancers adding to the mood of the song- currebtly Lena is in the middle of her tour though-out germany. This should help sharpen up her act, bring a ray of new confidence for the singer who can do no wrong.

In this interview she names Jedward, Blue (she was a big fan of UK's Blue boys-back then) & Kati Wolf as her favourites in Dusseldorf

check out the song & chat here--

Lena on 'Verstehen Sie Spass'

Dana International is back in Eurovision 2011- this time as a songwriter as well!

Isreal again will send Dana International to Dusseldorf. She won back in 1998 with 'Diva' a winning song played quiet often still. Dana has actually sent her song writing talent to the ESC even more recently in 2008 as she wrote 'Fire in your Eyes' sung by Boaz. This tune finished in 9th place in Belgrade.

Dana international has wrote 'Ding Dong' that seems to relate more to her Diva- roots that to the Boaz entry. How she will do will depend alot on the performance in her Semi-Final.

I hope it will qualify cus you want some schlager Diva-glam in any ESC final-

The official video of Ding Dong- is now out

'Ding Dong' the official Video

'1, 2, 7, 3- it is Showtime' As rehearsals have began in Dusseldorf for Eurovision 2001

It certainly is -Showtime...

Its also a full 2-weeks to go, before Eurovision Song Contest 2011. The favourites are now established, and the internet is alive with reviews and polls on this year's songs.

You can even now check out on you-tube Germany's ARD1 reviews lots ESC 2011 tunes with Songchecker's Euro-Expert verdicts (in german)

Meanwhile in Dusseldorf at its all kicked off already- the press and artists have started to arrive in Germany. One of the great advantages of you-tube is- we can often view how its going with Eurovision rehearsals -on your favourites. Even if lots of us Euro-fans down under cannot be in Germany this year.

We can see how the artists look and sound 'live' in the arena, early on Estonia's 'Rockefeller Street' is one to watch for schlagertunes,

See here Getter's first soundcheck at Dusseldorf Esprit Arena--

Estonia's Getter Jaani one of the first to have a rehearsal slot for 2011-

- Getter Jaani Live in Estonia's national final 'Eesti Laul 2011'