Australia's inclusion

As many people know, Australia will line up in the Grand Final of the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest after being invited by the EBU as a special one-off event to mark the 60th anniversary of the annual contest.

Generally, I am against the inclusion of Australia for 2 reason

1) Other than airing the show they have nothing to do with Eurovision History and including them in the final is nothing more than a gimmick to attract news headlines and cause debate. The casual viewer will see it as desperation and be very confused which tarnishes the image of the contest further.

2) The straight route to the final is a kick in the teeth to the countries who have supported and taken part in the contest year after year. This actually annoyed me more than Australia being allowed in as surely someone like Switzerland or Sweden etc who have been central to the story of Eurovision deserve a place in the final above a country only being slotted in there for publicity.

Why not simply allow Australia to do the interval act or at a push have them in the Semi Final?

What are other Eurovision fans views on this?

Eurovision Quiz Book

Think you know Eurovision?

 

Try my latest quiz book available on Kindle. The Quiz Book can be read on any major device and you don't even need a Kindle to view it. A free download of the Kindle reader and you can test your knowledge of the contest.

Welcome Back!

The Eurovision Blog returns as the UK selection process for the 2015 contest in Vienna reaches its climax tonight. Hundreds of songs, for allegedly professional and amateur artists, have been submitted and the song has been chosen. All we can rely on for now is rumours and hearsay. Former reality contestants are again high on the rumour mill with Alexandra Burke and Rebecca Ferguson being heavily tipped. The rumour mill seems to favouring Burke and I certainly wouldn't see that as a bad selection.

We shall soon see!

We will be back with reviews, news and opinions on the all the songs for what is promising to be a fantastic year!

Eurovision Song Contest Quiz Book

Released recently the Eurovision Song Contest Quiz Book, written by myself, will test anyone's knowledge of the contest from the casual fan to the avid viewer. Think you know Eurovision? Test Yourself by following the link below.

Eurovision 2015

Just to clarify the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest will the 60th Edition of the show and take place on the 19th, 21st and 23rd of May 2015.

With 4 months to go let's start taking a look at the songs competing in the 2015 Contest....

Eurovision 2015

The first few weeks of the year are exciting for one year important reason....Eurovision nears.

The Eurovision addict will be back blogging in 2015 with previews, reviews and news of the upcoming contest.

Stay Tuned!

2014 Preview Coming Soon....

Watch this space.

Baku awaits.......

The ESC Addict blog is back up and running to cover all the events of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012. impressions of the rehearsals from Baku, predictions and as much content as can be crammed in during the next exciting week in Azerbaijan!

Welcome Back!

Well the national final season is well upon us and its time for ESC to make a return and see what Baku has in store for us in what I think is shaping up to be a very good Eurovision year!

Albania selects for Baku!

Always one of the first nations to select Albania have held thier national final early in the season and will be sending Rona Nishliu with the ballad Suus to Eurovision 2012 in Baku.

So now we have two songs for Eurovision 2012 before the year is even out and both are very good in their own manner. Rona Nishliu won the Albania final by some distance, not that that means a great deal, and the song is a very well performed ballad that has tended to go down well in the contest in recent years.

One thing that must be added at this point is that Albania have a common tendnacy to change the song massively before the finals so by the time we hear Rona in Baku, Suus will be very different indeed. The inevitable switch to English will occur at some point, they will play about with the temp, the orchestration will properly be lost in the bid to cut the time down and who knows what else, but if Suus is the basics of Albania's entry into Baku early signs are promising.

Rona is a singer for sure, and she will wow the audience with her voice and I can see the juries liking whatever version of this makes it to Baku so time will tell.

We are well on the road to Eurovision 2012 Baku now.

Happy New Year!

First Song Selected! Sinplus for Swizterland!

Is it really that time of year again? The National Final Season is underway with the first song already selected for Baku, almost 5 months in advance. The excitement has started already and I have to say on a personal level what a fantastic start to proceedings.

Sat in front of my laptop with an excellent stream from SF Tv on Saturday Night I watched as for once, a song I really wanted to progress to the ESC made it. Sinplus will represent Switzerland with the song Unbreakable. A great addition and a great start for Baku 2012!

The Swiss national final gained headlines for the return of the first ever winner of Eurovision Lyss Assia who many felt was a hot favourite going into proceedings. Could the 87 year old really trump the youngsters and take her place at Baku 2012? I thought it was possible but in the end, despite a better than expected vocal and a song that wasn't by any means awful, she failed to make an impact missing out on even the top 3.

The final itself started really poorly and by half way through even the most addicted ESC fans were beginning to give up hope but those who knew the songs prior to the contest knew what was coming and a succession of contenders to the throne cured that. Suddenly it all felt alive and by the time Sinplus took the the stage the contest was on.

Sinplus have a great sound, something close to The Killers and the problem Sinplus obviously have is their "sound" on the night and in Baku 2012 will rely on the vocals of the lead singer. Now I'm not saying Sinplus cant play live, Ive never heard them but the vocals at the NF weren't the best. English pronunciation was off a lot and this may effect the song in the final but that can easily be worked on. I'm sure Sinplus will be pitch perfect come Baku.

Lyss Assia did herself proud and it was nice to see her on stage again, a simple song, a simple performance and simple delivery. All very charming, all trying to tug the nostalgia strings but it didnt work. Not even the well fancied Katherine St Laurent could make it into the top 3 and without seeing the actual figures I have a feeling Sinplus will have ran away with it.

A deserved winner, a good song, a modern sound and something to add diversity to the contest, Sinplus - Unbreakable is a worthy winner and gets a massive thumbs up from ESCA.

Baku 2012 has got off to a flyer, long may it continue!

BAKU 2012!

Here is the official start of the ESCA's coverage of Eurovision Song Contest 2012 - Baku! Stay tuned for all the latest news, videos, links and opinion on next years contest!

Its good to be back!

Kalomira is back!

One of ESCA's favourite Eurovision acts launched her new single recently. Kalomira returns with This is The Time!

Safura's New Track

Title says it all!

Blue - Juries took "I Can" out!

Well it is very interesting to read this morning that as the figures of the Eurovision Final have emerged and the split between the jury and Public votes has been released, Blue did as expected impress "the people" of Europe coming 5th in the Televote which I feel was a much fairer placing than the 11th they finished in the final.

This as it seems was in part due to the jury vote which cast Blue 22nd in the final which is a ridiculous decision

RIP Kathy Kirby

In tribute to the late great Kathy Kirby who passed away this week, her performance from the Eurovision Song contest. A great talent and thoughts go out to her family and friends

Rumor Mill Begins for Baku 2012

Well I am very surprised this morning to read that the Azerbaijan delegation is considering...wait for it...building a brand new arena for the Eurovision Song contest. Baku has a couple of choices but the fact that the nation want to wow the European audience even more by building something new for the event says a lot about what this victory means.

I guess Azerbaijan want to make sure they give off a great impression, after all Germany put on such a great show in terms of venue and staging it will be hard for any nation to match it.

If they are to build a new stadium, avoid the British builders....it wont be finished for 2022 let alone 2012 if thats the case!

Congratulations Elle and Nikki!

After a ESC which provided surprises in the Semi's, great performances and some of the most exciting voting in years all that is left to say is congratulations to Elle and Nikki on their excellent win in Dusseldorf.



Keep tuned to ESC Addict for the run up to Baku 2012!

Semi Final 1 Delivers Surprises!

Well Well Well!

The first semi final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 has given us one of the most unpredictable semi finals since the new system came into place. The arena looked fantastic and the solid performances kept coming and coming. Each of the 19 nations did their all to gain a place in the final but only ten made it.....and at least half of them were a shock!

Turkey, Norway and Armenia.....tipped by many to be top 10 contenders all out. Albania a nation who always seems to make it through crashing out.

In their place strode the likes of Switzerland, rewarded for a brilliant effort from Anna Rosinelli who gave a stunning vocal performance to ensure she won over votes. The Icelandic folk track which struck a chord somewhere down the line. Georgia was not tipped by many to do much this year but Eldrine made it through in one of the nights biggest surprises and Nina staked her claim for a final spot with a classic retro track to take Serbia into the final. Lithuania had been massively overlooked in the build up to the contest and that brought a huge grin to my gave when Evelina made it through.

Add to the pack the obvious qualifiers in Greece, Finland, Russia, Azerbaijan and Hungary and the contest provided a great first semi final.

A really entertaining evening and more reaction to follow.

Eurovision Semi Final 1 Prediction!

Well the time is finally here, less than 24 hours remain until the first Semi Final in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011. Here are my predictions. In no particular

QUALIFIERS 

Norway

Stella has everything going right for her in this song. A good stage production, an upbeat boot and bound to raise a smile on voters and juries alike. A great carnival song for the Eurovision song contest and Stella Mwangi will fly Norway into the final.

Russia

A song being overlooked by bookmakers and pundits alike. A potential winner of the whole contest given how well Russia have done in previous years with bad songs, considering this year they have something upbeat and that has a good staging this will qualify and contend for victory.

Greece

One of the best performing ESC nations with perhaps one of their weakest songs in years but still should be enough to qualify especially with the good draw. An infectious chorus with a good vibe, this should see Greece make the final again.

Armenia

One of the nations due a Eurovision win, I did not take to this song at first but the crew have put together an awesome stage show and this will see the nation qualify again.

Turkey

For the first time in a number of years Turkey are not being talked about as possible winners. Whilst this rock number may only scrape into the Top 10 in the final it will see Turkey qualify again without doubt.

Azerbaijan

Another of the countries due an ESC win, this duo will qualify with this modern upbeat ballad and could be one of the countries challenging within the lower half of the top 10 come the final.

Finland

Subtle, appealing and vastly different to anything else on show in this semi final the great staging effects and subtle tones of this slow burner should win enough support to see it through to the final. 

Hungary

Massively overrated and will not be challenging for the title in the final but should qualify easily. A typical example of a fan favorite that will burn out come the night. Expect no higher than 7th in the final.

I see the above as definite qualifiers and this leaves a right old scrap for the final two places between.......

Albania - Usual qualifiers with powerful vocals on this one

Serbia - Different enough to stand out? Stylish, classy and stylish vocals!

Switzerland - Lovely modern ballad with catchy chorus

Iceland - The story behind the song may win votes, plus its catchy

Croatia - Cheesy, pop tastic and memorable. Could make it!

Georgia - Could well ease the rock tastes of europe.

Could go either way and it will be very interesting on the night. Malta, San Marino, Poland, Lithuania and Portugal have no chance of making it. Of those involved if forced to choose I would say Croatia and Albania. 

Hence to clarify, ESC Addict is predicting the following to qualify from Semi Final One -

• NORWAY
• RUSSIA
• TURKEY
• GREECE
• ARMENIA
• FINLAND
• HUNGRAY
• AZERBAIJAN
• CROATIA
• ALBANIA

ESC Addict hopes the following will qualify

• NORWAY
• RUSSIA
• TURKEY
• GREECE
• ARMENIA
• FINLAND
• HUNGRAY
• AZERBAIJAN
• SWITZERLAND
• SERBIA