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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!