Just Kidding! Bosnia and Herzegovina Will Not Compete!

Because life is a hard and cruel game, Bosnia and Herzegovina announced its withdrawal from next year's Eurovision Song Contest. This will be the third year that Bosnia will not compete in the Contest, siting financial reasons.

The following nations have confirmed their participation in the 2015 Contest: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, France, Finland, FYR Macedonia, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Sweden, The Netherlands, and The United Kingdom.

Greece will be allowed to compete as soon as its membership to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is approved. Bulgaria is still making a decision in regards to its participation.

And sadly, Eurovision-favorite, Ukraine, was forced to withdraw due to ongoing political turmoil in the region.

Last week, FYR Macedonia held the very first Eurovision national selection of this year, Skopje Fest. Daniel Kajmakoski and his song, "Lisja esenski," were chosen to represent Macedonia next May.

Rejoice! Bosnia and Herzegovina Confirm Participation in 2015!

Bosnia and Herzegovina, one of my favorite Eurovision countries, will be back after after a two year absence. Bosnia has never won the competition, but they are a well-liked country. In 2006, they came in third place with the song "Lejla" by Hari Mata Hari.

Bosnia joins a long list of nations who have confirmed they will take part next year: host country, Austria, as well as Montenegro, Belarus, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, France, UK, Germany, Greece, Belgium, FYR Macedonia, Switzerland, Portugal, Malta, Cyprus, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, and The Netherlands.

Turkey, Monaco, Luxembourg, Andorra, Slovakia, and Czech Republic will be absent from the competition.

From The Vault: Elnur and Samir

In 2008, Azerbaijan participated in Eurovision for the very first time. For their debut, they sent Elnur and Samir (Elnur Hüseynov and Samir Javadzadeh), a pop-opera duo influenced by mugham, a genre of traditional Azerbaijani folk music. Their song, "Day After Day" describes an epic battle between good and evil. 

Elnur, dressed as an angel, and Samir, dressed as the Devil, were joined onstage by angel babes and devil sluts. And a costume change! They knew what they were doing. Perhaps it is a bit excessive, but nuance is hard when you're trying to appeal to viewers in 40 different countries. And you know what will never get docked points at Eurovision? Enthusiasm. Voters felt the same: they awarded this entry 132 points, and it finished in eighth place. Not bad for first timers.

Eurovision has always been very popular in Azerbaijan. Participation is taken very seriously and is viewed as a great source of national pride. They are a favorite country in the Contest, and 2011 brought the first Azerbaijani victory with "Running Scared," a sweet, bubbly duet between Ell and Nikki (Eldar Gasimov and Nigar Jamal). They have toned it down a little bit since their debut.

Austria Announces Host City

Since Conchita Wurst won Eurovision in May, her home country, Austria, will have the honors of hosting next year's competition. The cities of Innsbruck and Graz were considered for the position of host city, but it was announced today that the capital, Vienna, has been selected.

Vienna has a rich cultural history and is regarded as the "City of Music." It is home to many beautiful cathedrals, operas, museums, imperial palaces, and the world's oldest zoo. The Wiener Stadthallen was chosen as the official venue of the Contest. It has an approximate seating capacity of 16,000 and has hosted some of the biggest musical performers in the world, including Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and former Eurovision winner, Céline Dion.

Eurovision 2015 has been scheduled for the third week of May, with the two semifinals taking place on May 19 and 21, and the final on May 23. This is only the second time Austria will host the Contest, the first was also in Vienna, in 1967.

Conchita In America

Well, Eurovision 2014 has come to an end, and we're all getting over our little Eurovision hangovers. We're rested, rehydrated, and ready to talk about CONCHITA!

This little lady has clearly taken Europe by storm. But now she's spreading her Austrian phoenix wings and making the trip to the United States. American news sources, from CNN to The New York Times, even The Wall Street Journal and my own newspaper, The Chicago Tribune, are reporting on Conchita's victory.

John Oliver, who is, of course, a native Brit, commented on Conchita's win, and also how the crisis between Russia and Ukraine played out during Eurovision, on HBO's Last Week Tonight.

What is it about this Eurovision result that makes it newsworthy in America? Advances in social media certainly make following the Contest easier nowadays. And, of course, Americans are taken with Conchita's unique look. Eurovision has been around for almost six decades, but there's something exceptional about this year, and that's why it's being reported in the States.

Conchita Wurst is front page news because she, a transsexual played by a man named Tom Neuwirth, won the votes of an incredibly complex and disparate continent. A transgendered woman won before, and a drag queen once came second, but Conchita's win this year is important because of the dangerous clashes in Eastern Europe. Russia, unfortunately, is a nation known for its homophobia and mistreatment of gay people. And they were audibly booed in the arena when they were awarded points. The battle lines have been drawn, and people are taking note. Austria didn't win with just the help of Western Europe, they received votes from almost all of the former Soviet countries: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Moldova, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, and Lithuania. Even Russia gave Conchita Wurst five points!

The victory of Conchita sends a signal to the entire world that times are really changing and progress is being made. Eurovision was created in 1956 to reunite a war-torn continent. And it's being used today to mend relations and show the way towards a future of peace.

So, congratulations to Conchita Wurst. I hope we keep hearing about you in America.

And The Winner Is...

The upmost congratulations to CONCHITA WURST from Austria! A dark horse from the beginning, Conchita became an audience favorite thanks to her originality and talent.

In a year where parts of Eastern Europe are war-torn, the victory of Conchita is truly moving. In the arena, during her performance, the audience could be heard singing along with "Rise Like A Phoenix." As she was crowned the winner, Conchita said, "This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom. You know who you are. We are unity, and we are unstoppable."

Austria's final vote tally was 290. In second place, The Netherlands, with 238 points. Sweden came third with 218. What a wonderful, and talented top three!

It was an amazing night. Congratulations to Conchita! Can't wait to see you in Austria next year!

Results From The Second Semi-Final

Part two of the 2014 semi-finals took place today in Copenhagen, and here are our ten qualifiers!

Firelight from Malta: This gets the family-friendly vote for sure. Their folksy song is incredibly likable, and it will do well in the finals.

Carl Espen from Norway: Simple and moving. Loving this moody ballad.

Conchita Wurst from Austria: WOW. Well, this is an amazing performance. There is a huge movement behind Conchita, and it's now believed this underdog has a real chance to win on Saturday.

Sebalter from Switzerland: Another cute folk song, but this won't do as well as Malta.

Teo from Belarus: The Belorussian Robin Thicke advances.

Tinkara Kovac from Slovenia: This is the most surprising finalist of the night. I like Tinkara, but her song isn't as dynamic as some of the others.

Freaky Fortune feat. RiskyKidd from Greece: Greece really brought it this year. Their song is probably the most fun, most party-ready song in the whole contest right now.

Softengine from Finland: An alternative band with a catchy song. They get the straight guy vote.

Donatan & Cleo from Poland: Welcome back, Poland! Though Cleo's voice faltered, the performance was incredibly entertaining (let's be real here: this made it through because of gratuitous Polish boobs).

Paula Seling and Ovi from Romania: This performance gave me LIFE. It was completely over-the-top and wonderful, everything we (I) wanted from Romania. From holograms to a circular piano, Danish presenter, Lise Rønne, could not have been more correct when she commented, "Less is not more."

Shortly after the finalists were announced, a running order for Saturday's final was created. Remember, in an incredibly competitive year like this, the order in which you perform can mean everything. Traditionally, entries have a much better chance of winning if they are placed within the second half of the show.

The Best of the Rest

Tonight is the second semi-final in Copenhagen. 15 entries will compete for the remaining 10 spots in the final.

Norway's Carl Espen is expected to do well. "Silent Storm" was chosen through Norway's Melodi Grand Prix (which is similar to Sweden's Melodifestivalen in its scope and popularity). It's not my typical Eurovision pick (I usually prefer something a bit more flashy or ridiculous), but I'm captivated by Norway's haunting ballad.

From Israel, we have Mei Finegold with "Same Heart." GET IT GIRL. Mei got her start through Israel's version of American Idol, a program called Kokhav Nolad. Israel last won Eurovision in 1998 with the lovely Dana International, who is a transgender male-to-female performer. "Same Heart" is a great pop song with a strong club following, and it will do well among certain audience members (gays).

And now, we got to Malta with the band, Firelight. Malta has participated in the Contest 27 times, and they've never won. Personally, if you want folk, I think The Netherlands is putting forth a stronger entry. But there's a lot of buzz behind "Coming Home." With the popularity of bands like Mumford and Sons, Firelight has a very good chance of making it to Saturday's final, and maybe winning the whole thing.

American viewers, the second semi-final starts at 2pm Central Time. Watch here.

The Wild Cards

There's a lot of talk about Austria's Conchita Wurst. She was chosen as the representative very early in the Eurovision process (back in September of last year), which is usually a good sign. Of course, the first thing people notice about Conchita is her out-of-the-ordinary look: a beautiful drag queen with a full beard. But what's really exciting is the realization that she can actually sing. Reports from rehearsals say that Conchita is killing it in the vocal department. 

Could Conchita Wurst actually be victorious at Eurovision this year? It's unlikely, but never forget that a bunch of Finnish men in monster costumes won in 2006 with record-breaking votes. So weirder things have happened.

After taking a two-year hiatus from Eurovision, Poland is BACK. Poland has never won Eurovision, and for the past decade, they have rarely made it out of the semi-finals. But producer Donaton and singer Cleo seem to make a good team. Their song, "My Slowanie" (translation: "We Are Slavic") has been getting a lot of buzz. Partly, because it is a fun song and such a great return for Poland, and partly, because the gratuitous music video is full of hot, sweaty boobs. The Metro called this "the rudest Eurovision entry ever," but it doesn't bother me. I'm loving Cleo's look, and of course, the clapping. More clapping in songs!

Two other unique entries are France and Belarus. It's unlikely that Twin Twin will win the competition for France on Saturday, but "Moustache" could become the song of the summer. Teo from Belarus will likely share a similar fate: his song, "Cheesecake," is fun and kind of ridiculous. He won't win, but his future as a Belorussian Robin Thicke looks promising.

Austria, Poland, and Belarus will perform in the second semi-final, taking place tomorrow night (2pm Central Time for my American friends). Let's hope they all get passed on to the final! Watch here. 

Results From The First Semi-Final

Eurovision 2014 has officially begun! The first semi-final took place in the B&W Hallerne music arena in Copenhagen. It was a fabulous start to what looks to be a landmark year for Eurovision. And we have ten finalists! They are, in no particular order:

Aram MP3 from Armenia. No surprise here, he's a frontrunner in the competition.

András Kállay-Saunders from Hungary. Another obvious choice, although I still don't know how I feel about a pop song about child abuse.

Sanna Nielsen from Sweden. Looking and sounding beautiful, Sanna!

Dilara Kazimova from Azerbaijan. Azerbaijan always puts on a good show, and this year is no exception.

Pollapönk from Iceland. A fun, silly song about loving others.

Tolmachevy Sisters from Russia. These poor girls were actually booed when it was announced they made it through the semi-final. The audience was not feeling Russia.

The Common Linnets from The Netherlands. I was blown away by this performance. Very beautiful and subtle. And I am an American, so I have a soft spot for country music.

Mariya Yaremchuk from Ukraine. A fierce performance from Ukraine. Loving the hamster wheel.

And, for the first time, Montenegro and San Marino both qualified for the final! Congratulations to Sergej Cetkovic and our girl, Valentina Monetta! And congrats to all the finalists.

Balkan Power

Never underestimate a good Balkan entry. The people in this region are fierce Eurovision fans. They vote a lot, and usually, for each other.  There's a strong, uniting drive that brings these countries together and makes them a powerful force in Eurovision.

The last Balkan nation to win Eurovision was Serbia in 2008. I think it's time for another Balkan victory.

These two fabulous weirdos are back with "Miracle." Paula Seling and Ovi were last seen at Eurovision in 2010, when they came third, giving Romania its best ever placement. It's no secret that I love them and would like to see them win on Saturday. They are great performers, and Romania would make a wonderful Eurovision host next year. This song might be a little too old-school-club-hit for some of Western Europe, but the Balkan countries will no doubt throw Paula and Ovi their support. Let's all hope Paula can hit that note.

Sergej Cetkovic is representing Montenegro with "Moj svijet" (translation: "My World"). Montenegro has been participating in Eurovision since 2007, and they have never made it through the semi-final. But with "Moj svijet," they have their first legitimate chance. Sergej is a big celeb in Eastern Europe, and I think this beautiful Balkan ballad will enchant international voters. Montenegro appears in the first semi-final tonight, and hopefully, they will sail through.

Russia, though not part of the Balkans, obviously has enormous influence in this region. From the gay rights scandals during the Winter Olympics, to the horrible ongoing clashes in Ukraine, Europeans are not happy with Russia's behavior lately. The Tolmachevy Sisters, two twin girls who won Junior Eurovision in 2006, will also perform in the semi-final tonight. Since their Eurovision debut in 2000, Russia has never missed a final. Will they be able to get the votes to make it out of the semi-final tonight? Or will Western European countries send their support elsewhere?

Americans watching at home, the first semi-final takes place at 2pm, Central Time. Watch it here.

Everybody's Talking About...

According to online polls and Eurovision bloggers, Hungary is the one to beat this year. New York-born András Kállay-Saunders is representing Hungary with his song, "Running." It's a good song, although perhaps a bit puzzling to some. The lyrics deal with the somber issue of child abuse, but the music is upbeat and club-influenced. This may turn off some who feel the topic of domestic violence is too heavy for a music contest, or it might convince voters that songs from Eurovision can be more meaningful and have a positive social message. Either way, it is a strong entry, and András is one of the most talented vocalists in the competition this year.

People are also talking about Spain's Ruth Lorenzo. Now, Spain last won Eurovision in 1969, and since then, they have done poorly in the Contest. Ruth might change all of that this year. She started getting international attention in 2008, when she appeared on the fifth season of The X Factor (in the UK, which could get her some big votes from Britain). Ruth has a beautiful and strong voice, and "Dancing In The Rain" is extremely accessible. Personally, I find this song BORING, but it might be sweet and simple enough (read: BORING) to captivate audiences of all ages.

And then we have the lovely Molly from the United Kingdom. Yes, this is a great song. Very current, very fun. But I think the reason why "Children of the Universe" is getting so much buzz is because it is so vastly different from the last few British entries. Finally, the UK is trying again! They're not sending someone over the age of 60, there's no rapping, no gimmicks, no Andrew Lloyd Weber. It's just a good song written by an up-and-coming young artist, and it will be well received by international viewers. Good for you, Britain. Welcome back.

And from the far east, we have Aram MP3 from Armenia. Eurovision betting odds have picked "Not Alone" as the winner. Armenia has only been in the Contest since 2006, but this is the entry of a much more seasoned pro. The song ties together a ballad with dubstep, and it works, somehow. It's a very strong contender, and I think the staging and performance will be crucial in determining if this is our winner.

The Time Is Nigh!

Eurovision 2014 is upon us! Performers arrived in Copenhagen last week to rehearse for the big event. The running order for the two semi-finals have been established, and there's no doubt it's going to be a spectacular week.

The competition is fierce this year. For the first time since I started watching Eurovision, I have no idea who will win. Usually, there are clear front-runners, and you just know they will do well, as with Alexander Rybak in 2009, Loreen in 2012, and even Emmelie de Forest in 2013. But the competition this year is neck-and-neck. There are at least ten very strong entries, and quite a few dark horses that have people talking.

What this means is that we have a very exciting week ahead of us. Since most of the songs are so good, the actual performance on the Eurovision stage will count for a lot. That, and running order in the final, which is determined by officials from the host country (Denmark, of course) after the second semi-final. The strongest position to have is in the last quarter of the show. Whoever wins will have to really fight for it.

Semi-finals are Tuesday and Thursday, and the finale will be on Saturday. You can watch live through the eurovision.tv website. Tomorrow, I will start analyzing the contenders. I'll be posting all week, bringing news from Copenhagen.

From The Vault: SunStroke Project and Olia Tira

In 2010, Moldova sent a jazz-influenced electronic group called SunStroke Project to Eurovision. The band was composed of Sergei Yalovitsky (vocals), Sergey Stepanov (saxophone), and Anton Ragoza (composer and violinist). The trio named themselves after an episode of heat stroke that Stepanov suffered while serving in the army. Fun! The group added Olia Tira, a German-born Moldovan musician, for their Eurovision performance.

Wowee! They put on a great show, but it wasn't enough, sadly. SunStroke Project came in 22nd place that year with a mere 27 votes.

Their greatest achievement, however, might be that Stepanov's enthusiastic performance at the Contest spawned an internet meme, "Epic Sax Guy." If you really want to, you can watch him play saxophone for 10 hours.

Since their appearance at Eurovision, SunStroke Project attempted to represent Moldova again in 2012, but they lost out to Pasha Parfeny (who, coincidentally, was an early member of SunStroke Project). Olia Tira still performs with the group, but has also embarked on her own solo career, going by the name FLUX LIGHT. She competed for a chance to represent Moldova earlier this year, performing a song called "Never Stop No." 

Moldova has only been in the Contest since 2005, and their best showing was their first year. A band called Zdob si Zdub came in sixth place with "Bunica bate toba" (translation: "Grandmamma Beats the Drum"). The lead singer's actual grandmother was onstage with the group for the performance, and she got up from her rocking chair and literally beat on a large drum. And for that, they received 148 points!

Moldova has unique point of view when it comes to their Eurovision representatives, which is why they are so fun to watch. They always have something interesting to say with their entry.  This year, they are sending a singer named Cristina Scarlat with the song, "Wild Soul." Good luck to Moldova!

I'm Sorry I'm Writing About Sweden Again

I know, Melodifestivalen is over. I should move on. But I'm fascinated with the idea that Swedish producers and musicians are behind most of our American pop music, and we don't even know it. Pacific Standard published an article this week that explains why Sweden's unique brand of pop music has taken over American airwaves.

 "So how did Sweden, a sparsely populated Nordic country where it's dark for much of the year, become a world capital of pop music?" 

In the 1940s, conservative leaders in Sweden established a system of music schools that would be open and affordable to all. Their intent was to encourage young students to study classical music, and to keep out foreign influences of pop and rock n' roll. Over the years, school curriculum evolved to include pop; and today, there are studies in mixing and EDM (electronic dance music). So now, you have an enormous, government-run organization that is educating young Swedes about the exact kind of music it was designed to prohibit.

In the early 2000s, the Backstreet Boys, 'N Sync, and Britney Spears were based out of Florida, but all of their songs were coming from Stockholm. And when Katy Perry shattered records in 2010 and 2011 by spending a consecutive 69 weeks in the Billboard Top 10, there was a Swede behind her. But we don't even realize it. And that's why Eurovision is important, that's why I am obsessed with Sweden.

Read the full report here. 

Très Cool: French Edition

This happened a few weeks ago, but I was in a Melodifestivalen-induced coma, and I didn't write about it. France announced their representative through the weekly selection show, Les Chanson D'Abord, and it's a band called Twin Twin!

Twin Twin is made up of real life twins, Lorent Idir and François Djemel (I don't know why they don't have the same last name, either), and a third member, Patrick Biyik.

The last time France won Eurovision was all the way back in 1977. They have five victories to their name, but all were in the first few decades of the ESC. In more recent years, they have not fared well. France has a reputation for being a bit snobby about the Contest (shocking). They only send artists that sing in French, and it's not a good strategy for trying to appear universal and relatable.

But Twin Twin is young and fresh, and clearly, they are très, très cool. This entry may appeal to the younger, hipper audience of Europe. I doubt that a song entitled "Moustache" can win Eurovision, but it will definitely be a fun summer jam.

Great News From Sweden!

Swedes chose their winner today, and congratulations to Sanna Nielsen! As predicted, it was a heart-stoppingly close finish. Sanna beat runner-up, Ace Wilder, by 2 points.

So Who Should Represent Sweden?

If you've been reading my Melodifestivalen recaps, then you know tomorrow is the fateful conclusion of Sweden's Eurovision selection process.

If you're just joining us, the ongoing Melodifestivalen ("The Melody Festival") has been taking place in Sweden for the last five weeks. Now, most other European countries have their own national selection for Eurovision, but the reason I've been covering Sweden is because it's just so good. From the level of production, to the talent of the performers, the Swedes take it all very, very seriously. And there's a chance that us Americans could be hearing from one of the finalists in the future: though we don't necessarily realize it, Swedish musicians and producers are all over our American pop charts.

It's a strong year for Sweden, and the final reflects this. It's going to be a very close race. Nearly every entry could go to Eurovision and be successful (except for Linus Svenning's "Bröder," I just will never be okay with that). Now, traditionally, a lower placement in the line-up produces a victory. Going eight, ninth, or tenth is the strongest position to be in. But there's no obvious winner this year.

Great News From The UK and Romania!

After months of rumors and speculation, the BBC has finally revealed who will represent the United Kingdom in Copenhagen. No, it's not Geri Halliwell, Susan Boyle, Rylan Clark, or Belinda Carlisle. It's newcomer, Molly Smitten-Downes, who will be going by just "Molly."

This is great for the UK. Someone young and relevant (unlike their past two contestants, 77 year-old Engelbert Humperdinck and 62 year-old Bonnie Tyler). Molly is giving off some ethereal Florence Welch vibes, which will be well received at Eurovision. She sounds "new," the way Loreen did in 2012, and Emmelie de Forest in 2013.

After lots of success and five victories in the early years of Eurovision, the UK has dropped off since the 2000s. They last won in 1997 with Katrina and the Waves' "Love Shines a Light," and their most recent success was in 2009, when the Andrew Lloyd Weber-penned "It's My Time" placed fifth. But they have also come last three times, in 2003, 2008, and 2010. I think Molly will do very well at Eurovision. It's exciting to see the UK coming back with an entry that could actually be a contender.

Now onto Eastern Europe, where Romania has chosen their representative through a televised national selection show. Former Eurovision competitors, Paula Seling and Ovi, will return to the Contest in May.

There's a special place in my heart for Romania. They are one of the few countries who, since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2004, have never missed a final. Romanians have so much passion for the ESC, and I would love to see them win for once. Paula and Ovi are a good choice for representatives; when they came third in 2010, it was Romania's best ever placement. "Miracle" is a great, upbeat pop song, and it will be accessible and enjoyable for voters. Paula's voice is no joke, and I know they'll bring their over-the-top enthusiasm to Copenhagen. Great job, Romania!

Melodifestivalen: Andra Chansen

Saturday was the long-awaited Andra Chansen (the second chance round) for Melodifestivalen entries. The opening included a musical interlude that I can only guess was about these entries escaping death and crawling their way to the Andra Chansen round. Have I mentioned that these programs are entirely in Swedish (aside from some of the songs), and I do not speak Swedish? I can't find a video of this, so you're just going to have to trust me on this one!

The line-up:
1. "Raise Your Hands," Ammotrack
2. "Bröder," Linus Svenning
3. "Love Trigger," J.E.M.
4. "All We Are," State of Drama
5. "En himmelsk sång," Ellinore Holmer
6. "När änglarna går hem," Martin Stenmark
7. "Survivor," Helena Paparizou
8. "Echo," Outrigger

Melodifestivalen: Round 4

This was, by far, the most competitive week of Melodifestivalen. Lots of old favorites were back, and they brought the schlager with them.

The line-up:
1. "Blame It On The Disco," Alcazar
2. "Fight Me If You Dare," I.D.A.
3. "Hollow," Janet Leon
4. "Raise Your Hands," Ammotrack
5. "Hela natten," Josef Johansson
6. "Ta mig," Linda Bengtzing
7. "En himmelsk sång," Ellinore Holmer
8. "Natural," Anton Ewald

Melodifestivalen: Round 3

Round 3 of Melodifestivalen was held in Gothenburg last Saturday. Viewership was down for this week; most of Sweden is tuned into the Olympics in Sochi.

The line-up:

1. "Echo," Outrigger

2. "Red," Eko

3. "Yes We Can," Oscar Zia

4. "Burning Alive," Shirley Clamp

5. "All We Are," State of Drama

6. "En enkel sång," CajsaStina Åkerström

7. "Busy Doin' Nothin'," Ace Wilder

8. "Around the World," Dr. Alban and Jessica Folcker

Melodifestivalen: Round 2

Round 2 of Melodifestivalen was held on Saturday in Linköping. Former Melodifestivalen musician and comedian, Sean Banan, treated the audience to a very, very funny rendition of 1984's Eurovision winner, "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley" by Herreys. At the end, the actual Herreys reunited and performed their famous song.

The line-up:
1. "Love Trigger," J.E.M.
2. "Hallelujah," The Refreshments
3. "Glow," Manda
4. "Efter solsken," Panetoz
5. "I Am Somebody," Pink Pistols
6. "Undo," Sanna Nielsen
7. "Set Yourself Free," Little Great Things
8. "När änglarna går hem," Martin Stenmarck

Melodifestivalen: Round 1

Last Saturday marked the beginning of Melodifestivalen in Sweden. The event was held in Malmö, which was host city to Eurovision in 2013. Swedish comedians, Nour El Refai and Anders Jansson, have the duty of hosting the festival.

The line-up:
1. "To The End," YOHIO
2. "Aleo," Mahan Moin
3. "Bröder," Linus Svenning
4. "Casanova," Elisa Lindström
5. "Bedroom," Alvaro Estrella
6. "Songbird," Ellen Benediktson
7. "Bygdens Son," Sylvester Schlegel
8. "Survivor," Helena Paparizou

It's The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

Melodifestivalen, Sweden's music selection process for Eurovision, starts in a few days. What this means for us is that some amazing songs and performances are headed our way.

Melodifestivalen (translation: "The Melody Festival") is an annual, televised music contest. It's sort of like a mini-Eurovision just for Sweden. Since 1958, it has been organized and broadcast by Sveriges Radio (SR) and Sveriges Television (SVT), and it decides who will represent Sweden at Eurovision. The winner is determined by a combination of call-in votes and the scrutiny from a panel of judges (whose critiques are not broadcast).

So why is Melodifestivalen so important? Most European countries have their own televised selection process, so what makes this one special? Simply put, Sweden is very good at making music. The production values of this festival are incredible. Every year, thousands of performers fight for a spot to compete at Melodifestivalen because it has proven to be the launching pad for young or undiscovered musicians. Most of the songs that debut at Melodifestivalen become a hit in Sweden, or somewhere else in the world. And more Swedes watch Melodifestivalen than Eurovision itself. Sweden has a population of just over 9 million people, and 4 million watched Melodifestivalen last year. That's almost half of the country. Since 2000, it has been the most-viewed program on Swedish television, and the audience grows larger and more international every year.

We Americans don't always realize it, but a Swedish influence can be found nearly everywhere in pop music today. Swedes are just very good at writing catchy, popular songs. There is a name for this style of music, "schlager," which is a German word for "hit." Generally, schlager has fluffy lyrics about love and is accompanied by either a slow orchestral ballad or a dance/disco beat. However, it has evolved over the years to encompass any style of music that is considered popular, including rap and rock. So for the next month, contestants at Melodifestivalen will be sending out some amazing schlager to the world. I cannot wait. I'll keep you updated on the best, and weirdest (because yes, there are definitely some weird ones), from Sweden.

From The Vault: Ich Troje

In honor of Poland's return to Eurovision later this year (after a two year absence), let's talk about one of my favorite performances, Ich Troje.

Ich Troje is one of Poland's most popular bands. The group was formed in 1996 by Michal Wisniewski, who acts as the primary songwriter and lead singer, and composer, Jacek Lagwa. The members of the group have fluctuated; the female vocalist usually changes depending on who Wisniewski is married to at the time. In 2003, after Poland's public selection process for Eurovision, they were voted to represent their country, and they did pretty well. After receiving 90 votes, they finished seventh in the final.

In 2006, they were back! And they were ready to give Poland its first ever Eurovision victory!

This performance has everything. Vocal grates! Green hair! Sign language! Demure and definitely-not-over-the-top costumes! Enlisting the rapping styles of "O-Jay" Jeglitza from 90s German Euroband, Real McCoy! Scream-singing into the belly of your pregnant wife!!!

Tragically, Ich Troje finished eleventh in the semi-final, so they were not passed onto the final. (They missed it by six points.)

Ich Troje is an entry that sticks with me because they were just so genuine. Yes, the performance is completely overdone, but they were so pumped to be at Eurovision, representing their country again. They didn't know they were being ridiculous, they were just being themselves. 2006 was my first Eurovision, and it was an amazing year. Nearly every act was either genuinely talented, or a big, silly mess.

Welcome back, Poland!

Eurovision Royalty: Helena Paparizou

An interesting thing might happen later this year. A former Eurovision winner is trying to return to the competition. But this time, she's aiming to represent a different country.

Belarus to Send "Cheesecake" To Copenhagen

Belarus held their own national selection this weekend, and TEO, with his song, "Cheesecake," was crowned the winner.

According to eurovision.tv, "Cheesecake" refers to the nickname given to TEO by his ex-girlfriend. TEO, born Juri Yashchuk, wrote the lyrics to the song himself. Will 2014 be the year for Belarussian victory? We'll just have to wait and see. But I have a feeling that "Cheesecake" will be a memorable entry this year.

From the Vault: Tajci

Before its dissolution in 1992, Yugoslavia had a long career at Eurovision. They debuted in 1961, only five years after the first Eurovision was held. Yugoslavia won the Contest for the first and only time in 1989, with a song called "Rock Me" by Riva.

The following year, they hosted the competition in Zagreb (now the capital of present-day Croatia). Their representative was Tajci, an adorable, bouncy, 19 year-old Croatian singer, and her song, "Hajde da ludujemo" (translation: "Let's Go Crazy!").

Tajci, born Tatjana Matejas, finished in seventh place. Her musical career, unfortunately, was shortened by the breakup of Yugoslavia and the resulting Yugoslav Wars. She left her home in 1992 for the United States, where she worked as an actress and singer. Tajci now lives in Cinncinati, Ohio with her husband, and focuses on spiritual music and church performances. She has written a semi-autobiographical musical, "My Perfectly Beautiful Life."