Male Artists

🇨🇾 Theo Evan to represent Cyprus

Theo Evan will represent Cyprus in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest. That is what the singer himself announced on Instagram today. The singer was internally selected by the Cypriot broadcaster CyBC. Theo Evan is a Cypriot singer, born in Nicosia. He was already a singer and a dancer at the age of 7. In his teens he started writing songs himself. After finishing school in Nicosia, Theo moved to the United States to study music and performance at the famous Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. He did very well in his studies and has been invited back as an honorary guest at the university’s graduation ceremony three times, alongside stars like Missy Elliot, Pharrell Williams, John Legend, and Justin Timberlake! Theo released his first single, “The Wall,” in 2021, and since then, he has created a strong collection of songs, inspired by artists like Stromae, Michael Jackson, and reggaeton. Theo was also involved in the popular HBO TV series Euphoria, where he appeared as an extra!

Igor Cukrov

About Quick Facts NameIgor Cukrov Born06 June 1984 Nationality🇭🇷 Croatian National SelectionDORA 2009 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongLijepa tena (& Andrea, 2009) Biography Igor Cukrov, born on June 6, 1984, is a Croatian singer-songwriter, musician, and television personality. From an early age, Igor showed a strong interest in music. In 1991, he won first prize in Moj prvi nastup, a competition led by Remi Kazinotti. Two years later, in 1993, he won first prize for the first voice of “Pojišan” school and secured third place among all schools in Split. In 1994, Igor participated in the children’s version of the Split Festival, singing “Mali vrabac.” His talent continued to shine, and in 2003 he won the first prize for the first voice of Šibenik-Knin County. By 2007, he performed at the Split Festival with his single “Duša mi je bili kamen” and earned a prize for the best debutant. He also gained valuable experience as a tenor with the a cappella Cambi singers. Igor gained significant media attention in 2008 when he participated in Operacija trijumf, the Balkan version of Endemol’s talent show Star Academy. The show, which began on September 29, 2008, featured young talents from the former SFR Yugoslavia. Igor impressed audiences with his diverse repertoire, singing opera songs like “Con te partirò” by Andrea Bocelli and rock songs like “Angie” by the Rolling Stones and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith. Although he was expelled on the 13th gala event, judge Tonči Huljić later stated that Igor’s expulsion was an injustice. After Operacija trijumf, Igor aimed to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. He teamed up with Andrea Šušnjara and performed the song “Lijepa Tena,” written by Tonči Huljić. The song won the Croatian final, Dora, on February 28, 2008, and qualified for the Eurovision final from the second semi-final. The song finished in 18th place. In 2009, Igor released several singles, including “Mjesečar” and “Nebesa” (with Magazin). He continued to perform at various festivals, such as the Pjesma Mediterana in Budva, Montenegro, where he sang “Moja draga” in 2010. That same year, he also released “Prolij vino po meni” at the CMC festival Vodice. In 2011, he released the singles “Caca moj” and “Fali mi” under Hit Records, along with “Haljina na pruge.” In 2012, Igor performed “Dalmaciju minjat se ne može” at the Trogir fest and “Ajdemo jube” at the Splitski festival. He achieved third place at the Ohridski festival in Macedonia with “Korak po korak” in 2013 and released “Slučajno” featuring Ana Duderija-Šucur. In 2015, Igor continued to make waves with “Kraj mene si ti” featuring Bojan Delic at the Festival Suncane Skale in Montenegro. He also won first place at the Trogir festival with “Prida bi se mandolini.” His other notable singles include “Treba li mi netko kao ti” in 2010, “Za one što su kao mi” at the CMC festival Vodice in 2012, “Znaes li” at the Skopje fest in Macedonia in 2013, and “Sanjaj Hrvatska” at the CMC festival Vodice in 2013. Igor released “Jedna duša jedno tilo” in 2014 and “Jedino ti znaš me va dušu” in 2015 at the MiK – Melodije Istre i Kvarnera. In 2015, he also released “Volio sam cure” at the CMC festival Vodice and “E moj admirale” at the Splitski festival. In 2016, he released “Daruj sreću novim ljudima” under Hit Records, followed by “Da te zagrlim” in 2017. His most recent single, “Svoj na svome,” a collaboration with Mile Perkov, was featured at the CMC festival Vodice in 2022. Entries Lijepa Tena (& Andrea) Country🇭🇷 Croatia Year2009 LanguageCroatian LyricsVjekoslava Huljić MusicTonči Huljić BackingsIvana ČabrajaJelena MajićSanja JukićKarmen Matković Results Semi Points: 33Position: 13 (backup jury qualifier)Running order: 1 Results Finals Points: 45Position: 18 Running order: 5 https://youtu.be/jdLct2IqcLA?si=64z93hEYKaWmrV8G

Tomas N’Evergreen

About Quick Facts NameTomas Christiansen Born12 November 1969 Nationality🇩🇰 Danish🇷🇺 Russian National SelectionDansk Melodi Grand Prix 2010Evrovidenie 2009 (Russia) In Eurovision2010 Oslo SongIn A Moment Like This (with Chanée, 2010) Biography Tomas N’evergreen (born Tomas Christiansen on November 12, 1969, in Hadsten) is a Danish pop singer and songwriter. He is best known for winning the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix in 2010 with the song “In a Moment Like This,” a duet with the singer Chanée. The song placed fourth at the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo. Tomas has been successful in Eastern Europe, especially in Russia. He has had #1 hits and many other top 10 songs with tracks like “Since You’ve Been Gone” and “Everytime (I See Your Smile)” from his debut album “Since You’ve Been Gone” in 2007. The album sold more than 250,000 copies in Russia. He lived in Moscow, and in 2009 he competed in the Russian national final for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “One More Try.” He reached an 11th place. In 2010, Tomas teamed up with Christina Chanée to take part in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, the national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. They won with “In A Moment Like This” and became 4th in the Grand Final. More than a year later, in November 2011, Tomas teamed up with Kristina Orbakaite to sing “Tayna Bez Tayn”. It lead him to performing in front of the president of Kazahstan. In the years from 2010, Tomas performed a lot for the Russian TV-channel MuzTV. It brought him in Kazahstan for a 2nd time in 2015. He collaborated with the Kazakh artists A-Studio in that year. He also was nominated for a Muz-TV Award for best song in a strang language in 2015. In 2016, Tomas released a new single, “Pick up the phone”. In 2019 he got the chance to perform in Baku at Zharafest. In September of the same year he was able to perform in Yerevan. In September 2021 a single came out: “We go back”. The song hit the Danish charts. Meanwhile, he also played a role in a Russian tv-series. On New Years Eve 2022/2023 he performed at a concert in Dubai. In July 2023 his new single “I play for you” was released. In 2024, Chanée and N’Evergreen performed in the Euroclub in Malmö during the Eurovision week. Entries In A Moment Like This (& Chanée) Country🇩🇰 Denmark Year2010 LanguageEnglish LyricsThomas G:sonHenrik SethssonErik Bernholm MusicThomas G:sonHenrik SethssonErik Bernholm BackingsGry Trampedach JørgensenAnne MurilloJaana VähämäkiMads Enggård Jørgensen Results Semi Points: 101Position: 5Running order: 4 Results Finals Points: 149Position: 4Running order: 25 https://youtu.be/Px2UsvO1lCg?si=qqcnCXL3KXxvoYBX

In the spotlight: Slimane

Tomorrow, the big final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in the Malmö Arena. 26 countries compete for the win. One of them is Slimane , representing France But who is Slimane ? Let’s give him a spotlight. Slimane Nebchi was born on 13 October 1989 in Chelles, Seine-et-Marne, France. He is of Algerian descent through his grandparents, who migrated to Paris from Biskra and Ghazaouet. He attended Lycée Jehan de Chelles, and moved later to Les Lilas, a suburb of Paris. Career He started uploading covers to YouTube in 2009, and soon took part in several music competitions such as Nouvelle Star in 2009 and X Factor in 2011. In 2016, at the age of 26, he auditioned for season 5 of The Voice: la plus belle voix. All four judges turned their chairs. On 14 May 2016, he won the title with 33% of the public vote. After this win, his career took off; with 2 million albums sold, 5 Music Awards, 2 billion worldwide streams, 7 million followers on social media and a Victorie de la Musique to his name. Participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. In November 2023, was announced that he would represent France in the Eurovision Song Contest. Given his origins, quite a few people were against this. He chooses not to comment on this, and says himself: ‘Every day I “enjoy” at least one person who thinks that someone like me should not represent his country. But nowadays I can laugh about it, I think it’s so sad.’ The song The song was written in 2022 during a music tour. According to Slimane, the song to him is a “love letter to European hearts”, in line with much of Slimane’s music, which is mainly based on love. Slimane sees “Mon amour” as his first date with the viewer. And from that perspective, his final question to all of us is: “Do you love me… Or not?” What is your answer? Photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett

In the Spotlight: Joost Klein (dream big)

Tomorrow, the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest will take place in the Malmö Arena. Sixteen countries compete for a spot in the final. One of them is Joost Klein, representing the Netherlands. But who is he? Let’s give him a spotlight. Hans and Ella Klein (Joost’s parents) already had 2 children aged 15 and 14, when Joost was born on November 10, 1997 in Britsum (province of Friesland). Despite growing up in a loving family, Joost did not have an easy childhood. He was bullied for his white-blonde hair and introverted character.At the age of 12, he lost his father to a serious illness, and less than a year later he lost his mother.His life was turned upside down. Despite the loving care and support of his brother and sister, Joost has to temporarily stay with a host family.Joost finds comfort in making and posting YouTube videos. He is building his own community there, including other upcoming artists, with whom he will collaborate later. Career YouTube In 2008, Klein started a YouTube channel called “EenhoornJoost” (UnicornJoost) at the age of 10. His videos ranged from sketches to mini-docs. In 2015, his channel now had 50,000 subscribers. Later that year, he was named a YouTube talent, and his number of subscribers increased to almost 88,000.Around 2017, Klein stopped making YouTube videos and focused more and more on making music and video clips, which he did under the name Joost Klein. Music In 2016, Klein released his first album called “Homeless.” In 2017 and 2018 he was briefly signed up to musiclabel Top Notch, but Klein decided to set up his own label: Albino Records. On January 18, 2019, he released his first album on his own label: “Albino”. During the years that followed, Joost released several albums and often appeared on stage at major festivals. In between all the music, he also releases a poetry collection (Albino) in 2018. In 2022 he performs “Florida 2009” for the first time. The song is dedicated to his parents. He wrote the first part shortly after the death of his father, the second part shortly after the death of his mother. (subtitles available) The song “Europapa” was selected from more than 600 entries through an internal procedure. In December 2023, Klein was presented as the representative of the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest. The committee consciously chose a different genre than had been usual for the Dutch entry, in the hope of being able to distinguish itself from the other participants. The song is both an ode to Europe and to Klein’s parents. The first person in the text is a child who travels through Europe to discover himself and to tell his story to others.The end of the song contains a message that Klein received from his father during his upbringing: “the world has no boundaries”. Eurovision in Concert In Amsterdam, last april, during the Eurovision in Concert weekend, our reporter Kal spoke with Joost. Will Joost manage to make it to the final? No doubt about that. Will he win the Eurovision Song Contest? We’ll know this Saturday.

In the spotlight: Baby Lasagna

Tomorrow is finally the day; the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in the Malmö Arena. 15 countries compete for a spot in the final. One of them is Baby Lasagna, representing Croatia. But who is he? Let’s give him a spotlight. Baby Lasagna is a project, created by Marko Purišić, who was born on July 5, 1995 in Umag, Croatia. He has a younger brother named Martin, who is also a musician. Coming from a teachersfamily Marko expressed that he would have most likely become a teacher too if he had not decided to pursue a musical career instead. He did however, work as a children’s assistant in an elementary school for a year until quitting to study public relations in Zagreb. Purišić had previously also studied tourism and sound engineering. Career From 2011 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, Purišić was as guitarist for Manntra, a Croatian rock band. They participated in Dora 2019, (The national final for the Eurovision Song Contest) securing the fourth position with the song “In the Shadows” with a total of 12 points. Following his tenure with the group, he transitioned to pursue a solo career in 2023. On 21 October 2023, Purišić released his debut single “IG Boy” under the pseudonym Baby Lasagna . Two months later, in December 2023, his second single “Don’t Hate Yourself, But Don’t Love Yourself Too Much” was released. Dora 2024 Baby Lasagna was on the B list for the National Song Contest in Croatia, and was told very last minute that there was a dropout and he could take the vacant spot. The rest is history; he came, saw and conquered convincingly. The song Rim Tim Tagi Dim serves as the third single for Baby Lasagna’s debut solo album, “Demons and Mosquitoes“. The song is to capture a national dilemma, as Croatia has been described as a country of emigration. More people are leaving the country than ever before. The song explores the mass exodus of young people leaving Croatia, and the effects it has on those leaving and those that are left behind. The title Rim Tim Tagi Dim literally means nothing. Google it (I did), you won’t find a translation. Rim Tim Tagi Dim is more of an expression of a rhythm. Eurovision in Concert In Amsterdam, last april, during the Eurovision in Concert weekend, our reporter Kal spoke with Marko. Croatia and the Eurovision Song Contest After the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992, the various former states also continued independently of each other in the Eurovision Song Contest. Croatia made its debut in 1993, along with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. The country has been represented at the Eurovision Song Contest almost every year since that year. Of the countries belonging to Yugoslavia, Croatia achieved the best results in the first years. Between 1995 and 2001, with one exception, the top 10 was achieved every time. The Croats achieved their best performances in 1996 and 1999, when the country finished fourth. Will Baby Lasagna manage to make it to the final? No doubt about that. Will he win the Eurovision Song Contest? We’ll know on Saturday.

🇳🇱 Road To Malmö: The Netherlands

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: The Netherlands. Joost Klein Joost Klein, known simply as Joost, is a versatile Dutch musician, writer, and former YouTuber born on November 10, 1997, in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. Growing up in Britsum, he faced early hardships, losing both parents during his school years. Joost first gained attention through his YouTube channel, EenhoornJoost, launched at the age of 10. Joost’s music career accelerated with his single “Bitches,” which quickly amassed a million views. He briefly signed with the label Top Notch, but soon established his own label, releasing his influential album “Albino” in 2019. His mixtape “Scandinavian Boy” and collaborations like “M van Marketing” with Donnie have further cemented his reputation in the music industry. In 2020, he released “Joost Klein 7,” featuring international artists like Canadian rapper bbno$. His album, “Fryslân,” reflects deep personal themes and includes collaborations with diverse artists. Joost continues to make significant strides in music, evidenced by his hit “Friesenjung” in Germany. Joost was chosen to represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song “Europapa.” Friesland Joost Klein is from Friesland and is proud to show that; we learned that from a.o. his song “Friesenjung”. Friesland is a special province in the northern part of the Netherlands, known for its unique culture and language. The people there speak Frisian, which is one of the oldest languages in Europe, alongside Dutch. Friesland is famous for its beautiful landscapes, including vast lakes, canals, and green pastures, making it a great place for boating, skating, and cycling. The capital of Friesland is Leeuwarden, a city rich in history with lovely old buildings and canals. Friesland is also known for the Elfstedentocht, a famous long-distance skating event that takes place on the frozen canals connecting eleven historical cities, but only when the ice is thick enough. This province has a strong sense of identity and pride in its heritage, evident in its festivals, traditional sports like Frisian handball, and horse breeding, especially the black Friesian horse, known worldwide for its beauty and grace. The Netherlands in the Eurovision Song Contest The very first Eurovision song ever, the opening song in the 1956 contest, was a Dutch one: Jetty Paerl‘s “De vogels van Holland”. Only one year later, Corry Brokken took the trophy to the Netherlands with her “Net als toen”. In 1959, it was Teddy Scholten who won the contest with “Een beetje”. Lenny Kuhr was one of the four winners of 1969 with her “Troubadour”, while Teach In won in 1975 with their song “Ding-a-dong”. After this, the Netherlands had to wait for 44 years for a new victory. But it happened in 2019: Duncan Laurence won the contest with his “Arcade”. Other top-3 entries were “I see a star” by Mouth & MacNeal (1974) and “Calm after the storm” by The Common Linnets (2014). Duncan Laurence, EBU/Andres Putting The Bookmakers Currently, Joost’s “Europapa” is no. 5 in the odds to win the Grand Final. However, the bookmakers also expect him to win the 2nd semifinal. If we follow the bookies, we can safely say that The Netherlands will do well in the current contest. The song And this is the song:

🇧🇪 Road To Malmö: Belgium

photo: RTBf We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Belgium. Mustii Mustii, also known as Thomas Mustin, is a talented Belgian singer and actor born in Brussels in 1990. He studied theater at the Institut des Arts de Diffusion in Louvain-la-Neuve, finishing his studies in 2012. Mustii quickly made a name for himself in both acting and music. He started his acting career with a role in the French TV series “À tort ou à raison” and played Benvolio in a production of “Romeo and Juliet” that opened the new Théâtre de Liège. Mustii directed the play “Débris” in Brussels and was involved in “L’Auberge du Cheval-Blanc,” showcasing his versatility. He acted alongside famous actors in the movies “Odd Job” and “Les Survivors,” and in the popular TV series “The Break.” In 2014, Mustii’s music career took off when he signed with Black Gizah Records and released his hit single “The Golden Age.” He was recognized as a major new talent, winning Revelation of the Year at the 2016 D6bels Music Awards. In 2019, he won the Magritte Award for Most Promising Actor and continued to impress with his second album “It’s happening now” in 2022, which included the hit “Skyline.” Excitingly, on August 30, 2023, it was announced that Mustii will represent Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, promising to showcase his exceptional talents on an international stage. Languages in Belgium Belgium is a fascinating country with a rich linguistic landscape. It officially recognizes three languages: Dutch, French, and German. Dutch is spoken by the majority, particularly in the northern region of Flanders, while French is predominant in the southern part of Wallonia. German, though spoken by a smaller percentage, is primarily used in the eastern part of the country, in the region bordering Germany. This multilingual setup reflects Belgium’s complex history and cultural diversity. Each language area has its own distinct identity and cultural practices, contributing to the country’s unique mosaic. The bilingual capital, Brussels, serves as a melting pot where both Dutch and French are widely used, offering a microcosm of the nation’s linguistic diversity. Belgium’s language divide also extends into its political and educational systems, with separate governance for each linguistic community. This coexistence of languages fosters a vibrant cultural scene, but also presents challenges in terms of national unity and administration. Despite these challenges, Belgium’s multilingualism is a testament to its rich cultural heritage and openness to diversity. With Belgium speaking three languages, Mustii will sing in English. Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest The first Belgian participants were Fud Leclerc and Mony Marc in 1956. Leclerc took part 4 times in total. In one year, the Flemish broadcaster provides the entry, the other year the Wallon broadcaster does. Mustii represents Wallon broadcaster RTBf. One time so far, Belgium won: in 1986 Sandra Kim brought the trophy to Belgium with her song “J’aime la vie”. Jean Vallée (L’amour, ça fait chanter la vie in 1978) and Urban Trad (Sanomi in 2003) reached a 2nd place. In recent years Loïc Nottet (2015) and Blanche (2017) reached a 4th place. Last year, Gustaph was also very succesful with a 7th place with his song “Because of you”. The bookmakers Currently, Belgium is in 8th place in the betting odds to win the contest. In the odds to reach the final, Mustii has a 4th place. A good score for Belgium is likely. The Song And this is the song:

🇫🇷 Road to Malmö: France

photo: EBU We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: France. Slimane Slimane Nebchi, widely known as Slimane, is a celebrated French-Algerian singer and songwriter. Born on October 13, 1989, in Chelles, Seine-et-Marne, Slimane’s music is deeply enriched by his Algerian roots, blending diverse cultural influences. He gained fame through his participation in music competitions, notably winning “The Voice: la plus belle voix” in 2016 with 33% of the public vote at age 26. Before this triumph, Slimane had been sharing his compositions online, including notable pieces like “Toi et moi” and the duet “Amour Impossible” with Princesse Sofia. Post-“The Voice,” he released his debut album and several singles, quickly becoming a key figure in the French music scene. Besides his recording achievements, Slimane has taken on roles in musicals, including “Marie-Antoinette et le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge.” His career reached a new milestone when he was chosen to represent France at the Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Mon Amour” in November 2023. A French winner…. or not? France won the contest in 1991, and yet they did not. France and Sweden ended up with a tie. Even the amount of twelves was the same. Sweden won because of a higher amount of tens. Amina Annabi, often just called Amina, is a famous singer from Tunisia who also grew up in France. She sings, acts, and has been making music for a long time. Amina is special because she mixes music from Tunisia with music from France and other places, making her songs interesting and different. Her Eurovision song became the most famous of her songs: “Le Dernier qui a parlé” which means “The Last One to Speak.” The song “Le Dernier qui a parlé” is really catchy and talks about how important it is to talk and understand each other to make peace. Amina’s beautiful singing and the mix of traditional and modern music made this song stand out. It did really well in the competition and almost won, coming in second place by just one point. The song became a hit single in various countries. France in the Eurovision Song Contest As said, France almost won in 1991. That would have been the 6th victory. The row of French victories started in 1958, when André Claveau won with the song “Dors mon amour”. Two years later, the trophy went to France again, this time thanks to Jacqueline Boyer and her “Tom Pillibi”. Again two years later, Isabelle Aubret did the job singing “Un premier amour”. In 1969, Frida Boccara‘s “Un jour un enfant” was one of the four winners. The last time so far France won was in 1977, with Marie Myriam holding the trophy thanks to her “L’oiseau et l’enfant”. In the last few years France is less succesful, except a few highlights. We have to mention Barbara Pravi in this; she was the runner up in 2021, but her “Voila” became a hit and a Eurovision classic. Marie Myriam The Bookmakers As France will be placed directly in the final, there are no betting odds about reaching the final. In the odds to win the contest, France is currently 7th. That would mean one of the better scores for France in the last few years. The song And this is the song:

🇫🇮 Road to Malmö: Finland

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Finland. Windows95man Teemu Keisteri, born in 1985 in Espoo, Finland, has emerged as a prominent figure in the visual arts scene, celebrated for his creation of the Ukkeli character in 2008. This iconic figure, a testament to Keisteri’s whimsical and culturally insightful style, adorns apparel, postcards, and tableware, capturing the essence of Finnish life with humor and personality. Known also as the Windows 95 man during his DJ performances, Keisteri’s diverse talents span across visual and video arts. Educated in photography at the Lahti Institute of Design, he discovered his passion lay with visual arts, leading him to establish Kalleria in Helsinki’s vibrant Kallio area, further solidifying his status as a dynamic artist and DJ. Henri Piispanen Henri Piispanen, born in 1994, is a multifaceted Finnish talent, acclaimed as a voice actor, singer, and presenter. Noteworthy for voicing characters in “PAW Patrol,” “Lego Ninjago,” and more, Piispanen’s diverse skills shine through his roles and as the lead vocalist and bassist for Pasa. His collaboration with Teemu Keisteri as Windows95man won the 2024 UMK, highlighting his dynamic presence in Finnish entertainment. Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK) In the past, the national final for Finland was called Euroviisut. Since 2012, we have Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK). The last few years, it’s a contest with 7 contestants. The winner is chosen by jury and televote. This year, Sara Siipola was the hot favourite to win the contest. She won the jury vote with a landslide. However, televote overruled them; windows95man gained 32,35% of the televote. Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest The first ever Finnish contestant for the Eurovision Song Contest was Laila Kinunen, back in 1961. A long road with bad scores and even 3 zeros followed; in 2006 the monsters of Lordi broke the spell and brought the Eurovision Song Contest to Helsinki with “Hard Rock Hallelujah”. Käärijä almost did it again last year. With his “Cha cha cha” he won the televote and became 2nd overall. The Bookmakers Finland is currently no. 14 in the betting odds to win the contest. Looks like it is likely that Finland will reach the final; it is also likely that a score like last year is a bridge too far for the country of the thousand lakes. And this is the song: