The semi final of Croatian preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 will be held on Friday 22nd.Dora08 will take place in Opatijia. The running order for the show has been announced by HRT and it is:

Bonaca & Nera - Tvoje oko za more duboko
Antonija Å ola - Gdje je srce tu je dom
Ivo Gamulin Gianni - Sanjam
Ibrica Jusic - Iskoci sa mnom iz jureeg vlaka
Martina - Idi leda mi okreni
Zorica Kondža - Za tobom luda
Vlatka Grakalic - Kazi mi
Ivana Radovniković - Kakav tuzan kraj
Mor Roll - Ne razumijemo se
Danijela Pintaric - Dotakni zvijezde
Dani Stipaničev - Ja san umra za ljubav
Kraljevi ulice & 75 cents - Romanca
Maja Å uput - Lako zaljubljiva
Emilija Kokic - Andeo

Six of the fourteen singers will go to the final on Saturday.

Due to the political situation in Serbia, Beovizija 2008- country’s selection show for Eurovision Song Contest will be temporary postponed. This short announcement has been given on Serbia’s national broadcaster RTS. The new date for the semi final and final will be announced to the public shortly.

After the declaration of independence in Kosovo on Sunday, the broadcaster took decision to delay the show temporarily. Sandra Susa is RTS executive producer for entertainment. On a meeting with the singers she will explain them the broadcaster’s decision.

The running order for the Beovizija 2008 semi final had been determined earlier.
1. Studio Alektik and Cveta Majtanovic - Iznad nas
2. Drum’n'Zez - Dunav 
3. Negativ - S tobom bih ostala
4. Mogul - Mojda baš
5. Nenad Ceranic - Slepa ulica
6. Betty Boop -  Kvar
7. Sloba Bajic - Precica do dna
8. Aleksa Jelic & Ana Stajdohar - Beli jablan
9. Beauty Queens - Zavet
10. Andrej Ilic Band - Tijana
11. Lejla Hot - Da si tu
12. Ivana Cosic -  Kao da hodam
13. Tamara Nikezic - Nisi prvi
14. Dejan Vozlic - Ako me huješ
15. Zana Band - U život kockam se
16. Marko Vulinovic - Sada ili nikada
17. Zoe Kida u Zemlji Gruva - Cudesni svetovi
18. Ognjen and friends - Cucemo, cucete
19. Denis and Obule - Bezimena
20. Jelena Tomasevic - Oro

 Ani Lorak was selected to represent Ukraine to Eurovision Song Contest 2008. During the National final, Ani will perform four songs on February 16th. The public will have to choose which one of the song to represent Ukraine.

The titles of the songs are:
I’m your woman (music and lyrics: Bozhena Kostroms’ka)
The dream of a bright day (music: Ani Lorak, lyrics: Yuriy Suc)
Shady lady (music: Philip Kirkorow, lyrics: Karen Kavaleryan)
Ya stanu morem (music: Vitaliy Volkomor, lyrics: Nikolay Brovchenko)

The show for the Ukrainian final will be choreographed by Olena Kolyadenko, her fashion designer will be Angela Lisytsa. She will be supported by male dancers, too.

After the world premiere of Ruslana’s show “Wild Energy” in Azerbaijan national final, today she said “I was very happy that the premiere of my new show took place in Baku. Azerbaijan is a very special country with ancient and beautiful traditions. Fantastic people live there. It was a big surprise for me that almost half of the audience were filming our performance with their mobile phones and digital cameras. In the first few seconds I thought it was a special light effect in the arena.”

Then she added: “In Baku we presented only a piece of the new show. Still, in those 30 minutes, we tried to show my new performance character, which is Amazonka, the Amazon, a wild and independent woman who gradually falls in love as the show unfolds. We have worked on this show for a long time already. Our goal was to create a truly professional performance. It has been more than 3 years that we’ve worked on it. And I can honestly tell you that my heart and soul are in it.”

 BBC confirmed that there will be no press launch this year for United Kingdom Eurovision Song Contest. It is expected in the next week more details to be released through the press office.

In the last years, a press launch has been organized and the participating artists in he national final have been announced three weeks earlier. That was opportunity the press to meet the participating artists and to hear their songs.

Any details about the location and date of the show are not announced yet and the broadcaster may surprise with something new and different.

 In Czech Republic a private TV channel  is claiming that the victory of Teresa Kerndlova was influenced by a company called Icom. It is possible that the employees were told to vote continuously by SMS.

The national broadcaster strongly refused that allegation, saying ” “There was no problem whatsoever with the televoting during our national final. There is no intention of disqualifying Tereza who is extremely upset by the whole incident. The story was initiated by a private TV channel, based on an anonymous email and another anonymous statement.

Tereza is currently working hard on her show for Belgrade. Her latest album was indeed sponsored by Icom but this is a common thing and in no way means that the company encouraged the employees to vote for Tereza. The management of the company themselves have denied any attempt to influence their employee’s votes.”

 Tickets for the United Kingdom Eurovision Song Contest selection show are available to apply online. The working title of the show is “Making your mind up”. It will be recorded on Saturday, March 1st at BBC Centre, London.

 Those of you who want to be in the audience also can apply online. A person can not apply for more then 6 tickets.

Last night was announced the running order of the upcoming Beovizija final.The show Evropsko Lice was hosted by TV persons and Serbian famous artists. Mari Mari, Ivica Klemenci  Olivera Kovacevic,Darko Kamaritc Srdjan Predojevic, Sandra Šuša  and Gorica Popovic took part.

Twenty artists will compete at the semi final. Only ten of them will go to the final on the next day.

The running order is:
1. Alektik and Cveta Majtanović - “Iznad nas”
2. Drum’n'Zez - “Dunav”
3. Negativ - “S tobom bih ostala”
4. Mogul - “Mozda baÅ¡”
5. Nenad Ceranic - “Slepa ulica”
6. Betty Boop - “Kvar”
7. Sloba Bajić - “Prečica do dna”
8. Aleksa Jelic and Ana Å tajdohar - “Beli jablan”
9. Beauty Queens - “Zavet”
10. Andrej Ilić Bend - “Tijana”
11. Lejla Hot - “Da si tu”
12. Ivana CosiC - “Kao da hodam”
13. Tamara Nikezic - “Nisi prvi”
14. Dejan Vozlic - “Ako me cujeÅ¡”
15. Zana - “U zivot kockam se”
16. Marko Vulinovic - “Sada ili nikada”
17. Zoe Kida u Zemlji Gruva - “Cudesni svetovi”
18. Ognjen and prijatelji - “Cucemo, Cucete”
19. Denis and Obule - “Bezimena”
20. Jelena TomaÅ¡evic - “Oro”

Hungary will choose who will represent the country to Eurovision Song Contest 2008 tonight. Jury and audience vie televoting will select the winner among the 15 candidates.  The national final will start at 20.10 CET.

The participants in running order are:
EZ ONE zenekar – “Lesz ki hazavár”
Lola – “Legszebb nap “
Imre Zsuzsa – Érintés “
Vágó Zsuzsi Zsuzsi Mészáros Árpád Zsolt – “Két szív”
Fiesta – “Gyűlölve szeretni”
Antal Zsuzsa & Fishers Company – “Falak között” –
Dure – “Nem ismerlek már”
21 gramm – “Még egy dal”
Gál Csaba Boogie – “Úgy figyeltelek” 
Candies – “Van aki nyer”
Adrien Szekeres – “Piszkos tánc”
Mónika Hoffman – “Légy te az Első”
Orsi Szatmari – “Véletlen”
Csézy – “Szívverés”
Pflum Orsi – “Távol”

TVP, the Polish national broadcaster, after weeks of speculations, finally revealed the three wild cards. To the Polish national final, Piosenka dla Eiropy, have been given the opportunity to participate to Izabela Kopec, Natasza Urbanska and Zywiolak.

Natasza Urbanska is well known from the TV Chanel 1 and the show “The Hit Night or Golden Saturday”. She will perform song called “Blow up”. It is composed by Rickey Fernand.

The unique band Zywiolak will perform the song “Noc Pupaly”. It is composed by Robert Wasilewski. The band performs songs in hard folk. They are passionate about folk art and midieval instruments.

[Read more…]

Daniela Nane and Iulian Vrabete will host the first semi final of Eurovision Song Contest in Romania.

The songs that will fight for the places on the final are:

“Pe-o margine de lume” -  Nico & Vlad Miriţă

“La storia della pioggia” - Innesa & Millenium

“Te iubesc” - Adrian Enache

“Dr Frankenstein” - LaGaylia Frazier (Sweden)

[Read more…]

On Wednesday, February 6th, the Greek broadcaster ERT, will present the three songs that will take part in the country’s national final for Eurovision Song Contest 2008. The news, were announced on a press conference in Athens.

The songs to be presented to the media and press are:
Chryspa- “A chance to love”
Kalomoira- “Secret combination”
Kostas Martakis- “Always and forever”

The press conference will start at 11.30 CET.

The European fan community will chat live with the winner of the first Azerbaijani national final. At the press conference will be presented and the other three former Eurovision winners. The final there will be broadcasted live on internet and through other various broadcasters in Turkey, Lithuania and Georgia.

In Baku on February 2nd will be held thee first ever Azerbaijani national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008.

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The first Azerbaijan national Final to select the debut song for Eurovision Song Contest 2008 will start at 17.30, not at 17.00 as it was announced earlier.

The show will be on February 2nd, Saturday. This change will allow and the Winner’s Preconference to be watched live on internet. Three artists will take part of the show - the rock band Unformal, Aynur Iskanderli and Elnur Husseinov. Special guests at the show will be the Eurovision Song Contest winners from Serbia2007 - Maria Serifovic, Ukraine 2004 - Ruslana and Turkey 2003 - Sertab Erener.

The show will end up at 19.30 and will be followed by short interviews, and then the press conference will start.

In Belgrade was held the draw deciding in which of the two semi finals the countries in Eurovision 2008 will perform. From six pots were drawn the 38 countries that are represented in the semi finals. This was based on the voting patterns between 2007 and 2004. In to the first semifinal on May 20th were drawn half of the countries and into the second semi final - the other half.

In the first semi final will take part: Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Israel, Montenegro, Moldova, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, San Marino and Slovenia.

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