Russia goes for song number one

After an internal selection, Russian TV has announced who paid the most money to represent the world's biggest country at Eurovision.

The winner of this dubious honour is a girl group called Serebro. They have little live singing experience, but that don't matter because they've got big financial backers.

To be fair to Channel 1 Russia, they do seem to be picking some decent commercial eurosongs of late and this one's no exception. It's a bit of a dance-pop crossover and reminds me a little of Ooh La La by Morandi.

Yeah this is pretty good and one of very few real pop songs in this year's contest, which'll help it to stand out... now let's just wait and hear how the girls are live.

Cepeбpo - Song Number 1

http://www.box.net/public/ty4mg8gxib

Beating the Hungarian blues

After holding an internal selection, here's the Hungarian entry.

Having taken a one year break from the mêlée last year, Hungary have returned with a load of old shite! It seems that they'll not be bettering NOX's 12th place in 2005.

I really don't get why they've gone for this gravel voiced woman singing something very worthwhile I'm sure, but instantly forgettable. The main criteria for a good eurosong, of whatever genre, is it MUST, MUST, MUST have a hook, otherwise how the fekk is anyone gonna remember it to vote for you?

Nah this ain't doing it for me. Not one iota.

Magdi Rúzsa - Unsubstantial Blues (which kinda says it all really!!!)

http://www.box.net/public/0oz7bb5eau

Shake up a Turkey

On Friday Turkish TV revealed their entry for Eurovision, which they'd chosen internally.

You'll remember that the singer Kenan Doğulu had already been picked some months back when I posted his most recent song of the time.

His Eurosong sounds nowt like that!!

Hahahahaha....

I'm torn on this one... it's modern yes and has a nice (subtle) Turkish element to it. Kenan's also doing his best to be Justin Timberlake, but I dunno... is it me or is the chorus like really really really really repetitive?

Listen and judge for yourself.

Kenan Doğulu - Shake It Up Şekerim (Shake It Up Sweetheart)

http://www.box.net/public/9b466ue8eq

Get a life Austria

Austria announced their Eurovision entry yesterday after Austrian TV held an internal selection of both artist and song.

The singer's a guy called Eric Papilaya (very Austrian surname!) and he took part in the last season of Austria's Pop Idol competition. Therefore, logic says, he should be able to hold a tune.

The song's called Get A life - Get Alive and is being promoted as the song of the Vienna Life Ball 2007. For those who don't know, the Life Ball is an AIDS charity that holds a masquerade ball every year in Vienna (usually on the same date as the song contest). It raises money for various AIDS charities including Elton John's foundation. It is, therefore, supporting a worthy cause.

It's a pretty uptempo and rocky affair, and pretty enjoyable. It kind of reminds me of stuff by Bon Jovi and he's very popular across Europe... especially in Spain so this could get a fair share of the Iberian votes. The song was originally written for an Anastacia single, but it got dropped when she got cancer and nothing ever happened with it... it would've been interesting to hear Anastacia's take on it.

This is ok, Austrian TV have certainly made a bit more of an effort this year after they took a break last year.

A decent mp3 of the song is here:- http://www.box.net/public/r8zzvpbktd

Vampires live in ... errr ... Switzerland!

Swiss TV revealed the song they have selected to represent them yesterday. If you cast your mind back a few months, you'll recall that they'd already chosen cheesy DJ, DJ Bobo to carry Swiss hopes in Helsinki.

Well the song is called Vampires Are Alive and gives more than a passing nod to that most famous of Swiss legends: Dracula - locked away in his lonely castle in the Graubünden near Zürich, playing his alpenhorn, eating museli and chasing girls by the name of Heidi!!

Actually, from what I was expecting, the song's not that bad... it's certainly one of the more dance orientated pop songs picked so far this year and they'll no doubt have a great stage show to match. At least he's Swiss and at least it's uptempo and lively, and at least he (in theory) knows what he's doing (or so we're led to believe).

But... do you think the Romanian tourist board could sue? Watch the video and download the song below.

Get the mp3 here:- http://www.box.net/public/azpuoqmeyn