National Finals - the announcements keep on coming...

Some more National Final lineups were announced this week and, like the ones already covered, there are many interesting names in plenty of them.

MALTA
Malta love Eurovision. They really do. And they want to win – they’ve finished twice this decade already. So imagine their annoyance when last year they scored a measly 1 point. I suspect they will be looking for a good result this year, and here are the 14 songs and competitors that will be going for the honour:

Places To Go – Tarcisio Barbara
Night Wish – Annabelle Debono
My Love – Isabelle
Whenever – Kevin Borg
L-Imhabba Ghamja – Claudio Faniello
All About A Life – Pamela Bezzina
Look At Me – Julie Pomorsky
Forever Mine – William Mangion
Little Islands In Your Heart – Daniela Delicata
She Gives Me Wings – Klinsmann Coleiro
Roller Coaster Ride – Rosman Pace
Starlight – Trilogy
As Long As You Know – Konrad Pule
Vertigo – Olivia Lewis

I know what you’re thinking. Little Islands In Your Heart?

Some interesting observations then. Nice to see an artist named after the footballer Jorgen Klinsmann and you don’t see the name Konrad with a ‘K’ very often do you?

So who are all these people? Well, if I was to list the amount of Maltese national finals these folks had previously appeared in, we’d be here all day, so let’s just say that they’re all rather established artists. Most interesting is Olivia Lewis. 2007 will see her THIRTEENTH attempt to represent Malta. Unlucky for some, but you can’t get much more unlucky than coming runner-up in their national final for the last three years. Now that is most definitely unlucky.

More lucky is William Mangion, veteran Maltese rocker who represented the tiny island back in 1993 finishing 8th with the rather bland This Time, of which the highlight was the backing singers. The most interesting thing about him was his bizarre slightly permed hair. These days he’s bald. Whether or not through choice is unknown.

ESTONIA
As if the plethora of former national final entrants in Malta wasn’t enough, then take a look at Estonia! Go on, look!

Artists confirmed to be competing in their NF include five acts who are no strangers to the Eurovision Grand Final. Koit Toome sang for Estonia in 1998 and finished 12th with his piano ballad Mere Lapsed and Estonia’s superstar Ines sang for them in 2000 finishing 4th. The group Soul Milita were the backup for Dave Benton and Tanel Padar when they won Eurovision in 2001, Laura Poldvere finished 20th in the 2005 semi-final as part of Suntribe, and Vanilla Ninja, who are Estonian, finished 8th in 2005 for Switzerland, who poached them as part of their ‘let’s get a good result’ scheme.

Nowadays, Estonia are looking for a good result after failing to qualify for the past three years. But with such experienced artists, they must be hoping for a good result.


DENMARK
Denmark’s recent Eurovision rollercoaster ride has been rather eventful. After finishing 1st in 2000, they came runner-up the year later, last the year after that and were subsequently relegated. They then failed to qualify from the 2004 Semi-Final but did in 2005 and finished 9th meaning automatic qualification for 2006. However, they picked the godawful Twist Of Love and, thus, they’re back in the semis for 2007.

Like Estonia, Malta and everybody else, the Danes have got their hands on some ex-Eurovision veterans to come and have another go. Here’s the list of the 16songs that Denmark will be choosing from.

Copenhagen Airport – Annette Heick
Fly – Annika Askman
Husker Du – Aud Wilken
It Ain’t For The Money – Cammille ft. DJ Mary
Paparazzi – Christoffer Broderson
Meaning Of Life – Danni Elmo
Flammer Inden I – Dariana & Olou
Drama Queen – DQ
On Top Of The World – Heidi Degn
Vi Elsker Bare Dansker Piger – Jorgen Olsen
Listen To Love – Jacob Anderson
Say You Love Me – James Sampson
Merhaba – Julie Lund
It’s A Beautiful Day – Katrine Falkenberg
Two Are Stronger Than One – Me & My
Sa Naer Som Nu – Stig Rossen

What an excitingly named collection of songs.

So who’s back? Well, Aud Wilken finished 5th for Denmark in 1995 with Fra Mols Til Skagen, a bizarre little song with banjos that I’m still not quite sure whether I like or not. She’s a strange woman, so it’ll be interesting to see if she’s retained her ‘pixie-like features’ that Wogan commented on twelve years ago.

Most excitingly though is the return of… Jorgen Olsen! He’s a Danish legend and usually performs as part of The Olsen Brothers with brother Noller. They won in 2000 with Fly On The Wings Of Love and they’ve been in the Danish music business for well over 30 years. They last attempted to enter Eurovision with the superb Little Yellow Radio in 2005 – it would have won if it had got through I *swear*! This year, Jorgen goes it alone with a song that translates as We All Love Danish Girls. If there’s any justice, it’ll win. Anything Olsen = something to smile about.

Oh, and I’m not sure if James Sampson is related to Daz, but I would love it if he was.

National Final season is soon upon us – isn’t it great!