Portuguese songs review:

Song #1: What a bad folk song, normally I like folk, but not this one! It is funny though
Song #2: Hate it. Nothing more to say.
Song #3: Like it very much, relaxed, my style.
Song #4: What on earth is this? It sounds like they want to make a rock-folk song. Don't try that again...
Song #5: Love it, a ballad song, but the guitar just makes this song. Great.
Song #6: I quite like the song, but what on earth... Sandra Doriá's voice makes it sound like Junior ESC, ew
Song #7: It's not that bad, but definitely not good enough for ESC.
Song #8: This is quite ok, should make the final 12, but shouldn't win the NF.
Song #9: Love this, I like ballads, reminds me a bit of Há Dias Assim.
Song #10: Might have done well in 1971, but not in 2011. My mum should like this.
Song #11: I would be quite pleased if Portugal sent this to Düsseldorf. Probably they won't, but still.
Song #12: The intro is boring, but the song gets better after that. I heard better, but it's not bad.
Song #13: Thirteen might be the unlucky number but Rui Andrade doesn't care and sings one great song.
Song #14: I LOVE it, it's my fave in this selection! But it would probably be the next Guri Schanke: an older woman failing like hell with a good song (I assume, seeing the photo, that Carla isn't in her twenties or early thirties...)
Song #15: Nice, slow, relaxed song. Probably would be quite hyped, and then make a Sweden 2010...
Song #16: Wow, I like this one too, some Portuguese sounds, together with some nice pop. Great, but why did he put in the Boom Boom Yeah's? They make NO sense.
Song #17: A nice ballad, but a bit too slow zzzzzzzzzzzz...
Song #18: This actually reminds me a bit of Hora Din Moldova, don't know why but I like it
Song #19: What on earth... probably would be liked by Europe, but I am not a fan of this, it's dance/pop, but in a very bad way, imo.
Song #20: Even though Song #1 got way more online votes then this, I think this will go to Düsseldorf. Not a bad entry, might even be Lisboa 2012?
Song #21: Quite good, but just not my style.
Song #22: Sorry, it's not my song (yet). It might go like Bosnia-Herzegovina in my ranking last year... 33 to 6 xD So I think this song has possibilities.
Song #23: No Angels were quite right in 2008 if they were predicting my wish for this song: DISAPPEAR, horrible
Song #24: Reminds me of the nineties, but I don't think Portugal would send this... It's nice, very Portuguese, but will it convince the rest of Europe?

I voted for the songs:
- 5: Bettershell - Um Sinal
- 9: Nádia Correia - Sonhos Do Verbo Amar
- 14: Carla Ribeiro - Só Acontece Uma Vez

Three songs are OUT for breaking the no songs made public before a certain date rules and there will be NO REPLACEMENTS:

Amor cruzado, Por ti and Um sinal

I've also read someone's comment about a rumor where supposedly Homens Da Luta's song was performed in a bar on New Year's. If that's true and someone finds a video of it, they'll be out too...

Some countries already decided in which language they will sing:

FYR Macedonia will sing in Macedonian, which they also did in 2009 (Neshto Sto Ke Ostane) and 2010 (Jas Ja Imam Silata).

Bulgaria will sing in Bulgarian. After 2007 (Voda) and 2010 (Angel Si Ti), this will be the third time we will hear Bulgarian at ESC.

Latvia will sing in English. Let's hope this attempt works better then their last two entries...

There are rumours going that Emmy, the singer for Armenia in Dusseldorf, will get help from another singer, Mihran.
Don't know whether this is true or not. Maybe they wanna try to do something like AySel and Arash in 2009 for Azerbaijan?
Might be a smart move to copy your political enemy, who came third with that attempt.

Tonight is the second semi in both Iceland and Norway.

Let's start with Norway:
I was shocked to see a familiar name in this semi: Hanne Sørvaag!
I thought she only wrote Georgia 2010 and Norway 2010, but apparently she sings too!

Iceland:
How will Yohanna perform? Will she get her song Nótt to the final? Let's see it tonight!

Nick, Hanne is a singer/songwriter. She lives in Stockholm btw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVzWyVxzXDs

Update on Moldova's songs

The broadcaster has trimmed them down from 93 to 60. Nick, check if your favorites are still there.

http://www.trm.md/eurovision2011/participanti.php

Almost all my faves are still there
Natalia, Ianna, Volosenco and Valery are all there. Just ETNOmaniA is out.

Second Semi of Norway's MGP

Second Semi results:

To the SECOND CHANCE ROUND:

Endre - Oh, Oh (Puppy Love) (3rd place)
Mimi Blix - Allergic (4th place)

Directly to the FINAL:

Babel Fish - You Can Depend On Me (1st place)
Hanne Sørvaag - You're Like A Melody (2nd place)

In my opinion, Babel Fish is overrated xD
My fave til now (semi 1 and 2) is by far Hanne Sørvaag!

Icelandic Semi 2 Results:

The 2 qualifying songs:

Matthías Matthíasson & Erla Björg Káradóttir - Eldgos
Yohanna - Nótt

tbh, Eldgos reminds me of Bulgaria 2009: NOT A GOOD SIGN

He does it again...

Let's go to Moldova. Song #3: Valery Tarasova - This Is My Life

He freakin' does it again: Composer: Ralph SIEGEL
And then the lyrics: John O'Flynn. That name was not that famous, but I thought I heard it before.
Well today I found it...
Most of us know Bernd Meinunger de:79, 80, 94 and loads more) but he also uses other names:
Gunter Johansen (Montenegro 09)
JOHN O'FLYNN ch:05, 05)

Maybe this is all old news for you, but I just wanted to let you all know Siegel and Meinunger are back in a NF this season! They survived the first cut (93 to 60 songs) and it's one of my faves.

To hear the Siegel/Meinunger song: http://www.trm.md/eurovision2011/participanti.php?starID=46

Videos of songs from Iceland and Norway's preselection this week

Thank you, Nick for writing the results. Now for some videos

NORWAY:
The qualifiers: Hanne Sorvaag and Babel Fish
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3cjyckBlOk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFJSipl_g8I

To second chance: Mimi Blix and Endre
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MH17-Y-s1-g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxWcOd3phJk

Out of the race: Pernille & Marius, Marika (crazy song), and Isabella (my personal favorite )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uM1rGxg1X0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwDl0YdL-aQ&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66ZDvJ33UmM&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

ICELAND:
Qualifiers: Yohanna and Matthías Matthíasson & Erla Björg Káradóttir
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUcPg-AuQ2k&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ck_MOYYXLsQ&feature=player_embedded

Out of the race: # Bryndís Ásmundsdóttir - Segðu mér, Kristján Gíslason & Íslenzka Sveitin - Þessi þrá, and Rakel Mjöll Leifsdóttir - Beint á ská
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJ_Py3TSK7g&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GLeu1_P_cI&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNsVCyEOfEk&feature=related

Norway's semifinal 3 previews

http://www.nrk.no/programmer/tv/melodi_grand_prix/1.7460529 thoughts?

Iceland's 3rd semifinal songs

http://vefir.ruv.is/songvakeppnin/

* Morgunsól - Georg Alexander
*
Ég trúi á betra líf - Magni
*
Ég lofa - Jógvan
*
Sáluhjálp - Buff (It seems the redhead who sang Nick and Julio's FAVORITE song, Elisabet, from the first semifinal is back;D I hope this will make Nick happy again and I hope Julio stops voting for Homens Da Luta just long enough to hear the songs )
*
Aftur heim – performed by Sigurjón’s friends (RIP. His family asked his friends to perform that song as a tribute and it's actually still in the running)

Ukraine and Belarus might be OUT

Ukraine's station has accumulated a lot of unpaid bills.

As for Belarus (I'll just copy and paste the article )

According to unconfirmed reports circulating on the internet, some Members of the European Parliament (MEP) are planning an address to the European Broadcasting Union, EBU, to stop Belarus from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest as part of the sanctions recommended against the country.

The European Parliament passed on Thursday 19th January a resolution, which calls for European agencies to impose pressure on Belarus in the form of sanctions and denying visas for the country’s leadership. The European Union is expected to discuss this by the end of January according to reports. The dispute started after Alexander Lukashenko won the 19th December presidential election, which was widely condemned as rigged by international observers. Belarus leadership later stopped opposition demonstrations violently, and a reported 700 people were jailed, including all the opposition presidential candidates.

President Lukashenko was sworn in last week, with all 27 EU countries boycotting the ceremony. Mr Lukashenko has ruled Belarus since 1994.

EBU would probably not have to follow any sanctions imposed by EU, unless the international community directly bans Belarus from taking part in international contests and events. An UN resolution banned Yugoslavia from international events in 1992, which meant Yugoslavia and its successor Serbia & Montenegro were not allowed to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest until the sanctions were lifted in 2002. The country eventually could return in 2004, when a semifinal was introduced the contest to accommodate all those wishing to return or enter for the first time.

Uh oh.

At last all of Estonia's songs are made public

The broadcaster sure took their time uploading everything. This has all the songs except one. Click on the right side under Värsked uudised

http://eestilaul.err.ee/poolfinalistid

This is the missing song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7L9Ai3UruXA&feature=player_embedded

Count on Estonia to send unique sounds. ;D

tihi

I've always liked Estonia in the past, and this, this is awesome

rofl@the icelandic redhead xDD but yeah this band is awesome.

btw Jóvgan who will be performing this Saturday, as most of you already know (?) he is from the Faroese Islands. He speaks icelandic but with this tiny tiny accent that is sooo cute, I can't wait to hear it live