Eurovision Chat

After 10 years of Eurovision break, the Slovak TV finally announced that the country will take part in the 2009 Eurovision Grand Prix. Representatives of the national television said that Slovenia boasts many talented composers, writers and singers, and is absolute ready to compete at Eurovision with great chances of success.

March 8 next year will see the Slovak national final, but until then, the best will have to be selected among many candidates. As for candidates, absolutely everyone is free to join in - this will be an open competition for all national talents. During the final, a professional jury panel will pick up the Slovak winner for the 54th Eurovision Song Contest.

“If you feel capable of imitating Massiel, Karina or Rodolfo Chikilicuatre, and want once and for all to bring Eurovision to Spain, this is your chance.” This is how the Spanish broadcaster TVE has decided to select its 2009 ESC representative - via an online announcement on Myspace.

This year they are not only looking for the most capable, talented, attractive, and charismatic representative of Spain at the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow, but also for one of the five jurors who will help select them. 50 songs qualifying for the semi-final will be selected in a mixed jury and audience vote.

This is not the first time TVE has turned to online applications to pick its Eurovision entrant, remember? Last year they had the same process, which they reckon proved successful and sent Rodolfo to Serbia. The deadline is December 19, so if you feel like joining the extravaganza, be quick!

After the great show on Saturday, get down to Planet Earth and start thinking about the next JESC.

As you might already know, but lets remind you again, next year the Junior ESC 2009 will take place in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, or Kiev. The month when the contest will be held is November, 2009, and the exact date will be announced pretty soon. The exact place will become clear next year, perhaps some time after the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest.

Lets go Ukraine! but before this, we are going to Moscow, right

Here are the complete results from the 2008 Junior Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on Saturday, 22 November in Lemesos, Cyprus. A unique multimedia event, bringing together kids from across Europe.

Congratulations, Georgia!

1. Georgia — Bzikebi, Bzz… 154 points
2. Ukraine — Victoria Petryk, Matrosy 135 p.
3. Lithuania — Egle Jurgaityte, Laiminga diena 103 p.
4. Malta — Daniel Testa, Junior swing 100 p.
5. FYR Macedonia — Bobi Andonov, Prati mi SMS 93 p.
6. Belarus — Alina & Karina, Sertse Belarusi 86 p.
7. Russia — Mihail Puntov, Spit angel 73 p.
8. Armenia — Monika Manucharova, Im ergi hnchyune 59 p.
9. Romania — Madalina & Andrada, Salvati planeta 58 p.
10. Cyprus — Elena Mannouri & Charis Savva, Gioupi gia! 46 p.
11. Belgium — Oliver, Shut up 45 p.
12. Serbia — Maja Mazic, Uvek kad u nebo pogledam 37 p.
13. Netherlands — Marissa, Een dag 27 p.
14. Greece — Niki Yiannouchu, Kapoia nychta 19 p.
15. Bulgaria — Krestiana Kresteva, Edna mechta 15 p.

The Georgian bee trio Bzikebi (The Wasps) won the sixth Junior Eurovision Song Contest minutes ago. With 154 points they bzzzed the competition away. The bees were magnificent on stage, in yellow and black, they performed a lovely typically childish yet very complex song. And the lyrics consists of a single word only - “bzzz”, performed with immaculate mixture of tones and melodies.

Congratulations, Georgia!

The show in Cyprus began minutes ago. As the hosts said, tonight, for one night only the island of Aphrodite is the centre of Europe! Viewers from 15 countries from across Europe, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Azerbaijan and even Australia will enjoy the show. Talented young people from 15 European countries will be on stage performing for YOU!

A quarter of an hour before the show in Lemesos you can cut the air with a knife - the hall is almost full, the performers are already backstage, with their make-up and stage constumes on, eager to start.

Who are you going to vote for? And who do you think will the winner be? I love the Georgian track, and Oliver from Belgium has a lovely song too! Ukraine has a great lively, pically children’s song, combined with a nice kids’ show… Well, I keep my fingers crossed for all the kids to be happy with what they will have done tonight!

Less than 3 hours to the sixth Junior Eurovision Song Contest held in Lemesos, Cyprus, the participating kids are ready for the time of ther lives. And it is really the time of their lives, if not for any other thing but for them being close to Dima Bilan. Yes, the winner of the 2008 Eurovision in Belgrade, is in Lemesos, and will perform for you tonight!

Last night saw the Dress Rehearsal, when the national juries voted for their favourite songs. Half of the outcome of the contest will be determined by their vote. The Dress Reharsal went generally without problems, apart from a mistake during the Cypriot song, when the guy at the steady cam tumbled over and created a small confusion.

Anyway, watch the show tonight and vote for your favourite song! As the organisers say, voting, you will be supporting UNICEF and all the kids in Africa, who have nothing to eat and no fresh water to drink. And above all, enjoy the show.

The Junior Eurovision Song Contest saw its Dress Rehearsal minutes ago.

Robbie William, Shakira, David Beckham, and Whoopi Goldberg greeted the participants, wishing Cyprus a great show and encouringing the audiences to vote more in order to support UNICEF’s cause to help children in need.

Tonight the national juries are voting too back home, and their vote will contribute 50% to the final result of the competition.

Kids from 15 countries meet in Lemessos, Cyprus to selebrate mucis, friendship, fun, and sun through their music. I’ll be reporting soon how the rehearsal proceeds.

Thermometres show 22 - 24° C these days, of course if you are in Limassol (Lemesos) at the sixth Junior Eurovision Song Contest. It’s sun and fun in the sun!

The rehearsals kicked off successfully. Most of the participants have already had their first sound and light checks - most of them are happy with the results. The kids already met the hosts - Sophia Paraskeva and Alex Michael. They got to know each other at the special welcoming party, marked by a special spirit of friendship and joy.

I’ll try to keep you updated as much as possible about what’s going on in the heart of children’s music world.