Ireland – Rumors are growing in the community that RTÉ is about to reveal (on Friday to be exact) that they’ve internally selected the band ELM to represent them in Rotterdam. The band’s new song, “Golden” is coming on on the 21st as well, so it’s a match!
We only got a few hints so far from RTÉ and from Philly McMahon, their creative director for the next Irish entry, but it’s a LGBT act and there’s four of them as dropped in this hint:
https://twitter.com/McMahonPhilly/status/1229107715580071936
Dublin based band ELM fits the description perfectly. Moreover, broadcaster RTÉ is working with their radio station 2FM which has been promoting ELM a lot. The four member band got headline news with their hit “Concentrate” that tackled transgender issues. It was 2016 and celebrated the with the 1 year anniversary of the Gender Recognition Bill.
Now it is said around, and we won’t reveal our sources, that RTE is dropping the news this Friday, which is also the due date of ELM’s new song release “Golden“:
Is this a credible rumor? If so, what do you think of this choice?
The Eurovision Times 
He is always spot on
US-style right-wing terror attack with lone gunman near Frankfurt last night – also US-style he was noticed by authorities for crazy conspiracy theories before but they didn’t enter it into system so he got a gun. What a fuck-up; at least he shot himself so we won’t have to endure crazy rantings in court like with Breivik.
It’s terrible, and AfD’s reaction was cynical. Everyone supporting that bunch of racists and fascists needs to be put behind bars asap.
It’s exactly the same phrases always used by Republicans in US about these mass shootings. It’s always they’re crazy, they’re criminals; the ideology encouraged by e.g. AfD, Trump, Etc. is conveniently ignored.
I have just returned from the barber because I was in desperate need of a haircut for my cousin’s wedding later today. The Turkish community is still in shock after what happened in Hanau. :(
We all are at the mercy of these lone wolves. It’s scary. Bigotry is becoming a weapon of mass destruction again.
It is – and it’s scary how some of the bigotted/racist etc. language is entering the mainstream: Here, with the success of AfD the term “völkisch” (basically the supremacy of the – German – people), which was associated with the Nazis is used like a completely normal political current – the AfD has a “völkisch” wing, which gives the impression it’s as normal as e.g. an economically liberal wing.
Sad but true.
Report in today’s Irish Mirror says it’s Lesley Roy to Rotterdam.
Never heard of her but she was also rumoured with ELM.
All will be revealed tomorrow apparently. 🙄
Unknown? Sounds like a potential candidate for Germany, too!
Younger folk seem to have heard of her but she is more unknown own than known.
LOL that stage of life when we unironicly say „younger folk“ 😜😘
😆😊
Listen to the Nanne Gronvall’s snippet I posted below!
I wouldn’t force you, but one comment about it I found is ahaahhahahahaha
“I wonder what’s with that sound? Did she record the song in a car that is at the bottom of the pool? :D” :DDDDD
Only act, or both act and the entry?
Well if it is ELM they release Golden tomorrow.
If it is Lelsley, I assume they will announce the song too but whether we hear it am not sure.
Typical Irish rumour mill going around.
I’m so sad now lol ahah
🤞
Oh no :(
I know. ELM would be a different choice for Ireland
Am hopeful it is still them.
If Lesely gets a decent song then who knows.
Hell, it could still be neither act Lol 😆
4th MF Heat snippets:
https://www.svtplay.se/video/25671532/smyglyssna-pa-bidragen-i-melodifestivalen-2020/smyglyssna-pa-bidragen-i-melodifestivalen-2020-1-frida-ohrn-we-are-one
let’s see! :D
Hahahah this is becoming insane really, every time that press writes it is the worst in the heat, no chance for it, I should immediately put it as my fave.. :DD
1. William Stridh – “Molnljus” 10/10 – this is the best based on snippets for me..it is the least MF imo.. :D I really would liek to listen to the whole entry!
2. Nanne Grönvall – “Carpool Karaoke” 10/10 I can’t believe I don’t put her on the first place after snippet, but I think we haven’t heard all here.. ;)
————————————-
3. Jakob Karlberg – “Om du tror att jag saknar dig” 7/10 Puuuh I dunno, it seems more good thn bad, but lol I dunno
4. Victor Crone – “Troubled Waters” 7/10 I prefer to last year “Storm” for Estonia, but this is nth that special to me, it is Avicii vol10101001, still it is a bit more than all right…
————————————-
5. Hanna Ferm – “Brave” 6/10 it is better than I expected, but still, those lyrics and overall, I can’t give more than 6.. :(
6. Frida Öhrn – “We Are One” 5/10 Now this is a let down.. :'(, why so MFized, WHYYYYY??? Where is the autehentic vibe of Oh Laura and Cookies n Beans.. Goosh.. :(
7. Ellen Benediktson & Simon Peyron – “Surface” 4/10 this is the weakest link, for me definitely, I expected more really.. :/ maybe it is only snippet, maybe the whole is better…
We all know Hanna isn’t the best singer…the song is just OK.
MF semi 4 snippets :
A promising bunch. Hanna Ferm seems to be somewhat able to live up the the hype of being the last act presented, the song sound promising. I also liked Victor quite a bit as well as Frida Öhrn. Nanne Grönvall will no doubt have a somewhat tacky small show on stage for her old school schlager. Jakob and William are just there for now, maybe the full versions live will be better. The most dissapointing one in studio is definately Ellen and Simon..Had high expectations from Ellen Benediktson. Not convinced.
The full Polish entry – Kasia Deren – “Ufaj mi”:
Frida Öhrn – “We Are One” – Middle of the road, boring pop.
William Stridh – “Molnljus” – Wow, this is great. This doesn’t sound like a Melodifestivalen song, it sounds like the kind of thing I would just listen to on my own. Totally my style, I love it.
Nanne Grönvall – “Carpool Karaoke” – Just no.
Victor Crone – “Troubled Waters” – Sounds just like ‘Storm’ to me. I don’t find him to be an interesting artist at all.
Ellen Benediktson & Simon Peyron – “Surface” – This is beyond disappointing. I was expecting some alternative, electro duet but we got a ‘Shallow’ rip off. I personally cannot stand that song so you can expect how I feel about this.
Jakob Karlberg – “Om du tror att jag saknar dig” – It’s cute Swedish pop. It won’t qualify but it’s pleasant and I liked it.
Hanna Ferm – “Brave” – Yeah, this could definitely win. It reminds me more of a Selena Gomez song than Marina and the Diamonds. I think the melody is very interesting and I really like the chorus. I wanna see how they stage this.
Hanna and William to the final, Jakob and (??) Frida (I guess) to andra chansen.
Hahahaha William my no1..finally we agree in MF 2020! :-* :D
But Nanne is my no2…and you wrote “JUST No” ahahaha…for Sonja Alden in the 1st heat and for Jan Johannsen in the 2nd you wrote only “No”, but this time you brought my poor Nanne Gronvall on another level with “JUST No”.. :( :D
Wow. I really like Hanna Ferm’s song. I havent’t liked an MF song so much on first listen since “Ashes to Ashes” last year. All power to her ❤️
Hahahahahahaahaha really???? ahahahaahhaha You must be kidding.. :D
Love at first listen!🥰🥰🥰
But I am not sure about the vocals. The chorus can turn screechy.
Ahahaahahahahahah Nanne Gronvall’s rehearsal:
DO NOT COUNT OUT NANNE YET!
Looks classy.
:DDD What did i tell you!? And you still think it is a CAR CRASH!? xD
ROFL! Yes, multi-car pile-up even!
Ahahahahahahaha :D just wait for the rehearsal snippet in few minutes!
This must be the weakest MF in ages.
I hope that at least one of Piga och dräng or Boys with Emotions makes it to the final so I have sth to support there.
Look at the pic above.. :D :P
The cracks in the format begin to show more and more. It is incredibly hard to find 28 competitive songs. Especially since they have to fish in the same pond of performers and composers every year. MF would benefit from a rethink, one show with 6 to 10 songs maximum.
that “maximum” killed ya :p
Another try because I used the forbidden M word:
The cracks in the format begin to show more and more. It is incredibly hard to find 28 competitive songs. Especially since they have to fish in the same pond of performers and composers every year. MF would benefit from a rethink, one show with 8 to 10 songs at the most.
You said it all.
Agreed and signed.
ON TOPIC :D
I found this:
“ELM are performing at the Baltic Triangle festival in Liverpool from the 1st to the 3rd May this year (the time where they should be in Rotterdam). Plus I don’t think any act representing their country would be allowed to do other gigs/concerts in the promotion season of your Eurovision song.
And on their Twitter account, they keep retweeting the rumours that they’re representing Ireland, something surely they wouldn’t be allowed to do if they were. I think Lesley Roy seems more realistic tbf!”
Why the four pairs of socks then?
Really don’t have a clue.. :/
Had a listen at her Spotify. I am afraid I really dislike her shrieky, raspy voice.
Now I read rumor she wrote an entry for ELM! LOOL :D
off topic:
Today is Fat Thursday here in Greece. It is traditionally the “pick” or the “busiest” day of the Carnival season. That alone ticks all boxes to be considered by me the worst day of the year!!! :P :D
Usually this day I don’t dare going out especially during the afternoon and the evening :)
*the peak
You have it now already? It’s also start of busy carnevale season here… arent’t heretic/Greek Orthodox holidays usually a bit later? It’s a running joke between my Greek-American friend and myself because she always sends her Xmas cards late (nothing to do w the church calendar in her case; she usually sends it around Easter ;-)).
:D
In Greece we celebrate Christmas on December 25th and Easter one to four weeks (it depends) later than Roman Catholics and Protestants.
You don’t have carnevale date tied to Easter date then? I know it is in some way but not sure on the details as carnevale is a heretic/Catholic thing. Personally I can’t stand it; city is filled with loud messy drunks.
We do. The last day of the Carnival season (March 1st for 2020) means the start of the fasting period which, after 40 days, leads to the Holy Week.
I can’t stand the Carnival season either, btw.
How do people fast there?
Typically you “have to” abstain from: meat, dairy, eggs etc for 40 days. And the last week before Easter not even oil is “allowed”.
Of course the majority abstain from meat and dairy just a few days before Easter :)
I wouldn’t do it for sure.. I can’t imagine living without yoghurt and eggs
I can’t imagine my life without meat :P :D
I can go few days without meat but dairy and egss are mission impossible…
Some say fasting is necessary for health but I think is pretty dangerous especially Islamic fasting
Remind me how Islamic fast works?
You don’t have to eat anything till the sunset, right?
Muslims fast every day from dawn to sunset.. They abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex..
The worst part and the reason I will never fast is not be able to drink any water during fasting time💦
Indeed, it sounds nightmareish :o
🙄I can’t accept things that do not go well with logic, even if they are God’s orders😛
;)
eggs are my life. with cheese. and chocolate. mostly cheese. and eggs.
I love cheese too and olives I eat olives (black and green) in every breakfast along with cheese and tomatoes ❤️
Well, that’s not a French breakfast ahah! where are my soft boiled eggs with mouillettes? :p
Olives for breakfast sound strange to many but for Turkish breakfast they are a must. Since we drink tea for breakfast, we lean on salty stuff mostly and end with sweet like jam and honey.
After the breakfast everyone drinks Turkish coffee to start the day
Aaah here in Cologne and neighboring areas today is sth. called Women’s carnevale – Monday is the big day with the parades and then next Wed is Ash Wednesday so it’s shorter than yours.
Technically it starts heer on Nov. 11 at 11:11 am but the main, messy season is today till Tuesday. Monday*s the worst since pretty much everything but bars and pubs is closed so really you can just leave the city or stay in.
I think the respective Ash Wednesday for us is the Monday after the last Carnival Sunday (March 1st for 2020).
I didn’t realize Greek Orthodox also had carnevale – I always thought it was just Catholic. It fits perfectly with the Catholic approach with its focus on guilt IMO; people go crazy then because they are allowed to do so without guilty for a few days.
Sometimes we celebrate it on the same day though :)
Athena Manoukian is back in Greece after winning in Armenia. She says she tried to represent Greece in ESC many times in the past and hopes to do so in the future. And she seems like a lovely person off-stage. Also what an uncomfortable moment when the armenian representative speaks perfect greek, while the greek representative struggles so much with the language…
Lol and I just read that in another interview Athena says she can’t speak a word of armenian and she wants to start lessons :-P
Isn’t that normal? she has a Greek mother and a half Greek father…I wouldn’t know a word either
I am gonna miss Ukrainian final and Melodifestivalen this weekend😞
Missing Vidbir might be a loss MF isn’t.
I know😞 I need to go to a birthday dinner
We already know the performances anyway. All we don’t know is the winner,
Khayat? 😛
But he was second across the board in his semi.
Oyyyy
Will we ever get to listen to the whole Slovenian entries before their Final?
I think they said no. Like Croatia
They were on the radio few days ago, and you can find them, ppl download them all the time.. :D on escforum, in Slovenian thread:
http://www.escforum.net/forum/
Any good? Cause snippets dont sound very promising…
I love/like 6 of them.. but that doesn’t mean others will too.. :D for me it as good selection..
it was the most promising on paper, with Jakob, Ellen, Nanne for fun, Hanna for winning, etc
He asked me for EMA :), I think at least.. :/
oh yeah, I meant MF semi 4 is ok like semi 2, and semi 1 had its moments, it’s really semi 3 that stinked but overall it’s an ok MF for me, just very “bubble” friendly and I think the format is over. Bjorkman should really leave. I replied to the wrong comment that’s all
My fave is the 3rd one.. :P Maybe 4th live will be better, but we will see..
I made my bf listen to esc songs he only officially liked Belgium. But yesterday he was singing “Bulletproof” so I think it can win esc ahah (he basically had all past 4 winners as his winners so…)
Maybe not Duncan since he had Slovenia first but then Duncan close (he didnt like Soldi)… but Jamala, Salvador and Netta for sure
Lithuania?
he didnt like it
Yes, Bulletproof is very catchy and the only MF2020 entry I bothered to listen again (and again) :P
Still, I don’t believe it’s a great song, and I don’t think her mousy voice does the song any justice either. Studio version I’d say it’s a 7++/10. Her live rendition downgrades it to 6/10.
Dotter FTW !
Lol ~
Survivor 2020 has already started… I think I will bidge watch to see him😜
I read sth about Big Brother resuming here after almost two decades.
And I keep asking myself all the time whether the Greek tv can get any lower.
Survivor is harmless and feast for the eyes compared to it😁
The only competition series I genuinely like are Face Off and Amazing Race
I love Fear Factor as well as I like gross stuff and dangerous stunts
well, judging from the winner of Survivor Greece, you may be right :P
Hmmm what a smooth ski-slope
;) :D
There’s always “Celebrity” Big Brother if you want to go lower, usually consisting of ex-trash-TV “stars.
The list of applicants would be huge here for such a themed reality show :D
Here, too, sigh… I am really amazed that people have not gotten tired of these formats yet, there’s just an endless parade of them.
At least yours are better looking going by the daddy and son picture Michos posted last week.
“I am really amazed that people have not gotten tired of these formats yet”
You know, that’s what I said 3 years ago too when Survivor resumed on Greek tv after many years. I remember saying: “Who will watch this in 2017?”
Well, you can imagine how wrong I was! The ratings of the show skyrocketed!
Survivor always seems slightly less awful than other formats from what i can tell; probably because it has an adventure feel and guys with their shirts off. I think the worst are probably Big brother (trashy people sitting around a house) and Bachelor/ette.
BB is certainly embarrassing.
Never heard of Bachelor/ette.
It’s super sexist and smarmy. They tried to do a gay version here last year but it all became a mess because all the guys were hooking up with each other rather than with the Bachelor-guy lol
ROFL
I heard of it and “know” that it’s about ONE guy, lots of sluts, they’re told he’s rich, he’s not, and he “picks” the one with a flower. But I have never watched a single one, just know that gist coz it’s entered pop culture now :o
Well, sounds trash as well :)
I agree. It all started in France with “Loft Story”, but since France is a small TV (at the time only 6 channels) and a very closed market (closed on itself, very less globalized than most TV in the world), it made a lot of intellectuals react, and everyone discussed why or what such a show. Sure then French TV got different, exploded, and followed the trends. But the 6 main channels are still the MAIN big deal, and all of them pushed all these shows to their second or third channels, beyond number 6, so it’s not as big here. Only “Survivor” on TF1 (called Koh-Lanta here) and “Top Chef” on M6 (it only features professional gastronomy chefs, so the level is high)… which is why it’s the only one I love. It’s resumed for season 11 yesterday and I am watching now on replay. One candidate, who married young and had two kids, discovered he’s gay at 25 and now has a husband! of course he’s my favorite :p
I think Love Island is quite popular nowadays.. Its presenter recently has committed a suicide
Yes Caroline Flack – I think it was/is mainly popular in UK. I think they had a version here last summer but didn’t get many headlines.
It’s apparently returned to Swedish TV, as well. I only found about out it through the news this week because two of the contestants were kicked off because of antisemitic comments.
I think provocation is sth all this kind of shows seek usually :(
I always found it funny the different versions of Big Brother that exist abroad.
In the US, our version is totally different. It’s sometimes likened to “human chess” – contestants must be very smart people if they want to win. There is really no public voting and contestants vote each other off; it’s all about winning competitions/solving puzzles that grant you power and forming relationships with other people to keep you safe when you don’t have those powers. Even our celebrity version has the same premise, and you can really tell how much of a brain the celebrities actually have when they go on it.
I think very few people think of it here as trash TV, and most of its fanbase are relatively smarter people who some may say are a bit nerdy. We tried the original premise during its first season, but it bombed and was super controversial so then they retooled it for season two and it’s been going on like that ever since.
I see what you mean.
But judging from the Greek version of it, I’d say it is the epitome of trash tv.
Same here
Oh I don’t doubt that lol. I just think it’s funny how even though it’s the same show, it can be so different in two countries.
The Canadian version is also the same as ours and I believe it has the same connotations there as it does here as well.
Yes same totally trashy low-class people.
What!? :O
Studio version of Nastya Glamozda – “Burning again” from belarus NF sounds competitive suddenly!
Pronunciation police will not like it😜
It is strange for the first time we like something together Marko
Hahahah yes very worrying to like same song as Marko!
Now this is too mean from you!! :@@@
You deserved to be told this information! 76 years old Zdenka Kovacicek will compete in 2020 DORA in Croatia!! <3 :P
Unlike some of your favorites I do not yet have dementia so I recall her from the last 3 times you posted her ;-)!
:O :O :O
It has always been between Chakras and her for me :)
Chakras were in the morning programme, so we know studio version of “La ley la’ now, cause this is a playback:
That guy wasn’t with them.. :( hope he will be in the final..I can’t hear him in studio version as backing vocal.. I think he suited very good..
She said official video is ready, very soon will be premiered, Ukrainian team is behind it..
CHAKRAS are clearly not used to playback. Thanks for the link, Marko. :)
It was my impression as well… :D
So RAI has removed all Sanremo performances from YouTube.
yes they do so every year, coz why bother attracting YouTube casual viewers to their show? it’s so evidently for 50yo Italians…
It would love to see the logic behind that.
“the opposite to MF” lol
ROFL
Yeah they do it every year after a week or so. Never understood why, it doesn’t make any sense.
Half of the songs we will get to listen in Rotterdam will be released from March 1st till the deadline… which means in a period of 10 days the most, lol
Deadline is March 9, according to the calendar on the official site. However, there have been cases of countries revealing their entry to the public later than the official date, so long as the song was submitted to the EBU prior to the deadline.
FEB 29, MARCH 1st and MARCH 7th are busy already :P
I remember 2017 when there was about a two-week period of one song being released per day, with a few more on Saturdays because of national selections :P
There will be a semi transparent screen between the main and satellite stage.
https://songfestival.nl/nieuws/semi-transparant-led-scherm-verbindt-twee-podia-eurovisie-songfestival
Just had a look at the odds which finally will have some credibility as we heard all the songs for MF and it seems virtually impossible to not break the all male winner trend MF has been on since 2015. Good news !
Molnljus and Brave sound good. Don’t really care for rest. Victor Crone still hanging on to the early 2010’s.
“Brave” is fairly current in it’s genre and sounds very much like Selena Gomez or Demi Lovato. I do think they’ll stage this well but Hanna’s vocals (or how they mask it) will be the key here.