🇪🇸 Beatriz Luengo lashes against TVE as she was rejected for Eurovision 2018

SPAIN – Winner of Late Grammy, singer and songwriter Beatriz Luengo admitted in an interview that she was in contact with the Spanish broadcaster RTVE to represent the country at the Eurovision 2018 Festival in Lisbon. However, the broadcaster ruled out negotiations with the singer’s manager, arguing that “the singer did not have the desired profile.”

“RTVE does not take the Eurovision Festival seriously as other countries try, year after year, to bring the most outstanding artist they have,” said Beatriz Luengo, who has four studio albums released, “The Eurovision Festival is something very important and we must bring artists with experience and career … artists who do not have nerves or fear of the stage in which they will act.If Pastora Soler or Ruth Lorenzo got good results, a lot is due to them being accustomed to dealing with the public and singing on big stages.”

Beatriz Luengo González (born 23 December 1982) is a Spanish singer, songwriter, actress, dancer, and entrepreneur. She gained international recognition by portraying Lola Fernández in the Antena 3 series One Step Forward (Spanish: Un paso adelante) and its spin–off musical group UPA Dance. Consisting of Luengo, Pablo Puyol, Miguel Ángel Muñoz, Mónica Cruz and Silvia Marty, UPA Dance released one studio album, UPA Dance, which reached number one at the Spanish Albums Chart and sold over 1.1 million units in Spain and France.

Following the ending of Un paso adelante, Luengo launched a solo career and released her debut studio album Mi generación in 2005, followed by BL (2006), Carrousel (2008) and Bela y sus moskitas muertas (2011). She also co–wrote the song “Más fuerte” for Cucu Diamantes and earned a Latin Grammy Award nomination for Best Alternative Song in 2009. In 2007 Beatriz Luengo won an EBBA Award.

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Spain 2018 🇪🇸 Watch Amaia at the Flamenco on Fire opening

SPAIN – Crossing borders and stronger than ever, flamenco travels North again from August 21 – 26, transforming the city of Pamplona into a storefront for its best current artistic talent. Flamenco on Fire will hold its fifth edition praising the flamenco roots connected to Navarra through and in honor of Maestro Sabicas.

Once again and during six days, Pamplona will become the headquarters for flamenco in the North, settling in its streets and stages a meeting point for great artists, experts and enthusiasts.

With a broad and tended variety of contents, the Festival will offer a free, excellent outdoors cultural proposal known as ‘Flamenco en los Balcones’ and ‘Jam Flamenca’ that will supplement the core offer of shows housed at the Main Auditorium of the Baluarte and the concerts of singing, dancing and flamenco tapping of the ‘Ciclo Nocturno’.

There will also be some workshops and educational activities integrated in the fifth “Jornadas de Arte Flamenco de Pamplona’. And, like in previous years, the best hotels and restaurants will offer a delicious dining experience at the route ‘El Pincho de Sabicas’.

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🇸🇪 Charlotte Perrelli reveals if she will bid for Melodifestivalen 2019

SWEDEN – With four appearances in Melodifestivalen, Charlotte Perrelli, winner of the 1999 Eurovision Song Contest, admitted that she could return to the race to represent the country at the international event, but not in the 2019 edition:

“I will not be to compete at Melodifestivalen next year, I can not rule out being able to participate in a non-competitive way, considering the 20 years of my Eurovision victory.”

“I can not rule out the biggest television and music program in Sweden. It’s hard to say I’ll never be again … it’s not impossible,” she said, leaving the possibility of returning to the event in the coming years.

Charlotte Perrelli represented Sweden for the first time at the 1999 Eurovision Song Contest, having achieved the victory with “Take Me to Your Heaven”. In 2008, the singer returned to the show with “Hero”, having only reached the 18th place in the Grand Final, after being judged by the jury wildcard in the semifinal.

In 2012 and 2016, Charlotte Perrelli returned to play the Melodifestivalen, failing on both occasions to qualify for the following phases:

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Latvia 2018 🇱🇻 Laura Rizzotto speaks to LTV few days before Supernova announcements

LATVIA – Latvian entrant to the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, Laura Rizzotto, spoke to LTV for her experience in Lisbon flew days before LTV announce the 2019 Supernova plans for the next Eurovision representation.

Laura says: “Eurovision is a unique experience that changes lives! I spoke so many different places, representing my music with Latvia. And then there’s another chance to meet other artists from other countries of the world! To sing on the Eurovision scene was like a dream come true. After Eurovision I have become a much better professional. It was a very intensive experience, and I am very grateful that I was given this opportunity to represent Latvia in Eurovision.

How does Laura calm down before a concert? “I like to be alone before concerts. It was very difficult in Lisbon because people always wanted to talk. So you have to learn how to say “stop” – I have to concentrate on the performance. I am very communicative, but the limits have to be set. When there are so many cameras around you, you realize how much energy they require from you. But you have to keep this energy to yourself, so you have something to do when you go on stage.”

About “Amber”, the upcoming EP, Laura says: “The first single on the album was “Funny Girl”, and the next one is ready – I’m currently preparing a single video. I am very excited about the creative process and the opportunity to celebrate my Latvian roots. I’ve recently moved to Los Angeles where I’m looking for opportunities for musical co-operation. I hope that the new EP will also hear Latvian musicians.”

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Finland 2019 🇫🇮 Tarja Turunen & Alma speculated for UMK

FINLAND – Anssi Autio, producer of the UMK, spoke to local press for the upcoming announcements for the Finnish representation in the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest. Within thfe first weeks of September it seems that YLE will make the announcements as almost all negotiations come to conclusion. Finnish website (hosting the interview) also speculated two names for UMK 2019.

Alma-Sofia Miettinen, known professionally as Alma, is a Finnish singer and songwriter. Beginning her career in 2013, she placed fifth in the seventh season of the Finnish version of Idol. Her breakthrough came in 2015 when she was featured on the single “Muuta ku mä” by Sini Sabotage, and was subsequently signed to Universal Music Group.

The following year she released the singles “Karma” and “Dye My Hair”, both of which became top ten hits in Finland. Her 2017 single “Chasing Highs” repeated this success, and also reached the top twenty in Germany and the United Kingdom. Her debut mixtape Heavy Rules Mixtape was released in 2018 and reached the top ten in Finland. She has collaborated frequently with English singer Charli XCX and Swedish singer Tove Lo.

Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen-Cabuli, known professionally as Tarja Turunen or simply Tarja, is a Finnish singer-songwriter. She is a lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves.

Turunen studied singing at Sibelius Academy and Hochschule für Musik Karlsruhe. She is a professional classical lied singer, and the former lead vocalist of the Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, which she founded with Tuomas Holopainen and Emppu Vuorinen in 1996. Their combination of hard and fast guitar riffs with Turunen’s dramatic, “operatic” lead vocals quickly achieved critical and commercial popularity. Their symphonic metal style, soon dubbed “opera metal”, inspired many other metal bands and performers.

Will the Finn representative will be one of them or a surprise name? Anticipation rises after the disaster ranking of Finn sweetheart Saara Aalto last May in Lisbon

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Sweden 2019 🇸🇪 Östersund Arena will not host Melodifestivalen semi final

SWEDEN – After the city council of Östersund revealed the invitation of the SVT to organize the Andran Chansen of Melodifestivalen 2019, Live Nation, production company of the event, revealed that the city is out of the options for next year’s edition.

According to the press release, the producer demanded a definitive answer on the financial guarantee to the municipality that was rejected, considering that the decision had not yet been submitted to a political vote.

In this way, the Swedish broadcaster and Live Nation continue to analyze the proposals to choose the six host cities of Melodifestivalen 2019, with Stockholm and the Friends Arena to lead the preferences for the Grand Final of the event.

The Östersund Arena, which opened in December 2013, was the venue chosen by SVT to host the third semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2015. Comprised of two ice hockey venues, the main hall of the complex accommodates about 3,000 people in concerts.

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