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 | SNEAK PEEK 16 (March 1st) |
Over the next few weeks I am presenting some songs to listen out for in the Eurovision selections. Given bandwidth limits I'm only leaving the soundfiles online for a limited period, but please come back regularly to hear other
potential Eurovision entries.
PLEASE NOTE : MP3's and videos are available for demonstration only and remain the copyright of the owners of the recordings contained therein. The files should NOT be downloaded or stored on your hard drive. If any of the copyright holders would like me to remove any files, please send me an email and I will do so. The wallpaper and screensavers will be downloadable and I will add instructions on how to use them once they are available. Once the official CD is released I will be withdrawing the audio files to encourage everyone to buy the CD. The video files are
for windows media player.
Earlier selections : Selection1 Selection 2 Selection 3 Selection 4 Selection 5 Selection 6 Selection 7 Selection 8 Selection 9 Selection 10 Selection 11 Selection 12 Selection 13 Selection 14 Selection 15
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MAGNUS CARLSSON |
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"Lev Livet" (Live Life) (listen here) |
If the old saying is true and God really does love a trier, then there must surely be a place in Eurovision heaven for Magnus Carlsson. Nobody has tried so hard to get to Eurovision, and come so close without success and the charismatic Swede. Magnus first came to
fame as the lead singer of the popular band Barbados. In both 2000 and 2001, Barbados finished second in the Swedish Melodifestival. In 2002, they finished 4th despite being the pre-selection favourites. Controversially Magnus then left the band and joined his then partner Andreas Lundstedt in Alcazar, who had scored a massive
international hit with "Crying In The Discotheque". In 2003 Alcazar sang "Not A Sinner Nor A Saint" finishing 3rd in Melodifestival. In 2005 Alcazar returned with "Alcastar" and again came 3rd. Alcazar are now on a semi-permanent hiatus and Andreas Lundstedt will be singing for Switzerland in Athens as
part of the multinational six4one group. Magnus has decided to try and make it on his own, and was given a wildcard by SVT for this year's Swedish selection. On Saturday night his song "Lev Livet" written by one of Sweden's top songwriting teams sailed through the second semi-final to the Melodifestival final which will be
staged in Stockholm's Globen arena on March 18th. Will 2006 be the year when Magnus Carlsson finally gets to sing at Eurovision? |
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IBRICA JUSIC |
"Nježne Rijeci"(Tender Words)
(listen here) |
Ibrica Jusic has a musical career dating back almost forty years, and is a well known face and voice in the former Yugoslav countries. He has recorded many successful albums in his career, including a critically acclaimed collection of Leonard Cohen songs released
in 1999. Despite his warm and expressive voice, he is not the kind of singer many people would expect to see performing in 21st century Eurovision. However Ibrica has entered the Croatian Dora selection in the past two years finishing 5th in 2004, in a memorable performance where he was accompanied by his pet dog who sat beside him on
stage as he sang. This year Ibrica is back and his entry "Nježne Rijeci" must be one of the most melodic songs in any national selection. Croatia selects its entry on March 4th.
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INCULTO |
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"Welcome" (listen here) |
The marathon Lithuanian selection process finally reaches its climax on Saturday night and one of the favourites to get the ticket to Athens is the quirky group Inculto trying to get to Eurovision for the second successive year. Last year they didn't make it out
of their local semi-final but in 2006 their reggae tinged "Welcome" is one of the songs to beat. "Wlcome" could have been written for the Lithuanian tourist board as it lists the merits of their homeland, in a tongue in cheek fashion. The band have already won their semi-final and recorded an animated video for the
track, and if it does get to Athens it will probably give us our most unusual lyrics of the year. "Sex tourist beware", indeed.
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