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Italy May Return To Eurovision

The fourth series of The X Factor has begun on Italian television and it has been announced that the winner, instead of being offered a place at the Sanremo Song Festival, may represent Italy at the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest.

Italy has not participated in Eurovision since 1997 when the song “Fiumi di Parole” finished in fourth place. The country prides itself on its popular music and accused the organisers of Eurovision of pandering to the public’s lack of appreciation of musical sophistication and of political voting. Italy also withdrew from the contest several times prior to 1997.

Italy has won Eurovision twice: with “Non ho l’età” sung by Gigliola Cinquetti in 1964 and with “Insieme: 1992” sung by Toto Cutogno in 1990. Of songs which have won Eurovision, only “Non ho l’età” was a major hit in Italy, though the country’s 1984 entry, “I treni di Tozeur”, which finished in fifth place, reached number three in the Italian hit parade.

Historically Italy has given the most votes to France and received the most votes from Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest.

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Eurovision - Dusseldorf

Next year's Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Dusseldorf following Germany's victory in Oslo this year with Satellite by Lena Meyer-Landrut.

It beat competition from Berlin, Hamburg and Hanover which all bid to host the event.

The contest's three live events - semi-finals on May 10 and 12 and the final on May 14 - will take place at the Esprit Arena.

Lutz Marmor, of German host broadcaster NDR, said: "Dusseldorf twelve points," said

"I congratulate Dusseldorf cordially and, just as cordially, I thank the other three cities for going into the race enthusiastically with attractive concepts."

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Eurovision 2011 Participants

The Eurovision Broadcasting Union released the full roster of participants for next year's Eurovision Song Contest. 43 countries will compete in Dusseldorf, Germany in May 2011.

Four countries are returning to the contest after breaks of varying lengths. Austria last competed in 2007. Hungary's previous entry was in 2005. San Marino makes its second appearance in the contest after debuting in 2008. Italy, making its first appearance since 1997, will return as a member of the Big Five, giving it an automatic berth in the Final on May 14.

Here is the list of countries participating in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest:

Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan
Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria
Croatia, Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland, France, FYR Macedonia
Georgia, Germany, Greece
Hungary
Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy
Latvia, Lithuania
Malta, Moldova
The Netherlands, Norway
Poland, Portugal
Romania, Russia
San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Turkey
Ukraine, United Kingdom

The drawing to determine which semi-final the participants will compete in will be held on January 17. Participants have until March 14 to select their song.





Eurovision Song Contest

Romania rang in the New Year by selecting its entry for the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest. This is the third official song selection, after Albania and Switzerland, for the competition that will take place in Dusseldorf, Germany next May.

The song representing Romania is called "Change" and will be sung by the group Hotel FM. The winner was announced on a TVR special hosted by last year's representatives Paula Seling and Ovi.

Earlier this week, Albania completed its national selection contest. The winner was Aurela Gace's performance of "Kenga ime".

The first country to officially announce their song and performer for the 2011 contest was Switzerland. Anna Rossinelli will represent the Swiss with the song "In Love for a While".


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Eurovision - Jedward

Jedward are being tipped as hot favourites to represent Ireland in the 2011 Eurovision song contest.

The former X Factor contestants, who will compete against four other acts to be Ireland's Eurovision entrants this May in the German city of Duesseldorf, have been installed as 8-1 favourites by bookies William Hill.

The brothers will perform on RTE's Late Late Show on February 11 where the winner will be decided.

Also in the mix, according to reports, are Nikki Kavanagh, The Vard Sisters, Don Mescall and an as-yet-unnamed new band.

The winner will be determined through a combination of a public vote and marks from a judging panel.

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Blue For Eurovision

Reformed boyband Blue will represent the UK at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, it was announced today.

The four piece will perform the self-written song 'I Can' at the annual competition, which will take place in May in Dusseldorf, Germany.

It is the first-time since 1997 that the UK has opted for an established act to represent the country at the event. On that occasion Katrina and The Waves triumphed with 'Love Shine a Light'.

Formed in 2000, Blue had a two-year hiatus before reforming in 2009. Over their decade long-career, the band has sold more than 13 million records, winning two Brit Awards in the process.

A documentary following the four members of the band – Antony Costa, Duncan James, Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe – as they prepare for Eurovision is due to be filmed in the coming weeks and will be aired in April.

BBC Head of Entertainment and Events Katie Taylor said: "We're enormously pleased to have found an act that not only meets but exceeds all the criteria for a great entry. Blue are the perfect choice and we're so proud to have them representing us at this year's Eurovision Song Contest."

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Twins John and Edward Grimes - Jedward - are to represent Ireland in this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

The X Factor twins will sing Lipstick in the semi-finals of the contest being held in Dusseldorf in May.

The Grimes brothers controversially beat Don Mescall, The Vard Sisters, Nikki Kavanagh and Bling to perform in the semi-finals of the Eurovision song contest.

Despite, a last minute change in voting rules, the brothers from Lucan in Dublin, had been the bookies' favourite to represent their country.

Originally, the rules stated that regional juries and the public were to have an equal say on who should go through to the semi-finals.

However, the juries were given two-thirds of the vote after Jedward's song was leaked online, against competition rules.

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If you want to see them perform it, SEE HERE

It's very catchy and very energetic. I think it goes on a bit too long though.

I think Ireland are on to a winner again.

Clooney's girlfriend Elisabetta Canalis busts a move in skin-tight leggings while dancing in Italy's Eurovision qualifier Mail

Blue - Eurovision Song Contest

Blue have unveiled the "anthemic" track they will be taking to Eurovision this year, insisting taking part will not be "career suicide".

"We felt quite privileged to be asked," singer Duncan James told reporters

at a press launch today. "How many opportunities do you get to represent your country?"

Blue will perform the song, I Can, on Graham Norton's BBC One show tomorrow.

This year's Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Dusseldorf, Germany on 14 May.

Band member Simon Webbe is adamant the track will not receive the dreaded "nul point".

"We don't see this as career suicide even if a lot of people will see it that way," he continued.

"It's a great way to show we are a live group and we are back after 10 years."

The UK has not won Eurovision since 1997 when Katrina and the Waves triumphed with Love Shine a Light.

Last year's hopeful, Josh Dubovie, finished in last place with That Sounds Good to Me, a song co-written by Mike Stock and Pete Waterman.

"People always say the UK aren't particularly liked in Europe and we don't get the points," said James.

"But they're trying to change the block voting so it becomes less political."

"Eurovision is about the music and bringing people together," added Webbe.

"People just want to have fun and I hope the politics doesn't get in the way."

But according to Lee Ryan, it is a "cop out" to blame the UK's mixed fortunes on anti-British prejudice.

"It's nothing to do with being English," he insisted. "It's because we haven't put a good song in for a long time."

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I like it - You Tube

Lets hope for their sake the majority of the voters on the night like it Christine, I think it is rubbish.

Graham Norton Backing Blue

Graham Norton is firmly backing boyband Blue to do well in this year's Eurovision Song Contest with their entry I Can.

The Irish television presenter will be hosting the UK coverage of Eurovision in Dusseldorf on May 14 and thinks that Blue stand a good chance of doing well this year.

He said: "I think we could do well. It's a big boyband anthem. And this is the really good thing - Blue are known around Europe, people know who they are so it will look like we're taking it seriously.

"And if it looks like we're taking it seriously and if it looks like we take it seriously then the rest of Europe will take us seriously and we might do all right."

But Norton is not so hopeful about Irish act Jedward and their chance of scoring 'douze points' at the competition with their song Lipstick.

Speaking about the X Factor rejects, Graham said: ""I just worry. Those two boys alone in Dusseldorf - I can't see it going well."

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Eurovision - The Irish Eurovision Site says that the Favourites to win are Estonia, France and UK in that order.

Estonia


France