#maybe Markku Aro

[because-its-eurovision]

What are in your opinion the top 3 finnish esc performances?

Also who fo you think are the most attractive / hottest finnish contestants ever? I need this for science👀 (if you are comfortable answering)

What a lovely ask! 🖤 I picked three performances based on styling (clothes, hair, make-up, jewellery), choreography, staging and lightning choices, camera angles, vocal performance and charisma of the singers and back-up singers & musicians, and how well all of of those support the melody, lyrics and structure of the song. I suck at making definitive rankings so these are in chronological order 😄

1977: Monika Aspelund - Lapponia

Lapponia tells the story of a beautiful witch maiden in Lapland and the man who falls in love with her, and Monika really acts out the lyrics to the camera with her expressions. The blue and white (Finnish flag colours my beloved) styling with Lapponia brand jewellery is very simple yet stylish in a Nordic way and fits the song well. Vocal performance of both Monika and the back-up singers is near perfect considering she was suffering from angina at the time and still managed to hit the high note. Choregraphy again is simple but works and compliments the epic chorus, and the end frame is possibly the greatest of Finland's Eurovision history. There's a reason why this is still my favorite entry of all time.

1990: Anneli Saaristo - La Dolce Vita

Once again: simple yet effective. The song is a great combination of melancholic Finnish mindset with Spanish and Italian influences. The main melody flows effortlessly and her low, dark and full voice is perfect for that. Throwing in the acoustic guitar and some flamenco claps for Mediterranean flavor when she is singing about beautiful sweet life in the chorus. Staging is beautifully balanced with the guitar players on both sides of Anneli and she really pops with the red outfit and makeup, bringing out the passion of the song. And listen to the horns and violin sections of the live orchestra! The ending pose is the cherry on top. One of the most succesfull Finnish entries ever and deservedly so.

2021: Blind Channel - Dark Side

Dispite some slight mishaps in the vocal performance, as a whole I love this performance to bits. The background screens with them hanging upside down in white clothes so the stage is not too dark. The combination of red and black. The contrast between Joel and Niko that was purposefully built by giving Niko the rapper look with darker hair and Joel the rocker look with blonder hair. The pyros right from the start and throughout the song. The choreography that looks natural and effortless despite being rehearsed hundreds of hours. The text JOIN in Joonas's guitar, when I first saw him lifting it in their second rehearsal clip I got chills. How they make Niko's and Joel's height difference work by putting Joel behind Niko to whisper like a demon. How dynamic and full of energy the entire performance is and how they are giving their ALL. Joonas & Olli walking to mid stage to join the HU HU HU choreography with Niko & Joel. Aleksi's hairflip. Joonas's hairstyle and clothes and the guitar spin. Him lifting the guitar for the slow part and how Olli looks at the camera. Kneeling Joel. JOIN on Niko's palm. How the energy builds up for the final chorus and them all making the huge jump together, perfectly timed with the pyros. The "headshot" move. Joonas & Olli just spinning and running from opposite directions across the stage during HU HU HU HU, twice. The final scream & pyro combination. 😭😭😭🖤🖤🖤 MY BOYS DID THAT

I'm glad you didn't ask for top-3 hottest contestants, because that would be impossible 😄 Some of those whose looks I've appreciated are Blind Channel (2021), The Rasmus (2022), Käärijä (2023), Sebastian Rejman (2019) and Jarkko Ahola (Teräsbetoni 2008). Boys of Softengine (2014) were adorable, as well as Paradise Oskar (2011) 🥰

[mexicaneurolover]

Eurovision 1971 my top 18

Hello again and welcome back to this series about the ESC, and we go back to April 3rd, 1971 when the 1971 contest was held in Dublin, Ireland after Dana’s win in Amsterdam last year. 18 countries took part and Finland, Sweden, Norway, Portugal and Austria returned to the contest and Malta joined for the first time. The voting system was changed and guaranteed that every country should at least get 2 points from the other countries, and there were two jurors that awarded 1-5 points each, and the voting sequences were quite boring. The winning country was Monaco with Séverine and Un banc, un arbre and une rue. And now, with the songs!!!

1st Place: MONACO/Séverine-Un banc, un arbre, une rue (Real Placing: 1st-128 points) 

This one is perfect, the way Séverine sings, the music, the performance, her voice, the orchestra, everything is on point. This just makes me want to sing along and of course is a worthy winner, I just love this entry so much. 

2nd Place: SPAIN/Karina-En un mundo nuevo (Real Placing: 2nd-116 points) 

Between this and my 1st place there’s such a small difference, I love Karina’s voice and the lyrics are so beautiful, also the music is very catchy and wow, the performance is breathtaking. If this was the actual winner of 1971, I would be so happy because it’s worthy. Also one of my favorite runner ups ever. 

3rd Place: PORTUGAL/Tonicha-Menina do alto da serra (Real Placing: 9th-83 points) 

9TH PLACE FOR THIS ONE? THIS DESERVED SO MUCH MORE, she’s an excellent singer, the song is amazing and the music is brilliant, I’m amazed because of this one, and one of my all time favorites from Portugal. I LOVE THIS 

4th Place: ITALY/Massimo Ranieri-L’amore è un attimo (Real Placing: 4th-91 points) 

Why my top 10 is full of amazing songs? This one is wonderful, his voice is perfect and the music is beautiful, the performance here is very powerful and the chorus is very good. Another great entry from Italy here. 

5th Place: AUSTRIA/Marianne Mendt-Musik (Real Placing: 16th-66 points)

OH THIS ONE IS AMAZING, the music, the singer, the energy on stage, everything is perfect, my favorite part of this one is the chorus and I’m never tired of this one. What an entry from Austria. 

6th Place: SWEDEN/The Family Four-Vita vidder (Real Placing: =6th-85 points) 

This one is very uplifting and always makes me happy, the music is very good and they sing so well together, I’m crazy for this particular one and it’s a nice song from Sweden, what were you planning to do in this decade? 

7th Place: THE NETHERLANDS/Saskia & Serge-Tijd (Real Placing: =6th-85 points)

OH THAT START, BLOODY MICROPHONE. Anyway, this is another song that reminds me of the Middle Ages, their voices are very good and the music is wonderful. I’m in love with this one. 

8th Place: FINLAND/Markku Aro & Koivistolaiset-Tie uuteen päivään (Real Placing: 8th-84 points) 

Here is another good song with a catchy rhythm and a great singer, also the dancing of the sisters is very good. This entry makes me happy and I want to dance along with this one. 

9th Place: NORWAY/Hanne Krogh-Lykken er (Real Placing: 17th-65 points)

This one is a guilty pleasure for me because I love the music, but the performance is extremely cute  and sugary that suddenly I’m covered in ants and bees, despite this I love this entry and Hanne’s voice is very good. Her gown in very old-fashioned that reminds me of Denmark 1960. 

10th Place: SWITZERLAND/Peter, Sue & Marc-Les illusions de nos vingt ans (Real Placing: 12th-78 points) 

Awww this one is cute, the music is excellent and their voices are very good together. Overall the song is very good and they became to be one of my favorite groups at ESC. 

11th Place: BELGIUM/Lily Castel & Jacques Raymond-Goeiemorgen, morgen (Real Placing: =14th-68 points)

I love this one as well! Both are great singers and they sing this one so well, even they weren’t the original performers because Nicole & Hugo couldn’t go to Dublin because she felt sick. The music here is very catchy and I adore it, a nice entry. 

12th Place: YUGOSLAVIA/Krunoslav Slabinac-Tvoj dječak je tuzan (Real Placing: =14th-68 points)  

The music on this particular one is amazing and his voice is great, the chorus is so powerful and god I’m in love with the music here. A great underrated song for the 70′s Yugoslavia. 

13th Place: GERMANY/Katja Ebstein-Diese Welt (Real Placing: 3rd-100 points) 

From Katja’s 3 attempts at Eurovision, this one is my least favorite song from her. The music is good and she is, as always, an amazing singer, but I still think that something is missing in this one. 

14th Place: FRANCE/Serge Lama-Un jardin sur la terre (Real Placing: 10th-82 points) 

I have a love-hate relationship with this one, somedays I like it, somedays I hate it, but I don’t know why. The verses are better than the chorus and his voice is good but not pleasant. 

15th Place: MALTA/Joe Grech-Marija l-Maltija (Real Placing: 18th-52 points/last)

Maybe it’s not the best debut entry for Malta, but the language is a big plus for me, and the music isn’t that bad, the problem here is that it’s a bit forgettable and plain at some point. 

16th Place: LUXEMBOURG/Monique Melsen-Pomme, pomme, pomme (Real Placing: 13th-70 points) 

Also a big no for this one, the music is annoying and her voice isn’t the best, also her outfit it’s a big letdown. Not one of Luxembourg’s best entries. 

17th Place: UNITED KINGDOM/Clodagh Rodgers-Jack in the Box (Real Placing: 4th-98 points) 

Also this one is bouncy and happy but not my cup of tea, turns annoying after many listenings. 

18th Place: IRELAND/Angela Farrell-One day love (Real Placing: 11th-79 points) 

No, just no, I don’t like her voice and her in the chorus sounds so forced, and the song isn’t the best either. One of Ireland’s most forgettable entries ever.