| Eurovision Song Contest News - 2008 Belgrade, Serbia 

Max Raspail

Well, what to write about me? I'm a 21 years old guy from Germany. I encountered the ESC the first time in my life in 2000 and especially in 2001, when Michelle had a twinkling entry for Germany. Now I'm really a great fan, waiting for the ESC the whole year...

By judging the entries of 2008 which are already known, I'm coming to this ranking:

1. Belgium - Ishtar
2. Switzerland - Paolo Meneguzzi
3. Norway - Maria Haukaas Storeng
4. Iceland - Eurobandid
5. Portugal - Vânia Fernandes
6. Israel - Boaz Mauda
7. France - Sébastien Tellier
8. Serbia - Jelena Tomasevic
9. Romania - Nico si Vlad Mirita
10. Bulgaria - Deep Zone ft. DJ Balthazar
11. Slovenia - Rebeka Dremelj
12. Netherlands - Hind
13. Moldova - Geta Burlacu
14. Sweden - Charlotte Perrelli
15. United Kingdom - Andy Abraham
16. Cyprus - Evdokia Kadi
17. Turkey - Mor ve ötesi
18. Malta - Morena
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19. Albania - Olta Boka
20. Finland - Teräsbetoni
21. Bosnia-Herzegovina - Elvir Lakovic Laka
22. Hungary - Csézy
23. San Marino - Miodio
24. Ireland - Dustin the Turkey
25. Armenia - Sirusho
26. Georgia - Diana Gurtskaya
27. Poland - Isis Gee
28. Azerbaijan - Elnur Guseynov & Samir Javadzadeh
29. Andorra - Gisela
30. Macedonia - Tamara, Vrcak & Adrian
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31. Ukraine - Ani Lorak
32. Spain - Rodolfo Chikilicuatre
33. Greece - Kalomoira
34. Croatia - Kraljevi ulice & 75 cents
35. Russia - Dima Bilan
36. Czech Republic - Teresa Kerndlova
37. Latvia - Pirates of the sea
38. Lithuania - Jeronimas Milius
39. Denmark - Simon Mathew
40. Montenegro - Stefan Filipovic
41. Belarus - Ruslan Alehno
42. Estonia - Kreisiraadio

That means for Semi 1:
1. Belgium - Ishtar - [i]O Julissi Na Jalini[/i]
2. Norway - Maria Haukaas Storeng - [i]Hold On Be Strong[/i]
3. Israel - Boaz Mauda - [i]Ke'ilo Kan[/i]
4. Romania - Nico si Vlad Mirita - [i]Pe-o Margine De Lume[/i]
5. Slovenia - Rebeka Dremelj - [i]Vrag Naj Vzame[/i]
6. Netherlands - Hind - [i]Your Heart Belongs To Me[/i]
7. Moldova - Geta Burlacu - [i]A Century Of Love[/i]
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8. Finland - Teräsbetoni - [i]Missä Miehet Ratsastaa[/i]
9. Bosnia-Herzegovina - Elvir Lakovic Laka - [i]Pokusaj[/i]
10. San Marino - Miodio - [i]Complice[/i]
11. Ireland - Dustin the Turkey - [i]Ireland Douze Pointe[/i]
12. Armenia - Sirusho - [i]Qele Qele[/i]
13. Poland - Isis Gee - [i]For Life[/i]
14. Azerbaijan - Elnur Guseynov & Samir Javadzadeh - [i]Day After Day[/i]
15. Andorra - Gisela - [i]Casanova[/i]
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16. Greece - Kalomoira - [i]Secret Combination[/i]
17. Russia - Dima Bilan - [i]Believe[/i]
18. Montenegro - Stefan Filipovic - [i]Zauvijek Volim Te[/i]
19. Estonia - Kreisiraadio - [i]Leto Svet[/i]

and for Semi 2:
1. Switzerland - Paolo Meneguzzi - [i]Era Stupendo[/i]
2. Iceland - Eurobandid - [i]This Is My Life[/i]
3. Portugal - Vânia Fernandes - [i]Senhora Do Mar[/i]
4. Bulgaria - Deep Zone ft. DJ Balthazar - [i]DJ Take Me Away[/i]
5. Sweden - Charlotte Perrelli - [i]Hero[/i]
6. Cyprus - Evdokia Kadi - [i]Femme Fatale[/i]
7. Turkey - Mor ve ötesi - [i]Deli[/i]
8. Malta - Morena - [i]Vodka[/i]
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9. Albania - Olta Boka - [i]Zemren Lame Peng[/i]
10. Hungary - Csézy - [i]Candlelight[/i]
11. Georgia - Diana Gurtskaya - [i]Peace Will Come[/i]
12. Macedonia - Tamara, Vrcak & Adrian - [i]Vo Ime Na Ljubovta[/i]
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13. Ukraine - Ani Lorak - [i]Shady Lady[/i]
14. Croatia - Kraljevi ulice & 75 cents - [i]Romanca[/i]
15. Czech Republic - Tereza Kerndlová - [i]Have Some Fun[/i]
16. Latvia - Pirates of the sea - [i]Wolves Of The sea[/i]
17. Lithuania - Jeronimas Milius - [i]Nomads In The Night[/i]
18. Denmark - Simon Mathew - [i]All Night Long[/i]
19. Belarus - Ruslan Alehno - [i]Hasta La Vista[/i]

In the preselections, these were my favourites:

Sweden: 1 Suzzie Tapper - [i]Visst Finns Mirakel[/i], 2 Rongedal - [i]Just A Minute[/i], 3 The Nicole - [i]Razborka[/i], 4 Sanna Nielsen - [i]Empty Room[/i], 5 Sibel - [i]That's Where I'll Go[/i] / Linda Bengtzing - [i]Hur Svart Kan Det Va?[/i])
(BELGIUM: ISHTAR - [i]O JULISSI NA JALINI[/i] - this was my absolute favourite from all the European preselections)
(Germany: 1 Carolin Fortenbacher - [i]Hinterm Ozean[/i], 2 Cinema Bizarre - [i]Forever Or Never[/i])
(Iceland: 1 Ragnheidur Gröndal - [i]Don't Wake Me Up[/i], 2 Birgitta Haukdal & Magni Asgeirsson - [i]Nuna Veit Eg[/i], 3 Eurobandid - [i]Fullkomid Lif[/i], 4 Haffi Haff - [i]The Wiggle Wiggle Song[/i])
(Ireland: Leona - [i]Not Crazy After All[/i])
(Poland: Margo - [i]Dlatego Walcz[/i])
(Romania: Lucia Dumitrescu - [i]Dragostea Mea[/i])
(Sweden: )
(Malta: 1 Eleanor Cassar - [i]Give Me A Chance[/i], 2 Pamela Bezzina - [i]Whispers[/i], 3 Claudia Faniello - [i]Caravaggio[/i])
(Norway: 1 Zuma - [i]Always Always[/i], 2 Ann-Marie Andersen - [i]Andagassii[/i], 3 Veronica Akselsen - [i]Am I Supposed To Love Again[/i], 4 Maria Haukaas Storeng - [i]Hold On Be Strong[/i])
(Czech Republic: Cechomor - [i]Józef, mój kochany[/i])
(Albania: Greta Koci - [i]Naten Te Kerkove[/i])
(Estonia: Iiris Vesik - [i]Ice-Cold Story[/i], Rolf Junior - [i]One On One[/i], Birgit Oigemeel - [i]365 Days[/i])

I'm just following ESC-history without being chronological, so as I'm just doing that, I can't say much about it...

The last Contest which I've seen was the 2001 competition - my Top10 of this year is:
1. Russia - Mumiy Troll - [i]Lady Alpine Blue[/i]
2. France - Natasha St. Pier - [i]Je N'Ai Que Mon Ame[/i]
3. Slovenia - Nusa Derenda - [i]Energy[/i]
4. Germany - Michelle - [i]Wer Liebe Lebt[/i]
5. Lithuania - Skamp - [i]You Got Style[/i]
6. Denmark - Rollo & King - [i]Never Ever Let You Go[/i]
7. Greece - Antique - [i]Die For You[/i]
8. Portugal - MTM - [i]Só Sei Ser Feliz Assim[/i]
9. Bosnia-Herzegovina - Nino Prses - [i]Hano[/i]
10. Croatia - Vanna - [i]Strings Of My Heart[/i]

Since following the Contest, I voted for these entries:
2002 Sarit Hadad - Light A Candle (Israel, 12th spot)
2003 Rita Guerra - Deixa-me sonhar (Portugal, 22nd spot)
2004 Anjeza Shahini - The Image Of You (Albania, 8th spot) and Fomins & Kleins - Dziesma Par Laimi (Latvia)
2005 semifinals: Global.Kryner - Y asì (Austria) and Marian van de Wal - La Mirada Interior (Andorra)
2005 finals: Shiri Maymon - Hasheket Shenish'ar (Israel, 4th spot)
2006 semifinals: Silvia Night - Congratulations (Iceland, 13th in the semis)
2006 finals: Christine Guldbrandsen - Alvedansen (Norway, 14th spot)
2007 semifinals: Edsilia Rombley - On Top Of The World (Netherlands), Anonymous - Let's Save The
World (Andorra) and Magdi Rusza - Unsubstantial Blues (Hungary)
2007 finals: Les Fatals Picards - L'Amour A La Francaise (France, 22nd spot) and 4Fun - Love Or
Leave (Lithuania)

Feel free to come in contact with me: email=mail4pablo@gmx.de]mail4pablo@gmx.de/email]