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We write the Story the Eurovision Anthem by Björn and Benny

Benny_ BJorn

Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus the male part of ABBA wrote Eurovision’s 2013 anthem We Write the Story Swedish DJ and producer Avicii has been in charge of the final arrangements.

Executive producer Martin Österndahl said: “We are extremely delighted to announce that Benny, Bjorn and Avicii have accepted to compose a unique piece of music for the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest”, while Benny and Björn stated: “This led us on to the assignment to collaborate with Avicii on a piece of mutual understanding and fellowship, it’s a lot of fun and very inspiring.”

The song will premiere at the Eurovision Final next 18th May.

Kurt Calleja

Alain meets Kurt Calleja

INFE Network in cooperation with INFE France, has begun a new chapter as far as Eurostars concerned. Alain Dhallewin, from INFE France has started his journey, bringing you the most interresting interviews from Eurostars.

We hope you enjoy it.

This first interview starts in Malta, where the talented Kurt Calleja, who represented Malta in Baku with the song « This is the night » and has accepted this : our first invitation.

A great smile on a charming guy… here’s what we talked about last monday…

 

A.D. : Happy New Year Kurt !!

K. C. : Happy New Year to you too !

A.D. : What did you do for new year’s eve Kurt ?

K.C. : I had a show in Valetta, the capital city, there were about 25,000 people, it was very good, we had a good time, had a selection of music, people were dancing and singing and celebrating the new year.

A.D. What can you tell me about your current events especially regarding music ?

K.C. : I got a song called « Boomerang », which we launched at the end of the summer. I’ve been performing around Malta with it and we were nominated at the Malta Music Awards which is a big show in Malta and I’m nominated as best solo artist with this song and for the Best Music Video with This Is The Night

A.D. : What have you been up to since Baku ?

K.C. : I’ve been extremely busy, doing lots of shows, went back to Amsterdam after Baku to sing at the gay pride, then I performed at Loreen’s concert in Malta and finally the band and I performed at the Malta Independance Day Anniversary, so it’s been a very busy summer you know, big clubs, big audiences.

A.D. : Who are you Kurt ? Tell me please…

K.C. : I’m a maltese guy, passionate about performing, cooking, I love movies, I’m a very determinated person, when I want to do something, I create a picture of it in my mind and I go for it, you know ?

I love my family and friends so so much and I cannot forget in how many ways they were there for me during difficult and less difficult times. I think, recently I’ve changed a lot, from the point I was chosen as Malta’s Ambassador. It was a very long journey, because you are always learning, meeting people, discovering yourself, people who love you, who love you a little less… but on the whole it’s been a good journey,

A.D. : When can you say that you actually became an artist? I mean when did everything really begun ?

K.C. : As a kid, I always loved singing, but I never took it seriously. For me it was just an excuse to miss lessons (because I used to sing in the school choir). At some point I said to myself – Why can’t I sing instead of going to work ? So I guess when I was 16, I took my first singing lesson, and from that day, everytime some opportunity came up I always went to do my best. However I have been singing as a professionnal for last 3 years now.

A.D. : Were you an actor before?

K. C. : As a teenager, I used to do a lot of theater, some dancing, but growing up I focused more on singing, I was on two TV series in Malta, very popular, it was last year, before I got the right to sing for Malta at Eurovision. But now it’s music, music, music, I play piano and guitar, learning music production, I can write my own songs now… Honestly it’s been so busy last year, I mean I went to record in London, in a studio called ROKSTONE STUDIO, where WESTLIFE, ONE DIRECTION & SUSAN BOYLE amongst many others record – and the following day I was back home in Malta rehearsing for a show after having been interviewed on a number of television shows about it all. So it has been great !

A.D. : What did Baku mean to you before performing at the Eurovision Song Contest ?

K.C. : You see when we won, I took an interest in the country. I couldn’t wait to see the place. I was constantly looking on the net what is there to see in Azerbaijan. About a week after I won the maltese selection, the team and I went to Azerbaijan to perform and I fell in love. We are supposed go back to Baku to perform again this year.

A.D. : What do you listen to? What kind of music ?

K.C. : Big variety of music, dance mucis, classic music, my favorite artists at the moment are JESSIE J, BRUNO MARS, WILL.I.AM, ONE DIRECTION, THE SCRIPT AND RITA ORA. The more you listen to different types of music, the more you can learn and write different songs.

A.D. : What makes you wake up in the morning ?

K.C. : My day is so full, I mean… during my lifetime, I want to use my time, and especially my fame and popularity to inspire people, to help make a change in their lives, you know ? Make them believe that if you really want something, you can do it, you can change.

A.D. : Is there an album ready for 2013 ?

K.C. : Oh yeah, have songs that have been recorded and more songs are on their way, it is supposed to be ready in March.

A.D. : Where are your music producers from?

K.C. : Our band manager represented Malta in the Eurovision Song Contest 20 years ago, his name is William Mangion (with the song « This Time »). We are our own producers, but we use the above studio in London.

A.D. : Have you got a message for your french fans ?

K.C. : I would like to thank all those french people who send me such great messages, honestly, I would really love to say « Merci Beaucoup », it does mean a lot when your music is appreciated in another country, and especially in a country like France where there are so many great artists. And I take this opportutity to wish you a pleasant 2013, full of lots of love and lots of succes, may all your best wishes to come to life this year.

A.D. : You’re a great artist Kurt, EUROIDOL INFE France and INFE Network would love to thank you for taking on your time to do this interview. Please consider yourself as a permanent guest.

K.C. : Merci beaucoup, bonsoir.

Kaliopi

Kaliopi releses new single, Vucica

Kaliopi has just released her new single, Vucica (She Wolfs), arranged and written with her ex-husband Romeo Grill, After Crno i belo‘s great success,Kaliopi decided to work with Romeo Grill again.

The song is the first single released from the upcoming album Melem (The balm), will the the eight solo album from the artist and the second one in Serbian, the album will have 9 brand new songs, together Crno e Belo, all of them will be produced by  Romeo Grill. Kaliopi announced that Melem Za Dusu (It’s a sight for sore eyes) will be second single.

 

Vucicas video was shot in FYR Macedonia and Switzerland.

http://youtu.be/IYUUAnYUzXU

0217682297001

Exclusive!Hughes Aufray’s car on sale

Something quite unusual came up today on our search for Eurovision related news. On a website distributing used cars from Germany we found out that a car that used to belong to Hughes Aufray is out on sale for approximately 50.000 euros. The car is quite a luxurious one in blue metallic color outside and leather inside.

Hughes Aufray (18.08.1929 born in Neuilly-sur-Seine) was the participant for Luxemburg 1964 in Copenhagen with the song „Dès que le printemps revient” finishing fourth. He is also very famous in the francophone countries for the french covers of Bob Dylan’s songs.
He was born to Henry Auffray, an industrialist, and Amyelle de Caubios d’Andiran, a musician, second cousin of the French author François Mauriac (respectively by their maternal grandfather and maternal grandmother). His sister was actress Pascale Audret (1936–2000) and his niece is actress Julie Dreyfus.

Here is the website for the car sales announcement.

bustamante

David Bustamante has not Eurovision under his plans

Although media has rumoured that he could be the next artist representing Spain in Eurovision 2013, the artist denied those and confirmed : “At this point I have different plans for next year”, which definetely include a tour to promote his latest album Mio (Mine).

Bustamante is delighted about Pastora Soler and Quédate Conmigo, and he described the performance as “Beyond  Impressive” in a digital chat for the readers of ABC, he stated “Eurovision demands plenty of respect and preparation, therefore I would rather leave it for now and keep on improving and learning as well as co-operation in television”.

David was one of the five backing singers of Rosa and Europe’s Living a Celebration, just ten years ago in Tallin.

 

aroundtheworldcover

“Quédate Conmigo” around the world cover 50.000 visits within 24 hours

 

A tribute to Pastora Soler and  Quédate conmigo  Around the world cover has been published in youtube and has reached 50.000 visits within 24 hours. World wide artists like Jamie Stanley (Canadá), Lianie May (Southafrica) ,Rui Andrade (Portugal), Sarah Quist (United Kingdom), Reidun (Norway), Leria (Moldova), Christos Nikolaou (Cyprus) or Yiva and Linda (Sweden), and also Spanish ones like  Baltanás, Anael, Eric Oloz and Ana de Lois. The German saxoplayer Andre Schnura has contributed to the video.

 

http://youtu.be/_8oJOo1nJ0Y

carola

Carola will become mother again

Carola Häggkvist is currently in Johannesburg finalizing the process to adopt her future child Zoe. She has decided to give a sister to her 14 years old soon Amadeus, Carola is now 45 years old and has realized how quick times passes by “I always though I wanted to have more kids but unfortunately the perfect man has not arrived and the time to have my own is practically over”, stated the three times Swedish Eurovision singer to the press in her country.

Pastora

Pastora Soler greets Spanish AEV members

Pastora Soler dedicated warm regards and greets to the AEV Spanish fans and in particular to the listeners of AEV podcast Estando Contigo. Pastora was in El Rincón de la Victoria nearby Malaga in the celebrations of the Spanish religious acts for Easter Holy Week.

Special thanks to the Spanish member Salvador Escudero for his perseverance and time invested in providing this video.

 

http://youtu.be/_6JpiYaLvH8

 

bma

Balkan Music Awards 2012. Vote for your favourite Eurostars!

 

On December 7th· 2009, Balkanika Music Television officially announced the start of the First Balkan Music Awards 2010, after the success of the first and second edition the 3rd BMA 2012 have presented the final nominees. Last year 30.000 excited viewers watched some of the performers live in the Alexander I square in Sofia, due to successful media partnerships, these special concerts were shown live, in all countries on the Balkan Peninsula.

Among the best song for each Balkan country, awards for the best male, female, group, video and project from the Balkans will be awarded. Manga are eurostarts with most nominations, 3, follwed by Severina (2) ;  Dino Merlin, Vlado Ilietvski, Magazin, Elena Risteka and Marija Serifovic have been nominated for their respective countries. Maja Keuc and “No One” have been nominated as Best Slovenian Song.

 

You can vote for your favourites and see the rest of categories  here watch the nominees to the global categories below

Best Female Performer in the Balkans 2011
Nominated:
Elli Kokkinou /Greece/
Hande Yener /Turkey/
Inna /Romania/
Lepa Brena /Serbia/
Maria Ilieva /Bulgaria/

http://youtu.be/fp-dgKJgP_Q

Best Male Performer in the Balkans 2011
Nominated:
Dino Merlin /Bosnia and Herzegovina/
Nino /Greece/
Serdar Ortac /Turkey/
Smiley /Romania/
Zdravko Colic /Zdravko Colic/

http://youtu.be/6weyUdipo9k

Best Duet/Group in the Balkans 2011
Nominated:
Deepside Deejays /Romania/
DNK /Macedonia/
Manga /Turkey/
Play & Win /Romania/
Sanja Ilic & Balkanika /Serbia/

 

http://youtu.be/ccradkFrumw

Best Video in the Balkans 2011
Nominated:
1.000.000 - Alexandra Stan feat.Carlprit /Romania/
Afer Dhe Larg - Elvana Gjata /Albania/
Grad Bez Ljudi - Severina /Croatia/
Metak Sa Posvetom - Lepa Brena /Serbia/
Fly to stay alive - Manga /Turkey/

 

http://youtu.be/XcIW9OKokWM

Best Balkan project for 2011
Nominated:
Cumartesi (Събота) - Теодора feat. Sinan Akcil
Ja volim Balkan - Dado Polumenta feat. MC Yankoo, DJ Mladja & MC Stojan
Ne zna juce de ja sad - Viki Miljkovic feat. Halid Beslic
Pao snijeg po dunjama - Neda Ukraden feat. Kemal Monteno
Питам те последно - Емануела feat. Serdar Ortac

http://youtu.be/QrkeaAVMbx8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

diges

Daniel Diges releases his second album a tribute to the 70s

 

Daniel Diges released her second album ¿Dónde estabas tú en los 70? (where were you in the 70s?) which is a tribute to the 70s and were Daniel covers hits like Help or the greatest Spanish Eurovision entry ever Eres tú.  Daniel joins other artists like  Sergio Dalma, David Civera o Patricia Kraus which have recently recorded album covering classics. Daniel presented the album in a special show in TVE, which has also produced the album

http://youtu.be/AWsd7Rz1xXg