CONGRATULATIONS AZERBAIJAN

TEBRIK EDIRIK AZƏRBAYCAN

Baku (Bakı), here we come! Eldar and Nigar a.k.a. Ell and Nikki have won the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest with Running Scared written by Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman and Iain Farquharsondur.

Raphael Gualazzi finished 2nd for Italy with Madness Of Love and Sweden took 3rd place with Eric Saades Popular.

You can read about Ell and Nikki's cdsingles, recorded versions and charts here at the Düsseldorf Collection

Check out all entries of the Düsseldorf Song Contest

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1 Azerbaijan - Running Scared - Eldar and Nigar (Ell/Nikki)

1 - 221 pts / 2 - 122 pts in semi 1
Azerbaijan have won the 56th Eurovision song contest with their 4th entry Running Scared.

Both performers, Eldar Gasimov (Eldar Qasımov) and Nigar Jamal (Nigar Camal), have been chosen as the Azerbaijani representatives for the 2010 contest.
Both singers participated seperately in the national selection.

The song Running Scared is written by Stefan Örn, Sandra Bjurman and Iain Farquharsondur. Örn and Bjurman were also involved in the 2010 Azerbaijani entry for Safura.

You can watch the video here at the official Eurovision Youtube channel.

cds / promos
A cdsingle is released in Germany (and probably other countries) on May 27. It includes:
Running scared - Eurovision version
Running scared - Acoustic
(Polydor/Universal 060252775292-1)

A 2nd release in card sleeve is from Belgium and has three tracks:
Running Scared - Eurovision version
Running Scared - Azzido da Bass POP club mix
Running Scared - Acoustic
(ARS entertainment 060252775289-1)

A cdsingle released in Turkey in June has 8 tracks:

Running Scared - Radio Edit

Running Scared - Azzido Da Bass Pop Club Mix

Running Scared - Acoustic Version

Running Scared - Niclas Kings “In The Air” Remix

Running Scared - Niclas Kings “In The Air” Club Extended

Running Scared - Odd Remix Edit

Running Scared - Odd Remix Extended

Running Scared - Adrian Sina Remix

(Yeni Dünya Müzik 8693644011918)

The same eight versions can also be found on a cdsingle released in Romania on Roton records.

An early promo cds has 1 track only.

A 3 track promo cds has the same tracks as the Belgian release.
A promo DVD has 4 versions of Running Scared.

New Remixes from Spain
Blanco Y Negro records have a digital release out with 8 remixes of Running Scared. It does not include the original (radio) version nor the Azzido da Bass POP radio mix. But there are two new mixes available:
Running Scared - Albert Kick & Jordi MB Radio Remix
Running Scared - Albert Kick & Jordi MB Extended Remix
They are available at Blanco Y Negro affilaite IDC and other (mostly DJ) outlets like Juno. The release has 8 mixes, but they can also be bought seperately.
The Albert Kick and Jordi remix is also available on VA club CD Pioneer The Album VII (Blanco Y Negro)
The extended remix is also available at the VA club CD It's Your Time: Past Present And Future (Blanco y Negro)
Blanco Y Negro website

Versions:

Running Scared - Eurovision version / Radio edit
Running Scared - Acoustic
Running Scared - Azzido da Bass club POP Remix
Running Scared - Azzido da Bass POP radio mix
- all above four versions are on the promo dvd

Running Scared - Niclas Kings “In The Air” Club Extended

Running Scared - Niclas Kings “In The Air” Remix

Running Scared - Odd Remix Edit

Running Scared - Odd Remix Extended

Running Scared - Adrian Sina Remix

- Adrian Sina is a member of Romanian band Akcent

Running Scared - Albert Kick & Jordi MB Radio Remix
Running Scared - Albert Kick & Jordi MB Extended Remix
- Both Albert Kick & Jordi MB remixes are from a digital release in Spain on the Blanco Y Negro label. The radio edit can be found on 3CD Otra Modiva vol 1. (VA, Blanco Y Negro)
Several versions can be downloaded here at the new Ell/Nikki website.

Eldar & Nigar had ditched the Ell/Nikki name they had thought up first but it was used in Eurovision anyway.
So they decided to use it on the European singles and the new website too.
Promos use the name Eldar and Nigar.

The duo have have launched their Eurovision website at Eurovision Talents.
The website is also available in Russian and German.
The duo have launched a new website http://ellnikki.net/.

Charts:
Netherlands top 100: 59, -
Ireland top 50: 41, -
Belgium (FL) top 50: 43, 37, -
U.K. top 100: 61, -
Switzerland top 75: 11, 52, -
Austria top 75: 22, 49, 53, 61, 70, -
Germany top 100: 32, 43, 47, 47, 66, 97

Coverversion from South Africa:

It was just bound to happen: A coverversion in Afrikaans has been recorded. David Fourie and Monique have transformed Running Scared into My Hart Het Klaar Besluit (My heart decided).
The song will be released on the forthcoming David Fourie compilation album Die Eerste Dekade (the first decade), listen to a snippet here at YouTube. The album is now available on iTunes.
The duo have also recorded an English version which you can see here at Select musiek.

David Fourie has recorded other coverversions of Eurovision songs: Germany 1989, Norway 2003, Estonia 2002 plus a host of National final songs.
Monique had a hit in South Africa with rapper Snotkop and their Afrikaans version of the Finnish 2009 entry Lose Control  titled Ek Val Vir Jou. (listen here)

2012: Coverversion from Estonia
Jürmo Jurtom and Anne Loho have recorded an Estonian version of Running Scared. It is titled Kardan, Et Järsku Kaod and you can listen here. The Estonian lyrics are written by Kaari Sillamaa, mother of Estonian almost Eurovision singer Janika Sillamaa.
I don't have many details but it is digitally available from Muusika24.ee. (Estonia only)
Special thanks to Margo

Coverversion to avoid:
Amazon.com and some local downloadshops are selling an MP3 by Running Scared titled Running Scared.
It's a lame copy of the Eurovision song. I don't know why they are putting crap like that, maybe they hope we buy it by mistake or maybe they think we're idiots.
Exactly he same version also appears on the album Mr. Saxobeat Summer Hits (and other compilations) under the moniker Bon Aero vs Daisy Duffy.

Azerbaijan in 2010 (Safura) and 2009 (Aysel and Arash)

2 Italy - Madness Of Love - Raphael Gualazzi

2 - 189 pts / not in semi
Raphael Gualazzi, the winner of the newcomers section (Sanremo Giovanni) at the 61st Sanremo contest, represented Italy on it's return to Eurosong a.k.a. l'Eurofestival a.k.a The Eurovision Song Contest.

The eclectic jazz singer and pianist performed selfpenned Follia D'Amore at San Remo.
The English version of the song, Madness Of Love, is released on international issues of the  Reality And Fantasy album.
At Eurovision the song was performed in a bilingual version.
You can watch the first Eurovision* version at the Youtube channel of Sugar music.

* It's too long, but on the official Düsseldorf album there's a three minute Eurovision version.

A promo cdsingle in cardsleeve features the long Eurovision version*, the English version and the original Italian version. (Sugar Music / Universal Ins 189).
In Düsseldorf the same cdsingle was used, but instead of a card sleeve it came in a large folder.

A remix of Madness Of Love (English version) is included on the album Reality And Fantasy - Special Edition. It's mixed by Gilles Peterson.
The collection also includes other bonus tracks including a coverversion of Fleetwood Mac's Don't Stop which was first released in 2010.
Unfortunately the remix is only available on the digital issue on iTunes. The CD version does not have the Madness Of Love remix, which is (at least) to be frowned upon.
The Special edition CD only has the regular Italian version Follia d'Amore.

2012 re-issue
Update: After signing with Blue Note, Gualazzi will re-release the Reality And Fantasy album in September 2012.
It has 6 bonustracks* and features Follia D'Amore, the original Italian version of the Eurovision entry plus Madness Of Love. (Full English version)
The album is out September 18. (Blue Note / EMI 7367529)

* The bonustracks are more or less the same as on the earlier Special edition. No new songs.


Madness Of Love also features in the Giovanni Veronesi film Manual Of Love 3 / Manuale d'Amore 3 starring Robert De Niro and Monica Belluci.

Versions:
Madness Of Love - 3 minute Eurovision version (bilingual 3:00)
on the official Düsseldorf album
Follia D'Amore - Original
On CD Reality And Fantasy, Italian edition and promo cds **
Madness Of Love - English
On CD Reality And Fantasy, European edition and promo cds **
Madness Of Love - Eurovision version (bilingual, 3:33) *
Video clip at Sugarmusic, on promo cds
Madness Of Love - Gilles Peterson remix
On Reality and Fantasy - Special edition (digital version only)
** Also available at digital sources.

Charts:
Italy singles top 10: 8
Netherlands top 100: 90, -
Switzerland top 75: 52
Austria top 75: 40

Update: Tour dates
Catch Raphael Gualazzi at festivals in France and Italy in July.
More shows have been added in Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy, Germany and Monaco.
More details and full list of dates here at Sugarmusic

Gualazzi has released two albums: Love Outside The Window (Edel, 2005) and Reality And Fantasy which is out now.

Follia D'Amore is on the Reality And Fantasy album which is out on Sugar music.
The album also includes follow up singles A Three Second Breath, Calda Estate and Love Goes Down Slow.
Reality and Fantasy gets to #4 in the Italian album charts and also charts in Austria.
(Italy CD: Sugar music 80331 20982262)
(Rest of Europe CD: Sugar Music / Warner 0602527633176)
(Special edition CD: Sugar music 80331 20983023)

Follia D'Amore can also be found on the CD Speciale Sanremo 2011 with 17 tracks from the festival which is out on Warner (98501250).
Please note that the 16 track CD Sanremo 2011 on Universal does not have the Gualazzi track.

Follia D'Amore enters the Italian singles top 20 at # 8
Follie D'Amore clip at the tube.

Raphael Gualazzi website
Special thanks to Sugarmusic.

3 Sweden - Popular - Eric Saade

3 - 185 pts / 1 - 155 pts in semi 2
Eric Saade has won Melodifestivalen (MF) 2011 with the window shattering song Popular written by MF veteran Fredrik Kempe.

A one track CD single is out now and Popular already entered the Swedish charts at #1 the day before the MF final.
(Roxy/Universal DKBV71018301)

At Eurovision Saade takes Sweden back to the top 10 for the first time since 2006 and scores the best result since the victory of 1999.

More versions of Popular have been released.
The Album remix and Slow Acoustic version are now available through itunes.
Soundfactory have made three further remixes of Popular, all available at digital sources.

What's Up You!
Eric Saade ended 3rd in the MF of 2010 with Manboy (Kempe / Peter Boström) which was a #1 hit in Sweden and one of the best selling singles of the year.
His first steps to fame were made in the boyband What's Up. Their Go Girl! was a#5 in in 2007 and If I Told You To Dance #16 in 2008. What's Up also featured Robin Stjernberg. Saade left the band in 2009 and it was disbanded soon after.

Saade Vol. 1, the album
Eric Saades 2nd album is out on Roxy recordings since June 29.
It's titled Saade Vol. 1 and it's the follow up of Masquerade from 2010. The album includes Popular (album remix and original) and follow up single Hearts In The Air.
The album enters the Swedish album charts at #1 and gets Gold status in just one week. The album gained platinum status in seven weeks.
Still in 2011, Saade also released Saade Vol. 2, a new album with 10 new songs in December. It also enters the Swedish charts at #1.

versions:
Popular - original
on cdsingle, MF CD and Düsseldorf CD
Popular - Album remix
CD Saade Vol. 1 and digital at iTunes
Popular - Slow version
digital at iTunes
Popular - Soundfactory Club remix
Popular - Soundfactory Radio remix
Popular - Soundfactory Dub
Soundfactory remixes are available at iTunes
Popular - Instrumental / Karaoke
Digital release, as Karaoke through official Eurovision site
Instrumental and "Karaoke" are the same version.

Eric Saade official Website

Charts:

Sweden top 60: 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 12, 16, 30, 34, 17, 21, 25, 28, 28, 29, 30, 32, 28, 30, 37, 35, 40, 42, 49, 56, 57, -
The single has gone double platinum in Sweden.
Finland top 20: 17, -
Ireland top 50: 27, -
U.K. top 100: 76, -
Austria top 75: 29, 44, 75, -

Germany top 100: 48, 76, 98, -

Popular also charted in various Lithuanian charts

2012 Update: Helena Paparizou, 2005 Eurovision winner, has performed a jazzed up swing version of Popular in the 2012 Melodifestivalen final. It's a bit of a tradition that the winner of last year is performed in a different style by a different artist in the interval of MF.
Helena's Popular is released on iTunes and possibly other digital sources.

Other interval versions that have also been officially released in the past few years are:
2010 - This Is My Life (Anna Bergendahl) in a rock version by Dynazty (in MF 2011)
2009 - La Voix (Malena Ernman) rock version by Casablanca with Malena (in MF 2010)
2008 - Hero (Charlotte Perrelli) Moto Boy with Charlotte Perrelli*, ballad version (in MF 2009)
2007 - The Worrying kind (The Ark) - Acoustic version by Maya Hirasawa (in MF 2008)
2006 - Invincible (Carola) - Acoustic ballad version by Thomas Andersson Wij (in MF 2007)
* Charlotte does not feature on the studio version

Smurfular

Having barely recovered from their multi million movie theatre success The little blue guys (=1 girl) in the white pointy hats are at it again. The Smurfs (or Smurfarna in Swedish) have recorded a Swedish version of Popular for their new album Smurfparty 3.

They call the song Populär. Also on the same album is a version of the Norwegian entry Haba Haba, now titled Bada Bada.

The album is out on Warner / Metronome on december 7. (WMS-5052498-980826)
The same two tracks can be found on their new Norwegian album Smurfeparty 3 (as Smurfene). Popular becomes Populær and Haba Haba is now Dans Meg Til Smurfeland. (Warner 5052498981021)

Since the little critters are cunning multilinguists they also recorded a Danish version Populær for their new Danish album Smølfeparty 3 (as the Smølferne) but that one doesn't have Haba Haba. (Warner Music Nordic)

Fredrik Kempe is a familiar face in the Eurovision songwriters guild. He co-wrote the 2006 entry Hero for Charlotte Perrelli (with Bobby Lungren) and La Voix, the Swedish 2009 entry by Malena Ernman (with the singer herself).

He also wrote the 2010 Norwegian entry My Heart Is Yours for Didrik Solli Tangen (with Hanne Sørvaag).

In total he (co) wrote 17 Melodifestivalen entries.

Melodifestivalen is the 32 song / 6 week preselection marathon to select the Swedish Eurovision entry.

The Melodifestivalen 2011 CD is out now. It includes all 32 songs in the competition.

There are also two extra editions to celebrate 10 years of Melodifestivalen in its current 32-song format.

One is a 6 CD box with the 2011 CD and 4 CDs with 100 melodifestivalen hits. (The Silver edition)

A limited edition is a 7 CD box the same 6 CDs plus one disc including unreleased demo's and versions of MF entries. (The Gold edition)

Both boxes have a 100 page booklet.

Check SVT's Melodifestivalen pages for regular news updates, audio's (when they're up), videos and behind the screens footage.

Melodifestivalen is a hit-spinner in Sweden.

Last year 28 out of the 32 tracks reached the sales top 60 including three #1 hits.

For the first time this year many have not been released on cdsingles and only 18 reached the Swedish top 60. The MF 2CD has gone 5x platinum.

The 2010 MF CD was the best sold compilation album of the year.

Check the Swedish page at the 2013 Malmö Collection websites for statistics (2002-2013) and history of Melodifestivalen. (Here)

Sweden in 2010 (Anna Bergendahl) and 2009 (Malena Ernman)