By now we have published the individual country results from 14 countries.

In the next two days results will come from

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Liechtenstein

Uruguay

Bolivia

Once the voting closes on 1 April, we should have results for

Australia

United States of America

Costa Rica

Canada

New Zealand

Venezuela

Colombia

Chile

Peru

And maybe 1 or 2 others

We are very happy with the views on the results, the top 3 so far is

1 – Ecuador – 1920

2 – South Africa – 1370

3 – Japan – 917

OGAE Rest of the world has members/fan in about 30 countries. The idea is that we group the voting per country as well so we can see what is the taste of our members/fans in a particular country. Some of the 30 countries have few members and so they are easy to do, the countries with a large gathering of members/fans will take longer and they may become available only once our voting has closed at the end of 1/2 April. But we have already been able to do the voting of 6 countries

1 – Kazakhstan

2 – Nigeria

3 – Democratic republic of the Congo

4 – Japan

5 – South Korea

6 – Namibia

Tomorrow we will make available the voting from

7 – Paraguay

8 – Seychelles

We hope to have the voting from several Latin American countries with a huge fan base like

Costa Rica, Venezuela, Peru, Mexico, Panama, Chile, Argentina and Brazil

On top of that, we hope for those of Canada, Hungary, New Zealand, Australia, America and South Africa

We hope also for votes from United Arab Emirates, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Taiwan and Sri lanka.

From next week I am working on the programme for Stockholm. I will be involved in several activities and will fixed the date and times for these events. R O W members in Stockholm can join most of these events but unfortunately it is just impossible to arrange these by continuing to ask members if certain days and times suit them, so I am doing it according to my schedule and any member can join those that suits his or her schedule in Stockholm.

ONE – HANDING OF GOOD LUCK MESSAGES
It is difficult for most ordinary members to attend the handing of the good luck message to the artists of 43 countries as those will be handed to the artists in the press centre during the first week when they come to the press centre for a meet and greet. Members who are in Stockholm during the first week and have P or F1 will be able to attend. The schedule is as follows:
Monday 2 May – those 9 countries in the top half of semi final 1
Tuesday 3 May – those 9 countries in the bottom half of semi final 1
Wednesday 4 May – those 10 countries in the top half of semi final 2
Thursday 5 May – those 9 countries in the bottom half of semi final 2
The handing to the big 5 and the host country will probably take place later when they come to the press center, maybe the Saturday or Sunday.
TWO – HANGING OF THE GIFTS MADE BY NIALL
The schedule is exactly the same as for the good luck messages as it is part of the gift package each country gets.
THREE – HANDING OF THE R O W AWARD TO IAN FOWELL
He will only arrive in Stockholm on the afternoon of Thursday 5 May and this can be done at any time during the second week when several members can be present. Ian will be assisting me from when he arrives so this is the most easy thing to fit in.
FOUR – HANDING OF COMPOSER AWARD TO THOMAS GSON
The idea Thomas and I have been discussing is that this should take place in the second week at either Euro club or Euro cafe and as he is there as composer for the Cyprus song. The idea is to have the group there as well to sign autographs and pose for photo’s, so this we will arrange at a time best suited to the groups schedule. There will also be press from Sweden.
FIVE – HANDING OF GIFT TO RICHARD HERREY
This was suppose to take place at the R O W lunch on Tuesday 10 May but now it is not possible as the HARD ROCK CAFE is fully booked for lunch that day by other OGAE clubs and fans as we waited too long to fix this date. Now it looks like we have to look at another alternative – maybe a morning tea/coffee. This is important to me, so even if it is just me present, I will fix this at whatever time Richard is available to see me during the second week.
SIX – VISIT TO ABBA MUSEUM AND HANDING OF STUFF TO THE MUSEUM OF ABBA ITEMS FROM SOUTH AFRICA
This will happen on Wednesday 11 May around 11 am and once again, even if it is just me, it is important to me to do this. It is items from my personaly collection and I think because it is not easy to come by, this will be more suitable for the museum so more people can see it.
SEVEN – MEETING BJORN AND BENNY OF ABBA
Not sure if this will happen, we need to still negociate and it will probably happen at the Greek restaurant Bjorn has opened. I do not really eat Greek food so for me it will not be a lunch or dinner,just meeting them and handing them special items
1 – An AFRIKAANS version of WATERLOO (if it is finished before I depart – this is out of my hands but the producers said I will have it).
2 – An AFRIKAANS version of Bjorn and Benny’s big hit in 1969 HEY GAMBLE MAN – this is finished and there are just 12 copies made, so this is extremely rare.
3 – Next week I get the AFRIKAANS version of the BRACELET song from the Danish selection which feature the two ABBA grandsons of BENNY.
EIGHT – MEETING WITH NICKY FROM IRELAND
I am busy getting SUNLIGHT covered in AFRIKAANS and this will be handed to Nicky during the second week at a time that suits him and the Irish delegation which probably will also be in Euro club or Euro cafe.
NINE – NOT AS GET CONFIRMED EVENTS
2016 see a lot of artists returning to Eurovision, such as Greta (Iceland), Kaliopi (Macedonia), Deen (Bosnia), Poli (Bulgaria) and Ira Losca (Malta). I have pitched the Eurovision songs of them from previous years to singers to cover and have it ready to bring to Stockholm for a hand over but I have no control over whether this will be finished. The artists or their record companies are paying so I cannot apply pressure to have it finished like I do on those items that I pay for, as the producers know if it is not finished by the time I go to Stockholm, then I do not want the items. 7th wonder of Malta – if the artist wanting to do it has not done by the end of the month, I will have it done by Cole and pay for it.
TEN – SPECIAL THING FOR WHOEVER IS THE WINNER OF THE R O W VOTING
Last year we had the HEROES messages for MANS who won the R O W voting for 2015, so whoever wins our voting for 2016, we will also have something for that artists – whoever it will be. This of course can be decided only once we know what song our members pick as their favourite.
Other members may organise events as well, like the lunch or whatever get-together. We may have again a karaoke contest like in Vienna although we have heard nothing as yet. Also not sure what other events OGAE SWEDEN will have up their sleeve for us at Euro cafe, and again once we have a programme of events, we will share it with you so you can plan your stay in STOCKHOLM around the events you would like to attend. There may also be special perforances at Euro village like in Vienna but again, we have absolutely no details.

Andreas in Vienna sent us his views on the German 2016 selection.

The German show for their ESC song was choosen in a concert-hall from Cologne which was presented by Barbara Schöneberger. She started to sing a very strange song which was a medley of “Dieser Weg” (by Xavier Naiddo) and sereval Eurovision songs like “A little peace”. I thought it was quite disrespectful against Xavier, maybe not my kind of humor … but not a good voice neither to sing on stage.

Then 10 songs were presented and I was a bit surprised that the quality of the songs of such a big country was more than average. Most of the songs will be forgotten quite after the show.

Ella (1) which I actually like did a German schlager (Adrenalin) with a dance routine similar to Helene Fischer. Unfortunately the song was not good and I know much stronger songs by her.

Joco (2) was a duo who sang about FULL MOON which existed only of many ohs ahs ohs ahs and the title, very average.

Then the Gregorian (3) came on stage, the show was great with a lot of fire and drama by the men in frocks but all songs sound like all the songs before for me.

Woods of Birnam (4) also quite average I can’t even recall the song!

Luxuslärm (5) a group that is already well known in Germany. The song was nice but too slow to impress the ESC-public.

Keoma (6) was a cool-jazzy-lounge-song but also without any peak.

Avantasia (7) was the first group to remember for sure, kind of a MEAT LOAF double with a powerful song that is still in my ears.

Alex (8) for me completely strange to make such a fuss about this song, so simple, so average, maybe the connection to the Paris attacks makes people like this.

Jamie (9) from the beginning my favourite and happy it won. The only song with hit quality.

Laura (10) which sang a Ralph Siegel song but everybody looked only on her glittering dress on which they had colourful projections. Ralph did much better in the past but I think he was very HAPPY with Laura’s presentation.

The first voting showed JAMIE-LEE, ALEX and AVANTASIA in the TOP 3 and JAMIE LEE won with about 45%.

From Andreas in Vienna

 

Here are my impressions. It started with a Review of Eurovision Songs & Winners from back then to Mans ….

The show was much bigger than in the past. All songs had it’s own staging, dancers, projection, great costumes … not like in the past mostly a plain & boring stage, simple clothes, just a bit of lighting, etc.

The Song list as follows:

1. VINCENT BUENO – All We Need Is That Love

2. LIZZA – Psycho

3. ORRY JACKSON – Pieces In A Puzzle

4. ELLY V – I’ll Be Around (Bounce)

5. LIA – Runaway

6. CELINE & FARINA – Sky Is The Limit

7. AZRAH – The One

8. SANKIL JONeS – One More Sound

9. BELLA WAGNER – Weapons Down

10. ZOE – Loin D’ici

The selection of styles was really a big one: from HAPPY, to Dance, Up-Tempo, Big ballad, Rap, morbid … there was a violin Player flying from the ceiling (Celine & Farina), there was a Mans-copy Standing within an earth and pushing & moving the countries like puzzles, there was a Dance & fire Show with a great unusual voice by Sankil, Alice in Wonderland (Zoe), a very morbid song of Bella, looked like a Zombie that came out of the grave, a Psycho (Lizza) song, that was too psycho for me, Vincent came rolling in and had great Dance routine but the song was weak and got lost, Lia had a great ballad and a huge dress which we saw at Moldova (2013, also Helene Fischer did that one in her latest show), Elly V reminded me of several artists which I do not have on my Agenda, but it was growing on me and an disco/uptempo of Azrah.

After each song the Jury gave comments and later their Points. The Jury members are: Conchita, Julie Frost (Songwriter of Satellite), Maldita (a DJ) and Christian Ude. Well, as expected the Jury by consisting a DJ and a hard core fan was not my cup of tea neither their comments … Julie was impressed by nearly all and said mostly very nice comments, but complained about the “bad English lyrics” while coming from an English speaking Country, this should have been quite clear. And Conchita, oh well: not her best day in my eyes. Her comments were not good, not bad neither something of everything.

During voting: CONCHITA was singing THAT’S WHAT I AM in a complete different SLOW version which I honestly didn’t like much.

After the voting the TOP 3 were presented: ELLY V, ZOE and BELLA WAGNER! Elly was clear, ZOE I was hoping for but after the juries votes (were she was only 4th) I was not sure anymore and Bella Wagner which I actually liked, but too dark for Eurovision.

Anyway: ELLY and ZOE came in to sing their songs once again on which ZOE finally WON 🙂