Eurovision Song Contest

PREVIEW: Spain’s Eurovision selection show Benidorm Fest 2023 starring Agoney & Sharonne

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WHEN?: 31 January, 2 and 4 February 2023

WHERE?: Palau Municipal d’Esports l’Illa de Benidorm Watch on TVE

2022 saw the return of Benidorm Fest as the method for Spain to select its Eurovision entry and our choice to win, Chanel with SloMo, finished 3rd in Turin, Spain’s best result since 1995.

  • Read on for reasons including how we predict Agoney could do even better than Chanel if Spain chooses them for Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Performance Of A Song 2022

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2022? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 16 categories for our 8th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2022.

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PREVIEW/PREDICTIONS: Eurovision Song Contest 2022 Final starring Cornelia Jakobs, Sam Ryder and Chanel

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud and Neil Durham

WHEN?: Saturday 14 May 2022

WHERE?: PalaOlimpico, Turin, Italy

HOW DO I WATCH?: BBC1 8pm (UK time)

Rousing anti-ballad Hold Me Closer by Sweden’s Cornelia Jakobs (pictured) is our pick to take home the 66th Eurovision Song Contest crown on Saturday.

  • Read on for reasons including where we think the Semi 1 qualifiers will finish on Saturday
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PREVIEW/PREDICTIONS: Eurovision Song Contest 2022 Semi 2 starring Achille Lauro, Cornelia Jakobs, Ochman & The Rasmus

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud and Neil Durham

WHEN? Thursday 12 May 2022

WHERE? PalaOlimpico, Turin, Italy

HOW DO I WATCH? BBC3 8pm (UK time)

We think the standard of this 2nd semi final is far greater than Tuesday’s 1st and also it will therefore be tougher for the better songs here to advance to Saturday’s final.

  • Read on for reasons including who we think the 10 qualifiers for the final will be from this semi
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PREVIEW: Eurovision France c’est vous qui décidez, France’s Eurovision selection show starring Pauline Chagne

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Aline Mahrud

WHEN/WHERE?: 5 March 2022, Paris

HOW DO I WATCH?: France Télévisions

France’s Barbara Pravi was runner-up at last year’s Eurovision Song Contest with Voila and it’s fair to say that the French Eurovision selection procedure in recent years has really upped its game.

  • Read on for reasons including our pick of the 12 songs in this final
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PREVIEW/PREDICTIONS: Eurovision Song Contest final starring Elena Tsagrinou, The Roop, James Newman & Blas Cantó 

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: Saturday 22 May 2021

WHERE?: Ahoy Rotterdam

HOW TO WATCH?: 8pm UK time BBC1

The 1st 2021 semi final took place on Tuesday night and we now have 10 entries including Cyprus’ Elena Tsagrinou (pictured above) to add to the pre-qualified finalists – but what results will they earn on the all important Saturday night?

  • Read on for reasons including our predictions for where each final entry will finish
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for May 2021 starring Eurovision

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Eurovision Song Contest returns

Covid-19 caused its cancellation for the 1st time in its 66-year history in 2020 and this year it comes live from the Ahoy in Rotterdam on Saturday 22 May 2021. We’ve previewed semi 1, semi 2 and the pre-qualified finalists. Our pick to win is Iceland’s Daði Freyr (pictured) with hits group Gagnamagnið and entry 10 Years, a song of the week for us in March.

  • Read on for reasons including the return of the West End featuring Drag Race UK stars, the Southwark Playhouse and Glastonbury
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9 reasons why we can’t wait for March 2021 starring Daði Freyr

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Daði Freyr Eurovision entry drops

2020 was the Eurovision-that-never-was and Freyr’s Think About Things was judged by many to be the song most likely to have won if Covid-19 hadn’t caused its cancellation. Like many other competitors Freyr has been selected to compete in 2021 and his song 10 Years drops 13/3/21. Freyr’s last single Feel The Love was a song of the month for us in January.

  • Read on for reasons including Treason, new Zara Larsson album and the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix
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GIG REVIEW: Lucie Jones in Leave A Light On

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHERE?: Online via Leave A Light On

WHEN?: 22/1/21

SETLIST: What Baking Can Do; Rainbow; How Far I’ll Go; Someone Like You (duet with Ella Stammers); Landslide; I Can Do Better Than That; When She Loved Me; Marvin; Only Us (duet with Sam Tutty); She Used To Be Mine

Jones was performing in Waitress in her 1st West End leading lady role when Covid-19 closed theatres and so she turned to teaching.

  • Read on for reasons including how Jones duets with a young student and it’s quite moving
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