PREVIEW: Second Cherry 2021 starring Charlotte Perrelli, KEiiNO and La Rappresentante di Lista

WHEN?: Friday 8 October 2021

WHERE?: Royal Vauxhall Tavern, London

Eurovision winner Charlotte Perrelli could only finish 8th in 2021’s Melodifestivalen but she is our pick of the bunch to win next month’s coveted Second Cherry.

  • Read on for reasons including KEiiNO, La Rappresentate di Lista and Suured tüdrukud
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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our best song of 2021 so far

We awarded 14 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2020 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2021 so far and what’s to come. Previous winners in this category are 2020 Redemption by Hurts, 2019: C U Next Tuesday by Shakespears Sister, 2018: Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae , 2017: New Rules by Dua Lipa, 2016: Can’t Stop The Feeling by Justin Timberlake, 2015: Goodbye To Yesterday by Elina Born and Stig Rästa

  • Read on for our top 8 best songs of 2021 so far and how to see each act live
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PREDICTIONS: Melodi Grand Prix finalen starring KEiiNO, Raylee & TIX

WHEN?: Saturday 20 February 2021

WHERE?: H3 Arena, Fornebu, Oslo

HOW TO WATCH?: NRK link

Sweden’s Melodifestivalen may be the average Eurovision fan’s favourite national pre-selection show but the quality on display in Norway’s 2021 Melodi Grand Prix means it is fast following in the must-see footsteps of its rival.

* Read on for reasons including who we think will win and how each song would do at Eurovision

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for February 2021 starring Lucy Spraggan

  1. Lucy Spraggan releases new album

Spraggan won our gig of the year monsta in 2020 and we said then: ‘Her warmth and empathy really shine bright in the guitar-based, folk-influenced material that she writes and performs.’ Her 6th album Choices is released 26/2/21 and includes Sober, a song of the month for us in November. Tickets were on sale for an April tour which has now been cancelled because of Covid-19 but you can watch that gig of the year. Details

  • Read on for reasons including the return of KEiiNO, Melodifestivalen 2021 and Deutschland ’89

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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our Best Album of 2020 so far

We awarded 14 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2019 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2020 so far and what’s to come. Florence and The Machine’s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, Lady Gaga’s Joanne, Lorde’s Melodrama, Saara Aalto’s Wild, Wild Wonderland and Sigrid’s Sucker Punch are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for our top 5 best albums of 2020 so far and our hopes for the next three months

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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Okta by KEiiNO (May 2020)

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT: now

TRACKLIST: Take Me Home; Black Leather; Would I Lie To You?; Spirit In The Sky; Dancing In The Smoke; Roar Like A Lion; Praying; Colours; Louder; Bed With The Wolf

A year ago in Tel Aviv Norwegian trio KEiiNO won the Eurovision Song Contest televote eventually finishing sixth overall with our favourite song of that year’s competition, the soaraway pop smash Spirit In The Sky.

  • Read on for reasons including our thoughts on this album’s four new tracks

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t/couldn’t wait for May (2020) starring Eurovision: Come Together

  1. Eurovision: Come Together airs

BBC Eurovision host Graham Norton (pictured above) won’t be in Rotterdam in the Netherlands on 16/5 when the Eurovision Song Contest was due to take place but UK fans will have a show to watch at 6.30pm – Eurovision: Come Together. The one-off special promises a celebration of the most unforgettable performances in the contest’s 65-year history along with the greatest songs from the modern contest. Read our predictions for who would have qualified from Semi 1, Semi 2 and how the pre-qualified finalists would have done.

  • Read on for reasons including Leave A Light On, Eurovision Again, KEiiNO album and Second Cherry return

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for November 2019 starring James McAvoy as Cyrano de Bergerac

  1. James McAvoy stars in Cyrano de Bergerac in the West End

McAvoy won our inaugural Best Theatre Actor monsta in 2015 for The Ruling Class and reunites with director Jamie Lloyd for this take on Cyrano de Bergerac running at the Playhouse 27/11 through 29/2/20. Tickets  McAvoy also stars in BBC1’s His Dark Materials from 3/11/19 and you can read our Q&A with cast and author.

  • Read on for reasons including & Juliet, Alphabeat, Ella Henderson and Greenwich pantomime

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