12points.tv

With Rick stuck in Sweden at home on the couch while his colleagues are having a ball at the hall, here's his analysis of how the first rehearsals went.

Thanks to Google Translate we reveal what's REALLY going on in the mind of some 2012 contestants.

Now that all the songs are announced, it's time for the 12points staff to discuss their best and worst entries for ESC 2012.

Here at 12points.tv headquarters, we spend most of our spare hours this time of year thinking and dissecting all things Eurovision. Now that all the songs have been announced for Baku, each of our founders has written a little something about their favorites (and least favourites) for this year. We know you won't agree with some of our choices but that's OK, the joy of Eurovision should allow for some lively debate about the merits or each entry.

Nebo for Croatioa. - In the first weeks of January, Croatia selected Nina Badrić internally to represent the country at Eurovision. Tonight her song was presented: Nebo, which can also be fund on her latest album with the same name.

Yes, it is carnaval. And for those not celebrating, there is the 3rd Swedish semi, some finals and a song presentation.

Tonight, at around 20:25 the fourth night of the Sanremo festival will be the only event, tomorrow however there is much more. Already in the morning, at 11:30 CET the ESC schedule starts with the Ukrainian final.

++Croatian Nina Badrić plans no sex till ESC++ ABBA is back! ++ UMK is the word in Finland tonight ++ Vive La France ++ ..

Four times Nina Badrić tried to get a ticket for Eurovision already. Now that she finally managed to get the chance to represent Croatia, she will make sure she is ready for it! "I've decided to prepare myself in the best possible way. Therefore, there is no sex before June," 39-year-old Nina Badrić told Croatian daily newspaper Vecernji List. We feel sorry for Bernard Krasnić, Nina's husband.

++ Empty Room best MF song ever ++ 20 Stars für Baku ++ Sandie Shaw hates Eurovision (what's new?) ++ Danish song disqualified ++ More.....

Croatia is going internal too, this year. Today HRT announced that 39 year old Nina Badrić will represent the country at this year's Eurovision Song Contest. Her song will be presented in the beginning of March during Dora, the Croatian national final. In 2003 Nina reached a second position in Dora and also in 1993, 1994 and 1995 she tried to make it.

News Round-up of the day. 40 songs in Finland are still in the race to become the country's hope in Baku.

You can listen to all songs here. Among the most liked songs, a jury will select 12 songs that will get a propper radio version. Liking is easy, just press the Tykkään button underneath the clips. The Finish final will take place on 25 February in the Helsinki Ice Hall.

News Round-up of the day, Eurosong.hr reveals an altered format for DORA 2012, the Croatian national final.

No exact information is available yet, but HRT suposedly is seeking to get back some old fashioned quality in the contest, by giving big artists the posibility to work with songwriters picked by those stars. More information is expected later on in this week.

CD's are being released continuously, on 12points.tv we have selected the most remarkable recently released CD's fow you. Please let us know what you think about the reviewed CD's, by rewarding them with 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 stars. One star if you really think the CD is bad, two if you think it is reasonably bad, 3 if you are Switzerland, 4 if you like it and 5 if you think it is just fabulous! And please do let us know when you have got news about some CD that we might have missed and should really listen to, we might include it in our review section next month.

Eric Saade - Saade, Vol. 1 (2011) - Sweden - ***

After the sound of breaking glass and his well deserved third placing at the latest edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, I was just waiting for Eric Saade's new CD to be released. Even though is last CD, Masquerade, was less than a year old. For me the title of the CD could have been a bit more creative, but let's focus on contents here. At a first listening, the CD sounds very Swedish, fresh  and electro-pop. Unlike his previous CD Eric and his team really seem to be wanting to make a statement with the sound on this album. Timeless is the first song on the album. It reminds of Robyn's Dancing on my own. Hearts In the Air (feat. J-Son) is contagious, before you know it you are making heart shapes with your figers in the air too. Me And My Radio, the third song on the CD also has a Robyn sound to it  (including pling-plings and beep-beeps). The CD kind of exagerates in showing of Eric's new found sound and starts to be slightly annoying after six songs. I wondered why song number 5 is a Popular remix, rather than the original version? I do not find the remix very strong and quite superfluous. Conclusion? This CD is an absolute must have for all Eric fans, but for anyone listening carefully, there will be some critisism. But who cares? Next year Saade VOL 2 will probably hit the shops, which will add some more hits to Saade's curriculum. And what will I do? Just stuff my iPod and let the songs on this album shuffle by now and then. The CD might even get popular!

Danijela – Unikat – Croatia – ***

In 1995 she represented Croatia with the group Magazin and Lidija (Nostalgija). But she really impressed, three years later with the marvelous Neka Mi Ne Svane. That song still left enough impression to make me curious about her new CD, 13 years later, wondering how she sounds today. And just to make it clear, I do not understand Croatian, apart from some Eurovision Croatian, so it will not be the deep texts that will impress me.  The album is what I expect a Slavic album to be: vivacious, melodious and recognisable. The album combines uptempo songs wth ballads. The first song (Zivim da zivim (I live to live)) brings me straight to some Croatian coast including mandoline players. Unfortunately the songs are not very innovatory and due to the crisis it seems some costs have been saved by adding just a few too many synthesizers. Song number 10 , Danijela Casti, is a good example of that. Then suddenly the last song strikes me with familiar sounds; Za Tebe Rodena (born for you), with this song Danijela particpated in Dora in 2005, and unfortunately only ended up 3rd. This version is a duet together with Arsenom Dedicem. This man, he sounds a bit older to me, manages to ruin the song with his trembling voice. The original version is at least a 1000 times better than this one. What a pity!

Well, Carola did it, Dana did it and Charlotte did it. Let's hope Danijela will do it too, participate in the Eurovision Song Contest that is. Come back but leave your synthesizers at home!

Stella Mwangi – Kinanda – Norway - ****

I was shocked and not only I; Norway did not reach the final this year. Maybe Haba Haba was a bit too simple, too childish or presented too enthousiastically. Well whatever you thought about Haba Haba, her new album Kinanda sounds completely different. Of course the song is included (it is the opening song), but Stella shows a completely different side on the album. You could say young girls grow older or sweet girls get naughty. The style of this CD is a mix of R&B, pop-urban and of course some African sounds. That makes the album quite sunny (we can use that, this summer). That Stella knows how to shake her ass, we have seen during the Eurovision, you don't need much fantasy to see her do some shaking while listening to the other songs. The girl also knows how to rap, in fact she seems to enjoy rapping just as much as singing (don't expect nasty gangsta lyrics), or does she not know yet what she likes the most? The naughtiest song on the album, and the best one too is Lookie Lookie. Very inviting, but what is she actually inviting me to? And.. hey did you see the name of track number 10? Hakuna Matata! Not a Lion King cover version, though, but yet another shaky shaky song!

Absolute Summer Hits – 2011 – Sweden - *****

Okey, when reading the name of this album you will probably not think of Eurovision immediately, but this compilation does contain quite some Eurovision links, apart from the actual international summer hits in Sweden that are on it too (Britney Spears, Jeniffer Lopez, Pink, Enriqie Iglesias, Lady Gaga, Shakira and Robyn):

Martin Stenmarck (Sweden 2005) offers us his best summer nights on this double CD with Tonight’s The Night. Goose bumps!! ***** That The Ark (Sweden 2007) was the worrying kind, we knew by now, but now they also broke up with God. Did they get a bit too much sun maybe? **** Peter Jöback (MF 2010) left his hollow English period behind him and joyfully sings in Swedish for us now; Räddaren i nöden ***. Danny Saucedo (MF 2011) clubs along with his contagious Tonight *****. Anyone of you haveing attended a concert in recent years, has probably been asked to make a heart in the air. Even though Eric Saade sings he is king of his own life, he also asks us to do the same (Hearts In The Air) *****. Apart from Swedish Eurovision artists Jedward and Ell & Nikki also made it to this CD. Jedward scored a minor hit in the Nordic country and fortunately this years winners have not been forgotten either.

Let the Swedish summer come along with Absolute Summer Hits – 2011