Stuðlabandið to Malmö!!!

Cha Cha Cha. 

Käärijä’s Finnish stunner didn’t win in Liverpool, some of you may have noticed that.
This video here is a live version (in Finnish!) by the Icelandic Stuðlabandið (google says Stuðla = Factor) and I love how the crowd eats it up.

I’ve been watching the Stuðlaboys for a while as their live performance videos are really impressive. They may be mostly a coverband but I’m amazed by how their crowds go crazy every time.
Their live songs have also been released as audios through your favourite digital sources and there’s a few Eurovision covers among them. 

Cha Cha Cha is their latest digital single.

My absolute favourite is Draumur Um Nínu. The Icelandic entry from 1991 (known as Nina by Stefan & Eyfi). It only ended 15^th in Eurovision but it has become the ultimate "beyond Eurovision classic" in Iceland and the crowd singing along conforms that.
They also did Paper, the 2017 Icelandic entry by Svala Björgvinsdóttir, daughter of Bo. Svala guests on that performance.

Their 2021 Christmas (studio) EP Jóhlahól Stuðlabandsins includes Komdu Om Jólin, a traditional Icelandic Festive staple which is actually a cover of the 1987 Italian Eurovision song Gente Di Mare by Tozzi & Raf.
In 2021 they recorded Euphoria, Loreen’s first Eurovision winner from 2012 and Gleðibankinn, the very first Icelandic Eurovision entry by Icy from 1986.
 

picture from Stuðlabandið facebook

Photo: I have a soft spot for bands in matching outfits :).

Over the past few years they have moved from the dansband style to include more rock’n’glitter. Even covering Rammstein.
Now somebody write them a great original tune and get them to Malmö in 2024.

they have a logo

Links and sources

Stuðlabandið Website, FB, Youtube channel
Cha ChaCha at the Liverpool Collection
Paper at the Kyiv Collection
Euphoria at the Baku Collection
 
Youtube links:
Cha Cha Cha, Paper (with Svala), Draumur Um Nínu, Komdu Om Jólin, Euphoria & Gleðibankinn.

The Kids Are Alright, Part 2: The Boys

This Saturday (december 8) the 5th Junior Eurovision Song Contest takes place in Rotterdam.
You can read more about the history of kids in Eurovision in the introduction to this 3 part article (Part 1 has the Girls). Here's part 2, with some boys who haven't been close to a razor yet, but sing their lungs out in their Eurocovers.

The Kids Are Alright -
Part 2. - The Boys

1960 Romantica
Robertino Loretti was discovered by Grethe Sønck.* (wife of Danish producer Volmer Sørensen) when the boy was singing in an Italian café. The discovery resulted in performances on Danish TV and Robertino recording his first LP in Copenhagen. European and Asian fame followed soon afterwards and in the early 60's Robertino scored hits with O Sole Mio, Ave Maria, Santa Lucia and most notably Mama. It was only after these hits that Robertino got an Italian record deal. In 1964 he scored his first hit in Italy with SanRemo song Un bacio piccolissimo, one of the best selling records of the year. A few hits followed but after Era La Donna Mia (1967) it slowed down. But Robertino kept on touring the world and he's still a welcome performer in Eastern European countries.
He recorded Eurovision entry (and evergreen) Romantica (Italy 1960, originally by Renato Rascel) when he was 14 years old. Robertino also recorded Uno per Tutte, Italy's 1963 entry.

* Grethe Sønck, we all know and love her from her version of Puppet On A String, to be found in this Eurocovers post.

1984 Ik Hou Van JouThe Dutch classic entry from 1984, originally by Maribelle, lost big time at the contest despite the orchestra's applause for the singer.
The Dutch evergreen has since been covered by Cilla Black, Engelbert Humperdinck, José Carreras, Bold & Beautiful actor John McCook and every second singer from South Africa. Here's a wonderful junior version by Demis from his CD Het Leukste Moment (The best moment, Discosound 1995). Demis' (actually named after Mr. Roussos) biggest hit was Ga Dan (Just go, Youtube) from his second album Met Jou (With you, 1996) and it seems his singing career ended when his voice dropped.
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The music he makes today as DJ Demis H. is mostly instrumental and he's co-founder of Dynamik Traxx.


1991 Draumur Um Ninu (a.k.a. Nina)A huge ballad for Iceland in 1991 by Stefan & Eyfi here by Hákon Guðni Hjartarson. He performed in a kids show Stóra Stundin Ykkar (2006) with this song. The CD Stóra Stundin Ykkar (Sena records) also includes karaoke versions and is probably still available in Iceland. Hákon is the one top left on the pic.



Junior Eurovision Song Contest official website

Junior Eurovision related CDs are available at BeaRecords. OUT NOW: The 2 CD with all entries for the Rotterdam contest + all karaoke versions.