Marija Serifovic:I would never hurt my friends in Finland

from http://www.esctoday.com

Marija Serifovic, this year's Eurovision Song Contest winner, is being blamed for making negative comments about Finland and Finnish people during a press conference in Belgrade on 1st June. Marija herself says she was quoted out of context. She assures that she never meant any disrespect to the country where she enjoyed the biggest success of her career.

Marija Serifovic was reported to have spoken badly about Finland, Finnish food and Finnish peoples' looks during a press conference in Belgrade earlier this week. What the artist herself has to answer is that she would never say anything so racist to hurt her friends in Finland and Helsinki, and that she was misquoted solely for publicity reasons. "All questions in the last month or so are beginning with question "How was it in Finland", I answered a million questions on this subject and since my two friends from Finland were present at the press conference I answered to "the" question with irony. As a matter of fact, the context of the answer had nothing to do with bad connotation that was passed to the public. The reporter that "advertised" my answer as the bad and evil one was thinking about the sales of the newspapers only." says Marija.

Marija, who is known for her outspoken personality, spoke with enthusiasm about her experience in Helsinki: "The biggest success in my career I have had in Helsinki, Finland. To participate in such competition was an honour for me and to win gave me prestige and happiness above all. All memories that connect me with Helsinki and Finland are positive and every time I think about Finland my eyes are filled with tears of happiness." And she concludes: "It is absolutely impossible that anybody could believe, that after all good that happened to me in Finland and Helsinki, I could ever give a statement like that! I would never say any racist statement or any evil statement that would hurt my friends in Finland and Helsinki, ever."

Read also Eurovision winner slates finnish hosts

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APOCALYPTICA Cancels Helsinki Concert With METALLICA

APOCALYPTICA has been forced to cancel its previously announced July 15 appearance with METALLICA at the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, Finland. According to the Finnish newspaper Ilta-Sanomat, the band called off the gig after APOCALYPTICA member Perttu Kivilaakso injured his finger in the U.S. during a photo session.

Under doctor's orders, Kivilaakso will not perform with the group for three months while he recovers from his injury.

H.I.M. and APOCALYPTICA were the scheduled opening acts for METALLICA at the Helsinki show. A replacement act for APOCALYPTICA has not yet been announced.

APOCALYPTICA performed an eight-minute medley on May 12, 2007 during the Eurovision Song Contest broadcast in front of several million TV viewers. Watch the footage online at YouTube.

source:blabbermouth.net

Serebro (dark version)

Eurovision Finals Fly with CyberHoist

A huge Cyberhoist motion control system was used to animate the dynamic set created by lighting and screen designer Mikki Kunttu for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) semi-final and final, broadcast live on May 10 and 12 from Helsinki’s Hartwall Arena and for a 350 million international TV audience. The set comprised over 400 square metres of Barco LED modules which formed the stage floor, a catwalk out into the audience and left and right screens. The screens, and a total of 16 lighting trusses, were lifted and lowered by four ultrafast Cyberhoist CH250 (250kg load capacity / 0 to 40 meters per minute, variable speed) intelligent chainhoist motors and 34 Cyberhoist CH500 (500kg capacity / up to 20 meters per minute variable speed) motors.

Read full articleHERE

source:news.etnow.com

Eurovision Winner Slates Finnish Hosts

from doteurovision.com

The charm free zone that is Eurovision winner Marija Serifovic has upset the Finnish press by having a pop at her Helsinki hosts.

During a recent ill-judged press conference, the singer whined about the food during her stay in the country, claiming she survived on biscuits and fruit. Doteurovision suggests the former rather than the latter featured centre stage in her regime.

Closet hopping Marija went on to say that she hated her time in Helsinki surrounded by blondes and people with what she called 'transparent skin'. It repulsed her physically she added. She was however grateful for the twelve points awarded her Balkan production line ballad 'Molvita'. Journalists sat open-mouthed at her tirade which she later tried to pass off as an attempt at a joke.

The singer is no stranger to controversy, following her victory at the contest in May, she did not shirk from a few not-so-veiled political remarks of her own. "I honestly think that a new chapter has opened in Serbia and not only in music," she said. "This victory is for the new Serbia."

She spoke as the country's years-long battle between pro and anti-European forces entered a new stage, just after parliament had elected a controversial ultranationalist, Tomislav Nikolic, as its speaker - a move that drew condemnation from Brussels and awoke fears of a return to war-time levels of ethnic and regional tensions. The contest took place as parliament opened a debate on Nikolic's removal.

Her clenched fist victory salute was widely seen as a show of defiance by the forces in Serbia that stand in direct opposition to the ultranationalists and their policy of isolation and hostility to all minorities.