Please note that many interviews we air are also available as video interview which can be viewed on our Radio International YouTube Channel. Just take a look and enjoy also see the artists talk to us. 

 

Eurovision in Concert 2012:  On Saturday, 21 April 2012, the annual Eurovision Music extravaganza took place in Amsterdam for the fourth time where this year is a record of 24 countries' representatives performed their entry to the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 which will come from Baku, Azerbaijan on May 22, 24 and 26. The event was a full success with an early start for the artists and journalists meeting in the delegation hotel in Amsterdam for the first session of interviews. After a Word of Welcome from EBU's Sietse Bakker the artists were taken by boat to the centre of Amsterdam for their soundcheck in the venue for the evening - The Melkweg. That also included the second session of interviews with the many international media that was accredited. The Team of Radio International in combination with Poplight from Sweden were also present to conduct as many interviews as possible with the 2012 Hopefulls. This week on Radio International listen to interviews with the representatives of Albania, Greece,  Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, San Marino and Turkey.  To see the photos of Eurovision in Concert 2012 event and also while interviewing the artists please click here. 

 

Accommodation for Baku in case you want to travel to Eurovision Song Contest 2012 - information is available via This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it (please cc This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ). Miracle Apartments also still have vacancies - click here for the website.

 

Interview with Can Bonomo (Turkey 2012):  After the very first time that Turkey did not qualify for the Grand Final in 2011 with Yüksek Sadakat the big hopes are now put into the hands of young Can Bonomo who will be representing Turkey at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku. The song is called "Love me back" and will be competing in Semi Final 2 at lucky Number 13. Can was also guest at the recent Eurovision in Concert 2012 edition where Radio International had the pleasure of the interview you hear on this week's show. 

 

Interview with Rona Nishliu (Albania 2012):  In 2011 Albania sent in the fabulous Aurela Gace who performed "Feel the passion" which unfortunately did not qualify the country for the Grand Final in 2011. However, this year Albania sends in a complete different song and performer to be the hopeful for Albania - Rona Nishliu will represent her country in Baku with the song "Suus" and will be competing in Semi Final 1 at Number 5. Also Rona was part of the recent Eurovision in Concert where Radio International conducted the interview you hear during this week's edition of Radio International. 

 

Interview with Valentina Monetta (San Marino 2012): 2012 is the third time for San Marino to take part at the Eurovision Song Contest after Mio Dio in 2008 and Senit in 2011. This year San Marino teamed up with German Song Writer Ralph Siegel who delivered the "Social Network Song" which will be performed by Valentina Monetta at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Semi Final 1 at Number 11. Radio International interviewed the young lady during Eurovision in Concert 2012 in Amsterdam on 21 April 2012.  

 

Interview with Joan Franka alias Indiana Joan (Netherlands 2012):   Joan Franka is one of the "Voices of Holland" who won the National Final mainly selected by the public to represent the Netherlands at the Eurovision Song Contest. During the national final Joan Franka was fully dressed up as an Indian and it remains to be seen if she will perform in the same outfit representing the Netherlands in Baku in Semi Final 2 at Number 3 with the song "You and me". Eric and Bert chatted with Indiana Joan during Eurovision in Concert 2012 and you can hear that interview on this week's edition of Radio International. 

 

Interview with Kurt Calleja (Malta 2012):  Kurt successfully won the national final in Malta in February and with this also the ticket to represent his country as Ambassador at Europe's biggest music festival - The Eurovision Song Contest. Remembering last year when Glen Vella and his entry "One Life" failed to qualify Malta by missing one single point hopefully this year Kurt Calleja manages to move Malta back into the Final of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "This is the night" co-composed and co-producted by a Swedish Team and remixed for Eurovision in Germany. Malta competes in Semi Final 2 on Thursday, 24 May 2012 at Number 4. Lilian and JP met up with Kurt during the recent Eurovision in Concert 2012 event in Amsterdam. 

 

Interview with Eleftheria Eleftheriou (Greece 2012): Greece in 2012 will be represented at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 by Eleftheria Eleftheriou which translates to FREEDOM. The song is called "Aphrodisiac" and competes in Semi Final 1 at Number 3. Eleftheriahad already been live on Radio International on 04 April 2012 but the team of Radio International had the big pleasure to meet her at Eurovision in Concert and Lilian had a conversation from lady to lady with her. You can hear that conversation on the show this week. 

 

Interview with Pasha Parfeny (Moldova 2012):  29 April 2012 Belgium held their annual Eurovision Promotion event with the participation with amongst Greece, Switzerland, Romania, Belarus and also Moldova. Representing Moldova at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 is Pasha Parfeny with the song "Lautar" which translates to "Traditional Musician". Moldova is in Semi Final 1 at Number 18. Eric Lehmann and JP are chatting with the singer during the Promo Event in Belgium. 

 

Interview with Kamran Agasi - Public Relations Manager of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 in Baku:  Mr. Agasi was with the Azerbajani Delegation at the recent Eurovision in Concert in Amsterdam and stood questions and answers to the international media. Lilian and JP had the pleasure to conduct an interview with him in regards with the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Baku. The interview focusses on the facilities and accommodation as well as Tourist Attractions. Listen to the interview to find out more details of the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.

 

Eurovision Song Contest Sportlight - Eurovision 2012 - The Team's Favourites:  Last week Alasdair Rendall gave us his lists of the Top 10 what he thinks will be ending up in the Top Ten but also what his favourite Top 10 of the 57th Eurovision Song Contest are. This week is the turn of our Team Member Chris Poppe.

 

Euro Friends Song Contest 2012 with Andy Simon: Continuing with the Euro Friends Song Contest in search for the ultimate Eurovision song as voted for by the many fans around the world.  Andy  Simon joins us every week to reveal the qualifiers for the next round.  The website of the Euro Friends Song Contest you will find here where you can easily vote for your favourite Eurovision song per country and also see The Euro-Friends TV Show as hosted by Andy Simon. You can also join the Facebook Group here. This week Andy looks at the next qualifiers from Heat 48 (Belgium). 

 

Eurovision News Website: escXtra.com:  Luke Fisher is the  Editor - in - Chief of the newly created Eurovision News website called escXtra.com. Check our more and EXTRA news on the Eurovision Song Contest by visiting the website here.  

 

 

Eurovision Quiz:  Scratch your heads and bite your nails at  our weekly Eurovision Song Contest Quiz. Good luck and win a copy of a past Eurovision Song Contest Final on DVD. All you have to do is to identify the five clips with Artist, Song, Country and Year. Send your answers via the website's CONTACTs form. As long as stock last you can also select something out of the Eurovision 2010 Goodies Bag. Good Luck! Congratulations go to Michael Nagelkerke from the Netherlands for winning this week's Quiz! :) 

 

Eurovision Spotlight - The Sounds of Azerbaijan:  The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS) previously known as the London Azerbaijan Society. Its objective is to promote Azerbaijani culture, business and public affairs to international audiences, and create to a sense of community for expatriate Azerbaijanis. TEAS supports Radio International during the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 and with the weekly edition of the show it will bring you the finest artists of Azerbaijan a bit closer.

 

Live Interview with Sabina Rakcheyeva (Azerbaijan):   Over the past weeks Radio International has featured some of the finest artists from the 2012 Host Country of the 57th Eurovision Song Contest - Azerbaijan. Radio International is extremely delighted to welcome to the show Sabina Rakcheyeva for a live interview. Sabina is an Azerbaijani Violonist, a soloist but also a Member of the European Cultural Parliament. During the interview we will find out more about her and Azerbaijan. Details about the artist can be found on her website here.

Eurovision Music requests as well as other music requests are most welcome and can be done via our website's CONTACT US page. Let us know what you want to hear and where you are from. Due to the large number of requests we received and cannot accommodate this week these requests will be added to the play list for the future shows.

---