Russkipop - From Russia With Pop

Hurrah! Eurovision season is already in full swing as countries from Iceland to Israel select their representatives for Helsinki 2007. One song that has particularly caught my ear is from the Belarussian final selection. In Belarus they hold a live televised show with 15 finalists, from which Belarussians choose their top three songs via a phone vote. The next part of the selection is rumoured to be quite corrupt, as special judges, in private, select which artist of the three will get to represent the country. A few weeks later the winner is announced. One of the final three this year is 21 year-old Dmitriy Koldun, whose surname means 'wizard', with the song Work Your Magic, composed by the woman behind Dima Bilan's Never Gonna Let You Go, and "Russia's Michael Jackson" Filipp Kirkorov. I find the song to be quite amazing, with a catchy chorus, impressive vocals and a dramatic finish. Dmitriy is also quite a looker; which helps; and I'd let him cast his magic potion over me any day.

The Belarussian final will be held on Monday 22nd January with special guests Kseniya Sitnik (winner of Junior Eurovision 2005), Andrey Kunets, Carola, and Dima Bilan. A live stream of the show can be found here. The transmission time is 19:20 Minsk time, 17:20 GMT.

Download Dmitriy Koldun - Work Your Magic [RapidShare]
www.dima-koldun.com/
http://esckaz.ueuo.com/belarus/

Just a quick post for readers in and around London to let them know that the third annual Russian Winter Festival is taking place on Trafalgar Square this Saturday, 13th January 2007. As well as the usual mix of stalls selling Russian food and other crap, there will be a concert featuring Dima Bilan(!), Pelageya, Tokio, Garik Sukachiov, and others. The show will run from about 11am until 6:30pm, and Dima Bilan should be on stage at around 2:30.

This will not be the first time Dima has performed at the event, he also appeared at the first show in 2005, but since then his popularity has soared and he has become one of the biggest, if not the biggest pop star in Russia today. Saturday's appearance is significant as Dima is about to launch himself in Western Europe.

http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/russian_festival/index.jsp