Helsinki, Finland - The year 2009 marks the end of the first decade of the 21st century. The last ten days of this year, Eurovision.tv looks back at the remarkable transition that the Eurovision Song Contest went through. We are also inviting you to share your memories with us, right here on the website as well as on Facebook. Today, we're looking back at the eighth Eurovision Song Contest of this decade: Helsinki 2007, the 52nd running of Europe's favourite TV-show!
After forty years of trying and as some put it - after hell froze - Finland finally got the chance to host the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007, in their capital Helsinki. The monster-rockband from Lapland, Lordi, won the contest the previous year with their monumental hit Hard Rock Hallelujah.
Once again, the Host Broadcaster YLE adopted theme art to the contest, being True Fantasy this time. The Finnish design agency Dog Design won a competition to design the visual theme of the contest, which incorporated colourful, kaleidoscopic patterns. The high-tech stage was constructed in the shape of a kantele, a traditional Finnish instrument.
The shows
The Final opened with Lordi, the monster rock band that brought Finland its first ever Eurovision Song Contest history the year before. Along with Jaana Pelkonen and Mikko Leppilampi, Krisse Salminen co-hosted the show from the Green Room and the Senate Square. Star guest to open the voting was Santa Clause, who came from northern Finland for this special occasion.
The world-famous band Apocalyptica were the interval act and astonished the whole of Europe with their amazing show.
The contestants
42 countries submitted preliminary applications. Although in previous years the maximum number of participating countries was 40, the EBU allowed all 42 to participate in 2007. The Czech Republic, Serbia, Montenegro and Georgia all entered the contest for the first time in 2007. Monaco, sadly, announced its withdrawal on 12th of December 2006.
