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The Astonishing Ms. Mei Finegold

    Ladies and Gentlemen, our site, 12points.gr, has the honor to present you the “Sparkling Diamond” of music in Israel, Ms. Mei Finegold.
   The brightest star of Israel, Mei Finegold, was born in Rishon LeZion of Israel under the name Meital Slonimsky. This young lady is gifted with a powerful and strong voice! She is one of the most excellent and talented artists of Israel in our days. Her life has a rich musical background although she is very young. Her classic education in music with singing lessons and classic opera lessons helped her develop her natural talent and ability to express herself, her emotions, and her passion through singing. When Mei sings, a “torrent” of emotions pouring out of her, it is a unique gift that only true artists can have.
    Mei has a long trajectory in singing, with lot of performances in night clubs and bars. In 2008 she record the song “Ricky” with her band “Disiac”, for the album “Avor Ivrit 60 Vol. 3” that contains covers of old Israeli songs. But she went famous one year later, in 2009, when she took the decision to participate in the Talent Show “Kokhav Nolad season 7”, the Israel’s version of “Pop Idol”. During the show Mei had the chance to prove her abilities in singing. She won the title for “Best Performance” 5 times, two of them in a row, mainly with songs from the rock scene of 80’s. She didn’t won the Show but she won the love and respect of audience.
   In January 2014 Israeli Broadcaster, IBA announced that Mei Finegold will represent Israel on the 59th Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen. Three songs was composed for the national final that took place on March 5th: “Same Heart” (Music & Lyrics by Rami Talmid), “Nish’eret iti” (Staying with me) (Music by Loren de Paz & Chen Metzger Eder & Lyrics by Loren de Paz) and “Be Proud” (Music & Lyrics: Mei Finegold). Ms. Mei will represent Israel in the Second Semi – Final on the 8th of May in Copenhagen with the powerful song “Same Heart”.

   In the heat of the preparations for Eurovision Song Contest, Ms. Finegold found the time to make a concession and give us some of her precious time to answer our questions.

   So, Ms. Mei, how does it feels to be the “face” of Israel in Eurovision Song Contest? What are your intimate emotions for this representation knowing that Israel have won 3 times and is one of the most beloved counties in Eurovision?
Mei: It feels amazing. There is nothing but love around the whole competition and it feels like nothing I had ever experienced. It is truly a ones in a lifetime experience. I feel honored.

   When we hear the song “Same Heart” we feel a very strong energy and power pouring out from you, your interpretation is very expressive. What this song means to you as an artist and further as a person?
Mei: As a person and as an artist I had always been very passionate with everything I do. I usually write my own songs, but when I heard "Same Heart" for the first time, that was written by Rami Talmid, I knew it had everything I could imagine myself bringing to the ESC stage. It had a lot of power and passion in it that I can relate to as an artist. I truly was lucky this song found me. I could have taken it to any direction, but "female empowering" was written all over it, and it is something I connect to very deeply. It is a story of a fighter who confronts her past and finishes a winner. I also had to fight many fights in my life, and I do feel a winner today. I will take all this energy and bring it to the ESC stage.

   You are a very gifted young lady, when you realized your inclination to music and how this “gift” affected your life?
Mei: Thank you so much for the kind words :) I can't remember when I started singing. My family says I started whistling melodies in my crib when I was only 8 months old. They say I was born to sing. I perform on stages since I was in preschool and I don't remember myself doing anything else. Even when life wasn't going in the right direction, I insisted on following my dream. I even have a tattoo on my arm with the three letters FYD, that stands for "follow your dream". It is only natural for me. That is what I do. I perform :)

   Next year Eurovision counts 60 years of existence, is the oldest and most popular TV Show in entire planet. What is your personal “relationship” with Eurovision and what an artist can expect from this competition?
Mei: I remember the Eurovision from childhood. It was the biggest event of the year for me. My mom used to tape it on video tapes and today I take part in it. It is a dream come true. I only expect from the ESC experience what ESC fans are telling me to expect. An ones in a lifetime experience, filled with amazing love and above all, a lot of fun. I obviously work very hard, but I enjoy it so much.

   This year Greece represented by 3 young men. What do you think about Greek participation?
Mei: I love them! They have such good energy and the song just makes you feel like get up on your feet and dance. I wish them all the best! Go Greece :-)) love to all!

   As her name reveals Ms. Finegold is a true “Fine Gold!” is an artist with all the meaning of the word. We like to thank Ms. Mei from the bottom of our hearts for this concession and we wish to her and our beloved Israel “Good Luck!!!” in the 59th Eurovision Song Contest in lovely Copenhagen, her presence in 12points.gr is a true honor.

You can follow Mei Finegold on her Official Facebook, Twitter, iTunes or the Official Eurovision iTunes 2014

 

Axel Hirsoux: The Man, The Voice!!!

    Axel Hirsoux is a young man from Belgium. A few months before nobody knew anything for this brilliant man. Nothing for his wonderful voice, nothing for his “gold” character. But fate and life has other plans for him. All began when Axel took the decision to participate on the Show “The Voice” of Belgium. That was the magical moment that Axel was waiting for. It was the moment when all people from Belgium herd his magnificent voice. It was his time when his emotions, the most intimate and the most secret, reviled his talent. It was the time of the birth of a unique artist, Axel Hirsoux.

Today we have the honor to speak with Axel, a pure Diamond  in the musical world.

So Axel, the first steps of your carier are full of  golden  words for your voice and your talent. The love that the world show to you is incredible, what are your emotions this days?
Axel  I am very happy to live what I live... the public reception is incredible... Eurovision makes me live a beautiful dream.

When you sang Anne Marie  David  «Tu te reconnaîtras» for the TV Show  Eurosong  was your choice? If it was then why you chose it?
What this song means for you? Axel  The song of Anne Marie David was recommended to me by a friend... actually I did not really know with witch Eurovision song I had to present me... and then  «Tu te reconnaîtras»  arrived... I tested it and I remembered that my grandmother used to sing to me when I was little. And in the end ... it brought me luck.

You are young and your voice has the possibility to touch all people, from little kids to old persons. Have you realize that you have a great  Charisma  in your hands?
Axel  No, I do not realize it. I sing primarily for public enjoyment and foremost with my heart and all my emotions. But thank you for the compliment. 

Every time I hear your voice in combine with the lyrics of  Mother  I get very emotional, it is an extraordinary combination. But when all this emotions come from? What are your intimate thoughts when you sing?
Axel  When I sing "Mother"... and contrary to what people think ... this song was not written for me or my mother... this is not my story but the lyrics and the melody touched me from the start. This is a universal message... "Mother" is a song for everyone ... a song that explains that in life, in difficult times there's always someone who can be count on. To be honest... when I sing the song "Mother" I thinking of my Grandmother who passed away 4 years and there's she to whom I had promised to fulfill my dreams and get there... this song is for her.

All people of Greece wish you  Good Luck!  Have you something to say for the Greek entry this year?
Axel  Very nice dance song ... makes you want to dance to it ... I love it!

We like to thanks Axel for this concession because we know that his program is very  heavy  and exhausting this days. Thank you Axel our time it was one of the best in my entire life! 

So, GOOD LUCK Axel in the 59 Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen! 

Bessy Argyraki: The Diamond!

    In 1977, Greece participated in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Solfege Lesson" with Bessy Argiraki, Paschalis, Marianna Toli, and Robert Williams, Lyrics by Sevi Tyliakou and music by George Chatzinasiou. The Greek quartet took the 5th place with 92 points, and the song made a big success in Greece and allover across Europe. The song was recorded in other languages.
    Bessy, Paschalis, Marianna and Robert had already their own path in the music scene of Greece. In 1973 Bessy was awarded in Thessaloniki Festival with the song «Electronic Age». That was the beginning of an international career plenty of awards. In 1978 awarded at the Festival of Poland wins the first prize and the same year at the Festival "Golden Rose” (in Stadium of Athens) makes the surprise again by winning the first prize. In the same festival a Japanese record company gave her the awards of interpretation and the opportunity to sign a contract. The same company assigned her the representation of their country in a Japanese Festival.
    The '80s began with huge success for Bessie Argiraki. In 1980 she obtains the acquisition of the first prize in a Czechoslovakian Festival. In 1981 she wins the second place for Japan in Japan with the song "Toshihiko", the same year she releases her first Japanese album under the label of "Watanabe Company" and makes significant sales in the country. The success of the album was already prescribed because of the love that the audience have shown to Bessy, the girl with the beautiful voice. That year the songs of her record reached the top 8 in the Japanese charts. In 1983 unfolds once again her immense talent by winning once again the first prize in Japan with the song "Gypsy song» in French.
    The 90s brought many successes to Bessy, in 1992 she won the first prize in Lithuania with the song "Never happened", and the same year in Ireland conferred the award for best appearance and in the International Festival of Turkey in 1995 wins the first prize again. The Apotheosis for the "Golden" voice came in 1997. She awarded with the special prize of FIDOF (International Organization Festival) in a special ceremony in Cannes for the numerous successes in international festivals that she has been participated across the world.
    The sweeping Bessy Argiraki is undoubtedly THE "Gold" Girl, a female treasure, not only on stage, but mostly Bessy is a real "storm" of emotions, capturing everyone with her gorgeous shiny eyes full of love. The ultimate "Positive Energy", the unique, the incomparable, the seductive, but most of all human being, Bessy Argiraki.
    These words are few to enclose the enormous talent of Bessy, is impossible to be able to describe all the emotions that creates her voice, on stage is really a transformation, not just an artist that sings lyrics, is a woman who incarnates, in an extensive range of emotions, all the shades of lyrics and music.
    At the inauguration of our digital "home" 12 Points, the beloved to all us Bessy Argiraki present some of her precious time for us to share memories, thoughts, feelings that established her in the musical firmament.

    Well, let's take things from the participation of Greece in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1977 which still resonates till nowadays as one of the most successful songs of our country in the institution. How this "myth" started?
    Thank you very much for the pleasant surprise and honor to be the first artist to host your site. I am very happy that for this question because Eurovision was for me the biggest milestone in my career. I was very young then, a little girl, and singing was my passion, at that time the only thing that I had on my mind was: go out in stage and sing. As a little girl I could not figure out the size of this thing called Eurovision or the honor to represent a country. The song was chosen by the national television organization and our excellent musician, George Hatzinasios, one of the biggest talents in Greece. His melodies have filled our hearts and souls like no other. Chosen artists for the song was firstly my beloved, Paschalis, Marianna Toli and Robert Williams, I was the last that enters group to “catch” the high notes.

    How do you feel about representing "little" Greece in "great" Europe and how you experienced all this from the eyes of the “little”, then, Bessy with the 5th place in the final of the competition?
    Unfortunately, that time it was very difficult for Greece, it was a country trying to stand on her feet, and Europe was another world in another level. We started from Greece with very good reviews for the song, for the originality of the music, our presentation on the scene, but most off all for the wonderful lyrics of Sevi Tiliakou. The lyrics were really ingenious because of the refrain. In addition, the first thing that we learn from the very first music lesson is music notes, is the only universal language for humanity. Even not knowing what Greek language says in song, the chorus is understandable by everyone, because the lyrics are the notes of music. It is really beautiful and fascinates me many times when I hear even today young children sing it; they learn it in chorus, in conservatories, even in schools choirs. And this is the true value of music, to be timelessness, and truly was a big honor for me putting a little brick in this myth. Returning to your question, about the 5th place, truly, I can tell you that although I was very glad with the 5th place, I waited and all waited that we could get a higher place. We left Greece with the best reviews, and till the last time we “played” in the first places on Eurovision, but as we all know this contest is reversals.

    Eurovision for you has been the starting point for the representation of Greece in international festivals. Have you ever thought that you will go so “high” and so “far”, and that your voice will become the “ambassador” of Greece in the biggest festivals around the world in a time when our Greece was in search of national identity?
    As I told before, Eurovision was my greatest experience, the starting point of my international career. Eurovision is an internationally recognized competition with millions of Fans and huge television audience; it’s no coincidence that Eurovision kept so many years and still keeps winning the hearts of people around the world. In our conversation before this interview you reminded me my carrier, from European to global festival. I admit you catch me by surprise, reminding me that the most times that I was leaving Greece to go to a festival I was returning with an award. For me this international carrier was a chance to meet the world and represent Greece as far as I could. And now, I feel very touched and emotional; because for me it was not only my own victory but my country’s too, it was a huge honor for me all this experience. Unfortunately, Greece, as I said before, was in search of national identity, looking to stand on her feet. The festival then was very substandard, and also the Eurovision in Greece was downgraded. That was the reason for not being noticed my successes in our country. Then if someone wanted to make a career abroad was very difficult, I had the honor to convey to Japan the spirit of Greece and to acknowledge the success near the Japanese audience reaching my songs in the first places of the Japanese Charts.

    How the artist Bessy Argyraki does perceives Eurovision Song Contest today, having memories of an era romantic where the competition was more elegant, with dress code and the access of audience was only through invitations of the national television?
I am very glad for being questioned for this; Eurovision 1977 was a real song contest, moreover this is the purpose, to highlight voices. The center of Eurovision must be the music the lyrics and the artists. Unfortunately for a long time, I believe that Eurovision was lost its target, the reason for its existence. The figure, the ways to direct the songs, the visual effects and who artist will look into camera more impressive than the others, was for a long time the center of the competition. Fortunately in recent years the competition has regained its essence, we hear "voices" and we admire real artists. Especially in 2009 when on the stage of Eurovision Andrew Lloyd Webber made his appearance playing the piano, Patricia Kaas also that year, then Engelbert Humperdinck, and lately we saw on stage Bonnie Tyler. This is Eurovision, and tends to become even better. I believe that from now on we will see really true talent passing the stage of Eurovision.

    During your career you count 24 albums, numerous hits that made history, and collaborations with artists of high quality. What is the next step for the glamorous Bessy, what she prepares to surprise us and where can we enjoy her?
    When someone reminds me of my career I get dizzy, but good one. I'm not an artiste that remains in the success, as I said from the beginning of this interview, my passion is to sing and to share with my audience all the feelings that songs speaks about; the rest come from themselves. Thanks God and my life were brought me successes, awards, records, work, but most of the entire honor to do what I was made for. But also I'm glade not to be spent, I had the happiness to be able to keep my distance from the song, to create a family, to devote myself into it, I became mother, and then when I felt that I missed a lot singing, I turned back on stage, and done it with the same passion as when I was little girl. Today I continue to sing, I work with people I love, appreciate and admire. Great happiness for me is my collaboration with the partner but most off all friend Robert Williams who, after many years of retirement from the music scene, will sing again with me. We will make a series of appearances on "Hitirio" music scene on 20 and 27 December and on 3 and 10 January, which will remind the world many old hits, duets, songs that shaped our careers. Robert will perform songs from his career in the group “Poll”, and we will also do a tribute to all our beloved Beatles, and many others. It is really a "travel through time" program.

   We cannot feel but grateful that they gave us a little of your precious time; as we know that Bessie is a busy artistic and professional being. In the close of this beautiful meeting we would like to hear from the “artist” Bessy what advice would give to today's artists so they can obtain an international career with many awards as yours.

   I would like to thank you again for this wonderful conversation. Like an artist I could enclose in 3 small but very powerful words all the meaning of the art of singing, Voice, Love, Passion.

   Thank you for the honor to have an interview with the “priceless” Bessy Argyraki. The only thing left to wish to our readers is; to have a nice day and enjoyed our interview as we are.