Switzerland is under the spell of the Jacksons. Several news papers reported that Janet and Michael were interested in representing Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest in Kiev. In a reaction to esctoday.com, Florian Kohler from Swiss broadcaster SF DRS completely denies the story, launched by Al Walser whose song Just for you finished second in the Swiss national final in 2000.
Swiss news paper 20 Minuten was the first to launch the story. According to Al Walser, SF DRS asked him to look out for a world star to represent Switzerland in Kiev. “Janet told me she would be glad to represent Switzerland at the the Eurovision Song Contest. For free!” told Walser, who claims to be a good friend of the Jackson family. Walser even didn't rule out that Michael Jackson would be willing to sing for Switzerland.
“SF DRS has never asked Al Walser to look out for top acts, neither have we received any offer concerning Janet or Michael Jackson,” explains Florian Kohler to esctoday.com. “Al Walser enroled for the contest with the project Al Walser + 'superstar' but the names of Janet and Michael Jackson have never been mentioned. He has enroled as a candidate for Kiev, just the way Vanilla Ninja and others did. We have chosen for the best and more serious project: Vanilla Ninja in combination with David Brandes, who is one of the most successful composers and producers in Europe.”
Al Walser, who lives and grew up in the Principality of Liechtenstein, earlier participated in the Swiss national final. In 2000 he composed Just for you, performed by Nubya, which finished second with one point less than Jane Bogaert's La vita cos'è.
SF DRS did confirm us that Kool & the Gang was one of the top acts who enroled for a participation in Kiev. The Amercan band scored a monster hit with Celebration in 1980.
