Tonight is Eurovision Song Contest night. Will you be in front of your television tonight or do you no longer care. It has been a long time since both the Netherlands and Belgium made it to the final. My friend and journalist Johan De Paepe found the Dutch entry as different and as refreshing as I did when I saw it, he twittered "A rose in a pool of mud." Anouk looked amazing and the song is different... but maybe that is exactly what this contest needs. Birds is a very atmospheric song, perfect for a classic dance approach. Anouk asked Igone de Jongh, prima ballerina at the Dutch National Ballet, to star in the video for the song. Kind of Nick Cave like (we all remember Where the wild roses grow) and not with a happy ending, but strong, very strong.

Just today my kids were discussing the fact that there is so much boring new music coming out. Well... if that is your opinion too, be sure to check out this video by a group called Snow Ghosts. It's pretty twisted and nightmare-ish... It's broody, its rough... but it's also brilliant. Enjoy!

Shutterstock is one the most important photo suppliers of advertisers and graphic designers worldwide. They have the data that allows us to take a look at the trends we may expect for the coming months. And based on that data they have created an infographic that gives us a good idea of what's coming. One major conclusion: vintage will be the new hip. But I guess we kind of figured that one out already... This is one infographic I'm happy to share with you.

Where do furniture designers go to be inspired? Konstantin Grcic found the inspiration for his new Medici chair on the Mattiazzi factory floor. Mattiazzi is known for its rich and unique history of blending traditional craftsmanship with the latest digital production technologies. “The chair was inspired by the material, the machinery, and, of course, the skill and craftsmanship of the people we worked with,” Grcic says. I think it looks great. Wonder if it is comfortable to sit in.

Sundays still have something sacred to most of us. Must be our history. And yet, life seems not to care what day it is. We just keep going. We just keep pushing. And then you come across something like this... Stjephan Hauser and Luka Sulic could have remained two relatively unknown cello players. Great cello players, adhering to the norms of cello players. But they chose differently. Together they are 2 Cellos and their videos have been watched by millions of people. They play hits... on their cellos and and the result is often stunning. Their new album is called IN2ITION and has a great selection of songs we all know. Candle in the wind, Clocks, Voodoo People and even Highway to Hell featuring Steve Vai himself. But still... on this album, to me it is Benedictus that sticks out. A classic piece, performed with so much dedication it becomes a true work of art. Ideal to inspire us on a Sunday. Enjoy.

Exciting times for musical fans... In Edinburgh the brand new version of Cats opened this week (more on that this week) and Dutch musical singer Willemijn Verkaik has caught some important eyes too. After performing the part of the green witch Elphaba in both the German and Dutch version of Wicked, she is now playing the part in the Broadway version of the musical. Willemijn's rendition of the part has been acclaimed before and now she will be seen by a whole new audience. The show has literally embraced her and taken her career to a next level. If you are in New York City any time soon. Do go see her perform in Wicked.

Here's a link to her performing in the Dutch version. And below the version she sang during Uitmarkt 2011 in Amsterdam. Enjoy. She's absolutely brilliant!

If you are a starter or an early stage company in the media business and would like to work out of New York City, here is a project you should definitely take a look at. For their Timespace project The New York Times is opening up part of its offices to a number of starter companies. Furthermore, the NYT will not only offer space, but also mentoring. To the NYT the project is one way of dealing with the change that is sweeping through the whole media industry. It's audacious. It's challenging. And to the companies that take up the challenge, I believe the rewards can be pretty awesome and life changing. Go on. Register! But hurry, you've got until 19 February! And maybe your next business address will be 620 8th Avenue, New York City.