Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

She did it again last night when hosting Melodifestivalen 2021 first heat. This woman has enormous self irony and comic side to her repertoire and lately she has been putting it into her one woman show videos for her latest singles, too. The latest Lärä så länge man lever is no exception as she once again plays all the characters in the funny script in an intentionally cheap looking setting. Indeed, it feels like she did it all herself in the corner of her living room. And who knows maybe she did? While at it let's re-enjoy some previous fun clips:

  Lena Ph. Funny and witty. Talented singer and songwriter. Natural comedian and excellent hostess. Sweden's sexiest sewing machine, a nick name from her early days when she used to sew her own dresses of questionable fashion sense. Swedish Madonna who invented the alter ego Agent 006 for a concept album and show. A woman with fantastic self irony. Should I go on? Needless to say: I love Lena! Still.  Check out also:

  Matia Bazar was in my radar ever since their Eurovision 1979 but only in the 1984 album Tango I became a devoted fan - at least until Antonella Ruggiero was the lead singer until 1989. I also liked the early 90's version with Laura Valente in vocals but it was Antonella's amazing crazy vocals that made Matia what Matia was. Weirdly fantastic! Check out also:

 Lena Philipsson is back with a self written perfect tune for the summer: Maria Magdalena (which is actually her real given name!)    with a video that fits her like a glove: name another true Diva who potreys herself shopping in Lidl in evening gown and sitting on toilet apparently having a sh*t? And all filmed on her mobile phone. A day in a life of  Lena Ph, I mean Maria Magdalena Philipsson.....

Guy Sebastian got upset. And then a coffee.... Lena Ph got excited over a gig Gabbani was fooling around over breakfast.  One of those days.... Poli Genva was having fun at Emoji movie premiere Isaiah supported a wrong team.... Francesca got an amazing t-shirt -  why no one thought about that before??!! Alex was rocking it Demy was still hiding her face Lordi had the hottest gig ever in Czech Rep. Lucie got extensions Nina still has a questionable fashion sense and new accessories Sergey... well, Sergey.... Ott was looking cheeky OG3NE sisters got tattoos and are getting over losing their mom. How was your week?

Lena Philipsson started flirting with the agent theme in her 1989 My name album and went full on Agent 006 in her 1991 concept album Woman's gotta do what woman's gotta do and the show tour that followed. Now she's hinting a return of the Agent 006 in her social media video where the said agent is seen vacuuming the floors.... and she still looks awesome in the outfit!  This blogger loves the album and would just be thrilled is the story continues..... please Lena please....

Lena Philipsson is set to start her new show in Cirkus, Stockholm to celebrate her 30th anniversary as an artist, and why not also her 50th birthday she just celebrated last month. The new show is based on her latest album Jag är ingen älskling released late last year. Of course she will be also performing her older hits and there will be quite a lot of talk, too, but then knowing her twit sense of self irony and comedian skills that's only a good thing. She also explains it's going to be very intimate affair, as the audience will be very close to her and stage, and not a huge show as she's done all that before. It's a lot of her by the piano and the band playing in the background. But the rehearsals have proven it doesn't stop the audience getting on their feet and dancing along to the music and in such moments the stage pretty much disappears and she's just singing among them.  She's got Emma Bucht, a theater director onboard making the show so besid...

Lena Philipsson is back! She will release a new album later this fall with self written songs! It's the first such album in almost ten years after succesful collaboration with Orup among others for her latest releases. She says it's really fun and refreshing write again - this blogger has always liked best her self wrritten material and the Philipsson-Söderberg duo did some fantastic music in the late 80's and in the 90's. "It's been so great in the studio with my own songs and texts, it gets so much more personal that way, singing and playing out my piano parts. That's how it all started when I was just a teenager: just me, my piano and my own songs."  The first offering is Jag är ingen älskling (I'm no darling) and seem to refer to her messy divorce sometime ago. The new album has ten songs, all in Swedish and will be released on September 25, 2015. 

As soon as the Vienna 2015 edition of Eurovision song contest was over the new reigning country Sweden started the preparations for the 2016 contest. The venue, most likely Tele2 Arena in Stockholm (but then, SVT surprised us with Malmö on 2013) will be chosen and announced by August. But the namedropping has started for the possible presenters. Last time it was Petra Mede, who did a marvellous job even if some in Europe didn't apparently like her style. I loved it. At least I remember her, I can't say the same about the three ladies this year.... Errr... who were they? What did they do? All I remember is Conchita! Anyways, Petra Mede was dropped by Christer Björkman the day after, along with Sanna Nielsen and Gina Dirawi , both names from Melodifestivalen where they did a good job.  Another professional host, or the reigning Eurovision winner Måns Zelmerlöw has been put in the list immediately, too. And we can't forget Sarah Dawn Finer , that all of Eurovision Eur...

The 5th season of Så mycket bättre* started in Sweden last week. Among the artists this season we have finally Carola along with The Ark's Ola Salo, Orup, Amanda Jensen, Kajsa Grytt, Familjen and Love Antell. Blame it on Carola but the show broke its viewing record when 2.245.000 Swedes turned in to watch it. After all she's responsable for many Swedish records of that kind.... Update: the Carola episode was the most watched of them all. Of course. All good things come to an end and this was the last week, dedicated to Love Antell. If you missed the post about last week's Carola Day, it's here . Next week it's still time for one special edition, with duets. But back to Love Antell. Carola took on his Gatorna tillhör oss . She lets herself wild, brings in the trademark wind machine and jumps on the table and gets everybody up and dancing. And yes, makes the song a Carola anthem. Next single? Carola - Gatorna tillhör oss Vs. Love Antell - Gatorna tillhör ...

Vain elämää in Finland (more info here ) and Så mycket bättre in Sweden. This 5th season sees Carola among the artists, as well as The Ark's Ola Salo and Orup along with Love Antell, Kajsa Grytt, Amanda Jenssen and Johan T Karlsson. It will be very interesting to see which Carola songs these artists will cover, and how she will treat their songs? Will she score a new hit like Lena Philipsson did with Laleh's Live tomorrow ? Carola already stole the show by having a pee in the nettle bushes during the filming.... Well, when in need sometimes the nearest toalet isn't close enough! That happened during Ola Salo's day when he decided to take the fellow artits to the nature to learn about all sort of edible things there.... I guess Carola is not so keen on nettle pancakes anytime soon.

The third Melodifestivalen 2014 semifinal was the first one I saw this season and I have heard and read before proved to be true: uninspired and rather boring, I'm afraid. The presenters... oh well, where is Lena Ph when you need her? Or Petra Mede ? I thought Outtrigger would make it but in the end it was the pretty boy bubble gum pop that had its best before date a long time ago that sailed to the final by Oscar Zia . And surprisingly Ace Wilder with the song Madonna and Avicii would make together if forced to. The bands Outtrigger and State of Drama went to second chance while dr alban and Jessica Folcker finished 5th (also this had it's best before date a long time ago), Shirley Clamp looked like she was suffering the Carola -esque wind machine at least as much as I would with an eye infection and made it only to 6th. In the end maybe she deserved more. At least a new stylist, that woman needs a serious makeover! CajsaStina had a lovely song that sounded a bit l...

Lena Philipsson's En helkväll med Lena Philipsson aired last night and the most anticipated number was of course the pairing of Carola and Lena Ph in Lena's classic lovesong Om igen .... her runner up in Melodifestivalen 1988 and this blogger's favorite by her.  Also Darin visited her along the night doing Månsken i Augusti .  Rather fantastic performance that one, too. All in all a very entertaining evening. This blogger was also surprised the band was so small! I would have preferred a better and bigger one for this kind of show! Hmm...

Great show in Sweden, I have to say. The interval act and opening numbers with Gina Dirawi, Danny Saucedo, Kristian Look and ever wonderful Lena Philipsson were great, and the songs were as always well staged. And I'm not surprised Michael Feiner & Caijsa were out and finished 6th as it was rather horrible on stage. Jay-Jay Johanson's last place was no surprise, and even if I liked Anna Järvinen's song this is maybe not the place for it so it's 7th place was not a surprise either. But I was hoping for a miracle that didn't materialize. And I predicted the finalists Yohio and David Lindgren right so in the end it was all good and as expected. I think YOHIO will give a good run for Army of Lovers in final :-) YOHIO - Heartbreak Hotel - > final David Lindgren - Skyline - > final Cookies and Beanz - Burning flags -> 2nd chance Eric Gadd - Vi kommer aldrid att förlora -> 2nd chance 5.  Mary N'diaye - Gosa  6.  Michael Feiner & Cais...

SVT is doing big variety shows with different artists (one of them being another Eurovision veteran Jill Johnson) under title "En helkväll med.../Whole evening with...." or 90 minutes of show, talk and some invited guests. Lena Philipsson got her show done earlier this month in Gothenburg's Stora teatern. This is actually the very first time these two schlager queens perform as a duet ever. In public that is. Carola tells in her blog that they did once Barbra Streisand's Enough is enough in a private birthday party in Mallorca. They have also been featured in a same MF number many years ago - and this is THE best interval act ever in any Eurovision related show. But I guess you have to speak Swedish to fully appreciate it - but as a duet, this is a first, after nearly 30 years both have been in the business! Apparently Lena plays piano besides singing and Carola seems very pleased and excited about the experience. And the song? It's this blogger's super...

Freshly officially divorced Lena Philipsson and late runner in the Eurovision 2013 presenter run (as we know now the job went to Petra Mede instead) are the guest stars in Karlskrona. Both have previous experience as MF-hosts and Lena of course also as an artist and the winner. They will provide the interval act number together with the hosts Gina Dirawi and Danny Saucedo. Maybe it will include some acting as Danny has recently announced he will step away from music and concentrare on acting instead. (Good luck on that direction then!) A lot of humor and new sides of both Gina and Danny promised by SVT...

Great to come to home to these wonderful news: Petra Mede! Did anyone ever mention her name? No. Somehow I knew SVT had something in their sleeve so I was pretty sure it wouldn't be Sarah Dawn Finer nor Måns Zelmerlöf or any of the other mentioned. I remember Petra from Melodifestivalen 2009 and I just adored her! She's the lovechild one Lena Philipsson and Christer Lindarw and surely will be having some surprises a la Lill Lindfors! I can't wait to see her in action! :-)

Stockholm Pride is over once again and was filled with music, and a lot of Eurovision. Loreen was there performing a rather interesting version of Euphoria , Jedward  was there, so was Agnes , Ivi Adamou ,  Eric Saade , Eleftheria , Star Pilots , ... and many more! Lena Philipsson theme song Du följer väl med? gets a flash mob treatment here . And it was indeed Lena Ph who stole the show in the end and bounced back after her divorce to the arms of her loving and adoring fans. Here .