Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Melodifestivalen artists guessing goes wild when tabloids Afronbladet and Expressen try outdo each other in revealing the names before SVT does sometime in December most likely on November 27, 2018. So far we have a 15 year old Youtube star (he'll be 16 in time though) Bishara Morad in the list, as well as 86 year old Jan Malmsjö who could return to contest 50 years after his last appearance when he tied for the win with Hej clown co-written by ABBA's Benny Andersson but lost in revote.  Other rumored returnees are Arvingarna ( ESC 1993 ). Ann-Louise Hansson (74) could return for the record breaking 14th time. She first took part in 1963 and last 2004. Her best placing so far is 4th (1966, 1969, 1973). Jon Henrik Fjällgren could become third time lucky having placed 2nd and 3rd already. Last year's 3rd placed John Lundvik seems to be back as well with other recent participants Anton Hagman , Nano , Polish Margaret and Wiktoria . Add ex-Barbados and ex-Alcazar M...

  The most hyped, most overrated national final is here again and the Eurovision fanboys are fainting out of excimtement all over Europe again after today's announcement of the competing acts and their songs. And no, there's no Alcazar but Kikki Danielsson is! The surprise on the list is Polish Margaret and as much as I like her and wish to see her in Eurovision I can't get too excited: Why Melodifestivalen and not Poland? If she represented Poland I'd be one happy fanboy myself, but.... Ah, let me answer my own question: Because she did Poland and didn't win and don't want to be humiliated again, and her music has been made in Sweden anyways, so Mello is just a huge promotion vehicle for her to the Swedish (and maybe therefrom to a wider) market as in Mello no one's a loser. One is a winner but most everyone else scores a hit, too, and no one's considered a loser. And that's the nice thing about Mello tbh.   Did you notice SVT propably or...

Last month Petra Mede premiered her very first own floor show in Maxim Theater in Stockholm after being one of the most beloved comedians for over ten years. This is what she tells to QX magazine about the show, Eurovision, being Faghag and what Alcazar Andreas has thought her: "I have had the privilege of constantly getting challenging assignments assigned to me. But I am a prophet of doom, and believe that every gig will be my last. So to my parents' joy I have always the idea to start studying to become a teacher" , she jokes. "But I have some involuntarily ended up in this fantastic slot managing large galas and events like Eurovision. I love it very much, and am so comfortable in leading an evening and being funny. But unfortunately, they are of course limited in number so I want to go on to become a stage performer, creating my own platform. And I insist on singing even though many try to thwart me!" she laughs. "Eurovision is just about th...

Melodifestivalen 2014 is coming to an end as well. Propably the worst what comes to songs since this six week long carival was launched, and even the presenters haven't really been so loved or praised, have they? In the end the final ten is pretty ok - they could have saved us the trouble and pick up these from the beginning as the line up is very predictable and not including really any surprises. Add Shirley Clamp and Martin Stenmarck to the line up and it would have been beyond predictable. Alcazar is and remains of course the main favorite, but will they win finally? We will see. It would be a shame as this is propably their weakest MF entry ever. They do deserve to win, but not with this one. If it was up to me, I'd risk with Ace Wilder or go safe with Sanna Nielsen. But I think Ace would do better in Copenhagen after all.... How cool would be Linus winning...? 1. Anton Ewald – Natural 2. Ellen Benediktson – Songbird 3. Alcazar – Blame It On The Disco 4. Oscar ...

Europe, we have the first result of the evening. This time there were no surprises as both Alcazar and Anton Ewald qualified for the final.  Ammotrack and Ellinore Holmer went to the second chance, could they have been more different? Linda Bengtzing is out, as are I.D.A (6th), Josef Johansson (7th) and Janet Leon (8th). So, with those acts Sweden got a huge doze of tasteless, smelless plastic to the final line up :-). It'd be so sad Alcazar wins this year when they have their worst entry ever. But that's the way it often goes - you don't when when you're good, but when you are supposed to "deserve" it... So, now we have a complete set for the next week's second chance aka Andra Chansen in Lidköping: Helena Paparizou - Survivor Linus Svenning - Bröder JEM - Lovetrigger Martin Stenmarck - När änglarna går hem Outtrigger - Echo State of Drama - All we are Ammotrack - Raise your hands Ellinore Holmer - En himmelsk sång

I thought last week Melodifestivalen had reached the ultimate bottom. I was wrong. Listening the snippets of this week's songs it only gets worse! Alcazar recycles all their old tricks and you don't know if you are listening their medley or what. And that's only one minute. I'm afraid to hear the whole song! And they seem to recycle also their discoball. Any trick to make it memorable, I guess. (And mind you, I like Alcazar!) For I.D.A it took me 15 second to realize I don't want to hear more. Of Janet Leon I don't find anything to say. How something can be so indifferent? Ammotrack only makes me remember why Swedes should leave hardrock to Finns. How did Josef get in and why? Never been a fan of Linda B and surely won't be after tomorrow. To her credit I have to say in this group she's actually great! Who is Ellinore and why she's on stage? Is there something wrong in her earpiece and stage monitors or is it really her? Then I repeat why she'...

Here we have them. The rest of the Swedish hopefuls and it seems it's all laid out for Alcazar finally to make it and Christer Björkman got his wish, they have reunited and they are in! Also rumored dr.alban is in and the vocalist is none other than Jessica Folcker. Nice! Schlager dive and fan favorite Shirley Clamp makes also a welcome comeback and also Linda Bengtzing has been lured in by Björkman. Last year's revelation Anton Ewald is back for revenge and a lot of names I have never heard of.... Among songwriters its rather striking Thomas G:son hasn't got many songs in, only two. But in overall it seems more widespread this year. The song king and queen are Joy and Linnèa Deb along with Fredrik Kempe with four songs. Bobby Ljunggren, Sharon Vaughn and Peter Boström all got three songs in. Now everyone, start practising to pronounce Örnsköldsvik! Heat 3 - Gothenburg, February 15, 2014 State of Drama - All we are (Göran Werner, Sanken Sandqvist, Emil Gullhamn,...

Army of Lovers is out. And I'm not surprised. As much I like them the song just was 3 minutes of nonsense, lacking all the melody and the rest, too. Having la Camilla looking royal (wink wink) and sporting a cross in her crotch and Jean-Pierre in underwear just wasn't enough, especially when Robin Stjernberg had much more crotch action going on stage. In all the quality was once again rather low, or maybe the right word would be repetitive. Too many repetitive songs without much of an idea to last for 3 minutes. One of them being Ulrik's song that went to the final. I was pretty sure Ralf would make it to the final already today and well deserved so, despite blowing out more pyros that Lordi in a full concert. behrang came across trés sympa, as the French would say, Therese was pretty and boring, Sylvia managed to me classy and cheap at the same time and Lucia was very Adele-like somehow.  Ulrik Munther - Tell the world I'm here -> final Ralf Gyllenhammer - Be...

Alcazar is taking "a creative break" after the Stockholm Pride in August but one can read between the lines this time it might be forever. The group, formed in 1998 by Andreas Lundstedt, Tess "Tessa" Merkel and Annika "Fiore" Kjaergaard, already took a break in 2005 but re-emerged two years later without Annika and Magnus Carlsson who had joined in 2002 and with Lina Hedlund instead.  Three studio albums, one compilation and one live album but 21 singles, that entered the charts in 13 different European countries along with Australia and the US and four Melodifestivalen participations later it seems it's the end. Here are their MF entries: 2003 Not a sinner, nor a saint (3rd), 2005 Alcastar (3rd), 2009 Stay the night (5th) and 2010 Headlines (-). Their other hits include Crying at the discotheque , Sexual guarantee and This is the world we live in . They also covered Don't you want me and samples most every hit in Physical - and indeed their...

Alcazar's Andreas Lundstedt surprised his boyfriend figure skater Niklas Hogner in a live nationwide radio program Sommar i P1 by finishing the programe by "... and last but not least, greetings to my boyfiriend Niklas. Do you wanna be my man forever? Will you marry me? " Once Niklas got over the shock by being proposed with a few million listeners he said "yes!". How cute. The lovebirds are not celebrating the event together as Andreas in on tour and Niklas is not with him.  Another high profile gay marriage in Sweden in 2010 after the Peter Jöback wedding in June? Andreas has a long history in Melodifestivalen and has even done Eurovision once, in 2006 but for Switzerland. He has done three times solo: Driver dagg, faller regn (1996), Jag saknar dig, jag saknar dig (1997) and Move (2007) and with Alcazar in Not a sinner, nor a saint ,(2003)  Alcastar .(2005) Stay the night ,(2009) and Headlines (2010). He was also dating Magnus Carlsson for many years and...

Sweden is slowly recovering from the royal wedding but today finally Peter Jöback married his Oscar Nilsson, nicely on midsummer! They must have been thinking of this day in the royal wedding where they were also invited. See the newlyweds right after the wedding here . Pernilla Wahlgren was there, so was Andreas Lundstedt and Sarah Dawn Finer, another royal wedding performer. Congrats Peter & Oscar!

The Royal Gardens in Stockholm go on with the celebrations. Tonight amongst other Eurovision winner (and flopper) Charlotte Perrelli together with Magnus Carlsson perform together a special song for the occasion and their own hits. Another schlagertastic night to come!

BWO is no more for the time being. Martin Rolinski will go and try a solo career, while Alexander Bard continues his musical journey with Gravitonas with singer Andreas Öhrn. BWO lived from 2004 to 2010 and was born after Vacuum where Bard and Marina Schitjenko already worked together. Bard had even before that Army of Lovers. BWO of Bodies Without Organs took part in Melodifestivalen 4 times: Gone in 2005, Temple of love in 2006 (2nd), 2008 Lay your love on me (3rd) and You're not alone in 2009. Over the years they were also rumoured to be considering entering the national finals in Poland and UK but eventually never did. The band was also very popular in Finland, Ukraine and Russia.

SVT has revealed the artists in the third and fourth semifinal of Melodifestivalen and yes, Pernilla Wahlgren is back! So is Alcazar, Elin Lanto, Py Bäckman and Sibel. Here are the names: Elin Lanto - Doctor Doctor  Alcazar - Headlines Crucified Barbara - Heaven Or Hell  Erik Linder - Hur Kan Jag Tro På Kärlek Timoteij - Kom (Run) Johannes Bah Kuhnke - Tonight  Getty - Yeba  Darin - You're Out Of My Life  Peter Jöback - Hollow  NEO - Human Frontier  Noll Disciplin - Idiot  Pernilla Wahlgren - Jag Vill Om Du Vågar Py Bäckman - Magisk Stjärna Sibel - Stop  Anna Bergendahl - This Is My Life  Lovestoned - Thursdays Now we only miss the name of the last wildcard. Let it be Lena Philipsson....

Stjärnklart show is touring Sweden right now, from Stockholm to Norrköping, from Malmö to Gothenburg featuring Lena Philipsson, Nanne Grönvall, Alcazar, Brolle, Nina Söderqvist and ex-Eurovision conductor Anders Berglund. In the show the lucky ones present get to see Nanne & Lena redoing  Den vilda/Kärleken är evig , all the girls doing Spice Girls , Lena Philipsson doing Pink and Bonnie Tyler and lots more. Looks like a fun show!

... to children's rubber boots! Can you think anything less glamourous but rubber boots? Well, don't worry, Alcazar has designed some models with glitter and glamour that you can buy here . 

Here it comes again. The contest Sweden has rules since its beginning. With 12 victories since 1987 Sweden is by far the most successful country in this contest where national clubs give a second chance to the songs that came second or were the fan favorite and failed to win. Or what do you say bout their record in the 2000's only: 5 victories, 2 second places and 1 third place? Spain has been very successful in the 2000's as well with 2 victories, 2 second places and 2 third places. And this year it might be another Sweden vs Spain in the end: Sweden sends Alcazar who are chasing already their third victory here, and Spain Mirela who has one of the best songs of all season 2009 in my opinion: Nada es comparable a ti . Here's the full list and all the information: http:// www.sechuk.com/Sech09-1.htm Here's Mirela: http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0lEvA-PrYc and the remix of the same: http:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vVkGLLAEI4 and here's Alcazar: http:// www.y...

SVT revealed the first eight artists in Melodifestivalen 2009 and started off with some of the most awaited and biggest names. No surprises here though. All names have been circulating already since the day one the songs were made public. The first wild card will be announced tomorrow! Alcazar - Stay The Night BWO - You're Not Alone Caroline af Ugglas - Snällä, Snälla Emilia - You're My World Jennifer Brown - Never Been Here Before Lasse Lindh and Band - Jag Slåss I Dina Kvarter Måns Zelmerlöw - Hope & Glory Sarah Dawn Finer - Moving on Alcazar, BWO and Måns have all placed in Top-3 previously and also Sarah a respectful 4th. Emilia and Jennifer Brown are in for the very first time.

Magnus Carlsson solo. Magnus Carlsson ex-Barbados. Magnus Carlsson ex-Alcazar. Se mig (2nd in 2000), Allt som jag ser (2nd in 2001) and Världen utanför (4th in 2002) by Barbados. Not a sinner nor a saint (3rd in 2003) and Alcastar (3rd in 2007) by Alcazar plus Magnus less fortunate solo efforts Lev livet! (2006) and Live forever (2007) are all included with 2 CDs full of goodies from all periods of his career from 1993 until today. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6MGN1qYJBo , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTo3W_ynqdI , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBijb8FMyxQ , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRMqoMYkzMY , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY97NJAHPFU&feature=related , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYBtoShZS9k , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swDkSEbZWoA&feature=related