Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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,...

Valentina Monetta will be joining the cast of Stockholm Pride that includes already likes of Gina G, Krista Siegfrids, Roberto Bellarossa, Margaret Berger, Sean Banan, Lys Assia, Ryan Dolan, Janet Leon, Anton Ewald and reigning Eurovision Queen Emmelie De Forest . Valentina will perform there on August 1, 2013. What a better way to return to Sweden and shower in the adoration of fans before doing it for the third time next May in Denmark? Besides, her album Crisalide - la storia di Valentina Monetta is now also available in physical CD form. Pre-listen and order here .

Many have been surprised - and not pleased - with Robin Stjernberg's victory with You in Melodifestivalen 2013. Gustav Dahlander explains some possible reasons why the international juries preferred Robin and snobbed YOHIO . The juries voted on Friday and in the rehearsals all favorites seemed to have failed in way or the other: YOHIO missed the long climax vote and was saving his voice it seems, Ralf Gyllenhammar gave a nervous and less inspired performance and was all but pleased after it. He was back on track on Saturday, as was YOHIO, too late. Ulrik Munther wasn't in top form either, partly caused by problems in his ear piece it seems. Anton Ewald had some hip problems in his dance number. It didn't harm his vocal perfomance (but then he wasn't singing anyways) but his dancing, that the number was entirely built upon. So, Robin just got better and better by each performance and it paid of. He had however quite a struggle to get that far: in his semifinal he ...

Sweden picks up its entry for the home soil tonight. One can only hope they will pick a song that will do better than last time the Eurovision was held in Malmö.... (Mind you, Christer Björkman's Imorgon finns en annan dag is one of my Swedish favorites of all time). Unlike last year we don't have a clear favorite so anything can happen, even Swedes going crazy and voting for Ravaillacz and how funny that would be! Still, YOHIO is the one to look out for, but it's not yet sure that he will actually make it.... Despite a minor scandal has arisen as it is thought SVT favors him having a 24&7 crew filming his life and preparations, and even that the original golden boy was Ulrik, but now Christer & co prefer YOHIO...  Hmm, wasn't Sweden supposed to be one of the less corrupted countrie s in the world? Oh yes, that's in the real world and not in the glittery Schlagerwonderland! Once again there is also an international jury that has helped the Swedes to ...

This year's Melodifestivalen may have been musically rather boring and average but has turned out to be rather entertaining if you like some male bonding. And we are not talking here simple hugs after qualification or such, but kissing! Even with some tongue action at times it seems. The culmination must have been (so far) the on stage kiss in dress rehearsals when Mattias Andréasson was playing the part of Tone Damli who was absent from her duet with Erik Segerstedt. The song Hello, goodbye nicely deals with a one night stand.... (If Erik and Tone ever kissed, I must have missed that.....) Sean Banan was kissing literaly everyone after his qualification but for example Anton Ewald, Christer Björkman himself and Måns Zelmerlöf shared some spit with him on camera.... Anton also fell victim of overjoyed Robin Stjernberg's kisses (and tongue) when they both qualified from the second chance round. Another couple doing some tongue action were Army of Lover's Alex...

Here we have them. Two more will make the final line up in Friends Arena in Stockholm next week and then travels from the huge arena to small intimate Malmö in May for the Eurovision 2013 final. Will it be Martin "I always wanted to be in Modern Talking" Rolinski? Will Behrang sawa dance to the final? Is it the last hello and goodbye to Erik & Tone? Will Cookies burn their flags? I think I would go for Martin and Cookies 'n Beans (or Robin or Anton depending on mood!) Robin Stjernberg - You ( here ) Eric Gabb - Vi kommer aldrig att förlora ( here ) Caroline af Ugglas - Hon har inte ( here ) Behrang Miri - Jalla dansa sawa ( here ) Erik Segerstedt & Tone Damli - Hello goodbye ( here ) Anton Ewald - Begging ( here ) Cookies 'n Beans - Burning flags ( here ) Martin Rolinski - In and out of love ( here )