Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Remember the fantastic parody of Kuunkuiskaajat made by Dekel Ben Avi and Bastien Venturi last year? I mean this ! The guys are back with a new one for the 2011 edition. They're going to be Po pul ar ! Soon here. Here's a teaser !

Seems like some artists, like Linda Bengtzing, are not happy with the new rules. Meaning there are the international jury groups and they voted already last night based on the dress rehearsal. Hey Linda, I have something to tell you: if you win there will be 42 international jury groups judging you, and from the dress rehearsals as well so shut up! If you can't give your best twice in two days you're in a wrong business! If you didn't bother to read the Melodifestivalen rules before you decided to take part, it is your own fault so shut up. Ok?  Christer Björkman commented that: "Until now we Swedes have been able to vote for songs we want to do in karaokebars and listen in the summer cottages in the forests but now we have to decide who's going to represant and compite for us in Europe. Obviously Swedes have forgot that the past few years as we have seen in the results and are out of touch. Therefor the juries " I totally agree. The superfavourite Erik Saade ...

It's time! The very last national final of the season, and the last entry to be chosen! How come this went so fast this year (well, maybe because like half the songs were selected during two weekends....)?! As always the fans are going crazy for Melodifestivalen and the line up is rather good. Not exceptional and there isn't one sure winner but a solid group of songs. Who will win?Will the pretty boys Danny and Erik eat each other out? Will the Baseballs 2 go all the way? How about Swingfly, my personal favourite of the lot? Or are we in for a real surprise winner like Sara, Nicke (my second favourite) or Brolle to outrage the fans? Or will Swedes trust in their schlager queens Linda or Sanna even if Europe has proved the past few years it is tired of Swedish schlager. Oh wait! There are the international juries! How will all that change things? How mad will the Swedes be come late Saturday night? Also veteran writers Thomas G:son and Fredrik Kempe have their own personal battl...

Just 3 days left to pick up the songs before the EBU meeting in Germany next Monday-Tuesday. The only remaining national final is Sweden tomorrow but tonight San Marino will present its song. So will UK but their I can leaked already yesterday. Tomorrow should be Russia's turn officially present Get you . Meanwhile the Netherlands have presented its English version Never alone as well as Croatia it's Celebrate . Spain has released the final version and the video of their entry today. As have Ireland , Belgium , Turkey , Greece , Estonia and Slovakia . Belarus will present its new song, this time called I love Belarus after Born in Bielorussia and I am Belarussian or something. This time they should have though a completely new music to the text.... Sigh.... Azerbaijan is also pulling it to the last possible moment. The rumour is the song will be in Azeri instead of English which is very refreshing! But one more night to Melodifestivalen final. The superfavourites Danny a...

The Swedish Melodifestivalen will give us the very last entry for the 2011 Eurovision song contest. Or will it? The UK entry leaked already, as did the Russian one. We only miss San Marino and Azerbaijan. We know when we will hear the Sammarinese entry but what about Azerbaijan? Will we hear the song only on Tuesday after the EBU meeting were all participants will be made official?

Erik Saade's pre-contest pressure has been such that nothing but victory in his semi would do and that's what he did - straight to the final. Last year with Manboy he took a shower on stage, now we breaks free from a glass cage in Popular , a song that makes me sing this right away. I was rather sceptical about the song at first but considering what else Melodifestivalen has offered us this year so far this might just be the best so far. But will he and Danny divide the votes in the final and something like The Playtones ending victorious instead? One more semifinal to go and there's Love Generation, the other entry that has high expectations.

Tomorrow we should know all the artists in the first two Melodifestivalen 2011 semifinals and next Monday the rest but apparently it's not all yet clear in Christer Björkman's camp. One of the names he desperately wanted in was September who after initial yes decided to say no instead and concentrates on her international career and launch of her new single. While Björkman is still hunting for big names apparently Jenny Silver and Daniel Karlsson have been accepted just a few days ago. " Since Peter Jöback's flop last year many serious artists have lost their interest in Melodifestivalen and wish to have nothing to do with it" commented an insider. We already know 18 names and Erik Saade, Linda Bengtzig, Elisabeth Andreasson, Danny and Sanna Nielsen could remain the biggest names along side with various Mr Gay Sweden's, dragqueens and Idols drop outs?

Despite being the first and only Swede todate not to qualify for the Eurovision final, Anna Bergendahl is nominated both the best female artist and the best newcomer in the Swedish Rockbjörnen awards. The other Melodifestivalen/Eurovision related nominees are Agnes (best female), Erik Saade (best male and best new comer), Ola (best male), Salem Al Fakir (best male) and The Ark (best live group). Three out of five best song nominees comes from Melodifestivalen: Manboy , Keep on walking and Unstoppable . The other two are Oscar Linnros's Från och med du and Mando Diao's Nothing without you . In the best foreign song of the year Lady Gaga rules with three out of five moninations: Bad romance , Alejandro and Telephone . The awards are given by the readers of Aftonbladet since 1979.  Anna did beat both Erik and Salem in MF, let's see how it goes here!

Also three May releases from Sweden. Elin Lanto who took part in Melodifestivalen 2010 with Doctor doctor releases her second album Love made me do it . Tickles is the new single off it. Pain of Salvation, also from Melodifestivalen 2010 with superb Road salt is releasing their 7th album Road salt One in May, too. Road salt Two will follow in October 2010. New single is Sisters . Here's the album's sampler . Masquerade is the name of Erik Saade's debut album including his Melodifestivalen 2010 smash hit Manboy and debut single Sleepless .

Namely in Erik Saade's opening number for tomorrow's Melodifestivalen semifinal 2. Also, he is supposed to give a run of their money for both Ola and Darin, and his song has all the good stuff of a good BWO and Måns Zelmerlöv in it. Add Tom Cruise looks and Michael Jackson dance and that's... Erik Saade! And gay public should get their money's worth in Manboy as well. (But he is Molly Sanden's boyfriend) A superfavourite to win the semifinal tomorrow. At least if you believe Expressen.