Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Sweden's Melodifestivalen has reached the last semifinal before Second chance round and the final. Two big fan favorites here; Molly and Linda, one Eurovision veteran Martin and a couple of Melodifestivalen veterans: Dolly Style and Panetoz. After the leak fiasco with Molly's song all the others were published too for 24 hrs or something similarly stupid. Watching the rehearsal snippets it looks like Panetoz and Linda have just recycled their previous stagings if not the song, too, and Martin makes me only sing along to Whiter shade of pale.... I don't care who qualifies as I will hardly ever listen to any of these again but it would be kinda amusing if Martin and Frans would qualify. Or Eclipse just for the fun of it. Melodifestivalen 2016 has been a real Mehfestival.  Eclipse - Runaways 5th Dolly Style - Rollercoaster 2ND CHANCE Martin Stenmarck - Du tar mig tillbaks 6th Linda Bengtzing - Killer girl 7th Frans - If I were sorry FINAL Panetoz - Håll om mig ...

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,...

The rumour mill is running wild for Melodifestivalen 2014 participants and it seems Martin Stenmarc k (ESC 2005) is back while the ladies Sanna Nielsen and Linda Bengtzing are giving it yet another go. Dr Alban might finally make his debut? Aftonbladet also reveals the other possible names: Oscar Zia, Panetoz, J.E.M., Outrigger, Judit & Judit, Eko, Cajsa Stina Äkerström, Josef Johanson that are more or less unknown to this blogger. Christer Björkman is quoted of saying there are still five open slots but negotiations on going with more big names and "the big names are usually the last ones to be confirmed and the talking-them-over period is at full swing right now". It is rumored Avicii, Ola Salo and Lisa Nilsson are some of those Björkman is sweet talking. I hope he has a chat with Sarah Dawn Finer and Darin as well! SVT will reveal all the names by the end of November 2013.

Eurovision cruise is coming up.  Stay tuned for exclusive coverage! Unfortunately Linda Bengtzing has had to cancel due to illness, but Timoteij has replaced her. Also Birgit Õigemeel has been added to the returning trip. Valentina Monetta will kick of the show followed by Marion Rung, Krista Siegfrids and Timoteij and after that the Eurovision disco continues until 6am! More info here .

OGAE Finland is organizing for the 4th time the Eurovision cruise and this year aboard m/s Silja Europa cruising from Helsinki to Tallinn and back on August 31-September 1 and some 2.000 fans will get the change to meet and greet and be entertained by San Marino's triple entrant Valentina Monetta, Finland's own double entrant Marion Rung, Swedish Linda Bengtzing who is yet to win Melodifestivalen and go to Eurovision itself, Finnish drag queens Jukka K and Miss Divet providing a new Eurovision show, fan favorite DJ's Ohrmeister and Werneri.... and maybe some more! For more information and how to join in the fun, click here .  And stay tuned for special treats and exclusive goodies by yours truly!

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...

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?

SVT has corfirmed the first four names for melodifestivalen 2011. It looks like they are going to drop in the names every two weeks or so. Linda returns to the joy of many fans - don't count me in - and along with her we have three MF debutants. It looks like some of the songs for the internet selection have already leaked or rather put into svt.play before the announced date of October 11... This after the minor scandal of some preselection jury members outing themselvas against the rules in social medias. Is SVT losing the firm hand of total control? Anyways here are the entries from schalger to rap via pop: Pernilla Andersson - Desperados Linda Bengtzing - E de fel på mig Lasse Stefanz - En blick och något händer Swingfly - Me and my drum

Pauline Kamusewu (born in Zimbabwe) is the last Melodifestivalen joker and maybe a disappointment for those who waited for a big name like Lena Philipsson or Linda Bengtzing, proving that Melodifestivalen is moving on from schlager to something else, like Pauline's r´n´b. She has released two albums (2003, 2009) and scored a couple of hits like Give me a call and Running out of gaz , and the brand new Red carpet . Her Melodifestivalen entry will be Sucker for love. Interesting...