FOLLOW OUR BLOG THAT KEEPS UP2DATE ON SWEDEN'S MELODIFESTIVALEN & EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

Aug 29, 2009

Alcazar's HISTORY CHANNEL: Andreas Back in 1997 with "Driver Dagg Faller Regn" & with Stage 4

Alcazar was not infact Andreas first band he was a member of the group Stage 4.
They featured three other famous Melodifestivalen singers in Sweden; Peter Jöback, Lisa Nilsson and Lizette Pålsson.
Here is a rare clip of Stage 4 check to check back in 1989 -



Here we find Andrea's debut in Melodifestivalen 1997. With a hit ballad "Driver Dagg Faller Regn"
wrote by Alexander Bard it came 2nd with a total of 48 points...
not long afterwards Alcazar was born in Stockholm.

Aug 26, 2009

BWO "Rise To The Occasion" NEW Video



Has to be one of the BEST tracks from 'Big Science' album
+FaB-WO Video to boot!

Aug 25, 2009

Vinnare ! Melodifestivalen 1995 Jan Johansen- Se På Mig


Well its been in the Repair Shop for a few weeks, but now the clutch is fixed
Our Melodifestivalen TIME MACHINE is again whizzing thu space n Time
next stop is that victory moment in 1995...

as Jan gave back the flowers! was it the wrong colour! No, t'was to do his reprise



Jan Johansen has just put out a brand new CD just in Norway for some reason-
Minnen ( Memories ) gasp! Thankfully its 'not' showtunes in swedish. (sigh) More a Greatest
song collection spanning his career to date. With seven new swedish songs

The collection has on it 'Ingenmannsland' which he sang in Melodifestivalen 2002.

Welcome back Jan...


Aug 23, 2009

Schlager-Hero 8 - Estonia's Ines - Miss Eurovision


Eda-Ines Etti is from Haapsalu, Estonia - she is a Big celebrity in her homeland, and known mainly in scandinavia due to her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

In 2000, Ines sung her own song “Once in a Lifetime” she had been tipped for what would have been a famous victory, but in the end came 4th. As Denmark finished flying the wings of victory that year.

In a strange twist of fate, one of Ines own backing singers, Tanel Padar, together with Dave Benton represented Estonia the next year-this time the duo stormed to victory with a song “Everybody”, Estonia then became the 1st former Eastern Bloc country to stage the Eurovision Song Contest in 2002.
Then in 2003 there seemed every chance that Ines would once again be Estonia’s artist for Eurovision, as she had reportedly been lined up to sing “Runaway”, in Eurolaul, the Estonian national selection contest for Eurovision.

Then she pulled out at the last moment, apparently concluding that one appearance at the Eurovision was enough!. Given the unfortunate timing, an experienced Swedish star, Anna Sahlene, took her place and performed “Runaway” the song became the Eurolaul winner. The song went on to finish in 3th place for Estonia.

Its rather surprising that Ines has since gone on to be known in her homeland as ‘Miss Eurovision’ - mainly from taking on the role of spokeswoman during the voting procedure, to becoming a host presenter of Eurolaul back in 2005.

Ines’s follow-up album sung in Estonian, '15 magamata ööd', was a huge success back in 2004. The title-track of the record brought her the second “Female Artist of the Year” at the Estonian Music Awards.

Ines’ in 2005 formed her own band to produce her next stab at Eurovision glory, the wonderful song “Iseendale”. The song came a close second to the winner “Through My Window”, performed by the Sandra Oxenryd. “Iseendale” . Ines’ third Eurolaul entry was the song entitled “In Good and Bad” in Eurolaul 2007, the song failed to make the grade for Eurovision 2007. Yet her new album 'Kustutame vead' earned another nomination for the Female Artist of the Year.

Ines today maintains a high profile with the Estonian public. Martin Saar - a controversial young New York artist, who remained her boyfreind for 3 years.

In 2008, the golden couple of the Estonia media' broke up. Since then Ines has found new love in a Portuguese guy called Francesco. Currently Ines is working on her fifth studio album set to release in summer or later this year.

We are hoping this may well bring us a new song set for Schlager Glory- and Ines the girl
who gave us Once in a Lifetime' now enters our Euro-Schlager Hall of Fame ...



Best of Eda- Ines Songs- Medley

Kus kulgeb kuu
Iseendale
Once in a lifetime
Lendan
In good and bad
Keerlen

Sarah Dawn is back- 'Standing Strong' see what you think the new Vid'

Its taken a while but Sarah Dawn Finer has a follow-up to 'Moving On'
the song from Melodifestivalen 2009 which was for me the biggest grower...
The same maybe said for her follow-up 'Standing Strong'
+ the video is rather good



Aug 18, 2009

Magnus Carlsson's NEW single 'This is DISCo' heading for Top Slot!

The Swedish singles chart, has a Big disco-battle happening as King of
Schlager Disco- Herr Magnus Carlsson's new dance floor hit 'This is Disco'
has moved up now at 3. Meanwhile the Queen of Disco Pop
Madonna is a new entry at No:1 with her own NEW
'Celebration' single. It will be interesting to see which one of these
new disco tracks go the dis-dance in Sweden's sale chart.

We like Magnus new song performed 'Live' on tv- And the equally excellent
Madonna in Retro 'CEleBRATiON'





Aug 14, 2009

Aug 8, 2009

Alcazar's HISTORY CHANNEL- 'Crying at the Discoteque' the Hit that launched the band

The breakthrough Disco Track, that began
the long road to Alcastardom!


Henrik Wikström: Mf Songwriter currenty working with Bard (BWO) on a new Band for 2010!


Since 1983, songwriter Henrik Wikström has written 20 entries for Melodifestivalen. It was Henrik behind Måns Zelmerlöw's hit "Cara Mia" as well as Carola's "Evighet" and BWO's "Lay your love on me"

Henrik we have seen many times sat among the songwriters in Melodifestivalen ( who can miss him! ) it has been revealed Henrik together with Alexander Bard is working on a new Electro Rock Band Gravitonas, this new group will feature the vocals of Andreas Öhrn. As a frontman Andreas is rather theatrical and have something à la Freddie Mercury (see him below). Alexander has assured us BWO will very much continue, and this is a new side project to his band.

- Henrik is a trained music teacher. During a recent interview Henry told of how he has a first idea for a song that can come to him in different ways: In fact its happened that Henrik wakes in the middle of the night with a melody in his head. Then I fly out of my bed and record it, at my home- studio. You can hear more of the new Bard/Wilkstrom collaboration on tracks "Love Came Crashing Down" & "Shoot From The Heart" from BWO's Big Science album.


Gravitonas sounds like more great sounds for 2010.


Velvet LIVE from Stockholm Pride with 'The Queen' - The song that got away in Mf 2009!



MELODIFESTIVALEN Songs that got away.

1. Velvet- The Queen

2. Anna Sahlene & Maria Haukaas Storeng - Killing Me Tenderly

3. Shirley Clamp- Mr. Memory

4. Magnus Carlsson - Live Forever

5. Baccara- Soy tu Venus

Recently I did this top 5 on facebook here are my own findings

Thanks to 3 minutes for PrideClips

Aug 7, 2009

Alcazar's HISTORY CHANNEL- 'Funky Feet' 2003 (Abba's unreleased song)




2003- The Alcazar Line up of Andreas Tess and Annika joined by Magnus Carlsson (Barbados)
to make a foursome- Was it any wonder they took this song from Abba's heyday 1976.
'Funky Feet' was never released by Abba at the time, although its been called a 'Dancing Queen'
# 2. Svenne & Lotta released it in the 70's. Then Alcazar made it their own with this
cover on the Alcazarized CD
what a great boogie version..


Alcazar during their Abba period!

Aug 6, 2009

What if- the Artists - From U K that could be in Eurovision 2010 1. Pet Shop Boys

Who can or will follow Lloyd Webber on to the Eurovision Stage in Oslo 2010.
A few Artists have been named rumoured to take part next year, we
hope the flood gates are now open and artists like
PET SHOP BOYS could even take part, even if only as songwriters.
As if to tease us their new single from 'Yes' (album) is
'Did you see that coming..?' ESC hit or not
two classic clips below. (thanks Parlophone)

NEW PSB
+ Classic 80s PSB


Aug 3, 2009

Alexander Rybak recording A new song 'A Castle Made of Snow'



The Rybak, as well as doing Stockholm Pride, Alexander found time to record a
brand new song..check out the news report
A Full HD version of this New Song (below)- it is to appear on Polish
Fairytales CD as a Bonus track- We like it... and we want it?


Aug 1, 2009

Maria Haukas Storeng chats at Stockholm Pride bout Melodifestivalen + New Album!

Magnus Carlsson's Mega Medley at Stockholm Pride




Thanks to G-Webb Tv & 3 minutes for PrideClips

Alexander Rybak LIVE at Stockholm Pride July 2009





The annual Schlager Pride, a Eurovision + Melodifestivalen music spectacle of the Stockholm Pride
held in Stockholm, saw a new concept with the show's host being non-other than Shirley Clamp. Shirley even performed in her original Blue 'Min Karlek' Frock! The full Artist Guest list of this event
are kept quiet until the Day of the event, also this year the Artists had a more extended set to perform.




Magnus Carlsson, Shirley Clamp, Sarah Dawn Finer, Anna Sahlene, Charlotte Perrelli, Alcazar,
Velvet and Lili & Susie Along with 3 international Artists Maria Haukaas Storeng,
Yohanna and off course Alexander Rybak all took to the Pride Park stage during
this fabulous Schalger Tastic Event for 2009.
Be sure to hear Alexander's change of Lyric in
Funny Little World'


EMD- Danny Erik & Matte- What they all got up to in the Hotel Room !

Perhapes one of the BIGGEST Names of Melodifestivalen 2009 - EMD
3 idol Boys, on this Vid-Blog we become a fly on the wall in their Hotel room.




Svenska translation anyone? (meanwhile just enjoy the slap!)