He turned out to be The Man of the hour- Anders Fernette!

The schlager world is right now buzzin' with the exciting News of the full line up for Melodifestivalen 2011. The full lists of stars and their song writers cannot dissapoint - with the likes of Shirley Clamp & her Angels, Linda Bengtzing, Sanna Nielsen, Linda Pritchard, Dilba Babsam Elisabeth Andreassen & Jenny Silver. Hey That's just the girls, yet with all this excitement - one guy hit the headlines- one spunk Anders Fernet!

Nothing to do with those 'Hungry eyes' of his, but his song had to be disqualified - about an hour after it was made public.

The US song-writers JC Chasez (NSync) Carl Falk & Kristian Lundin (Cheiron) had their song

'Don't Stop' - was released to MySpace and on the web already- so it cannot be eligible for Melodifestivalen. Yet all is not lost as the songwriters have a week to come up with a replacement song to be sung by Anders to keep that much sort-after slot in semi final 4.

JC Chasez from N'SYNC days

Anders starred in Fame Factory then had a couple of big hits in Sweden with a excellent cover of eighties classic 'Hungry Eyes' & follow up 'Lola' we hope he gets it together to still make the grade- cus your Melodifestivalen Needs you Anders-

Here is the final results of the SVT Melodifestivalen 2011 jury...

The final artists are revealed..its very exciting Linda Pritchard returns as does Eric Saade from this year. Eric was not planning to come back two years running & true after his success in 2010, he did not need to. But Eric said his Fredrik Kempe song was too good to turn down. Shirley Clamp is in, but as a group called 'Shirley's Angels' thats wonderful news. Sebastian's here as is Linda Bengtzing & girl-band Love Generation who are hot faves at the moment. Here is the line-up- Artists & songs are

Linkoping -26th Feb

Sara Lumholt - Enemy
Shirley's Angels - I Thought it was Forever
Linda Sundblad - Lucky You
Sebastian - No one else could
Eric Saade - Popular
Sara Varga - Spring för Livet
Playtones - The King
Simon Forsberg - Tid att Andas

Linda will sing in Malmo with more Kempe Magic for 2011!

Malmo -19th Feb

Linda Pritchard - Alive
Julia Alvgard - Better or Worse
Anders Fernette - Don't Stop
Linda Bengtzing - E De Fel på Mig
Lasse Stefanz - I Surrender
Nicke Borg - Leaving Home
Melody Club - The Hunter
Love Generation - TBA

Benny's Band is Back on SVT & confirmed new music with BAO will be recorded in Jan

This week it was releaved Benny Andersson- he has some new music to record with his

band BAO -this will also mean the Benny band will be on tour again in summer 2011. Benny also did an in-depth interview VI magazine in sweden, this turned into a rare time when Andersson really opened up to speak of his family his mother, & being a 16 year-old Hep Star Rock-Star/father of Peter his first son in the 60's ( from his first marriage). It seems to be the time to remonise of the 70's as well...

A Tv special was shown a few months back on Svt called Seventies' here Benny is interviewed & chats casually about all his old Abba albums. You can view the whole thing here'

Benny interview on SVT

PLUS- alot more interesting 70's footage was found in the Kenneth Gardestad interviews (about his brother Ted) Ted was part of the Polar Records family, and was produced in the early 70's by Abba- this clip has some excellent old 70's footage of Stig Anderson.

Clip of Ted/Stig Andersson (this clip has english subtites)

Enjoy this rare stuff -Ted, off course also sung a Toto inspired Eurovision entry & Mf winner of 1979- 'Satellit'

CC & Lee -No Melodifestivalen Dreams in 2011 !

29th Nov 2010. Very soon now all the artists for next year's Melodifestivalen will be set and confirmed, there has been lots of chat about just what Sweden needs for Melodifestivalen. Not just to keep it as Sweden premium top TV Show, but more importantly select the right choice for Eurovision 2011. Next year Sweden want at least a top 10 placing at dusseldorf, after the past 4 years managing an average best of 18th placing!

We have dying to see the pop-dansband talents of CC & Lee feature in Melodifestivalen 2011- they even had a Thomas G:Son song wrote specially for Mf couple of years back with 'Himlen Kan Vanta'- Taken from their fabulous last album 'Gava Till Dig' (Gift for You)-Heaven can wait, it seem 'Melodifestivalen can wait- as well as the girls could have

made the grade for next year's Mf. However one of the girls is expecting right in the middle of Febuary 2011. ( ahhhh! a little baby CC or Lee! )

Let hope MF 2012 is time for CC & Lee , we are hoping.

We are The Playtones...we are coming to get you !

Yes, these guys are the latest artists revealed last night for Melodifestivalen class of 2011- This all happen during Dansbandskampen' finals in Svt, while Uk has X-factor keeping everyone home on saturday night- In sweden they have a talent competion in the X-factor style of the Dansbands. So each year a Dansband get selected as part of Melodifestivalen 2011, via this Tv show. These boys in fact won Dansbandskampen 2009 plus they will have the added bonus of that 'Kempe Magic'

The song is 'The King' wrote by ..

Fredrik Kempe (our schlager 'Hero' who did 'La Voix'& 'Manboy') & Peter Kvint (he has wrote "Sing for Me"(2005) "When The Night Comes Falling" & "A Little Bit Of Love" (2007), "One Love" for Carola & Andreas (2008)

More exciting news of the other artists in the last to semi finals will be revealed next week. We can hardly wait to hear who the final names for semi 3 & 4 ? according to expressen news- we could see the return of Shirley Clamp ( hurrah! last seen at Tescos in 2009) Eric Saade (the shower boi -yeeeah!) and a favourite of ours from melodiifestivalen 2006 Sebastian who sung 'when the night falls'

These names have yet to be confirmed so all subject-to-change- lets wait n' see

- we have our schlager finger crossed for all three.

Luleå & Göteborgs Stars chat about Melodifestivalen 2011

How the first 2 Semi-Finals of Melodifestivalen 2011 are looking......

-Danny -song 2

Luleå semi-final-5th Feb

1- Desperados - Roy Andersson
2- In The Club - Danny
3- Me And My Drum - Swingfly
4- Oh My God - Le Kid
5- On My Own - Jonas Matsson
6- Social Butterfly - Rasmus Viberg
7- Something In Your Eyes - Jennifer Silver
8- Try Again - Dilba

It looks like an interesting opening semi final- for me the highlight could well be 'Something in your eyes' As this has the promise of being a schlager anthem with time! As far as popular artists. Dilba-she has been very big in sweden during the 90's and ready for a big comeback. Danny from EMD is returning to his club electro roots, as he has had European success bout 5 years ago- & hopes to repeat this in Mf if 'In the club' is as good as his old hit 'Tokyo' he should be a Globen certain hit. Plus lets not Rule out Jonas Matsson (web-joker) & newbie popsters La Kid.

-Brolle -song 7

Göteborg semi-final-12th Feb

1- Elektrisk - Anniela
2- Ge mig en spanjor - Babsan
3- I'm In Love - Sanna Nielsen
4- Like Suicide - Christian Walz
5- My Heart Is Refusing Me - Loreen
6- Oh My God! - The Moniker
7- Seven Days & Seven Nights - Brolle
8- Vaken i en dröm - Elisabeth Andreassen

Strangely for this Semi 2 we have an odd number of big stars with Sanna, Elisabeth Andreassen & Brolle you would think they would be at Globen final. So will one of them have to use the 2nd Chance round perhapes, and who will need to do that?. Loreen & Babsen look like the strongest outsiders. With the right tunes there can be more than one schlager-battle on here ! Sanna always gives her best & with her track record in recent years - I hope Sanna wins this one. ( and not just cus sanna has confirmed at least one key change in 'I'm in Love')

'Charlotte Perrelli say No'- to the song for her in Melodifestivalen 2011

This week the press over in Stockholm have gone crazy with Melodifest'Stories one of the biggest was that- Svt had dropped Charlotte Perrelli for 2011! Thankfully Charlotte came

forward to but the schlager facts right t'other morning.

Charlotte was our Hero' back in 2008, and its been no secret that she adores Melodifestivalen. However she has always been clear both times when she has taken part as a singer- it was all 'bout a fantastic song! just perfect for Ms Perrelli. According to the press 'Something in your Eyes' was wrote with Charlotte in mind. This new song is said to be an abba-inspired dansband tune, so Charlotte felt it did not fit at all with her current music style. As well as fitting in with her new studio album due out in 2011. ( yipppy)

So Jenny Silver was the schlager-saviour to perform 'Something in your eyes' composed by Erik Bernholm, THomas G:Son & Henrik Sethsson. We cannot wait to hear this song, it sounds like just what we need for the new Melodifestivalen. Its a shame Charlotte Perrelli did not take the challenge this time. According to the news she will never say 'never again' (Agnetha & Tomas Ledin, 1983 hit) to Melodifestivalen.

Charlotte has won two times Melodifestivalen & sung 'Take me to your heaven' in 1999 winning Eurovision for Sweden that year.

That is a most impressive track record

- so how do you follow that?

All About La Kid- New POP act for Melodifestivalen

A fun-filled, sugary and colorful world where everything is pretend. That is the concept of popstarz Le Kid, who is one of the artist confirmed in Melodifestivalen 2011- kick off semi Final.

Who are Le Kid this five piece had a Big hit earlier this year with single "Mercy, Mercy," and now promises a Sugar POP rush- like no other has ever seen at Melodifestivalen. Certainly with so many ballads this year we need La Kid could shine.

Le Kid is - according to the press- to say the least flamboyant colourful with cartoon outfits -where true reality and fantasy gets blurred together. The band members are Johanna & Helena on lead vocals- with Felix Marta & Anton - on everything else.

- The song is 'Oh My God' (where did you buy your tights!) is in the band's own aqua-eque style. A typical Le Kid-track very much like their recent singles in Sweden.

It is three minutes of just pure pop-dance. That may well rock ya socks off- Let's see'

they could be just what Mf needs in 2011.

Jenny Silver Returns with added Schager-Power

Who can forget the amazing performance of Jenny Silver last year with her excellent tune 'A Place to stay' - check out the vid.
slowly gained a place in schlagertunes Top 10 from 2010. It was very minogue-eque and that is wonderful. Jenny is confirmed with more Artists for the first 2 semi-finals - Names like Brolle, he is a massive singer in sweden. Who has been rumoured
to be doin' Melodifestivalen for the past couple of years..finally 2011 is his time. If you have not heard from him before - expect he may well have the same impact that 'Darin' had this year in the competion.

La Kidd- a NEW five-piece Perfect-Pop group who remind me of a cross between Same Difference vs. Aqua ( muchmore on them later) they will sing 'Oh my God'.

OMG indeed with -More excitement, to find out Jenny silver's tune 'Something in your eyes' is co-wrote by Thomas G:son who has certain spread schlager-magic over to Denmark's 'In a moment like this' Eurovision entry this year- as well as 'Listen to my heartbeat' by Freinds in 2001. Plus far too many more tunes to mention.

We still await more names in the second batch of Semi's songs from SVT heatquarters very soon..and if the rumour is true
Jenny will not be the only class of 2010 coming back for more- The people's wet choice Eric Saade - could be back
to try once more...?

Now that's gotta be a good thing..even bring your bollie along to Mf 2011-just in case there could be a shower!

Met your Two Hosts for 2011 season of Melodifestivalen

News from Melodifestivalen HQ today...........is the new hosts.

His name is Rickard Olssen, a new name to us -but not to the Svt screens. He has hosted many a show on swedish tv shows..we think he looks rather exciting choice. Recently in Mf the shows host have proved to be - more than plain presenters & more Excellent entertainment, as with Mans, Christine & Dolph Lungren -he took action-hero to a new level by singing intro's n'action vids during melodifestivalen 2010. What will Rickard do for us?

Marie Serneholt was rumoured to make her second bid for Melodifestivalen success in 2011 by singing one of the entries. After her debut in 2009 with 'Disconnect me' it was not to be, so presenting is just as good. Marie was a teenage A*Teen who has a few solo singles and a massive debut album -since A*Teens. She has not played the role of presenter before. Yet Marie has always expressed a great love of Melodifestivalen each year- so it's great to have her on board. Cus we know she will look fabulous during each heat.

More Top singers & artists for 2011 are to follow soon- as 16 more slots are to be made public before the end of Novemeber!

Alexander Rybak's 'Europe Skies' the video- & Germany skies for 2011?

-we just luv this Vid- I know its not a recent release. In fact was it released?

I only remember Alexander previewing this song in Finland earlier this year. It would have been a

ideal song to have heard him sing at 'Eurovision 2010' in Oslo- however- he did a new version of 'Fairytale' his new Album 'No boundries' is full of gems like this song- so do check it out.

There is a rumour -he may submit a song for Germany's Selection for Eurovision 2011.

sung by Lena as she will be the artist to sing for her homeland next year.

so that Rybak Factor lives on ..in 2011.

..it's Offical now-Elisabeth Andreassen will be back as part of Melodifestivalen 2011

- Elisabeth & Alexander Rybak on tour together in 2009

There has been stories in the swedish press- Will she? Won't she? The Queen of schlager in Norway Elisabeth Andreassen well known as one half of Bobbysocks who won Eurovision 1985 with 'Let it Swing' In fact Bettran (as she is know) has the best track record in Eurovision that any woman, she has competed in ESC 4 times (equal record with Swiss winner Lyn Assia ) she was part of Swedish dansband Chips from 1980- and sang Day after Day with Kikki Danielsson in 1982. She has also dueted with Jan Werner Daneilsen for Norway in 1994- Then solo in Eurovision 1996

with 'I evighet' when Bettran finished in 2nd place.

Interview by Expressen she told us 'Since Melodifestivalen 2003 when I sung 'Ven e du vill ha' I've been offered to sing song's every yearBut the song must be the right tune, I have been through and won so much that not all songs suit me the best "
Only in 2010 everything worked out in a new song 'Vaken i en drom' Its sure great to see Bettran back at last- it's a massive mission to win through Melodifestivalen to compete in Eurovision but if anyone is well qualified Elisabeth Andreassen could do it!

We cannot wait to hear the song...

A WEBStar is born- Jonas Matsson has a ticket to melodifestivalen

The webjokers have two finalists - Jonas Matsson sings 'On my own' and Julia Alvgard with 'Better or worse' it was at close finish on Monday night. We do like Jonas and his snappy ballad, I can already see this being one of the anthems of Melodifestivalen 2011- it is shaping up to be a classic Melodifestivalen next year..

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Måns back in Melodifestivalen -with Loreen

WOW great news! His royal schlager-highness

Måns Zelmerlöw

who has performed twice, been a terrific host once in Melodifestivalen 2010 is likely to appear next year as well. In Expressen News-he reveals that he's ready to start new record-label and Loreen singing 'My Heart is refusing me' is his first artist for the new lable.

Måns is even going to be part of Loreen's performance in Melodifestivalen 2011. This should give a great boost to this song's chances in Mf, PLUS we have a Melodifestivalen complete with that smile of Mr Zelmerlow

Just Purrr-fect !

a Tatoo-ed Rocker + an ol' Fabulous Drag Queen - whatever next for Melodifestivalen !

HOT News of two more Swedish Stars for next year's Melodifestivalen 2011-one is Drag Artist Babsan. She has a flamenco-disco schlager stomper called 'Ge mig en Spanien' (Give me a spaniard) The tune has been given another second chance as it was submitted in 2010 to Svt. It remained a favourite, not surprising as it is wrote by the team that gave us 'After Dark's 'La Dolce Vida' (and Babsan was one half of After Dark- at the time) this tune became a swedish mega Hit of Mf 2004 The other offering is completely different with the song "Leaving home" this is a ballad that Nicke Borg has written with his wife Jojo Borg-Larsson, Fredrik Thom Andersen and Anders Wikstrom.

Nicke Borg is no newcomer infact a swedish famous lead singer of rock band 'Backyard Babies'. A year ago, Nicke's band revealed that the band takes a break for an extended period, so solo became the way to go. Hmmm.. I think I know which of these two has the best chance of Globen Glory- and it's about time we had some spanish flavour in Melodifestivalen again. + we luv'd After Dark

-Nicke Borg, tatts N All !

introducing Jonas Matsson: a webjoker with a chance of success on his own.

It is the final countdown for Melodifestivalen web-jokers on STV site. As each day one more song in the final 10 gets eliminated one of the fore runners in the race to the finish is a singer called Jonas Matsson with 'On my own'

who has a summery pop song that is all about being on your own, and the tune is very much in the vein

of Jason Mraz hit 'I'm Yours' it works rather well. Certainly the web tunes for Melodifestivalen 2011 have turned out to be the best yet. For the first time in Sweden we begin to see how the public web-song concept could work well in Meoldifestivalen 2011. Off course this year's web-joker song

MiSt 'Come & get me now' flopped in its Semi-Final yet had the song not gone thu a series of genre

changes on the way to Mf 2010- it may have done better. For me 'Come and get me now' was never a good dansband tune with 'Highlights' brought in to the mix.

A lesson learnt perhapes, as in the new season of Web jokers most of them are defined in their own genre, mostly of a pop ballad style for 2011.

Stay tuned for the joker results...