Listen' to Ott Lepland- he has been selected in Eesti Laul for Estonia 2012

It was just now been Grand Final/or Eesti Laul time over in Estonia,

I find very often Estonia's selection of a rather high standard -they take Eurovision rather seriously and it tends to appeal to a growing number of up-coming Alternative music from this small Baltic country. This year we had a very interesting entry from none other than Tenfold Rabbit!

called 'Oblivion' I liked this track however he reminded me alot of Malcolm Lincoln (of Estonia in Eurovision 2010) Another stand-out finalist for me was Birgit Oigemeel feat. Violina with 'You're not alone' she has a great voice- Yet this track seemed to have been an Estonia entry better suited for 1999 than here in 2012.

In the end after a fast-forward jury vote that took all of 35 secs! a Super-final was found between Lenna and Ott Lepland, both are very established top artists in Estonia- Leena was a lead singer from Vanilla Ninja (Switzerland 2005). Leena wrote alot of tracks for the all girl rock band from their 'Love is War' album a good example is the song 'Pray'. So while Leena was no stranger to Eurovision and previous Estonian National finals - Ott Lepland just had the best song- a emotion ballad called 'Kuula' (Listen) I think once again Estonia make a great choice with this aritst and song that should stand-out in Baku 2012.

check out Ott's Live winning performance of 'Kuula'

United Kingdom- the wait is over- it's Engelbert Humperdinck !

It was late on 1st March 2012 when it was finally released the News -of the United Kingdom's artist for Eurovision 2012 in Baku-

With some twitter gossip before hand the truth was released-

None other than Engelbert Humperdinck!

At 75 year old this Brit now lives over in L.A. America. He will certainly rank as one of artists who waited a very long time to come onto the Eurovision stage- To Engelbert's credit he is very well known in most of Europe- in fact a 'David Hasselhorf of the 1960's & 70's before 'Baywatch' was even thought up .

Until yesterday I would have asked - the question how Engelbert about 35 years ago he had not sang at Eurovision for Monaco or Luxembourg with perhapes some bi-lingual french ballad of the 70's.

In fact there is a Song for Europe connection from way back in 1971 - a song selected for Clodagh Rogers to sing that year called 'Another time Another Place' was placed = 5th place by eight regional juries from around the UK ( out of 6 songs in the contest) Engelbert took this Eurovis' rejected song and made it his very own! (apart from being a Clodagh Rogers B-side) 'Another time Another place' became one of his biggest hits for him in UK & Europe- at home it made No:13 in the charts.

More famous in fact was Engelbert's No: 1's 'Release Me' &

'The Last Waltz' from 1967.

Engelbert was last seen in the UK Top 20 - the year after 'Another Place, Another Time' with his next single reaching No:14 in 1972- it was called 'Too beatutiful to Last'

However last this British crooner certainly has lasted- as his 2000 album release 'At his very Best' made No: 5 in the album chart. Yet for Eurovision Song Contest 2012- in another time another place, we could have this old familiar face- certainly!

but not in Baku this year not the best idea...what do u think?

Even The Guardian in UK is having their say- read more

The Return of Dima Bilan- confirmed to have an entry at Russia's National Final

RTR the Russian national broadcaster has revealed just who will be in the Russian Natinal Final shortly to be held

7th March 2012-Each year since Dima's win at Eurovision Song Contest back in 2008- he has been rumoured

to be back! so the story that Dima would perform a duet with Julia Volkova from band Tatu. It had a big question mark over if it would happen.

The list of 25 finalist does include this duo, it will be the third time Dima Bilan has sung for Russia- if this song wins a place at Baku. Julia sung with Tatu for Russia way back in 2003- they are up against the likes of

Aida & Timati as well as Russian final regulars Buranovskiye Babushki (Russian grannies)

If the song is - up to the normal Bilan standard I think we will see Dima Bilan in Eurovision Song Contest 2012.

Those 'Russian Grannies'- are back again in Russia

Another long awaited annoucement is due today- from BBC -at last. Our guess- is it could turn out to be Barrowman in Baku! and it has a nice ring (ring) to it!?

just stay schlagertunned to find out!

Danny Goes Down-Under with a scoop in Melbourne this weekend!

It truely is Amazing' and not just the new song- we are refering to the wonderful Danny Saucedo!

with a matter of weeks from his Globen final- and during this time he has become the darling of the European media

with Danny being one of the favourites to win Melodifestivalen 2012.

Yet this week Danny took sometime to do an exculsive interview with a top radio station Joy 94.9 Fm:

Our friend here in Melbourne

Alan Ross- who regularly plays lots of new schlager Melo-tunes each

Sunday afternoon on Cafe Latte

click on this link- & wait until Sunday 3rd March- at 3pm (Austrialan time) & you will hear this

treat of a full interview with Danny Saucedo himself.

I for one am counting the days- to hear Danny on Joy 94.9 Radio

This is Danny's third entry for Melodifestivalen - and it certainly has never looked stronger and

better equipped to win Melodifestivalen 2012. With his 'Amazing' tune-

-Danny's neon-space suit that floats just one of the great effects he has for 'Amazing'

performance-

BBC do have -a Eurovision shortlist- according to Daily Star it's Atomic Kitten for Baku!

As March 2012 is almost- here still we have no annouchment from the BBC- as to who will sing for the

United Kingdom this year- there has been no shortage of UK rumours this year.

We have heard it could even be Spice Girls or Geri Haliwell- John Barrowman has been rumoured. Then Right Said Fred! even One Direction

or The Wanted- however we know that the Brits often choose a comeback artist -like the fantastic Blue in Eurovision Song Contest 2011.

Just today a UK Newspaper tell us that BBC annouchment is due very soon and Atomic Kitten are the artist to fly

the flag for UK? Read here the news from Daily Star on Sunday Not a most reliable UK source- however at least it has created a small Euro-buzz in favour of the Kitten's The band have last been heard of re-forming back in 2008-

They have three UK number 1 singles to their credit - however they did not have the same impact as boyband Blue

of the same period of pop history.

With of course- the right song- Atomic Kitten could well be what UK needs to get back on top in Eurovision-

Whatever happens girls- its really 'doors to manual- time' this Eurovision Rumour Airbus flight

is well & truely due to land - so stand-by we all will know the truth very soon!

STOP PRESS---- The girls from Atomic Kitten have confirmed themselves on Twitter- they know

nothing about re-forming for Eurovision in the UK- So the rumours continue- Wow this is creating more

tension than a play-off in a National Final BBC! what next?

Finland have choosen a new talent Pernilla Karlsson for Baku- 2012

While a lot of attention was on the Malmo Melodifestivalen result- over in Helsinki at

Uuden Muslikin Kilpailu (Finland's National selection)they choose a new talent Pernilla Karlsson. She was by far

not the favourite to win- that was a folkband called 'Stig' Added to the fact that Pernilla's simple

tune -wrote by her brother called 'Nar Jag Blundar'is sung in swedish!

At the new style National Final- the finns opened up their on-line votes to international audiences, so just how this influenced the final result is not certain. However we think this is a fantastic tune-

the question hangs over the song- in just how it will be presented at Baku 2012?

We think it's very likely to be sung and translated into english as is mostly the case for Finland's recent Eurovision entries. There is a good chance the original swedish lyric may stay- then- this will be the second time

(Finland 'Fri' 1990- last time)

a scandinavian country has choosen to sing in a neighbour's language. Whatever happens Finland

have a worthy Eurovision finalist with this tune - in Baku.

Check out-

'När Jag Blundar'

There was a Fire! at Melodifestivalen 2012 semi final in Malmo !

The schlager fire brigade was at hand in Malmo last night- yet quickly defused what happen when the schlager

was almost burn-out of Melo 2012 !

The last semi-final took place and the shock top-selection of Lisa Miskovsky as the winner in round five.With her moody ballad 'Why start a fire' this was not predicted in the rehearsal to the Malmo semi-final.

Danny (runner up in Melodifestivalen 2011) was expected to take top honour with his 'Amazing' and a hi-tech

dance tune perfect for Melodifestivalen stage- so the relief came soon after when Danny was annouched as the second song to go direct-to-globen. We still think Danny's new song is far better than 'In the Club' and by rights

should be Top 3 in the Melodifestivalen Globen final.

All week at Malmo - Charlotte Perrelli with her Kempe Schager tune Charlotte has spoken out how the performace was far too costly to go into a second chance round!! - so it was Globen or nothing for 'The Girl'- So that's just what happened - more schlager in-justice as

Charlotte Perrelli came in 5th place- and without 'second chance' is out of Melodifestivalen 2012.

Check out a schlager performance with a price-tag too high for Globen! -'The girl'

The two tunes going to the second chance are Dynasty rock- number 'Land of broken dreams' and at long last

some true schlager magic from Lasse Holm with 'Don't let me down' sung by Lotta Engberg & Christer Sjogren. This number we hope will make Globen next weekend- there will be a running order for Second chance to be annouched

mid next week- fingers crossed this will mean no more duals in the second chance round- here are the contenders

with the last chance to go direct-to-globen--

The Full list of second chance 2012-

"Jag reser mig igen" – Thorsten Flinck och Revolutionsorkestern

"Sean den förste Banan" – Sean Banan

"Stormande hav" – Timoteij

"Baby Doll" – Top Cats

"Lovelight" – Andreas Johnson

"Youngblood" – Youngblood

"Land of Broken Dreams" – Dynazty

"Don't Let Me Down" – Lotta Engberg & Christer Sjögren

Jedward -The twins have done the Eurovision Double honours for Ireland!

Opps I did it again! - a very fitting Britney Spears song comes to mind as up against some of the best that Ireland can offer in the Eurosong contest on the 'The Late Late Show' . Jedward did it again and are on the way to Baku 2012.

It turned out to be an even more convincing win for the Twins at the Irish national final than last year. In my option Jedward had alot tougher competition than in Eurosong 2011 as well.

In fact Andrew Mann looked stronger than expected on the night- with an irish style rock ballad 'Here I am' that convencied Juries & the public alike he was worthy of runner up. I liked this song enough to track it down on i-tunes already as well. (or maybe cus Jedward is not out yet!)

The winner in the end was of course- Jedward- and I feel they won the honour again, not just for having a large popular fan base but also coming up with the perfect follow track to last years 'Lipstick'

The Song for Ireland 2011 -is 'Waterline' it shows off even more Jed-talent! than we have seen ever before- I am sure I even prefer it

to last year's song. (see the live clip)

With this song they should surely make the final- then 8th place is a harder challenge to improve on-

Yet we know Jedward- are like a couple of power batteries they go on and on-

Just what more can they achive?

Charlotte Perrelli rehearsals have began for an ABBA- inspired song 'The Girl'

It's the Melodifestivalen Semi final 4 from Malmo this weekend- where the rehearsal process has begun. Above we can see Charlotte Perrelli

preparing to sing 'The Girl' a song that has already been leaked on U-Tube-

Last year we had Jenny Silver singing 'Something in your eyes' a popular Melodifestivalentune that missed out on Globen. Yet the single went on to be hugely popular mainly due to the very abba-sounding chorus of this melodifestivalen entry of 2011.

The new Fredrik Kempe tune has a simular trend- with an intro riff of Abba's 'Mamma mia' Although we have yet to hear the track -we guess it may have the impact of Raspuntin' Boney M's intro found on Eric Saade's 'Popular'

It sounds exciting all ready- more on Malmo soon-

Melodifestivalen 2012- Leksand -Round 3 is won by Molly's Lovesong

Yes Melodifestivalen always has a few surprises for 2012 - last saturday it was seeing Youngblood- the new Kempe boyband project did not get a ticket direct

to the Globen Final. In fact not even a runner up qualifing place.

The winner on the night was clearly Molly Sanden- who has certainly grown up- and has a heart wrenching ballad called 'Why am I crying?'

the title that begs the question is it anything to do with last year's Melodifestivalen heart-thob Eric Saade. Certainly for several years Molly and Eric did have a well publised romance- but now it's over- all that's left is a bromance between the famous singers.

So does Molly's ballad mirrors reality? And for this reason could this tune have pulled in more swedish public votes.

It is even being called the new 'Empty Room' (Sanne's ballad of 2009)

More Melodifestival love-stories is found with diva Charlotte Perrelli- the last time Charlotte won Melodifestivalen was in 2009 with 'Hero'. At that time it was not a personal- happy time for Charlotte as she found out her husband was having a fling while she was in Moscow! just recently Charlotte told of the distress she felt while singing Hero' for Sweden that year.

Her marriage ended soon after- now for 2012 the swedish press is full of romance again for Charlotte with a new man called Anders Jensen- who is well-known in sweden.

The headline is -Charlotte is back in Love again- just before her new schlager-tune 'The Girl' hits the SVT screens

this weekend- I hope it will be a

good- luck charm for Charlotte third time lucky--

Roxette hit Melbourne and certainly Rox-down-under- at Rod Laver Arena

Here on Schlagertunes every now and then we detour from Eurovision to bring you some Swed-News on other artists and the odd extra special

interview (see previous Bjorn-Abba interview). One swedish such

band is the legendary Roxette. After more than 15 years Roxette have comeback to Australia this past week to sell out shows

- and I found this fab interview

with Australia's Channel 10's Angela Bishop-

It's one of the best english interviews with Per Gessle- and we saw last night's show in Melbourne that was simply amazing, and Per plus the wonderful Marie Fredriksson gave 200% - and its so good to see a band that genuinely connect with their audience and are overwelmed that

Australia never really stopped luvin' Roxette in 2012!