Melodifestivalen mingel in Malmö

I går kväll hölls det välkomstfest för Melodifestivalen och det mingeldes under kristallkronorna i Malmö Rådhus. Man kan väl säga att ALLA var där, inklusive jag själv. Ingen fest utan festivalens programledare. Marie Serneholt berättar att hon fortfarande är nervös inför sändningarna men känner sig trygg med rutinerade Rickard. Rickard å sin sida tycker att Marie är den bästa co-host som han någonsin haft. Idel beröm från båda hållen.

Yesterday was the Melodifestivalen welcome party under the chandeliers in Malmö City Hall. Everybody were there, including myself. No party without the hosts of Melodifestivalen. Marie Serneholt told that she is still nervous before the show but feel great confident in Richard Olsson. Rickard said that Marie is the best co-host he ever had. First time they met was when A-teens started.

Melodifestivalens välkomstfest ska givetvis innehålla en tjusig buffé. Malmö har ju varit värdar för festivalen ett flertal gånger så man har rutin på detta.
A Melodifestivalen welcome party must include a delicious buffet. Malmö has been hosting the contest several times and knows have to satisfy the guests.


Bland vimlet passade jag på att intervju en av festivalens ’creddigaste’ deltagare, Nicke Borg från Backyard Babies. För fem år sedan var det ingen, inklusive Nicke själv, som trodde att denna tatuerade hårdrocksälskare skulle ställa upp i Melodifestivalen. Men han träffade sin stora kärlek Jojo och nu skriver de låtar ihop. Nicke har mognat och just nu är det solokarriären som är i fokus. En av hans favoriter från Eurovision är självklart Lordi.

Among the guests I met one of the contestants with the highest credibility, Nicke Borg from Backyard Babies. Five years ago nobody, including himself, expected this heavy-rock-lover to participated I Melodifestivalen. Then he met his big love Jojo and now the write music together. Nicke has become matured and for the moment focusing on his solo career. One of his Eurovision favorites is Lordi.

Thomas Deutgen, från P4 Dans och Dansbandskampen, var på sitt bästa humör. Fattas bara eftersom hans stora idoler, Lasse Stefanz tävlar i morgon med en klassisk dansdandsdänga. Man har t.o.m. bytt från engelsk till svensk text och låten heter nu ”En blick och nånting händer” istället för ”I Surrender”.
Thomas Deutgen, host of ‘P4 Dans’ and ‘Dansbandskampen’, was in a very good mood. One of his big idols, Lasse Stefanz, is competing tomorrow with a classic ‘dansband’ tune. To make it even more Swedish and traditional, the lyrics have been changed from English into Swedish.

En av låtskrivarna till Lasse Stefanz är Alexander Bard, som själv medverkat på scenen fyra gånger med BWO. Dessutom har han skrivit otaliga låtar till Melodifestivalen genom åren och det finns ingen genre han är främmande för berättade han för mig och såg riktigt glad ut.
Alexander Bard is one of the composers of Lasse Stefanz’ entry. He has participated on stage four times with BWO. In addition he is a frequent song writer for Melodifestivalen. He told me that there is no genre that he wouldn’t touch and looked really happy to be part of the dance band tradition this time.

Mirja från Poplight.se passade på att fira sin födelsedag i Rådhuset. En bra idé med tanke på utbudet av mat, vin och kändisar.
Mirja from Poplight.se celebrated her birthday in the City Hall. Good idea. No lack of food, beverages and celebrities.

Photos: Thanks to Göran Sagstuen and Andreas Nilsson for helping me!

Idol and Melodifestivalen - Sweden is busy with sms-votings

It's a busy time for music lovers. Besides interesting concerts every week (tonight Friday I have missed Gotan Project) we can follow several competitions on TV and the web. Friday is the Swedish Idol and I have to admit that I haven't been too keen on following it until now. From innumerable artists the contest is down to seven with decent quality.

För mer information om IDOL på svenska - kolla in POPLIGHT

Same goes for the Melodifestivalen web wild card. From several hundreds of song down to five. The final will be held on Monday night at the show-restaurant Golden Hits.

As originating from Finland I'm happy that Elin Blom is still on for one more week in the Idols. After all - she is from my homevillage.




 

I'm sorry for Geir Rönning who was voted out from Idol. Despite his Norwegian backround he lives in Finland with his family and I met him for the first time at the Eurovision in Kiev 2005. Unfortunately he didn't make it "throuh the grapevine". He did a fab performance of the Marvin Gaye classic ("I heard it through the grapevine") but the sms-people didn't like it.

Back to Melodifestivalen - here are the five songs that qualified for the final on Monday (in starting order):

1. Tusen nätter                
Composer: Daniel Wollbratt
Artist: Billy         

2. Better or Worse             
Composers: Manne Hjelm, Ola Holstad, Joar Lenz
Artist: Julia Alvgard

3. I Wanna Be With You   
Composers: Dennis Andersson & Anton Dahlrot
Artist: Anton & Dejo

4. Don´t Stop                  
Composer: Sargon Jakob
Artist: Engla

5. On My Own                    
Composers: Peter Autio, Sari Autio Olsson
Artist: Jonas Matsson

Listen to them HERE.

PS: On Saturdays Swedes can continue to sms-vote in DANSBANSKAMPEN!

Source: SVT, TV4