Swedish~ Stereo~

Last week we've got not only officially presented brand new hosts of next year Melodifestivalen - Marie Serneholt and Rickard Olsson but also 6 new participating names who'll be competing in first 2 semifinals, some information about their songs and plans and some bonus rumours about final artists who can be announced next Monday.

Talking about hosts Marie Serneholt is well-known artist - ex-participant of famous pop-band A-Teen who started solo-career 4 years ago and tried Melodifestivalen-2009 but hasn't succeeded and since that was more involved in TV-shows, musical and everything except her own music. As Marie is naturally funny, charming and alive person it's a great news that she was chosen as I hardly imagine her getting stuck or confused in case of not funny joke or forgotten text. Rickard Olsson is another familiar face on Swedish TV being involved for many years in some popular tv-projects like Bingolotto and Nyhetsmorgon. He's like less sarcastic but more energetic version of Kristian Luuk (host of MF-2007, 2008) so undoubtfully it's not bad news as well!

Moving to new official artists and songs of Melodifestivalen... YES!!! ANNIELA WILL PARTICIPATE IN MELODIFESTIVALEN-2011! One of the most promising pop-artists we've discovered this year, very sweet person, beautiful and talented girl that gave Swedish music lovers delightful pop-gem "My Confession" this year was chosen with the song "Elektrisk" written by Johan Alkenäs, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren, Johan Fransson - team behind "Kalla nätter", "Alcastar" and "Om natten" . So we send our warmest congratulations to Anniela and happily announce that "Elektrisk" is due singer's words is a lot in a vein of "My Confession" (read it as it's gonna be brilliant).
Another great expected name was Le Kid who wrote the song "Oh My God" themselves (should band with hit-stuff for BWO, Alcazar and Agnes ask someone's help?) and they describe it as their typical song not written especially for Melodifestivalen with touch of Motown. However we trust their taste!
Some unexpected but rumoured name Jenny Silver who was left last in semifinal this year with the song "A Place To Stay" is coming back with "Something In Your Eyes" written by Erik Bernholm, Thomas G:son and Henrik Sethsson - team behind Danish song "In A Moment Like This" at Eurovision-2010. Jenny describes the song as big disco-schlager with key-change, loads of ABBA-influences sounding like modern version of "Tusen och en natt". Before it was offered to Charlotte Perrelli but she refused it and Jenny has got a chance to make a great revanche.
Daniel Karlsson under new name The Moniker enters the contest with *oh my God!* another "Oh My God!" song (with exclamation mark, should we expect more emotional song than Le Kid will perform?). Daniel was 4th on Idol-2007 beaten by Amanda Jenssen and Marie Picasso but more successful than EMD's Mattias and Gathania.
Artist who was rumoured to enter MF every year and by unofficial information was rejected in 2008 Brolle was presented with self-written song "Seven Days And Seven Nights" that was initially written as a ballad but ended up as uptempo mix of rock and rockabilly.
And finally really surprising name of Christian Walz with the song "Like Suicide" from Fernando Fuentes, Henrik Janson and Tony Nilsson. Christian has apeared on a stage more than 10 years ago releasing three albums and some notable hits like Wonderchild and What's Your Name?. His sound is something between Salem al Fakir and Vincent but a bit more raggae and guitar-pop - mix that sounds exciting with Tony Nilsson's song ("You're Out Of My Life", "Headlines", "Love In Stereo"). Christian descibes his song as his own sound with spaceship atmosphere.

As well some previously presented artists talked about their songs.
- Sanna Nielsen describes her entry "I'm In Love" as uptempo with huge refrain and says she never did anything like this on MF.
- Elisabeth Andreassen says her balad "Vaken i en dröm" sounds a lot like her previous Eurovision entry "I Evighet".
- Danny describes his "In the Club" as club-track with the touch of urban sound. r'n'b and hip-hop that he was into before starting his dance-pop career.
- Swingfly also describes his "Me And My Drum" as strong party-song.
- Rasmus Viberg's "Social Butterfly" is pop-song with folk-sound that was initially recorded in a different version.
- Måns Zelmerlöw's protégé Loreen will perform "My Heart Is Refusing Me" that by her own words has grown from ballad to original electronic mix inspired by Björk with loads of strings.
- Dilba's song "Try Again" is a strong dance-track.
- Pernilla Andersson calls her song "Desperados" style "spagetti-western" - country-song with loads of guitars, strings and atmosphere of Clint Eastwood films.

Participants of 3rd and 4th semifinal will be presented next Monday and 9 artists are not announced yet. By media rumours Eric Saade, Sebastian Karlsson, Sara Varga, Jimmy Jansson and Malena Laszlo are top-candidates for these places and Rebound is also waiting for approval of their entry so they still stay candidate and we keep our fingers crossed for them.

Below you can see list of participants of 1st and 2nd semifinals:

1st semifinal (Luleå)

Pernilla Andersson - Desperados (Pernilla Andersson)
Danny - In the Club (Figge Boström, Peter Boström, Danny Saucedo)
Swingfly - Me And My Drum (Johan Ramström, Patrik Magnusson, Teron Beal, Swingfly)
Le Kid - Oh My God (Märta Grauers, Anton Malmborg Hård af Segerstad, Felix Persson)
Jonas Matsson - On My Own (Sari Autio Olsson, Peter Autio)
Rasmus Viberg - Social Butterfly (Amir Aly, Henrik Wikström)
Jenny Silver - Something In Your Eyes (Erik Bernholm, Thomas G:son, Henrik Sethsson)
Dilba - Try Again (Niklas Pettersson, Linda Sonnvik)

2nd semifinal (Göteborg)

Anniela - Elektrisk (Johan Alkenäs, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren, Johan Fransson)
Babsan - Ge mig en spanjor (Larry Forsberg, Sven-Inge Sjöberg, Lennart Wastesson)
Sanna Nielsen - I'm In Love (Irini Michas, Peter Boström, Thomas G:son, Bobby Ljunggren)
Christian Walz - Like Suicide (Fernando Fuentes, Henrik Janson, Tony Nilsson)
Loreen - My Heart Is Refusing Me (Moh Denebi, Björn Djupström, Loreen)
The Moniker - Oh My God! (Daniel Karlsson)
Brolle - Seven Days And Seven Nights (Brolle)
Elisabeth Andreassen - Vaken i en dröm (Lars ”Dille” Diedricson, Calle Kindbom, Kristian Wejshag)

Information is taken from interviews of Scandipop, Poplight, Schlagerprofilerna, Schlagerzoot so if you need to know more don't hesitate to check these great sites!