Swedish~ Stereo~

SVT presented participants of 3rd and 4th semifinal of Melodifestivalen and among them 8 completely new announced names and band The Playtones announced last Saturday on Dansbandskampen show. Finally we've got really exciting mix of schlager-veterans and interesting newcomers but comparing with year before next meloseason looks poppier, more uptempo and full of great songwriters who was making Melodiestivalen history of 00s.

One of the most surprising discoveries of presentation was new project Shirley's Angels - trio of Shirley Clamp, Vera Prada and Jessica Marberger with the song "I Thought It Was Forever" from glorious songwriting gang Alexander Bard, Robin Abrahamsson, Bobby Ljunggren and Henrik Wikström. Shirley is well-known ESC-related name since performance of Antique on Eurovision-2001 with her as backing singer through all 00ies as artist who performed one of the biggest meloanthems "Min Kärlek" left second in 2004, many still wait for her comeback with victory and who knows - maybe it's the right time. Jessica Marberger is one of constant backing singers of Melodifestivalen and owner of really powerful vocal, Vera Prada is known as dancer and choreographer of Melodifestivalen so she seems to be responsible for dances in this company. "I Thought It Was Forever" brings Shirley back to her schlager-roots, it's uptempo song with great chorus but pinch of sadness as well.

Another exciting, no, EXCITING news were that one of the biggest songwriters of the planet right now RedOne is stepping into competition with his fresh project Love Generation. Girls have managed to release only one single in Sweden this Summer and say that their Melodifestivalen work is uptempo in RedOne-style sounding more proper for Melodifestivalen. Team hasn't chosen which of two songs will be performed by them but both options are gonna be great.

Not rumoured actively this year but name that was rolling around as possible last wildcard of Melodifestivalen-2010 Linda Sundblad is also in! Linda is the one of the loveliest singers of Sweden who has become popular as vocalist of internationally succeeding band Lambretta but later she went solo and managed to release already two albums. Song "Lucky You" was written by her with Epicentre team - Johan Bobäck, Fredrik Thomander and Anders "Gary" Wikström who previously wrote her Top-10 hit "Let's Dance" and Linda says "Lucky You" is a lot in her style but a bit with ABBA-warmth.

Fantastic Linda Pritchard is back with huge classic ballad "Alive" written by Oscar Görres and Fredrik Kempe. Year ago Linda was singing demo of "Hollow" (the song that was later given to Peter Jöback), there were many tocuhed to tears by that demo and right that time rumours started to flow around that this song is gonna be year's winner but finally it hasn't happened and Linda who performed the song "You're Making Me (Hot-Hot-Hot)" hasn't qualify to final but right after Melodifestivalen Christer Björkman has contacted her and they started to plan revanche!

Linda has not the latest Fredrik Kempe's song on Melodifestivalen. The Playtones (winners of show Dansbandskampen) has got Fredrik's song "The King" that was rejected year ago but was recorded this year by Тop Сats, SVT had their own candidates thoug. Band describes the song as retro rockabilly track with modern touch.

Another new announced artist was Sebastian Karlsson with the song "No One Else Could" he co-wrote with Andreas Alfredsson Grube. Sebastian (2nd place of Idol-2005 after Agnes) already competed in 2007 so it's not his debut. He describes the song as mix of synth-pop and guitar-pop and the show behind him will be done by Rickard Engfors who worked before with Emilia, Måns Zelmerlöw, Pernilla Wahlgren, Marie Serneholt and many other meloartists.

Favorite of many schlager-fans last year Eric Saade is coming back with Fredrik Kempe's song "Popular" and he claims that new song is better than "Manboy" and expensive show that will require even help of stunt-masters can not only take with the storm Melodifestivalen but as well Eurovision. Along with Melodifestivalen Eric will also be making promo in Russia in the beginning of the year.

Young artist Sara Varga was presented with the song "Spring för livet" that she wrote herself with Figge Boström, she describes it as calm and very personal song. Sara is relatively new artist playing some half-acoustic stuff so she has a chance to become Anna Bergendahl of this year.

One of our favorite artists Anders Fernette was presented with the song "Don't Stop" written by JC Chasez(ex-N'Sync), Carl Falk and Kristian Lundin. Oh! And here I'm gonna tell you a story about my dear friend Poster Girl. More than year ago PG wrote about her Myspace-dicovery of amazing demo performed by our beloved Anorah and few months after this song was taken to Melodifestivalen and disqualified right after it was discovered that song was available for public before. That story has repeated this year again!!! PG on her blog told about amazing demo recorded by JC Chasez and co-written by Carl Falk that Carl put on his Myspace-page (truly great track that was among others soundtrack of my life this year) and right after Anders Fernette's song title and songwriters were revealed it was 99% clear it's that song so logically it was disqualified soon after. However Anders with songwriters have a week to prepare another song and if SVT will like it he'll get a chance to compete. And we really hope he will. Anders is ex-participant of Fame Factory with loads of albums and some amazing modern stuff he released last two years so we're waiting for him to get back with not less great song.

Talking about previously announced artists Sara Lumholdt plans some interesting show with the song "Enemy" that she descibes as mix of pop, rock and r'n'b'. Simon Forsberg speaks about Fredrik Kempe's "Tid att andas" as huge ballad with nordic touch but warm feeling. Webbjoker Julia Alvgard says that her ballad "Better or worse" is re-produced but doesn't change common style. Nicke Borg describes his song "Leaving Home" as classic ballad growing and growing to incredibly grand final. Melody Club claims their song "The Hunter" is a lot in their style, very fast, explosive and epic.

We say thank you for all information again to Scandipop, Poplight, Schlagerprofilerna and Schlagerzoot!

Oh wait! I should finish with something spicy so I'd like to show you bets of bookmakers who already take money for the winner and Eric Saade with Love Generation are looking like the biggest faves (weird that Linda Sundblad's song's called "Forever"). Well, we shouldn't trust these people as year before they put Darin and Peter Jöback as the biggest faves and Måns with BWO in 2009. Anna was 15th and Malena - 14th. But however it's interesting to see who is considered as the biggest folk's favorite beforehand.