Swedish~ Stereo~

Last time I was speaking about Bingolotto was one month ago when the show was celebrating 20 years anniversary. Since that it has got some old good MF-stars like Pernilla Wahlgren, Linda Bengtzing, Jenny Silver and also this year's artists (Afro-dite and Sonja Aldén) presenting their new hits. Here you can watch schlageristic collection of their performances.

Ladies and gentlemen, here's the greatest schlager-medley I've seen so far! Melodifestivalen-stars have joined forces on Gaygalan to perform for Christer Björkman and it has turned to 15 minutes of schlager-classics from Shirley Clamp, Love Generation, Andreas Johnson, Sarek, Sanna Nielsen, Linda Bengtzing, Afro-dite, Jenny Silver, Malena Ernman, Swingfly, Måns Zelmerlöw, Charlotte Perelli. Incredible summarizing of the latest Melodifestivalen decade!

Seems like I really underestimated Sean Banan, it's just too catchy and after winning public poll on yesterday's rehearsal I easily can imagine it winning semifinal. Abalone Dots get lost among more dynamic entries which is really pity. Dead By April's in full length are much easier to catch for pop-ears and their fans still should be satisfied. Marie's song is very stylish, verses are as good as choruses we heard before and this song has really deserved its spot in the final that it won't get. I've caught the problem Schlagerprofilerna mentioned regarding Afro-dite's song, it's starts in a wild disco-rhythm but there's no place for it to grow and it the end you get tired of this party but the song is still good. Thorsten Flinck is too monotonous in full length, it doesn't seem to be "Snälla Snälla"/"Road Salt" league to fight for the final. The Moniker has pretty cool song that I hope will get a future on the radio but Andra Chansen? Don't think so.
Loreen is absolutely incredible, as she promised this song is crawling under your skin. It's not a song, it's a tangle of feelings, it's international level club anthem performed by one of the best Swedish pop-vocalists. My first reaction to Loreen's comeback was - no, she's too good to make it again, now I think - how wonderful she has done it as the song is her perfect comeback no matter how far it will go. Loads of luck to you tonight, Loreen!
And you don't miss semifinal here tonight at 20.00 by local time.

Sorry for a little blogging break that I absolutely will compensate with everything interesting I've missed during last week, just give me a little time.
Awesome day for all melofans as we've got 8 first Melodifestivalen-entries. To be more exact, 1-minute snippets of the first participants and here they are. Get ready for studio-version on Saturday at 14.00 of local time

Sean Banan has become famous with sommarplåga (summer plague - incredibly infectious track that loads are going to hate fast but it doesn't leave dancefloors and the radio till the end of summer) "Skaka Rumpa" last year and he has tried to deliver another one with "Sean Den Förste Banan". Problem that I see here is really messy verse, chorus sticks from the first listen though and I can imagine Sean's colourful show qualifying to Andra Chansen with his fans' support.

Abalone Dots sing country-ballad "På väg", pretty dark moody country-ballad with beatiful instrumental part but not as American sounding track as "Solo" and too complicated to go Pernilla Andersson's road I guess.

The Moniker turns from utterly positive "Oh My God!" show to his calmer music side he has represented on the debut album, not too calm, I'd say "I Want To Be Chris Isaak (This Is Just the Beginning)" to "I'll Drag You Up" is what "I'll Drag You Up" was to "Oh My God!" and this progress puts The Moniker on a really risky path. If Melody Club and Sebastian haven't qualified last year can The Moniker do?

Afro-dite make glittery disco-comeback with "The Boy Can Dance", it's melodic warm old good retro-disco that worked so good for them back in the past. Will it work still? Well. Last year we had Sanna and Linda winning semifinals and Shirley getting to AC - all with their classic sound. So I don't see a problem for them to get their ticket at least to Andra Chansen. Girls have prepared a big show, they're huge professionals and perform after two calm songs so they have a chance.

As Dead By April promised the sound of "Mystery" isn't too different from their last album. It's half-growling verses moving into a big expressive pop-tune of chorus that they're really skillful in. I think we haven't got the best snippet to judge but due to response from Växjö it's a really strong entry.

Marie Serneholt is almost as light, sweet and dancey in her "Salt & Pepper" as she was in 2009 with "Disconnect Me", as Schlagerprofilerna mentioned the chorus sounds VERY "The Boy Does Nothing", melodic girly swing-pop which is hard to believe in as in strong MF competitor though.

Initially I was pretty sceptical towards Thorsten Flinck's entry, it sounds theatrical and hm...weird with a dark combination of electronic organ and castanets in "Jag reser mig igen" but that electronic organ and Thorsten's theatricality makes me thinking about Caroline af Ugglas and Lykke Li. You can find it weird, but can't you imagine this song performed by them? It's a big question if this entry has a future but I believe it can surprise.

And finally Loreen expected by many Swedish pop-fans. Loreen is back with dramatical emotional dance-pop "Euphoria" and this time she moves forward anthemic club sound with Avicii's taste but the vocal is the key that makes it all so much bigger than just modern club-hit. This girl sings her soul out and if she won't qualify it will be even bigger injustice than whole Andra Chansen-2011.

Seems like Afro-dite's comeback has started few months earlier than we've got rumours about their participation in Melodifestivalen with disco-track "The Boy Can Dance" which is one of mutiple songs we have pretty high hopes on.
Jonas Hedqvist who has become responsible for official Pride anthem "I Am What I Am" back in 2001 has decided to celebrate 10-years anniversary of his debut re-releasing it with Melodifestivalen-winning trio and track not losing its big musical feeling has got a bunch of disco-energy and refreshed production.
B-side "Discover The Night" featuring Britta Bergström has become pretty different, dark dancey track which could become a great option of this year's anthem getting nice catchy tune and lovely electronic arrangement.
You can check stream of "I Am What I Am" on Jonas's site and "Discover The Night" below.

Sarah Dawn Finer takes part already in the second charity company this autumn providing her grand vocal for release of the single to attract attention to human problems.
Few months ago Sarah has recorded the track "Song for the Forgotten" together with artists like LaGaylia, Patrik Isaksson, Carola and Daniel Lindström. Main goal of the release was to help people in Horn of Africa. And now she gets to another company. With Anna Sahlene, Afro-Dite's Gladys del Pilar and other artists they've come up for another single "One In A Million" to bring up the attention to St Clara church and problems of homeless people, volunteers of this church were always involved in this activity. Really nice soul-ballad with 90s sound and some amazing voices.

Annual tv-show "Inför ESC 2010" currently takes place on SVT-channel. Every week you can see experts panel discussing songs of different participants of upcoming Eurovision. This year you can see among experts Marie Serneholt, Kayo Shekoni (ex-Afro-dite), Lena Philipsson, Thomas Lundin (Finnish artist and tv-host), Rennie Mirro (musical artist and brother of Sarah Dawn Finer), Christer Björkman is host of the show as always. In a third part of the show experts were amazed the most by Israeli singer Harel Skaat and on the other hand left Slovenian representatives - Ansambel Roka Žlindre & Kalamari without any points at all. In the end of the show experts revealed their favorite Melodifestivalen-songs who didn't manage to win the contest. Marie and Mirro chose "Moving On" by Sarah Dawn Finer, Thomas - Shirley Clamp's "Min Kärlek", Kayo - Alcazar's "Not a sinner nor a saint" and Lena - Nanne's "Håll Om Mig". You can see this episode here and see results below. Next week we'll see the last of 4 episodes.

By the way for all Eurovision followers now you can read official blog (in Swedish) of Swedish delegation where you'll find posts by both Christer Björkman (head of delegation) and Edward af Sillén (scriptwriter and director of Melodifestivalen) about everything regarding Anna Bergendahl's and her team's trip to Eurovision in Oslo.