Swedish~ Stereo~

Last night results of Rockbjörnen-2011 voting were announced. Veronica Maggio can be considered as the biggest winner of the night winning Best song and Best female artist. As we expected all pop-boys were left without Best male artist and it's gone to Håkan Hellström. The Ark, Mando Diao and Daniel Adams-Ray were another Swedish winners. Below you can check whole list and some live performances - mini-gigs of Danny and The Ark, Salem al Fakir in his new music project Earpony, Amanda Mair singing canidates for the Best song nominee and Magnus Carlson with his recent cover of "Från och med Du".

Yesterday Patti Smith and Kronos Quartet received year's Polar Music Prize awards.
Every year some Swedish artists are invited to perform covers of a honoured artists and this time it was Veronica Maggio, The Ark, Anna Järvinen and First Aid Kit who have managed touched Patti to tears. Evening has turned quite warm, sentimental and orchestra has brought some special charm we enjoyed last time on a Royal Wedding concert year ago.
You can check whole concert here and separate performances below.

Anna Järvinen - Distant fingers

Today Sommarkeysset line-up was really outstanding with Diggiloo-2011 participants Jessica Andersson and Magnus Carlsson appering on the show to perform Narada Michael Walden's cover "Gimme Gimme Gimme" and Marvin Gaye's "Ain't no mountain high enough", farewell-heroes of 2011 The Ark were singing their biggest classic "It takes a fool to remain sane" and new song "The apocalypse is over", finally best year's newcomer (according to Swedish Stereo) Loreen performed her stunning hit "My Heart Is Refusing Me", she never does it less amazing and it wasn't exception. Check full show here.

Magnus Carlsson & Jessica Andersson - Gimme gimme gimme
Magnus Carlsson & Jessica Andersson - Ain't no mountain high enough
The Ark - It takes a fool to remain sane
The Ark - The apocalypse is over
Loreen - My heart is refusing me

We all remember that The Ark are splitting up later this year but it doesn't stop them to burn last months appearing everywhere they can and everyway they are really wanted.
Latest example of their crazy activity is taking part in "Pantamera"-company main idea of which is recycling that is followed by Swedes so diligently (and it deserves huge respect I should say).
The Ark has recorded their version of advert song sounding slightly rock-musical or Queen meets Mika and has even shot video that is complete madness in its best sense. Check yourself and thanx for the tip to Popdrömmen.

It's a big week for The Ark as on Wednesday they release their final compilation of best hits "Arkeology" and appear on tv-event that has become probably the biggest highlight of their career (and maybe start of its end?) - Melodifestivalen.
As it was officially announced earlier band will be touring during this year promoting compilation and later will break up forever.
Undoubtfully compilation has become huge present for fans collecting all hits of The Ark and except single "Breaking Up With God" it has included another song "The Apocalypse Is Over" - warm melodic pop-rock track with sing-along chorus you can imagine being performed in company of good friends, probably the best desicion for a final track - to wave goodbye smiling and not leaving fan-army in tragedy but with a feeling of light sadness.
Thanx for the tips about track to Being Blogged.

I guess you guys have already mentioned how crazy this blog is about Melodifestivalen and everything MF-related. It's just a week left before first semifinal preparation will take part but as I want this great music celebration to start already now I'll be giving you daily tips about what's going on in schlager-bubble before the start of Melodifestivalen-2011.
Let's begin with this recently premiered exciting melotrailer with Marie Serneholt, Rickard Olsson, Eric Saade and taxi driver who's not gonna drive anywhere before discussing Melodifestivalen with someone on the phone.

And the latest exciting news! Earlier it was announced that Lena Philipsson and The Ark will perform in interval act, now Dalarnas Tidningar reports that other artists will be Christer Sjögren and Nanne Grönvall. Common idea of interval acts will be rolling around character of world producer "The Hurricane" (played by Peter Stormare) able to make a star of completely any artist. Firstly we'll see meeting of Peter and artist and then we'll get a live-performance of artist as probe of new star. Details about every interval act are kept in secret but it's gonna bring a lot of fun. Check the first photo of Lena and Peter, thanx for tips about this pic to new terrific blog Schlagerfiasko.

Yesterday The Ark first time presented their (probably the last in The Ark history) single "Breaking Up With God" at Grammis awards, today we've got a nice backstage video containing also some clips from performance. We don't know if it will serve as music video in future. Would be a bit strange remembering about how massive The Ark videography is but however it was touching to see them apart from stage extravagant image as ordinary people.
Among another artists on the stage audience could see performances of Malena Ernman, Håkan Hellström, Anna Järvinen, Lykke Li, Magnus Carlsson and others. People could even see Håkan Hellström, Eva Dahlgren, Melody Club and Tove Styrke singing together with The Ark one of The Ark's big hits "Calleth You, Cometh I". Melody Club and The Ark on one stage, isn't it symbolic few weeks before MF?

One of the most popular bands in Sweden and the winner of Melodifestivalen-2007 - The Ark is finishing its existance next year.
Earlier last Autumn The Ark shocked their fans by news that in 2010 they will release their greatest hits compilation "Arkeology" on February 23rd containing two new songs "Breaking Up With God" and "The Apocalypse Is Over", will go on tour during Spring-Summer and will break up. Explanation of this solution was their wish to go further and make something new and grow more but apart. Vocalist Ola Salo currently doesn't have any plans for his future, recently becoming father he sees himself only in this role for now but he's not going to end up with music completely.
Tomorrow The Ark will release their single "Breaking Up With God" - nice pop-rock radio-track sounding like sharp and epic U2's "Beautiful Day" softened being painted with glam bright colours of The Ark.
Below you can listen to "Breaking Up With God" and check tracklist of "Arkeology".

If you've missed Rockbjörnen-2010 Aftonbladet presents performances of Tove Styrke, The Ark, Eric Saade and Hoffmaestro & Chraa online. Best performance in my opinion was Linda Sundblad's jazz-tribute to Best Swedish song nomination, she performed Salem Al Fakir's "Keep on walking", Ola's "Unstoppable", Eric Saade "Manboy", Mando Diao "Nothing without you" and Oskar Linnros' "Från och med du" (I wonder if there were some cases before when most of songs in this nomination came from MF?). Eric Saade and The Ark showed very nice performances, Tove Styrke hadn't her best vocal day unfortunately but it was great to see her however, Hoffmaestro & Chraa turned to be not my cup of tea but probably you like them.

Creative activity of Eric Saade this Summer is quite high to hardly follow all of events he participates in and it's obviously effective as his album keeps in Top-20 since its release in May and currently its at #5. Surprisingly third Eric's single "Break Of Dawn" didn't succeed quite well and as debut "Sleepless" has spent only one week in chart but one position lower - at #45 and though his team released new mix version of the song being made not less than Le Kid it didn't help a lot. You can check Le Family remix below and convince yourself it's a really worthy track.

Right now Eric starts promoting his new single - effort to comeback to his Manboy-pop with a song "Masquerade" written by Eric with Anton Malmberg and Tony Malm of Le Kid. In my opinion it's not as successful choice as "It's Gonna Rain" but still it's a good radio-pop song - modern, catchy, well-produced and finally it works very well with just released video. Plot of the video continues previous video for "Break Of Dawn" with Eric playing role of servant fallen in love with the noble girl and coming to masquerade ball rushing all of his passion right on her. Surprisingly noble family's not so enthusiastic about this schlager-orgy right in front of all the guests and right after Eric's losing his head on a ball he's losing it literaly in the end of the party.

Last week Eric was also honoured to present his new single on tv-show Lotta På Liseberg and as always performance turned to a huge entertainment for obviously happy audience with nice choreography and costumes.

And finally great news! You have a chance to visit Eric's concert virtually. Set of concerts is organized by Aftonbladet's awards Rockbjörnen and right here you can book your free ticket to Eric's concert that will be held on August 18th at 21 of local time. Among other performers who will also arrange such virtual concerts that you can get tickets for are Mando Diao, The Ark, Salem al Fakir, Ola, Robyn and Anna Bergendahl.

Yesterday annual tv-event "Allsång På Skansen" has started new season on SVT and audience from the very first show got the biggest names on the stage - three winners of Melodifestivalen - Carola, The Ark and Anna Bergendahl performed with some old hits singing karaoke with public and performed their own stuff. Carola was promoting her new programme devoted to Elvis Presley and Barbara Streisand with their songs (performance of "Woman In Love" deserves special attention!), The Ark performed their new songs "Take A Shine To Me" and "Stay With Me" and Anna was singing "This Is My Life" and "Have A Heart". But don't forget to check some old hits covers, for example Anna's "Båtlåt" turned to be very sweet one showing uniqueness of Miss Bergendahl's voice. Among other guests of the show you could see MozART Group, Thomas Järvheden and Hanna Hedlund. Watch whole show here.