Swedish~ Stereo~

Caroline Jönsson is familiar to many followers of Melodifestivalen as constant backing choir-singer on Melodifestivalen and on Eurovision (Sweden 2006, Lithuania 2005). By rumours Caroline was candidate to perform "Jag Tror På Oss" at MF-2009 (that finally has gone to Scotts) and along with Geir Röning she was singing demo of "In A Moment Like This" ended up as the winner of Danish preselection year ago.
In 2008 Caroline has presented first pieces of her solo-stuff - "By My Side" and "Electric" written by Evan - both truly delicious pop-tracks. Huge epic "By My Side" was previously presented by Evan himself but with Caroline's sensitive Tatu-type manner it has become even more stunning. "Electric" has turned to be quite different electropop-dance song in best traditions of BWO. But unfortunately no one of these songs was released.
This time we get completely new track recorded by Caroline with RXM Project. "Slowly, Slowly" was written and produced by Paul & Marie Rein who worked before with Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson. It's modern ballad with warm ABBAesque melody and massive musical-breathing choruses with slight "Last Christmas" touch.
If you got interested in Caroline I also recommend to watch her covering "Earth Song" at tribute-concert in Stockholm, very touching vocal performance.

New Roxette's album "Charm School" will appear in stores less than in 3 weeks - on February 11th. Loads of fans hold their breath before this great event but we can already check what it sounds like!
With a first single "She's Got Nothing on (But The Radio)" Roxette has marked a trend of looking back to their roots and watching at album in common it's like compilation of the most significant moments in their discography. You can feel magic "Wish I Could Fly" atmosphere of "Speak To Me", sincere and calm "Crash! Boom! Bang!" sound of "I'm Glad You Called", blasting "Real Sugar" choruses of "Big Black Cadillac". It's old good Roxette, not pretending to hit charts all over the world, just bringing pleasure to fans and themselves just because they have to and it's a good thing as this album obviously was made quite harmonically and with love. Marie's voice sounds clean and touching as it was 10 and 20 years ago, pretty incredible but definitely positive thing! Live disk also sounds like a great treat for fans as Per and Marie vocally deliver all energy and emotions with a top professional level.
It's hard to predict how big commercially this album will be but undoubtfully "Charm School" will become shiny point of Roxette's discography and I hope "Only when I Dream", "Big Black Cadillac" and "Speak To Me" will be next singles.

Year by year Melodifestivalen by some reasons loses truly faboulous songs sounding so much better than many of competing entries, rarely songwriters or artists come out to announce it but the latest year has started a trend not to put these songs on a shelf and to release/get people learn him no matter what, this year we've already heard rejected songs from Topcats and Treadstone but nothing really pop-melotastic so now we get probably the most gourgeous track that hasn't qualified to Melodifestivalen-2011 "Hardcore Love" from Anderz Wrethov and Johanna Stedt-Elkesdotter.
Earlier I've introduced you to both of these lovely artists. Johanna has delivered one of two our favorites songs of 2010 in Swedish - "Stormen" (along with Timoteij's "Kom") and Anderz was working on his solo-stuff debuting with pretty successful single "Runaway" and plan to release new album very soon. Earlier Anderz was involved in schlager-circus writing songs for Arash "Always", Frida "Upp Och Hoppa" and Günther "Like Fire Tonight" (Johanna was responsible for female vocals in studio-version) and this time this glorious team decided to perform their own song in duet and though it hasn't reached the final destination, it looks like really promising attempt making us already waiting for their next year try impatiently!
"Hardcore Love" is modern anthemic pop-song with clear feeling of Anderz music mixing rock-sound and powerful choruses with hard synth-production and hit-melody sticking in your head from the first listen. Johanna is giving all beautiful touchingness and power of her voice and completing whole picture of this hit that we hope will be released as soon as possible.
Below you can listen song in its studio and live version. Also you should check b-side of Anderz' "Runaway" single cover of "Forever Young" that recently has flown out on youtube and Johanna's renewed myspace page with new terrific dance tracks "Can't Stop Loving You" and "Never Walk Away" - it's everything you love about Swedish dance-pop, full pack of hit melody, stunning vocals and top production!

History of Swedish synth-band Lustans Lakejer has roots in 70ies and though the biggest commercial success of the band was back in 80s bringing some well charted hits, Lustans Lakejer still keeps respectable status falling into the spot of media with new releases. When Agnes was disqualified on Melodifestivalen-2007 Lustans Lakejer has entered instead with the song "Allt vi en gång trodde på" but has taken only 7th place.
However band has come back this year with new single "Det Verkade Så Viktigt Då" and new album "Elixir" to be released in a few days on January 26th. And still we can call it schlager-related stuff, not just because Lustans Lakejer music sounds a lot like synth-schlager to our ears but because of second single - duet with Jenny Silver "Eld & Vatten" who's going to take part in MF just in 2 weeks. Quite intimate song that turned to be smoking hot in live performance. This mini-gig even featured not less than Marina Schiptjenko (BWO, Vacuum, Page) as keyboard-player and backing singer (that made us realize how much we miss her after BWO's break-up!). Another new presented song was "Skönhet kräver ingen tolkning".

After full Autumn in a TV-cocoon of "Så Mycket Bättre" Petra Marklund is coming out from TV-screens to spotlights praised by people and media being invited to awards and new TV-shows. During latest visiting of ELLE magazine annual party Petra has become not only guest but was awarded as Best dressed female artist. Salem al Fakir was awarded as Best dressed male artist that night. Another latest appearance of Petra was at Grammis awards and proving her new title of style icon she's got to Aftonbladet pool for a best looking artist with Robyn, Sibel, Linda Sundblad and Veronica Maggio and currently confidently leads it.
"Mikrofonkåt" has become incredible hit spending 9 weeks in a row at #1 of Swedish chart and last week Petra was invited to perform it in English version at big Norwegian-Swedish show Skavlan. It was actually first performance of "Me And My Microphone" in this version on TV and could it be anything but stunning? Big band behind, Petra in gorgeous diva poses vocally better than ever and clapping audience - nothing else but replay is necessary.