Swedish~ Stereo~

Right when I started to think that animated video is the only video-treatment we're gonna get for the latest Lykke Li's video "I Follow Rivers" Lykke has presented brand new video shot by Tarik Saleh inspired by Andrei Tarkovsky's movie "The Sacrifice" also made in Gotland with well-known in Sweden actor Fares Fares running away from Lykke through forests and snow fields to finish the chase in a deep romantic scene.
You can also check official very pleasant mix for this song - piano-based commercial dance track, quite universal to be welcome on club floors and everywhere else.

Have you alredy managed to fall for Erik Hassle for the latest 2 years? Ready for a new talented Mr. Hassle in Swedish music? Ladies and gentlemen, here's a fresh promising artist I'd like to present you - Simon Hassle.
Though you probably hear Simon's name first time, he already has heavy gospel/musical background performing in live shows across Sweden and being the youngest member of the very well known gospel chorus One Voice led by Gabriel Forss. Here we get debut single from Simon - "Now Is Here" recorded with Emanuel Olsson at Cosmos Studios.
"Now Is Here" is powerful piano-based song in a lighter Linkin Park style with epic sound, massive production and beautiful Simon's voice leaving no doubt that we're gonna hear more from this artist soon. Video for "Now is here" is mix of Simon shots and Chief Oren Lyons' "The Ice is Melting" speech on Millennium Peace Summit.

Everyone wants to be in the best shape going to the highlights and looking stunning and sexy in front of millions of viewers so artists are working to get perfectly fit by any possible means.
Danny decided to reach success with a really hard training. You can follow his trip to the world of health here.

Guy is hardly breathing but we hope something will be left from him before his performance on MF. Though wait... He's looking more than alive, isn't he?

Sara Lumholdt has quite original way to keep her shape perfect - pole dance and what she makes with pole is just unbelievable! That what happens with A-Teens when they become A-Women, but we still love you little hot Sara! Though maybe we love you even more!

Participants who are already in a perfect shape are Love Generation! Girls are shooting video that will be used during their performance with the song "Dance Alone" and due to pics idea is going to turn to something stunning. At least catwoman suits already look gorgeous! Check for more pics here and here.

World known Swedish rock-band The Sounds that will be celebrating already 13th birthday this year is ready for a new album and the first taste is delivered with new single "Better Off Dead".
First The Sounds' album "Living in America" has become real sensation bringing loads of fame, awards in Sweden and international fan-base making big breakthrough in US touring afterwards with such a big bands like Foo Fighters, The Strokes, Angels & Airwaves, Panic! At The Disco, also No Doubt and Paramore lately. Second album produced by Jeff Saltzman (producer of The Killers' "Hot Fuss") established their name on a world rock-stage with loads celebrities calling themselves fans of The Sounds (Dave Grohl, Pharrell, Quentin Tarantino, Britney Spears, etc.). On March 29th we'll hear already fourth album "Something To Die For" and as innovative promo among fans The Sounds organized contest providing sheet music for the first single "Better Off Dead" and asking fans to create their own version of the song without listening to The Sounds' one with winner's version to appear as b-side of the single.
Right now we can already listen to The Sounds' version of "Better Off Dead" - stunning pop-rock track with electronic production and incredibly catchy chorus, the song seems to be sewed out of three parts - first radio pop-rock part, dance-insert in the middle and the final part bringing hard beat making the song in common quite original and delicious thing.
Tanx for the tip to wonderful #1 Hits From Another Planet blog.

If company wants to make huge new promo-anthem should it get some big songwriting team with famous artists and try to promote this song in their ads and other promo-presentation? Maybe but there's also another solution - take some big pop-hit coming out of homeland of that international company, change tune, involve new singers and connect it with their ideas in lyrics!
Oriflame steps into new year with new slogan "Make that change" and makes that change in probably the biggest Swedish pop-anthem of 2009 "Release Me" originally performed by Agnes, co-written by Agnes with Anders Hansson and Sharon Vaughn and produced by Anders Hansson and Le Kid members - Felix Persson and Märta Grauers. Unfortunately we don't know who is performer and who wrote new tune but we know that Felix was working on production and what about result? Result turned to be pretty amazing!
"Make That Change" has grown from one disco-anthem to another, I can't even say if it's better or worse, it's just different, new voice and new melody bring difference. New singer's vocal reminds a bit Charlotte Perrelli (at least in verses) so it's already a good sign, in common song smells a bit more schlagertastic with double-chorus and disco-anthem life-asserting lyrics, it even has key-change! Everything that you love in "Release me" is still there - strings, dance-hook and beautiful arrangement. On official soundcloud channel of Oriflame you can dowload "Make That Change" together with it's Spanish and Russian versions, corresponding karaoke-versions, instrumental, ringtone and even mix that's actually really good, check it under video.

Wanna get the latest singles from September and Petter ("Backsmälla"), Ulrik Munther ("Boys Don't Cry"), Tim Berg ("Seek Bromance (Avicii Vocal Edit)") and many-many other artists which you don't know yet but can discover yourself without my help?
echolize.com in collaboration with Universal Music provides ability to download this tracks absolutely for free, payment is just watching ads-video during download. So come here, register and get it all.
By the way nice reason to tip you with last year dance-sensation Tim Berg (or Tim Bergling as it's his original name). Tim is DJ from Stockholm that delivered one of the biggest export club-hits of Sweden "Seek Bromance" (obviously Swedish House Mafia influenced floorfiller) in 2010 initially releasing it as instrumental track but soon getting attention of international audience charting well in European charts and even getting into the bright spot of attention in UK pushing out afterwards vocal version of track and touring all over the world whole last year. You can check video for "Seek Bromance" right below.

SVT has presented new design of the stage today and you can already check it in 3D above. What can we say about that? Definitely it's a sort of stage that lets artist build his performance without limiting imagination and budgets and half-round decoration looks really nice. It's hard for now to call better than year but we'll hold our judgement before we'll see it in live action.

This year SVT will present snippets of the songs already by Thursdays in web-reports from rehearsals on Melodifestivalen site. First web-report will be shown at 21 by local time next Thursday already in 5 days.

We get more and more new pics in different stars blogs and in media by which we can realize that next year Melodifestivalen comparing with last year full of static performances with nothing but artist standing next to mic and singing some ballad this year will be full of dancing numbers.
For example above you can already see Jonas Matsson working on his performance with Rennie Mirro showing which schlager-poses should artist learn to become melamazing.

Dilba gets 7 dancers team and her manager Linda Sonnvik promises some truly great show. We hope it'll be amazing opening performance!

Will Le Kid stand in front of cameras with dead eyes and sleepy show? Nope!!! Le Kid are gonna DANCE!!!

Rickard Engfors is making some terrific show for Sebastian this year! It's gonna have LEDs with Sebastian's video behind, dancing girls and it's gonna be technical complicated. Don't know what it means but smells like excitement!

Jenny Silver who goes schlager this year seems like has moved from dark melancholic image and gets loads of dancers too. Rickard also works on her show and thinks to dress dancers like futuristic soldiers with bondage elements. Sounds like something incredible. Check more on his blog.

What about Linda Sundblad? Have you ever seen her in dance shows? You're going to also this time! So let's dance!

Danny keeps promoting his latest single "In Your Eyes" and presents brand new music video.
It's only week before Danny will be singing new song "In the Club" co-written by him with Figge and Peter Boström in the first semifinal of Melodifestivalen and the last number gives a hint that we can expect a lot from him. Danny was eagerly awaited solo at MF by many since 2007 when he successfully launched his career internationally so now here's a chance for him to show what he's really worth.
New released video for single "In Your Eyes" another time shows great ability of Danny to provide nice dance-show and idea to place Danny in some dark cold empty place with lighting manequens works really interesting and visually fresh. Check yourself!

Some covers are too stunning to leave them without mention in separate post!
Sanna Nielsen opens season of MF-covers revealing cover of her own "I'm In Love" single that she will perform in 2nd semifinal in Gothenburg on February 12th. And it's just brilliant with Sanna looking very Scarlett Johansson!
This year Sanna will celebrate 15 years of her music career with new album planned to be released on March 2nd. Very smart strategy to bring loads of schlager-hits to melofans already 2 weeks before MF-final. Here's the latest Sanna's single "Part Of Me" that we're also in love with.

Shirley's Angels have presented their official image and new Facebook page and what we can see is pretty stunning. Two vamp-ladies and Shirley as Queen bee make us forget about Shirley's unlucky attempt two years ago. It wasn't she! Someone has copied her image and was singing a ballad that real Shirley would never bring to schlager-competition. But in the final, yes, it was our Shirley that we love so much.

Hope two years of Shirley's work in shop will pay amazing show this year! Recently Shirley was invited to perform at World Aids Day and she's presented small movie from her tour live. It's in Swedish but it doesn't make it any less funny.

And the last but the most important! Wanna see what sort of choreography Shirley's gonna make in Linköping on February 19th? Check this video, she'll demonstrate it in the end!

Breaking news! The most beloved rock-group of Sweden Kent decided to collaborate with latest biggest breakthrough Erik Hassle.
When this Summer Kent finished their tour in support of latest album creative activity of frontman Jocke Berg was still on fire but as Kent needed some pause decision was to start working with some other artist and as Jocke really loved Erik's voice he contacted him and after approval from Erik's side they also invited Kent's bassist Martin Sköld and started recording in Martin's studio in Mariefred so "Mariefred Sessions" has become title of new recorded songs collection.
"Mariefred Sessions" that will see the light on March 23rd will include 6 new songs - "Sometimes When It Rains (Give Me Your Love)", "I´m Not an Island", "Stay Away", "Stains", "Arrows" and "Are You Leaving" that will be released as new Erik's single.
You can already check how it sounds in video below! As timer goes in reverse count check pieces of "Are You Leaving" at 7.22 and 4.49 and 0.26. Song perfectly mixes music of both Erik and Kent - it's touching melody-line in verse that you can expect from Erik but much more in aggressive dynamic electro-sound than's more usual for latest Kent's records and in chorus tune goes completely in Kent's style and Erik's vocal fits it 100%. Common impression? Smells like one of this year's best songs with tonnes of sales records and awards in the end of year. Check yourself!

Did you think the story around one of the best pop-singles of last year Ola's "All Over The World" is over?
Since 8 months after first song's release we can finally watch video for it that was shot both in New York and in Sweden.
Video is pretty qualitative work, with not so unique plot around friends gang wandering around NY, sitting on the rooftops with beautiful night city on the background and having wild parties. Very nice video to pack this brilliant single with and send it all over the world.
Don't forget to also check Ola's fresh interview where he's singing "All Over The World" in acoustic here.

After promising debut few years ago girls rock-band Those Dancing Days comes back with new album and loads of surprises related to this release.
Band was formed in 2005 taking name from Led Zeppelin's song "Dancing Days" and some members haven't even managed to finish school before big breakthrough with first album "In Our Space Hero Suits" and first singles being noticed by UK label Wichita Recording that signed them afterwards.
In the end of 2010 girls have presented new song "Fuckarias" that you can download for free here. Week ago they premiered first official single "Reaching Forward" getting really fine video-treatment from Andreas Öhman ("Simple Simon" (I rymden finns inga känslor)) that you can see below. Next single "I'll be yours" is on the way and new album "Daydreams & Nightmares" is planned for release on February 25th. It's gonna be produced by Patrik Berger - producer of significant hits of 2010 for Robyn and Tove Styrke (you can actually hear Tove style in "Reaching Forward" very well). Another song on the album "Can't Find The Entrance" was written together with Max Martin and Shellback that always sounds exciting!

Few days ago we could see announcement on Carola's facebook page talking about forthcoming single and as it was revealed before that Carola will release her tribute-album to Elvis Presley and Barbra Streisand on March 23rd it was pretty expectable to get some of covers as a single. And now it's official that new tribute-single is "Suspicious Minds" and single is already on sales immediately reaching top of iTunes marking that though Carola doesn't release her original stuff lately she's still beloved in Sweden.
Last year "Suspicious Minds" along with other covers was often performed by singer though in studio it has probably become more interesting with Carola making Aguilera in the beginning and dynamic stylish retro-pop spiced with all expression of Carola's vocal. It's not often when we like this sort of stuff but it's really-really good cover charging strongly with positive energy.
You can also check performance live-performance of this song on concert in Dalhalla here.

Every year Swedish QX-magazine publish stunning schlager-issue with some new theme and future melo-participant in special photoshooting devoting to it. Before last year it has even got tradition of future winner to appear at the cover but in 2010 neither Salem, nor Anna were there. However everyone who were on the cover have got to the final, this time QX marks new favorites with theme TV-classics and we have Eric Saade, Sara Varga, Simon Forsberg, Babsan, Linda Pritchard and Danny on the cover!
Besides completely brilliant photos QX also interviewed artists about their plans one week before start of the show.
Danny appeared this year as "True Blood" character, Jenny Silver, Linda Pritchard, Sara Varga and Sara Lumholdt have made "Sex & The City", Sebastian and Simon - "Prison Break", Le Kid - "Glee", Eric Saade - "21 Jump Street", Love Generation - "Desperate Housewives" and Babsan - "Dynasty". You can read whole issue here and watch series of really amazing photos below.

Idrottsgalan is annual awards where Sweden as sport-loving and health-caring nation praises people achieving success internationally and proudly representing Sweden in the world of sport.
Every year Idrottsgalan becomes show connecting all country together in front of TV-screens with breathtaking pre-win pauses, funny jokes and big pop-stars with some special performances. This year among biggest music guests of the show in Globen were Darin, Molly Sandén, Johnossi and Måns Zelmerlöw. Darin delivered colourful disco-performance of opening and closing the show with The Jacksons' "Can You Feel It" (yep, we remember that Michael is the biggest Darin's Idol), Molly Sandén performed classic cover of "Forever Young" (this girl was born to stand on the stage in hero poses singing some anthemic ballads and she did it again as stunning as she can), Måns Zelmerlöw with Lisette Pagler performed some sort of trailer for musical Romeo & Julia (that was hmm...not trivial!), Johnossi was singing Summer hit "What's The Point" and Lena-Maria Klingvall (amazing singer, swimmer and painter born without hands but achieving so much more than people use to!) performed cover of "You Raise Me Up" with Nacka Musikklasser. You can check all performances below.

Swedish pop-project I'm from Barcelona - band of Emanuel Lundgren consisting of not less than 29 musicians was born around 6 years ago when Emanuel has gathered his friends to start playing his music live and to turn his ideas to real records. Name of the band was inspired by Spanish waiter Manuel, a character on BBC Television's Fawlty Towers, as Emanuel's friends used to joke over similarity of their names.
First band's EP "Don't Give Up On Your Dreams, Buddy!" in 2006 was very well met by critics and in charts. Debut album "Let Me Introduce My Friends" has brought international success to I'm from Barcelona, UK opened doors for release of both album along with next "Who Killed Harry Houdini?" released in 2008. Band was touring a lot around Britain and later has come back home to record new album "Forever Today" that will see the light very soon. You can already check its artwork and tracklist here.
First single from "Forever Today" is "Get In Line" - exactly that sort of melodic Swedish indie-pop you can imagine when you see these words - relaxing light atmosphere, simple catchy synth-melody-line and smile sharing friends choir. So meet this great band, they're from Barcelona!

As time comes closer some newcomers get some style updates/upgrades complete, schlager-veterans think up something new and it all will be presented very soon in all its amazingness.

Simon Forsberg who will perform Fredrik Kempe's ballad seems to be working out some real elegant style for his press-photos and single-cover. Simon can sound and look great so it all smells like future success.

Daniel "The Moniker" Karlsson being quite original artist delivers some abstract style and it's not bad at all! If you know Swedish you should also check his new interview here. Rasmus Viberg seems like doesn't want to look trivial as well.

Love Generation recently have visited Jean-Pierre Barda beauty salong "By Barda", not sure if Jean-Pierre will have something common with girls on MF but how great it would sound! This guy knows how to put a ton of glitter and glamour into the show. Watch video of that visit here and photos here.

Does it mean that firstly newcomers are going to bring latest fashion trends, mindblowing dresses and shine with their fresh looks? Nope, schlager-veteran league seems to be prepared not worse! Check new stunning Linda Bengtzing pic. Doesn't she look better than ever?

Tomorrow we're gonna get whole parade of schager-style with February schlager-QX magazine where we'll see MF-artists in huge photoshooting with theme "TV classics". You can already check half-secret cover on Schlagerprofilerna and try to guess who of artists got some classic tv-character for that session.

Earlier last year you could get a first taste of new Lucky Twice's single "Love Song" - single that was in a stage of preparation before release quite long time. Though we already thought that song was put on a shelf and forgotten forever suddenly we've got new video for this song and it looks like a confident step forward.
Though it's still positive Von Der Burg pop-music that turned many heads few years ago and made girls dance sensation around the world, Lucky Twice has grown and from a bit teen-naive lovely performances it's gone to more sexy September-smelling project. Additional assocation also comes from colourful computer graphics of video giving a slight taste of "Cry For You" clip and the song is still pure Swedish-pop delight with ABBAesque layers and rush of dance-energy.
However when we've opened description of the video we've found this! "This was recorded in 2009 and released as the nonofficial music video with official clips in the year of 2010. Sadly, the group is no longer active and broke up in mid-Spring of 2010. Hannah Reynold, however still writes music and sings. Emelie Schytz still has a manager and we may see more stuff from her in the future." Incredibly sad but we really hope that it's not the the end of story and we'll hear from girls sooner or later, better sooner of course!

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.

I love to start mornings with some live performances giving a wild pulse to whole day and that's what I can say about new rock-explosion of Sweden - Treadstone.
Band has presented new album "A New Day Sun" few days ago and though first few singles have given us impression that Treadstone are going to be hardcore Foo Fighters followers through all of this album it has turned completely different giving us a 12-tracks pack of melodic alternative modern rock inspired by all possible directions of modern radio pop-rock. It's fresh, different and powerful in full height. I really recommend you to check it if American alternative rock is your music. Remember that Swedes know how to write melodies and it's brilliant example of it. Visiting studio of Nyhetsmorgon band has presented latest single "S.O.S" (that they rejected to send to MF-2011) and another album-track - beautiful rock-ballad "Seven seas".

Few weeks ago I told you about surprising comeback of Brandur with brand new image and brand new music style of forthcoming single "The Illusion Of". Finally new single has arrived in full length and it's as brilliant as it sounded in sample.
Song starts from piano intro suddenly exploding with massive A-Ha breathing electro-synths, epic-sounding verses with getting more and more massive and powerful choruses again growing and growing with every string to vocally falcetto height and completely ecstatic power, vocally you could expect this sort of track from NEO but it's completely different story - amazing, exciting and promising!
Thanx fot the tips to Being Blogged.