Swedish~ Stereo~

This summer small but quite Swedish loving Russian town Istra situated not that far from Moscow has become a big lucky third year in a row receiving music delegation from Sweden consisting of three grand ladies of Swedish pop - Jessica Folcker, Tess Merkel and Jenny Berggren.
Jessica and Jenny have become a part of annual Miss Istra programme (last years organizers invited Danny and Da Buzz).
We've come up with our good friend Tatiana Merzlikina who works with Starmax (the company organizing this great fest) to prepare interviews with artists as surely they are incredibly interested for us and have played a big role in history of Swedish pop of last 10-20 years.
Here's the first chat Tatiana had - with Tess Merkel, constant member of Alcazar. Tess has started career in 90s as a musical artist, already then you could see her as a backing singer at Melodifestivalen. In 1999 she has started her music romance with Alcazar that has officially taken a break last year. So let's see what Tess is busy with since that.

TESS: Hi! How are you?
STARMAX: I am fine. And you?
TESS: Me too. Zdravstvui!

STARMAX: Zdravstvui! Tess, tell did you enjoy last night show?
TESS: Oh, that was wonderful! I am here to back up my friend Jessica and have a great time. I am hanging out with my friend here in Moscow and in Istra. And Istra was very nice. It was a good crowd and staging was wonderful.

STARMAX: I know that is not your first visit in Russia. Do you like being here?
TESS: Oh, Russia is wonderful! Moscow is beautiful and you have even hotter weather here than we have in Sweden. Usually when you get here, it is cold. I have never been here in summertime. And it’s lovely to spend summertime here in Moscow now.

STARMAX: Alcazar has decided to take a break last year. What are you up to now? What are your plans for the future?
TESS: Right now I am producing shows. Besides I spend a lot of time with my kids. This summer I’m having a vacation and then I am starting a couple of projects. So I like it. It’s like an open book. I feel that I’ve started a new chapter in my life. I worked with Alcazar for many-many years and now I have new time for me. So I can do whatever I choose.

STARMAX: Do you keep in touch with your bandmates?
TESS: Oh, yeah! All the time! We really love each other, we have a good time together. So we keep in touch. I met Lina a couple of days ago. Andreas visited Stockholm and we were out about a week ago. We like being in each other’s company.
[By the way guys even keep doing some private parties together as Alcazar. So fans shouldn't give up dreams about their reunion sooner or later. - Swedish Stereo]

STARMAX: You seem to be the only Alcazar member who didn't try to make a solo career except that duo with The Poodles? Don't you plan to start it now?
TESS: I don’t know… I am not sure of that. I have a lot of different projects and I work with very creative things right now. I love singing, but I don’t want to put all my energy on being solo artist. I’m going to take it as it comes. It depends on if I get some songs and so on. I can’t decide it right now. Whatever comes, we’ll see. Que sera, sera (Whatever will be, will be).

STARMAX: Alcazar was a great international breakthrough in the 2000s. What do you think about young Swedish artists? Is there anybody you could give a tip about as a next big thing from Sweden?
TESS: Oh, yes! We have a lot of good music in Sweden! We have a lot of good producers and songwriters, so, of course, we have a lot of great artists, coming from Sweden. For example, we have Darin… We have…(pause) We have a lot of them! I think Swedish music is definitely upcoming. We’re going to produce a lot of good music in Sweden and we are very proud of that.

STARMAX: Why is Swedish music is constantly so popular in your opinion? Why does Sweden produce so much good music?
TESS: The roots of that comes from ABBA. These songwriters inspired a lot of good musicians in Sweden. Besides like you, Russians, we have a long winter, so all we can do in wintertime is to sit down and write some songs, maybe. We have only one month to go out, drink some wine and relax, then go down in the studio and keep on writing, writing, writing.

STARMAX: Thanks so much and good luck!
TESS: Thanks, bye!

Well, well, well! As I was telling yesterday new Annikafiore's EP with remixes "Recovered" has included her two solo-versions of Alcazar's track "Crying At the Discoteque" the band has got a worldwide fame with. Top-10 hit in Germany, Ireland, Italy, Belgium, Finland and Top-20 in UK, Spain, Austria, Australia, Netherlands and just a #29 in Swedish chart? Ok, Sweden has praised the band with loads of love later.
Back to Annikafiore, today you can pre-listen her versions from Antti and Giuseppe Piol Piol and buy them here. If the first has become more disco-house-sounding, the second has got a raggae relaxed atmosphere.
As a bonus I'd like to attach - video of the first Alcazar's line-up performing at the festival in Italy. Do you believe more than 10 years have passed?

Yesterday was really tragical day for Alcazar's fans. Band was giving their last performance at Stockholm Pride before freezing the project for an indefinite period.
Not to dramatize it too much Alcazar's members don't say they are breaking up completely and they don't deny possibility to perform in a close future if some huge foreign TV-show will ask them but they stop working on new music for now and will concentrate on their own careers - Andreas in musical, Lina on TV and Tess doesn't seem to have any big plans.
Though we can't enjoy whole Alcazar's set yesterday in a quite good quality we still can read interesting report about it on fabulous Schlagerboys blog and check band's visit to Lotta på Liseberg earlier this summer and (like they always do) Alcazar gave 100% of joy, life and disco every time they were out on the stage.
Let's hope it won't take too much time before next glorious comeback of this truly legendary pop-band.

Consider it as Le Kid's day on the blog but here we have another piece of their music - new single "Feel 4 U" of Dream Beats project featuring Alcazar just has got video online and can video with Alcazar be anything but amazing?
Just like Danny's video I told you about yesterday it's dirrrty, not as BDSM-dirrty as Danny's one, it's a dirrrty disco-video with smeared makeup, ripped tights and drunk dances. Alcazar in front of red-coloured background (as the song itself) still remind us "We Keep On Rockin'" and it's not a bad comparison. Well, stop talking and check it right now!

Do you remember I told you about collaboration of Anders Hansson and Le Kid's Felix and Märta with Alcazar on debut track for brand new project Dream Beats?
Then we could listen to extended mix of this single that was really discotastic work raising loads of our nostalgic feelings of alcazarized era. Finally we get original version of "Feel 4U" and like we expected it's not million miles away from extended mix - a bit more concentrated and poppy with more strict tune. I've got idea it actually sounds like continuation of "We Keep On Rockin'", doesn't it? "We Keep On Rockin'" has reached #4 in Swedish chart, can it go as good for "Feel 4U"? Hope so!

This year Sweden gets new really exciting project Dream Beats. And can it be anything less than exciting when it's built by people like Anders Hansson (it's sort of impossible to make a list of all his hits but BWO, Alcazar and Agnes are the most recent artists he worked really successfully with) and Felix Persson with Märta Grauers from Le Kid (guys worked with Anders a lot on productions for different Swedish and foreign artists, for example new Kate Ryan's single "LoveLife" was delivered by this great team).
Now guys start their own project and they plan to invite different vocalists for their tracks. First vocal contribution for the first Dream Beats' single "Feel 4U" was provided not less than Alcazar and it's almost classic 80s disco-track with vocal line taking us somewhere to 90s pop-tradition. We don't take responsibility to judge by remix that was presented on band's site (and that you can check below) but you can read very interesting review on amazing Oswalds Popcorn blog.
Our opinion is that Alcazar never sounded so "alcazarized" like this for at least five years and it's definitely fantastic but not surprising thing - Anders wrote songs for every Alcazar album and sure he knows how to explode with that pure Alcazar disco-pop-fun. There is a looooong intro around 2 minutes, right after you'll become alcazarized (and we still wait for radio-edit to make final decision if it's a great track or if it's a great track).

Alcazar, how much this band means for Swedish pop fans and what a huge pauses with new stuff their fans should meet. Or maybe they're just too good to be expected too long? However amazing disco-trio has appeared again in first episode of new Så Ska Det Låta season, Tess and Lina already participated in last season but this time girls have arrived to the show with Andreas to fight with another grand band Style. Sure Alcazar are not musicians you should listen about, you must watch and listen to them yourself and you can do it right now checking this link with Så Ska Det Låta show and check few of their performances right below.

One of the most glorious rejects of Melodifestivalen-2010 gets its release in UK!
When Alcazar have taken part in last year Melodifestivalen "Headlines" wasn't the only song they could compete with. "Karma Karma" written by Sharon Vaughn and Anders Hansson and produced by Anders with Le Kid's Felix Persson and Märta Grauers has got to the top of entries but hasn't reached the final selection. However track has got its life but not on new Alcazar's album. Brittish pop-duo Same Difference that started its post-The X Factor career with brilliant Jörgen Elofsson and Paul Westerlund "We R One" has got new Swedish help for the second album "The Rest Is History" from Tony Nilsson, Hanne Sørvaag ("The Rest Is History", "Emotion") and amazing team of "Karma Karma" including vocals of Alcazar.
What we've got is real modern disco-pop-gem with modern production, anthemic chorus, "o-o-o"-part (one of 345673 brilliant features of Swedish pop) and tonnes of Alcazar-positive energy.
You should also check epic pop-ballad "The Rest Is History" in a style of last Darin's album with recognizable powerful Tony's production with tough beats and very touching chorus tune. On the other hand you'd never realized that "Emotion" is Tony Nilsson's written but still very nice song. Check samples of the album here and here.

Last year one of the most interesting music shows of Sweden Så Ska Det Låta has invited one of the loveliest bands in Sweden - Alcazar or to say more exact its female part to play this game when artists are guessing songs and sing them afterwards. Popular format and probably you also have analogues of this show in your country.
We've missed whole show but these are videos I can't pass by and not to tell you about. Among other songs girls performed classic hits "Yes Sir I Can Boogie", "When All Is Said And Done", "Devil in disguise" and "Musik ska byggas utav glädje" making every bit of the show spectacular as they use to do with all their artistry, poses, winks and great vocals sure.
By the way this year firstly for a long time we'll get new pianists helping singers - Angelica Alm and Marika Willstedt (you can see their pics above) after Putte Nelsson and Stefan Gunnarsson. And hopefully we'll get names of this year participating artists in a closest weeks as well. Who would you like to see competing?

It's always heart-melting when huge artists make some charity activity releasing new music to help those who really need it. This Autumn Idol-show has made successful shot when show participants released song "All I Need Is You" that reached #2 of Swedish chart and a bit later we've got another release from whole bunch of the loudest names of Swedish pop - Ola, Darin, Alcazar, Jessica Folcker, Sarah Dawn Finer, Plura, Velvet, Hanna Hedlund, Martin Stenmarck, Lasse Berghagen, Anna Maria Espinosa, Claes Janson, Dolly Dolores, Jasmine Kara, Anna Sahlin, Kim Fransson, Promoe and Jakob Hellman. Something incredible? Whole project was initiated by Tess Merkel from Alcazar in collaboration with SOS Barnbyar organization to help kids who lost parents or who live in financialy especially problematic terms. The song "Ta Min Hand", very kind hopeful a bit funky and a bit gospel-breathing track, was written by Christopher Dominique and Mårten Edh and released physically and digitally.
Company around "Ta Min Hand" was also supported by big concert in Kungsträdgården and performances on TV and radio, so below you can watch official video for this song and performance in Efter Tio.

Though the last year wasn't too active for new Alcazar's releases in Sweden there still was a lot of work for them to promote their stuff internationally and one of primal countries for their European touring was Germany where they've taken part in some music shows performing some old and new hits and as Alcazar on the stage is always eye candy thing I should give you a tip about it.
Here's performance of "Crying at the Discotheque" at Die Hit Giganten in glitter, glamour, disco-balls and silver clothes and "Funky Town" at ZDF Hit Party, both performances are lip-syncing but who cares when there's so much to look at.

It was really tough year for Alcazar. First time in their career they've failed to reach final of Melodifestivalen that turned to a big shock for the band, however their song "Headlines" has become another Top-10 hit in Sweden and band started to prepare for Summer Diggiloo-tour when Lina's problems with health turned to be critical and bleedings causing collapce during one of rehearsals forced her to stop work and Andreas with Tess had to keep giving planned concerts without her. However Summer turned to end happily for the band. Andreas has made marriage proposal to his boyfriend Niklas Hogner during interview on the radio and has got confirmation in a few minutes by phone (they plan to get married next year). Lina has got better, come back to work and moved with Nassim al Fakir in their new love nest in Stockholm. So finally they are back, Gods of glamour and disco - Alcazar! Check their performance at Bingolotto (though I never was a fan of this song, Alcazar lifts every song by performance 10 feet higher).

If you've missed earlier few weeks ago Annikafiore (amazing ex-part of Alcazar) debuted as solo-singer singing Official Copenhagen Pride Song 2010 "Forbidden Love" - dark electronic experimental track that got video-treatment that you can watch below (you can also check new Annnikafiore's site). It's difficult to call hit-stuff but every step of this brilliant artist will always be very welcome in Swedish pop fans community and hopefully we'll get other new songs from Annikafiore soon.

Finally I'd like to share with you these few funny old videos which I've discovered recently made by drag show Diamond Dogs, in first one you can see day of Diamond Dogs with Alcazar and in second Andreas protecting his privacy from Diamond Dogs following every his step.

"Glitter and glamour". This was the theme of yesterday show Lotta på Liseberg and this time Lotta Engberg invited bunch of artists participating this year in summer tour Diggiloo - Alcazar, Jessica Andersson, Erik Linder, Lasse Holm, Morgan "Mojje" Johansson and others so all who can't visit Diggiloo show this year could see what they're missing. One of the brightest highlights of evening was schlager-medley of Melodifestivalen-2010, it was really nice to see Jessica Andersson singing song of her Second Chance rival Kalle Moraeus, Mojje singing Neo's "Human Frontier" with live arrangement and Alcazar and Erik Linder singing their own songs. Unfortunately Lina Hedlund couldn't perform, few days ago rehearsing she collapsed and due to problems with health connected with operation she went through this Spring Andreas and Lina had to perform without her. Jessica Andersson also performed her own Melodifestivalen entry "I Did It For Love" sounding and looking really fierce! Sure audience wasn't left without traditional karaoke with Lotta and participants, this time everyone could sing along After Dark's "La Dolce Vita", Lena Philipsson's "Dansa I Neon", Abba's "Dancing Queen", Herrey's "Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley", etc. You can watch whole show here.

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.