Swedish~ Stereo~

Erik Linder's newest album has included really nice surprise - the song "Så Länge Hjärtat Slår" written by Måns Zelmerlöw and Hanne Sørvaag together with Dan Sundquist (producer of Anna Bergendahl's "This Is My Life" and Didrik Solli-Tangen's "My Heart Is Yours").
The song has turned to be a schlager-ballad slightly old-school but with a good classic growth from intimate piano-intro to a big cinematic culmination. Hanne has provided vocals for album version of the song but it was Erik's girlfriend - Timoteij's Elina who has performed it in Bingolotto few days ago.
I should remind you that Måns has also co-written track "Hello Goodbye" for another hot Swedish-Norwegian duo of Erik Segerstedt and Tone Damli and they'll be performing it in the second heat of Melodifestivalen-2013.

What an unexpected cover we've got! Erik Linder has presented his own ballad version of huge Melodifestivalen-2010 hit "Kom" transforming it from anthemic folk-schlager to absolutely incredible acoustic ballad.
Erik is truly great ballad singer, he has started his career few years ago with ballads and doesn't change direction, no other genre is as good as minimalistic acoustic ballad that lets enjoy his touching vocal so it's another example of Erik's work you're gonna get loads of goosebumps from.
Erik and girls have become good friends after participating in Melodifestivalen, Elina even has taken part in his latest video and now Erik has come up with this stunning cover and I extremely recommend you not to miss it.

Earlier this year Erik Linder has generously presented new single - beautiful acoustic ballad "Bara du och jag" completely for free before its official release. When time has come to pushing the song commercially sure some corresponding promo-steps were required and logically video as one of them.
Video for "Bara du och jag" would be just nice shot lovestory video about breaking out, hopes and sorrow if it wouldn't get amazing guest featuring it - smoking hot Elina from Timoteij! Schlager-unions are always pretty exciting things to follow, don't you think? Year ago Timoteij and Erik participated in the same semifinal of Melodifestivalen and though due to preliminary odds Erik was expected to qualify and Timoteij - to stay in semifinal it's turned to be completely opposite. However artists have become good friends and even have made this video together, what a beautiful couple it's turned to be! By the way new Timoteij's single "Het" is coming out on May 1st, mark it red in your calendars!

We didn't hear about Erik Linder since last Summer when he has released his post-Melodifestivalen single "Du" travelling with Diggiloo-gang and after last year schlager-debut with "Hur kan jag tro på kärlek" trying again sending new entry but not successfully.
However Erik currently plans his new second album and presents another sneak peak of his new music - single "Bara du och jag". Comparing with more dynamic schlager-pop-rock "Du" "Bara du och jag" is classic schlager-ballad more in a vein of "Hur kan jag tro på kärlek" - beautiful, huge and very-VERY Swedish. You can download it absolutely for free on Erik's site, just fill the form and you'll be able to enjoy it on your player.
Not sure which one of latest singles you'll prefer so I'll let you taste both of them.

"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.

One of the highlights of Friday concert in Kulturhuset was performance of one of Kent's hits "Utan Dina Andetag" ("Without Your Breath") by Lisa Nilsson as very beautiful and emotional ballad that turned to be my personal discovery as before I heard this song only in its initial version. This song has never been released as a single, it wasn't even included in album, just appeared as b-side of single "Om du var här" (1996) and later on compilation "B-sidor 95–00" but became very popular wedding soundtrack around country in it's ballad performance and you can find it on Swedish part of 3CD compilation "Absolute Bröllop" (released this May) being sung by Erik Linder. By the way you can find some other songs that you probably know and like long time like Cecilia Vennersten's "Det Vackraste", Sonja Alden's "För Att Du Finns", Per Gessle's "Tycker Om När Du Tar På Mig", Carola's "När Löven Faller", Suzzie Tapper's "Visst Finns Mirakel", Sara Löfgren's "För Alltid", (classic compillation without classic band???) Abba's "Dancing Queen" and some other beautiful songs.


Back to "Utan Dina Andetag" last week right before the Royal Wedding the song got it's re-birth by Carolina Wallin Pérez singer well-known by her covers of Kent. Cover was initialy released on Carolina's album "Pärlor och Svin" in October 2009, album is actually half-acoustic, half-jazz cover-collection of best Kent's song, very nice relaxing work that you can taste here.

Swedish show Talang (analogue of Britain's Got Talent) has already given a birth to some big stars like Erik Linder, Mimmi Sandén and Zara Larsson and the latest season with Bert Karlsson, Charlotte Perrelli and Johan Pråmell in jury just has finished last weekend. Jill Svensson, 14-years old schoolgirl, has taken Sweden with the power of her amazing voice and has become the most righteous winner of this final. You can also check other performances of her talented competitors like 8-years old violin player Daniel Lozakovitj, princess of circus Elin König Andersson, opera-singer Freddy Amigo, Helena Salo singing Norwegian song on Eurovision-2010, comic show Zircus Hanz, country singer Moa Johansson and another singer Stephen Hansen.