Melodifestivalen 2009 Update - Start positions

Start positions for the 4 semi-final shows for the Swedish Eurovision participant selection 2009 are officially announced:

1st Semi, Göteborg, Scandinavium on February 7th:
1. Disconnect me - Marie Serneholt
2. Jag tror pĺ oss - Scotts
3. Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus - Shirley Clamp (picture)
4. Snälla, snälla - Caroline af Ugglas
5. Stay the night - Alcazar
6. Tick tock - Nina Söderquist
7. Welcome to my life - Jonathan Fagerlund
8. You're my world - Emilia

This I think will be a tough semi-final. There's the popular singers Marie Serneholt & Shirley Clamp, we also got Alcazar, Emilia & Jonathan Fagerlund who reminds me a bit of Ola. I don't see Alcazar getting directly to the final with these contestants... but of course it depends a bit on the songs and singing as well.

2nd Semi, Skellefteĺ, Kraft Arena on February 14th:
1. 1000 Miles - H.E.A.T
2. Hope & glory - Måns Zelmerlöw (picture)
3. Jag ska slĺss i dina kvarter! - Lasse Lindh and Band
4. It's my life - Amy Diamond
5. Kärlekssĺng frĺn mig - Markoolio
6. Never been here before - Jennifer Brown
7. Show me heaven - Lili and Susie
8. What If - Cookies'n Beans



This must be a piece of cake for Mans I pressume...

3rd Semi, Leksand, Ejendals Arena on February 21nd:
1. Alla - Sofia
2. Du vinner över mig! - Mikael Rickfors
3. Här för mig själv - Maja Gullstrand
4. I got U - Rigo & The Topas Sound feat. Red Fox
5. Sĺ vill stjärnorna - Molly Sandén
6. The Queen - Velvet
7. Wildcard
8. You're not alone - BWO (picture)

Maybe this year luck will be on Velvet's side and with some good vocals she might actually get the chance to go to Andra Chansen. BWO & Molly Sandén might do good as well. I wonder when the wildcard will be announced...

4th Semi, Malmö, Arena on February 28th:
1. Du är älskad där du gĺr - Susanne Alfvengren
2. Esta noche - Next 3
3. Higher - ?
4. Killing me tenderly - Anna Sahlene & Maria Haukaas Storeng
5. La voix - Malena Ernman
6. Love love love - Agnes
7. Moving on - Sarah Dawn Finer (picture)
8. Sweet kissin' in the moonlight - Thorleifs

Anna & Maria seem like a good duo, though I don't get why Maria wants to participate this year for Sweden when she finished 5th in last years Eurovision Song Contest for Norway. I'm thinking that Agnes and Sarah Dawn Finer might finish somewhere at the top of this semi.

This (not so) Delicate Film We've Made....

About 2 months ago a message on the official website of singer Darren Hayes appeared: a new DVD would be released in the UK in February 2009. This DVD will feature about half of the album tracks (12/13) of his latest album "This Delicate Thing We've Made" in video format e.g. animated videoclips. It also said that a deluxe edition (limited to 2000 copies) would be released in December this year already which could only be ordered through the official site. And silly me ordered that immediatly of course... big mistake!! I got my copy of the deluxe edition today.

It has 13 video tracks, all animated and I've only seen 2 where Darren appears in himself. There's also a booklet included which just shows some pictures of the videos and some special 3D-glasses... (basically some carton frame with red/green paper glasses). And this all cost me about 35 GBP if I remember correctly... Truly a waste of my money. I should sell this on eBay very soon I think. Anyway below there's a picture of the deluxe edition. The size is the same as a standard dvd box.

By the way, the other thing about this Deluxe edition is that it includes a bonus video (which is spelled incorrectly on the tracklist... very annoying, and I think tracks 3 & 4 are also switched... more annoying). However the Standard edition will feature the promotional videos for his two (not very succesful) UK singles. Shame those ain't on the Deluxe....

Melodifestivalen 2009 Update - 30 participants

Over the past few weeks SVT has announced more artists that will participate in 2009's edition of Melodifestivalen. The list is almost complete, only 2 more participants will announced, including 1 wildcard.

So far the list contists of the following singers:

Alcazar - Stay the night
BWO - You're not alone
Caroline af Ugglas - Snällä, Snälla
Emilia - You're my world
Jennifer Brown - Never been here before
Lasse Lindh and Band - Jag Slåss I Dina Kvarter
Måns Zelmerlöw - Hope & glory
Sarah Dawn Finer - Moving on
The Scotts – Jag tror på oss
Markoolio - Kärlekssång från mig (first wildcard)
Mikael Rickfors – Du vinner over mig
H.E.A.T - 1000 miles
Molly Sandén – Så vill stjärnorna
Maja Gullstrand – Här för mig själv
Next 3 – Esta Noche
Jonathan Fagerlund – Welcome to my life
Rigo & The Topaz Sound feat. Red Fox – I got you
Malena Ernman - La voix
Velvet - The Queen
Agnes - Love love love
Shirley Clamp - Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus
Sofia Berntsson - Alla
Lili and Susie - Show me heaven
Marie Serneholt - Disconnect Me
Amy Diamond - It's my life
Susanne Alfvengren - Du är älskad där du går
The Scotts - Jag tror på oss
Anna Sahlene and Maria Haukass Storeng - Killing me tenderly
Thorleifs - Sweet kissin' in the moonlight
Nina Söderquist - Tick Tock
Cookies 'n Beans - What If

I'm quite excited about the participation of Shirley Clamp. Back in 2005 she competed with the track "Att Alska Dig" one of my favourite MF tracks. She did reach the final with that (4th place over all). Let's hope she will manage to get to this year's final as well. Other singers I am really looking forward to are Sofa, Agnes, Velvet, Jonathan Fagerlund & Marie Serneholt.

We still got 2 months to go before the first show will start on February 7th. I will probably be on holidays that first week to Finland so hopefully I will be able to get SVT on a television overthere...

Melodifestivalen 2009 Update - 8 participants announced

SVT (broadcasting channel of Melodifestivalen) has announced 8 of the participants for Melodifestivalen 2009 that will start in February:

* Alcazar - Stay the Night (Anders Hansson, Mårten Sanden, Andreas Lundstedt, Tess Merkel och Lina Hedlund)
* BWO - You're Not Alone (Fredrik Kempe, Alexander Bard, Anders Hansson)
* Caroline af Ugglas - Snälla Snälla (Caroline af Ugglas, Heinz Liljedal)
* Emilia - You're My World (Emilia Rydberg, Fredrik Figge Boström)
* Jennifer Brown - Never Been Here Before (Jennifer Brown, Peter Kvint)
* Lasse Lindh & Bandet - Jag Slåss I Dina Kvarter! (Lasse Lindh)
* Måns Zelmerlöw - Hope & Glory (Fredrik Kempe, Måns Zelmerlöw, Henrik Wikström)
* Sarah Dawn Finer - Moving On (Sarah Dawn-Finer, Fredrik Kempe

So it seems that the rumors of Alcazar, BWO, Mans & Sarah performing at this years festival are true. Alcazar will participate for the 3rd time while BWO is now participating for the 4th time. Mans & Sarah are both trying their luck for the second time.

Sanna, Shirley & Sonja

Apparently not only Charlotte Perrelli is releasing a Christmas album this month as her Swedish colleagues Sanna (Nielsen), Shirley & Sonja decided to team up and record a (all English) Christmas CD which will be released in two weeks time. It is called "Our Christmas" and includes 12 well known Christmas tracks:

1 Another Winter Night
2 All I Want For Christmas Is You
3 Oh Holy Night
4 Ave Maria
5 My Grown Up Christmas List
6 Christmas Song
7 Have Yourself A Merry Little X-mas
8 This Christmas
9 Driving Home For Christmas
10 Light A Candle
11 Silent Night
12 First Noel

Crush on David

This week I have been listening to American Idol winner (of the 7th series) David Archuleta. I must admit when hearing his first single Crush a while back I wasn't convinced at all. Though this week his album has leaked onto the internet and I thought why not give him another chance? I'm glad I did so cause I found out that Crush doesn't sound so bad after all, and even better; the album includes some amazing tracks.

Most of the songs remind me of the record What's Left Of Me by Nick Lachey. Especially David's songs Desperate & A Little Too Not Over You are definitely tracks in the same genre as What's Left Of Me and I Can't Hate You Anymore.
The album is being released November 11th featuring the below cover which, besides some great tracks, is another reason to buy it:




The regular edition has 12 tracks, the Wall-Mart edition includes a bonus track. On Itunes (and probably other digital stores) a deluxe version is available with a few bonus tracks.

Rimfrostjul tracklist

The tracklist of Charlotte Perrelli's forthcoming Christmas album has been revealed:

1 Rimfrostsjul (The Christmas Song)
2 Snöa på, snöa på (Let It Snow)
3 O helga natt
4 Hur kan man leda en kung (Who Would Imagine A King)
5 Mitt hjärta slår för dig (Little Drummer Boy)
6 Ave Maria
7 Mitt önskebrev till dig (Grown Up Christmas List)
8 Sen kom en vinter (Miss You Most At Christmas Time)
9 En släde för två (Sleigh Ride)
10 Som i en julnattsdröm (I'll Be Home For Christmas)
11 Dagen är kommen
12 Känner din värme (Maybe This Christmas)
13 Låt julen förkunna (Happy Christmas War Is Over)

This looks quite promising :) I can't wait to hear all the tracks!