Lopez Blogs

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.

I already mentined Babsan who recently has released Christmas single "Alla dessa jular" (from the same songwriting team who has written her Melodifestivalen-song "Ge mig en spanjor"). And here is another highlight of Babsan's career in 2010 - her big show-programme with After Dark drag-show she was touring with. Earlier it was shown by TV4 and you can check whole show here and also watch some separate performances on youtube. Glamour, schlager, loads of humour, dress-changes and happy mood - that's what you're gonna find there, so don't hesitate to check.

After Dark - (Åh) När Ni Tar Saken I Egna Händer
After Dark - Kungafamiljen
After Dark med Babsan - Svenska Stjärnor
After Dark med Babsan - Jetset-Babsan

Our new massive Meloupdate is coming with some new releases from next season participants, some other melorelated interesting information and Swedish-related news from Eurovision.
Well, let's start from one of our most anticipated artists - Dilba. Success of this amazing artist has started 14 years ago with single "I'm Sorry" becoming real classic hit of Swedish pop (you can check covers by September and Sonja Alden as examples of how this song is beloved) and now before debut in completely new area for Dilba - Melodifestivalen where she will show her new dance side Dilba presents first sneak peak of how good she can sound in dance-music and it's remix of "I'm Sorry" - very stylish trance-track made by Deejay Jay. Few years ago Kaveh Azizi has made another mix of this song - not less interesting just good in its own way, so sure we don't mind now this great song finally gets its official release in the mix, check it below.

Babsan as well has recently presented her Christmas single "Alla dessa jular" and it's exacly what you could expect from drag-artist working with After-dark before - kitchy, schlageristic and happy.

SVT has shown its annual chronicle of Melodifestivalen reviewing one more time everything that happened at latest season so if you want - you can take your ticket to time machine and remember how it was - all those great triumphs and bitter falls. Check it here.

Popular bets site Svenska Spel has published its odds for the winner and surprisingly it names Melody Club as the biggest favorite. Both previous years #1 pre-favorites didn't win but was in the final so good luck to Melody Club. Sure it's just predictions without any real base before songs are heard but there are some interesting moments we can mention like Elisabeth Andreasson quite low that points that she's not in that favorite schlager-league and will need to work hard to compete with younger schlager-rivals. Le Kid has climbed to #4 even though newcomers are rarely estimated well so big hopes are on them. Linda Pritchard is much higher by odds than year before and Rasmus Viberg with Simon Forsberg are examples of how newcomers can be underestimated (in my opinion).

Preselections are starting in other countries as well and you can already find some announced Swedish composers there. Romania will show its preselection final at December 31st in New Year's Eve and one of competitors is Claudia Pavel with the song "I Want You to Want Me" co-written with Örebro team Johan Fransson, Pontus Assarsson, Tim Larsson and Tobias Lundgren responsible for such a classic melohits like "Alcastar", "Om Natten", "Kalla Nätter", etc. And Norway that has chosen song of Fredrik Kempe and Hanne Sørvaag (Norwegian songwriter living in Sweden) year ago this time gets songwriting team Simone Larsen, Moh Denebi, Bjørn Djupström and Jennifer Brown (who participated in Melodifestivalen-2009 with the song "Never Been Here Before") performed by Noora Noor, by the way Hanne Sørvaag will participate in Norwegian MGP this time as artist with her own song "You’re Like a Melody".

And the last interesting news. Remember before I told you that Malena Ernman's "La Voix" being covered by Philipp Kirkorov and Anna Netrebko was awarded as Best Song and Best Duo of this year by the biggest Russian radio? Now cover has got video-treatment and it looks really not bad!!!

Some news that you should know if you are melo/eurofan or just around to check if we're still alive here. I am! Just a bit slowing down with October hyper-activity on blog. But you're good guys, we've got few hundreds more stable visits and I'm really glad you're with Swedish Stereo, feel like home, don't be shy and leave comments so I'll better see which artists are more interesting for you and which one I should put under the spot more frequently.
Alright back to post theme!
13th Melodifestivalen participant is officially announced and it's... Babsan!
Lars-Åke Wilhelmsson is 52 years old artist who just like After Dark has started his career back in 80s as dancer, clothes designer and drag show artist. Through many years Babsan has become popular character participating in different shows and public events and as well Lars was quite in demand as designer making costumes for some huge musicals. Recently he also worked in tour with After Dark.
Babsan will perform the song "Ge mig en spanjor" rejected year before and written by Larry Forsberg, Sven-Inge Sjöberg, Lennart Wastesson - songwriters behind "Crazy In Love", "La Dolce Vita" and "Wherever You Go". So no doubts some classic schlager is expected. How does Babsan sound with schlagers? Check the song "Gala Jetset Babsan" written by Thomas G:Son below and you'll see.

From other news webbjokers countdown is coming closer to Top-5 when everyday now we get one participant with least number of votes out and right now there are 8 participants left and we still have 5 our favorites in fight, the biggest ones in danger are Fredrik & Magnus and Julia Alvgard so please-please-please vote for them! And don't forget about sweetest Engla, Jonas Matsson and Anton & Dejo. Here they are, our webbjoker-saviours!

Engla - Don't stop (#142)
Jonas Matsson - On my own (#240)
Fredrik och Magnus - Get out (#162)
Julia Alvgard - Better or worse (118)
Anton & Dejo - I wanna be with you (185)

And the last thing - remember I told you about our "Drama" we've sent to Webbjoker contest? Currently we've sent it to Swiss pre-selection so if you like the song you can help us giving just a few minutes of your time. Just register on this site, fill this form, click the confirmation link in coming email, log in, mark us with 4 at this page and push button below. Thank you dear readers!