Lopez Blogs

Title of the best song of this year's national ESC-selections (outside of MF-bubble) due to Swedish Stereo opinion goes toooooo... Jenny Berggren's "Let Your Heart Be Mine"!
I still consider this song is all sorts of incredible, touching, powerful, it's everything we adore in 3 minutes of dramatic Eurovision dance-pop!
Everyone who prefer to keep a bit more dancey have got opportunity to enjoy the song in lovely mix from DJ Calboy - right that sort of mix you need for Eurovision song with huge anthemic dance-beat not changing basic tune and stunning key-change. You can also check it in video-mix with extended version right below and download pack of Calboy mixes on Ultimate Ace Of Base site.

Yesterday Jenny Berggren has made performance at Danish preselection to Eurovision with brand new song "Let Your Heart Be Mine" that we were excited even before we've heard it first time and the song has turned to be even bigger pop-delight than we expected. Performance was also very interesting with Jenny in gorgeous dress and nice trick of dancers rolling giant lattice behind Jenny that we already really liked! Unfortunately Jenny hasn't gone too far in competition and Denmark has chosen song that sounds like twin of Andreas Johnson's "Sing For Me" but it doesn't make Jenny's song any worse. Check performance below.

As we already told you earlier this year Ace Of Base ex-vocalist Jenny Berggren will try her luck in Danish pre-selection to Eurovision and final will be held already this Saturday.
Jenny competes in selection with the song "Let Your Heart Be Mine" written by Swedish Thomas G:Son (author of numerious Eurovision and Melodifestivalen songs) and Danish Jeppe Federspiel (who worked on some latest hits for Medina and Rasmus Seebach and many other Danish artists). But is there anything you could expect from Schlager-G:Son or Medina's author? Not really! Jenny does her own thing and her voice plays a big part in it making the song sounding like Ace Of Base of new generation with modern dance-production and loads of pain and passion in vocal. Thomas G:Son can be very flexible to artists he works with and this time obviously he worked with Ace Of Base-Jenny. Do we like result? Damn, it's brilliant! Though we didn't expect anything less after Jenny's solo-album that we still consider as one of the best pop-albums of 2010. No ideas how far it will go in selection but really hope Jenny's performance will open window to Denmark for her.

Nu är det hektiska tider i Eurovisionens underbara värld. Det är ett heltidsjobb att hänga med bland alla nyheterna så det har jag gett upp. Danmarks Melodi Grand Prix 2011 är värd en närmare titt. Det verkar bli en svenskinfluerad final.
 Busy, busy time in the world of Eurovision. It’s a full time job to keep an eye on everything so I don’t even try. But let’s have a look at Denmark’s Melodi Grand Prix 2011. A final which is very influenced by Swedes.

Jenny Berggren från Ace of Base har blivit förärad med ett Wild Card av dansk TV. Numera har hon övergett succégruppen som slog igenom för 20 år sedan och satsar på solokarriär. Hennes låt i MGP heter "Let your heart be mine" och den har fått en injektion av ‘schlager-gurun’ Thomas G:Son.
Jenny Berggren, from the Swedish success group Ace of Base, has got a wild card from Danish TV. Jenny is no longer a member of the group. She released a solo album last year. Her MGP song "Let your heart be mine" has got a Swedish injection from the ‘schlager-guru’ Thomas G:Son.


Fjolårets danska vinnarlåt 'In a Moment Like This' var skriven av trion Thomas G:son, Henrik Sethsson och Erik Bernholm. I år gör de en ny ansats att vinna med låten ”25 Hours A Day” som framförs av disco-partybandet Le Freak. Bandet medverkade för övrigt i ESC redan ifjol som bakgrundskör till Chaneé & n'evergreen. Håll ett extra öga på detta bidrag.
The Danish winner last year was 'In a Moment Like This', written by songwriter-trio Thomas G:son, Henrik Sethsson and Erik Bernholm. The trio is trying to repeat the success with an entry called ”25 Hours A Day” and the performers are the disco-party-group Le Freak. The group participated in ESC last year as backing vocalist to Chaneé & n'evergreen. Keep an extra eye on this song.

Övriga svenskinsatser i Dansk Melodi Grand Prix är Henrik Janson som tillsammans med Hanif Sabzevari skrivit låten 'You'll Get Me Through' som framförs av Sine Vig Kjærsgaard.
Henrik Janson is another well-known composer who has written 'You'll Get Me Through' together with Hanif Sabzevari. Sine Vig Kjærsgaard is the singer.


The participants in the final 26 February:
Lee Hutton: “Hollywood Girl”
Composers: Matilde Kühl, Sune Haansbæk & Ian Mack

Sine Vig Kjærgaard: “You'll Get Me Through”
Composers : Henrik Janson & Hanif Sabzevari

Le Freak: “25 Hours A Day”
Composers: Erik Bernholm, Henrik Sethsson & Thomas G:son

Kat and Justin Hopkins: “ Black And Blue”
Composers: Patric Johnson, Joakim Övrenius & Justin Hopkins.

Christopher Brandt: “Emma”
Composers: Christopher Brandt & Sisse Søby

A Friend In London: “New Tomorrow”
Composers: Lise Cabble & Jakob Glæsner

Jeffrey: “Drømmen”
Composers: Jeffrey, Lasse Lindorff, Svend Gudiksen, Daniel Fält & Kim Nowak-Zorde

Anna Noa: “Sleepless” (Wildcard)
Composers: John Gordon, Lene Dissing & Peter Bjørnskov

Stine Kinck: ”Hvad Hjertet Lever Af” (Wildcard)
Composers: Pharfar, Rasmus Allin, Fresh-I & Stine Kinck

Jenny Berggren: “Let Your Heart Be Mine” (Wildcard)
Composers: Jeppe Federspiel, Thomas G:son

Source: dr.dk
Photos: Lilian, eurovision.tv. dr.dk

Breaking news today were delivered from Denmark where finalists of national Eurovision final were announced. As always we can find there some familiar Swedish songwriters names like Henrik Janson (responsible for Melodifestivalen-hits like "You're Out of My Life", "The Saviour", "The Queen") and Hanif Sabzevari ("Unstoppable") who have written song "You'll Get Me Through" for Sine Vig Kjærgaard. Thomas G:son, Erik Bernholm and Henrik Sethsson who composed "In a Moment Like This" last year this year participate with the song "25 Hours A Day" for disco-project Le Freak and Justin Hopkins with Patric Jonsson and Joakim Övrenius previously involved in Danish MGP and MF (Michael Michailoff "That's Love", Thomas Barsøe, "Just like rain") have also written "Black And Blue" for Kat and Justin Hopkins.
But really crazy news are that Jenny Berggren is wildcard of selection and what a great team of songwriters behind her!!! Thomas G:son who wrote the most successful entries of both Denmark (Chanée and N'evergreen "In A Moment Like This") and Sweden (Carola "Invinsible") for the latest 8 years (if we forget about Fame and Lena with the same results). But Thomas also gets help of Jeppe Federspiel (part of producing tema Providers) who delivered incredible hits for Medina lately ("Kun for mig", "Velkommen til Medina", "Ensom", etc.). Perfect combination to wait for national final on 26th of February! More information here.

Swedish participation wasn't so successful in Norway though. Last year Fredrik Kempe's song "My Heart Is Yours" has won MGP and this Jennifer Brown with Simone Larsen, Moh Denebi and Bjørn Djupström have written song "Gone with the wind" for soul-artist Noora Noor who hasn't reached final but still provided brilliant performance!

Maltese selection is also full of Swedish entries this year:
- Fabrizio Faniello - No Surrender (Johan Stentorp, Johan Bederholm)
- J.Anvil - Topsy Turvy (Jonas Gladnikoff, Niall Mooney, Andrew Zahra, Deo Grech, Natasha Turner)
- Kelly Schembri - Love Me Like Your Money (Erik Rydmark, Sven Lundholm, Gerard James Borg)

Our favorite here is clearly pop-rock schlager from Fabrizio.

Jonas Gladnikoff's song "Tensão" written with loads of his other friends (Daniel Nilsson (m), Henrik Szabo (m), Johnny Sanchez (m), Jonas Gladnikoff (m), Michael Eriksson (m), Filipa Ruas (l), Pedro Sá (l)) this year competes in Portugeese preselection performed by Filipa Ruas. Nice dance song

Swedish Stereo wishes you Merry Christmas guys!!! Hope you'll celebrate it in good company and/or with some great music.
Only Christmas posts today and firstly I'd like to pass you amazing music Christmas congratulations from Jenny Berggren consisting from 2 parts. First one is Christmas story written by Jenny and with composition "To Isak" by her husband Jakob Petrén and the second part is Franz Gruber's classic Christmas anthem "Stilla natt" performed live in church by Jenny - very inspirational performance and very beautiful and careful present to fans. Enjoy!

Jenny Berggren's album "My Story" is finally out and we get one of undoubtfully best Swedish pop-releases of the year!
When new Ace Of Base has made attempt to mark their new music with their original 90s sound surprisingly it turned to sound like completely different project, nice but having almost nothing common with old Ace Of Base, otherwise Jenny doesn't seem to be eager to stuck on Ace Of Base sound but it comes naturally that it's she who sounds like Ace Of Base of new generation - familiar and so beloved but grown and evaluated.

1. Intro - Spiritual mystic rising choir with "Free Me" beat moving closer.
2. Free Me - Jenny's answer to Womanizer with wild synth and infectious beat, track definitely sounds more interesting in whole album's conception.
3. Living In A Circus - circus orchestra and cabaret melodics of verses blasting with loud pop-choruses.
4. Spend This Night - track starts with charming trance vocals switching to fairytale bells in enigmatic verses and passionate and more straight choruses.
5. Dying To Stay Alive - I guess everyone who hears this track mentions similarity with "Beautiful Life" so do I. Dark industrial verses with agressive beat are growing to wild dance agony and infectious Ace Of Base breathing "o-o-o".
6. Numb - very touching sincere track stepping on a glass in a vein of Lara Fabian's heartbreaking ballads.
7. Gotta Go - one of the most hit-sounding tracks of the album sounding like a mix of Kylie's "Get Outta My Way" and Mel C's "I Turn To You" in modern dance cover of choruses and tasty pop-rock verses.
8. Here I Am - anthemic disco-debut of Jenny with smooth verses and pop-ecstatic chorus that officially presented comeback of Jenny earlier this year.
9. Give Me The Faith - soulfull euro-ballad, complicated, moving, originally structured and growing by its own rules.
10. Beat Of My Heart - you could expect this track from first albums of Alcazar with latino-vibes and twisty base.
11. Air Of Love - one of the best songs on the album, starting with cold verses opening in amazing flying melody of chorus.
12. Natural Superstar - European dance-track with chill-out verses and choruses built on catchy whistle sample.
13. Here I Amsthlm Sound Radio Remix - it's not mix from Here I Am single, more dancey club mix that could be easily found on any dancefloor.
14. Going Home - guitar pop-track with folk-melody, charming violins part and great finishing of the album!

Once I've read on Rickard Engfors blog that what he likes the most in Jenny is that she's very natural person who's not afraid to be herself and never trying to make someone else. That's what album is about! It's Jenny and her own story, she doesn't try to meet requirements of some actual brands which some others artists are eager to copy in a search of success. Otherwise she knows what her fans expect from her and doesn't go experimental as she was and stays europop-artist so she gives different pieces of the most different sides of her music naturally and with pleasure creating her own world and writing her own story that you're living through with her from the first till the last track. So don't hesitate to check its preview above right now!

Mohombi right after promo-tour in Europe keeps touring in US promoting his fresh hit-stuff with hyper-active programme of visits to radiostations, clubs, etc. One of his stops was on AMP Radio where he gave big interesting interview and performed both of his last singles "Bumpy Ride" and "Miss Me" and future hit "Coconut Tree" that's gonna be released in duet with Nicole Scherzinger and produced by RedOne - due to acoustic performance it still contains warm summerish vibes of Mohombi music but more romantic and intimate that's going to make this duet amazing.

Mohombi - Bumpy Ride
Mohombi - Miss Me

Jenny Berggren who has just released yesterday her solo-album "My Story" visited XL-live with sweet acoustic performance of two album tracks - "Gotta Go" and "Give Me A Faith". Album's (that's all sort of brilliant) definitely caught audience interest on iTunes and right now really needs some more promotion so we hope to see more of Jenny in close time.

And another artist who has just presented new album is Anders Ekborg. After release of new album "Painted Dreams" he performed tracks from it in Nyhetsmorgon. Being one of the most respectable live performers of Swedish music no need to say performance was quite strong!

Anders Ekborg - I come unarmed
Anders Ekborg - Ensam i natten

Being hardcore Jenny Berggren's follower I'm eager to tell you about any new leaked pieces of her album "My Story" and thanx for the tips to Oliver we get another new song "Dying To Stay Alive" from the album that's gonna be released already tomorrow and this new track was presented by Jenny on the radio today.
It's more agressive and dynamic pop-song comparing previous Jenny's singles with hard base, guitars and passionate vocal manner, it still has amazing tune and o-o-o part that can make you think about old good Ace Of Base of 90s.
By the way besides "Here I Am" (and Sthlm Sound Facility Remix that's also included in tracklist), "Free Me" and "Gotta Go" we're gonna listen another previously performed song "Give Me The Faith" - christian ballad presented by Jenny few years ago. Will it get new sound on the album? We will know very soon!

New dance-show Dansfeber on TV4 featured today two highlights we can't pass by.
Jenny Berggren has gone pink and blonde and performed Marilyn Monroe's "Diamonds Are A Girls Best Friend" from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes that looked quite impressive taking into account that Ace Of Base never used choreography a lot. Politician Fredrick Federley has tried to repeat Eric Saade's Melodifestivalen show including absolutely everything (and water as well). Was it good enough for politician? You can check yourself right below!
Unfortunately none of them won (journalist Ronny Svensson has taken place in the final instead) but it was enjoyable to watch, by the way you can see Pernilla Wahlgren as member of programme's jury.

Jenny Berggren is back with new single "Gotta Go" and OH MY GOD HOW GREAT IS THAT!!!
This moment I need to forget all my doubts about forthcoming Jenny's album "My Story" (planned for this Autumn) being experimental work like her first presented song "Free Me", now I'm sure it's gonna be perfect pop-album that had to be released under name of Ace Of Base and be a real worldwide hit.
The song is pure pop-perfectness sounding like more mature and poppier sister of Kylie's "Get Outta My Way" with dramatic verses, hard drums and guitars blown away by gentle breathe of pre-chorus and coming back with catchy dance-base and amazing tune in a full power. I don't know what I like the most about this song. Probably everything!
First Jenny's single "Here I Am" has reached #14 in Swedish chart, let's wish second single will succeed more.

I'm staying quite nasty blogger these days. It's such a weird thing though - every last day on some of my favorite blogs I see bloggers writing about how much they are currently loaded with work, what is it? Maybe just this heat slowing us down?
Well, however not to leave you too bored and to turn you on a bit I'd like to share with you some nice mixes you'd spend this hot Summer along with.
First of all I should mention Soundfactory's best work for last 2-3 years at least. It's made for Linda Pritchard's last single "Miracle" and it's just brilliant with fantastic beat that we could expect from Von Der Burg's team, great scandi-dance bass line, play with Linda's amazing vocal, anthemic choir in the middle eight, totally ecstatic, check it!

Another worth listening mix that I would recommend to you is for Jenny Berggren's last single "Here I Am" made by Sthlm Sound Facility (songwriting team behind the song), very nice trance-work.

Pandora released Euroversion of her currently promoted "You Believed" and this time exactly what you could expect from eurodance-queen - powerful, energetic and very danceable.

Nexx has released in Sweden "Paralyzed" one of songs from their album "Synchronize Lips" in remixed version from DJ Andi. Sounds quite Romanian dance-pop that's sure a good thing (oh, is DJ Andi Romanian? Then I've guessed right!).

Basshunter's new hit "Saturday" has got Almighty treatment as great as Almighty can make. Hope it'll finally convince the world that this song deserves to become hugest hit of Basshunter though it's already widely played across Europe and #21 of UK chart isn't bad at all.

Also you should taste Therese' Alesso remix for "Drop It Like It's Hot" and check fragment of this gorgeous lady's recent performance, isn't she lovely?

And finally don't forget to listen Mohombi's new Chuckie mix for "Bumpy Ride", it's very-very nice as well.

This week Stockholm is full of different music events connected with Stockholm Pride. So everyone who will visit Swedish capital these days will be able to see Sarah Dawn Finer, Linda Bengtzing, Christer Sjögren, Pauline, Rebound, Le Kid, Titiyo, Marit Bergman, Sibel, Jenny Silver, NEO, Hanna Lindblad, Safura, Hera Björk, Lena Meyer-Landrut (not announced officially yet but quite obviously), Therese Grankvist, Anna Maria Espinosa, CC & Lee, Love Generation, Jonathan Fagerlund, Sandra Dahlberg, Ankie Bagger and many-many others. So we're waiting for some live performances leaking soon on youtube.
Cheers friends! Swedish Stereo's turning to a normal working mode very soon.

Recently pop-blogs all over the web with a huge excitement announced about brand new song Mr. Replay by new Ace Of Base consisting of the same male part - Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg and two young female vocalists Clara Hagman and Julia Williamson. It was hard to believe for me that it's official thing as the song sounded too much...hmmm, close to roots of Ace Of Base back in the 90s. Also thanx for the tips to scandipop we could hear the clips of new AOB music on party with Ulf's participance. That stuff was also surprisingly close to AOB roots so my fears that "Mr. Replay" was a fake seemed to be in vain. I'll remind you that Jenny Berggren who recently started her solo-career was twitting a lot that Ace Of Base is she and guys and there can't be any other staff under their name, but finally rumours which were going around long time was approved and new Ace Of Base came out under the light of press. Ulf told Aftonbladet that they didn't see Jenny in the studio two years and "Mr. Replay" is demo-version of new Ace Of Base song that will be released on their new album.
Jenny is touring right now around Sweden and preparing her debut solo-album "My Story" that will be released on September 15th. You can check some her performances on Bingolotto and acoustic live performance of debut solo-single "Here I Am" and other stuff below.
So what are you more excited about - debut album of Jenny or debut album of new Ace Of Base?

Jenny Berggren - Here I Am (Live on Bingolotto)
Jenny Berggren - The Sky Proclaims Your Glory (Live)
Jenny Berggren - I Turn To You (Live)
Jenny Berggren - Ravine (Live)

It wasn't easy for Ace of Base fans to wait for some absolutely new release from their beloved Scandinavian icons 8 years! Band has released new compilation "Greatest Hits, Classic Remixes and Music Videos" with new mixes of old classics in 2008 and another compillation "Platinum & Gold" in 2010 but sure everybody waited for new songs. In 2007 Linn Berggren left band and in 2010 Jenny Berggren announced starting her solo-career though band denied all the rumours about band's break-up and replacing Jenny with new female members (due to most recent rumour Ulf Ekberg decided to work with Clara Hagman (Idol-2009) and unknown singer Julia - though it's unclear if they will be performing as Ace Of base or completely new project). First experimental step of Jenny was song "Free Me" that wasn't released but video for this song was shot and out in web. And now Jenny releases her new single "Here I Am", great energetic pop-anthem with big chorus and Ace Of Base classic but modernized sound, and premiere of video is today, watch it below!