Lopez Blogs

Last week Stockholm celebrated new Britney Spears' album with release-fest and performance of main Swedish star-fan of Britney, there are actually two as I know - Sibel and Eddie Razaz (you could even watch Eddie on Idol auditions singing Britney's "Oops!...I Did It Again") so amazing Eddie was there to make really nice acoustic cover-performance with some big Britney's hits. As I wrote in my melotrip report I was lucky enough to meet Eddie and Rabih and to convince myself what a pleasant guys they are in life. Rebound have revealed that now their next aim is release of debut album and have performed their last single "Psycho", you can watch piece of it recorded by me below. As well don't forget to check beautiful new Rabih's cover of "The way you are".

One of the biggest Swedish pop-discoveries of 2010 Rebound starts new year with brand new single "Psycho" and their first video they participate in themselves!
Being artists we kept our eyes on since their participation in Idol-2009 and project that didn't left us without news during whole last year Rebound released 2 brilliant pop-singles "Hurricane" and "Not Helpless" celebrating fresh mix of r'n'b and dance music so popular in country but seems like never been taken successfully by someone else before and that's what was easily won by Eddie Razaz and Rabih Jaber - #1 of Swedish chart in a pack with thousands screaming fans around Sweden.
Not long time ago band presented video for stunning "Not Helpless (Rink´s If Only You Knew Remix)" that along with video looked like completely new separate release and now it's time for presentation of third single "Psycho".
"Psycho" is another amazing example of modern melodic pop generously powdered with r'n'b sound and ulra-tasty electronic production this time in a ballad vein but chorus still pushing right buttons to make listener sing along already after first listen. "Psycho" was written by Jonas Saeed (Ace Of Base, Ola, Darin) and American songwriter Greg Ogan (Jason Derulo, Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis, etc.) who also produced it. Mix was provided by Anders Hvenare (Miike Snow, Britney Spears, Tove Styrke) and the video shot by Mikeadelica that turned to be dark and bloody but exciting story to follow. Star team, star song and hopefully star success!

This Winter's going to be full of creative activity and plans for Rebound, it's "like a hurricane" and it starts today!
New RINK's If Only You Knew remix for their latest single "Not Helpless" was released followed by brand new video where you can watch mini-Rebound cheering up the crowd of contemporaries with this great track. Talking about mix - it's turned to be much more interesting than just remix, it sounds like completely new version of original song combining Robyn-smelling electro-pop production with more dancey beat but not losing original brilliant pop-tune, final product sounds like a hit and hopefully it will become hit! You can watch video here.
Soon we'll hear completely new single "Psycho" and this time we're finally gonna get music video with real Rebound, you can check "making video" clip with a small piece of the song right below and it seems like Rebound keeps their direction of modern pop with bigger urban touch and heavier electro-arrangement, very promising!

Soon we're gonna get brand new video for Rebound's next single "Psycho" that they shoot with Mikeadelika but for now we're staying with just two band's singles and we have nothing to do but discovering some unreleased pieces of their music.
Yesterday demo-record titled "Safe" sung by Eddie Razaz and written and produced among others by Chris Antblad (Sibel, Anders Ekborg, Larz Kristerz, Molly Sandén) has leaked on youtube and surprisingly though it's just a demo it sounds quite prepared and could easily be released on Rebound's album.
"Safe" is very calm minimalistic song in Bubbly-style with careless atmosphere where you don't really feel need in anything but synth, beats and Eddie's voice, very relaxing and enjoyable track.

This week Rebound visited "The Ana Gina show" and recorded music video with one the funniest and sweetest Swedish Internet-charecters these days - Khadidje.
Ana Gina is young and very popular Swedish blogger making some funny parodies in her vlogs and one of her featured charecters is Khadidje - muslim woman with some very traditional views on life in Sweden and as Ana has palestinian roots it can't be taken with anything but smile and no way as making fun of muslim part of Swedish population.
Video turned to 2 minutes of hurricane joy and fantastic energy of these three adorable persons. Time to re-name Rebound and Rekbound? Or Krebound? However guys need to work with Khadidje more!

Hope your weekend still keeps not boring and you get as much of relax and fun as you can! As I promised I continue to present some mixes I didn't have time to talk about before and here's another bunch of them.

First one is made by Benji Of Sweden to Rebound's last single "Not Helpless", unlike first #1 single "Hurricane" second group's single hasn't charted at all so it's got very nice remix treatment and plans for the third single. Very exciting news as first two singles were all sorts of amazing!

Another last Idol successful participant Tove Styrke was as well on fire this Summer appearing in the most popular TV-shows promoting her debut single "Million Pieces". Though we've got promises to get debut Tove's album this Autumn due to silence around her new releases we're not gonna get something fast but she also gets remix support from electro-artists - popular band Familjen.

Broken Door is ready for another hit after their previous single "Angel" and it's gonna be another song that we've told you about earlier this year - "In The Shadow (Sunday Morning)". As well to all fans of Da Buzz (where Pier Schmid also particpates) we can happily announce that group is going to return in a full mode in the beginning of next year so probably soon we'll be able to enjoy music of both projects. And now you can check another mix for "Angel" from Benji of Sweden.

Idol's team consisting of winner-2008 Kevin Borg, Melodifestivalen-star Sibel Redzep and new public favorites Eddie Razaz and Rabih Jaber have taken part in new season of "Fångarna på Fortet" competing with team of Let's Dance show participants. Sure it was interesting to see these artists climbing the walls, guessing riddles and passing different challenges to earn enough of keys earlier than their rivals to get to a next level. Eddie Razaz was pure star of team winning two challenges (third was won by Kevin) but it wasn't enough and Let's Dance team continued the game without Idols. In next episodes you'll also be able to see other Swedish stars: Anna Book, Arash, Blossom Tainton-Lindquist (Afro-dite), Denise "DeDe" Lopez, Henrik Rongedal, Joacim Cans (HammerFall), Johan Palm, Jonas "Basshunter" Altberg, Pernilla Wahlgren, Regina Lund, Richard Herrey (Herreys), Sara Lumholdt (A-Teens) and Stefan Nykvist (Larz-Kristerz). Check episode with Idol's team rigth below.

We've been waiting for it since May and finally it happened! Second Rebound's single "Not Helpless" recently was released on "NRJ Summer Party 2010" compilation and you can already enjoy it on youtube. The song perfectly keeps the style of the band containing r'n'b influenced verses, electro-pop vibes and infectious dance chorus with repetitive final string being completely stuck in your head after first listen. Official release single due to Rebound's blog is coming in the nearest future, next week the single goes to the radio and though guys are still very unsure about their future and touring around Sweden with programme consisting of popular hits covers in the mixes of Sara Varga, it's obvious that they've got a huge fans-army for the last year since they appeared on Idol casting and new Rebound's stuff is on the way.

By the way you can check this site and found out some nice specially recorded ringtones with Eddie's vocal (The Curtain, Hej Hej, Arvika and Get to), my favorite one is "The Curtain" - pleasant track with a nice Spanish fiesta-relaxing mood and Eddie's melodic velvet vocals along with female Laleh-like voice.

In the end of July Stockholm will host annual Pride festival with loads of different public events and open-air performances, as a rule it gathers most interesting and currently important schlager-names, so some of approved ones are Hera Björk, Hanna Lindblad, Jenny Silver, NEO, Safura, Anne-Lie Rydé, Rebound, Mariette Hansson, Caroline af Ugglas, sure this list's gonna be much longer in a few weeks.
Every year Stockholm's Pride gets it's official anthem and this year is no exception and it's Ankie Bagger & Peter Gustafsson who provide the anthem this time. It's not the first work of Ankie and Peter together, year before they recorded their first schlager-experiment "Du kan inte lura mig" (joke song about woman fallen in love with gay-guy) written by Thomas G:Son that reached #4 of chart.
"Secret Weapon" is as classic disco-schlager as it can be, like it or not, and sure it's gonna suit its aim very well, the song is written by Ulf Ekwall, Fredde "Francis" Jernberg and Charlie Mason. You can check enjoyable live performance of it below, it really lifts the song to a new level and changing this dead audience to open-air party people it could sound and look really great.

You can check the list of other Stockholm Pride's anthems of 00s. Best one to your opinion?

Jonas Hedqvist - I am What I am (2001)
Christer Björkman, Rickard Engfors och Shirley Clamp - La Vie (This is My Life) (2002)
Alcazar - Someday (2003)
Nina & Kim - Universe of Love (2004)
Leana - Dance With a Stranger (2005)
Christer Lindarw och Stockholms Gaykör - Kom ut! (Go West!) (2006)
6 am feat. Cissi Ramsby - I'm Gay (2007)
BWO - The Bells of Freedom (2008)
Marit Bergman - Casey, Hold On (2009)

Just a few weeks left before one of the main cultural events of this year in Sweden - marriage of princess Victoria and Daniel Westling and Stockholm's already preparing for this royal celebration. This Sunday when Sweden will be celebrating National Day (as always with some exciting open-air concerts in Stockholm) 2-weeks festival LOVE Stockholm 2010 will start with different activities all over the city and will finish on 19th June in a day of Victoria's wedding. These days Stockholm will see performances of artists like Darin, Carola, Alexander Rybak, Anna Bergendahl, Timoteij, Salem Al Fakir, Erik Grönwall, Orup, Martin Stenmarck, Moto Boy, Ola, Cookies N Beans, Shirley Clamp, Anne-Lie Rydé, Sanna Nielsen, Fibes, Oh Fibes!, Alice Svensson, Rebound, Nanne, Rigo, Amy Diamond. Check information about festival here and watch trailer of festival with Linda Sundblad's "Making Out" as soundtrack.

This week Sommarkrysset hasn't left us without another Melodifestivalen-2010 discovery, fresh pop-project and premiere of new single from one popular artist.
If you're really into Swedish pop you couldn't miss great hit of this Spring "Kom" from new girl band Timoteij, band whose album has become golden for one day. Another freshest pop-project that I've been talking about is Rebound!, they performed their successful debut single "Hurricane" with Sara Varga as DJ. And finally Eric Gadd presented his new single "Rise Up!" from forthcoming album "Rise Up" that's gonna be released in July. Host of the show this time was Linda Bengtzing and foreign guests were American Joshua Radin and Scottish Amy Macdonald. Check their performances below.

Eric Gadd - Medley
Amy Macdonald - Don't Tell Me That It's Over
Joshua Radin - I'd Rather Be With You

Update 12.08.2010 - Check "Not Helpless" here.

Not so much time passed since last season of Swedish Idol but after successful debut albums of the winner Erik Grönwall and runner-up Calle Kristiansson Sweden gets new Idol-stars. Two friends Eddie Razaz and Rabih Jaber from Idol-2009 decided to join forces in effort to reach success and called themselves Rebound! First single "Hurricane" has attracted a lot of public attention and even more after Eddie's come-out in local gay-magazine QX. Last weeek single has become #1 in Sweden and next single "Not Helpless" is on the way to be released later this year. Guys already perform it live and it's not less great work with catchy chorus and modern electro-pop-r'n'b sound that's gonna become another step to strengthen Rebound in a status of new-born stars in Swedish music.