Swedish Schlager superstar Carola wants the chance to sing with Finnish monster rockers and 2006 Eurovision Song Contest victors Lordi, Aftonbladet has reported.

Carola, who finished in fifth position at the Athens contest last year, explains that she is more than ready for the challenge. Speaking to Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat, she says "I understand that the masks are just an image." The members beneath the masks, who reigned supreme at the 2006 event, made certain tongue-in-cheek comments about the singer during their stay in Greece, and throwing down the gauntlet to meet in song appears to be a light-hearted reponse to that rivalry of old. "She looks sweet with all the botox", Mr Lordi mocked in Athens; "sure, I could also do with a little botox" he added honestly. About her entry Invincible, Lordi also added "it's just standard Eurovision stuff".

Not afraid
In the recent interview, Carola shows she is not afraid to respond to the jibes with a challenge: "I want to show that I'm not scared of them, and I'm not a diva." So – will the harmless fun-poking and neighbourly rivaly between the genres end in an unusual collaboration between Schlager Heaven and Hard Rock Hell? Perhaps. Already, the press have seized upon the winning song as an exercise in sharing: Lordi can have the hard rock while Carola takes the Hallelujah. Watch this space…