All entries in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest are known, but the actual contest is still five weeks away. As a warm-up, we introduce one of the entries every day in random order. Part twenty-five is dedicated to the entry from Sweden.

Basic information

Performer:	Malena Ernman
Song:	La voix (The voice)
Language:	English and French
Music:	Frederik Kempe
Lyrics:	Frederik Kempe, Malena Ernman
Draw:	5th in the first semi final

The song

La voix is an operatic dance song performed in English and French. The lyrics, which are obviously wittingly kept simple, are a declaration of love:

Can you make a promise?
Can you make a promise?
Stay forever true
But I'm forever yours

Je t'aime, amour // I love you, my love
Quand j'entends la voix // When I hear the voice
Je t'aime, ami // I love you, my friend
C'est jamais sans toi // It is never without you

The singer

Malena Ernman attended various music schools including the Royal Academy of Music in Sweden, the school of the Royal Swedish Orchestra and the conservatory in Orléans, France. The mezzo-soprano singer is one of the most popular opera stars in Sweden having had her breakthrough in 1998 with her performance in the show Staden. Over the years, she has appeared in operas like The marriage of figaro, The barber of Seville, Carmen and Don Giovanni.

She has also performed as a sloist on many occasions, notably at the 1999 Nobel Prize award ceremony. Malena has performed not only in Sweden but all around the globe going as far as to Japan. So far, five albums were released: My love, Cabaret songs, Songs in season, Nachtgesänge and The high mass.Recordings of Die Fledermaus, Julie and Hercules with her were also released on DVD.

In 2009, Malena Ernman entered Swedish Melodifestivalen and hence the national selection for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest with the song La voix. She could win the selection and the single entered the Swedish charts and peaked at number two to date. Although it would be the first Swedish entry not to reach the of charts since the introduction of thecurrent Melodifestival system in 2002 if it does not manage to raise, it is the singer's first appearance in the charts and a remarkablesuccess for the opera singer. La voix will be the first Swedish entry in the contest with a notable amount of French lyrics.

The national selection

Melodifestivalen was once again to select the Swedish song and singer in the Eurovision Song Contest. For the eighth year, for semi finals and a second chance round were held before the grand final. However, a new duel system was introduced for the voting in the semi finals as well as the addition of a wildcard qualifier chosen by an international jury. Eventually, eleven acts competed in the national final. Malena Ernman was the favourite of the televoters and could win the national final despite being only seen seventh by boththe regional juries and the international jury.

Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest

Sweden was the second Scandinavian country to enter the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958. Since then, theytookhome the victory four times in 1974, 1984, 1991 and 1999. The country finished in the top ten another 25 times and is one of the most successful participating countries. It is also the only country apart from the big four that has been in the final of every Eurovision Song Contest since relegation started in 1993. However, the last two years were not very successful and marked the first time Sweden finished outside the top ten two years in a row in 20 years.

Vi önskar Sverige och Malena Ernman lycka till och ett bra resultat i Moskva!

Videos

Live in Melodifestivalen (semi final performance):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvcal0BRNXw&ap=%2526fmt%3D18&rel=0

National final performance (preview version):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_5Xa6kFHAA&ap=%2526fmt%3D18&rel=0

Malena Ernman performing in a TV show:

Other parts of this series

1. France
2. Portugal
3. Romania
4. Denmark
5. Netherlands
6. Cyprus
7. Latvia
8. Ireland
9. Malta
10. Armenia
11. Germany
12. Serbia
13. Belgium
14. Greece
15. Croatia
16. Poland
17. Czech Republic
18. Iceland
19. Moldova
20. Switzerland
21. Slovenia
22. Andorra
23. Ukraine
24. Spain

UPD (11/4/2009): We won't have an introduction article today but we willtake a look at the Montenegrin entry onSunday.

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