There is no need to say more: this year's SchlagerPride was a big success! Former stars of Melodifestivalen dominated the evening. The line-up of international stars was also impressive; two former Eurovision Song Contest winners, Nicole and the Bobbysocks, attended the show. Also appearing; Selma from Iceland, Luminta & Sistem from Romania, Annabel Conde from Spain and Xandee from Belgium. A photo gallery of last night's event is up!
Yesterday it was raining in Stockholm, but as the SchlagerPride was about to start, the skies cleared up. Even a rainbow raised above Stockholm; a perfect start for a colourful Pride event!
Mark Levengood, host of Melodifestivalen in 2003 and 2005, hosted the evening. Pekka Heino, long time commentator of the Eurovision Song Contest at SVT and Thomas Lundin, commentator at YLE, co-hosted the event. Sanna Nielsen opened the evening with her Melodifestivalen entry from 2003, Hela världen för mig.
The evening was focused on Melodifestivalen classics. Many forgotten artists appeared on stage, in many cases performing their songs for the very first time since they competed with them at the Eurovision Song Contest. Remarkable appearances in that genre were “Shakin” Fredrik and Bel Air. Elisabeth Andreassen and Kikki Danielsson sang some of their old-time hits, from their time together in Chips.
Although Nicole with Ein bißchen Frieden and the Bobbysocks got a huge response from the crowd, it were the Melodifestivalen stars Linda Bengtzing and Arja Sajonmaa that pretty much won the hearts of the crowd yesterday.
The performing artists entered stage again for the closing song La det Swinge, the Bobbysocks' winning tune from 1985.
The ovations seemed never to stop and, to please the audience, Arja Sajonmaa was called back on stage to sing her Högt över havet once again. Some of the stars left for the official after-party at Club Mondo.
SchlagerPride 2005 – The complete list
First act
Sanna Nielsen – Hela världen för mig, her entry at Melodifestivalen 2003
Cecillia Wennersten – Var mig nära, her Melodifestivalen entry from this year
Shakin Fredrik – Fem i tolv, his Melodifestivalen entry of 1986, tonight performed for the first time again
Sarek – Älvorna and Genom eld och vatten, their Melodifestivalen entries from 2004 and 2003
Luminita & Sistem – Let me try, the Romanian entry at this year�s Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv
Nanna Hedén – Wherever you go, Melodifestivalen 2005
Carolina Wennergren – A different kind of love, Melodifestivalen 2005
Bel Air – 1+1=2, this “girl�trio” was reunited and performed their Melodifestivalen 1985 entry
Anna Book – ABC, her Melodifestivalen entry from 1986
Annika Burman – I en ding ding värld, Melodifestivalen 1988, flew from Florida in order to attend Stockholm Pride, sang her song for the first time in 17 years
Arja Sajonmaa – Högt över havet, Melodifestivalen 1987 and Vad du än trodde så trodde du fel, Melodifestivalen 2005, also sang Om natten for the very first time. The song was especially written for Arja but was sung by Jessica Folcker in this year�s Melodifestivalen
Selma – If I had your love and All out of luck, her Eurovision Song Contest entries from this year and 1999, representing Iceland
Linda Bengtzing, Anne Lié Rydé, Kikki Danielsson and Nanna Hedén � Håll om mig, Nanne Grönvall�s entry from this year's Melodifestivalen was sung by this special group created for tonight�s event
Second act
Jim Jidhed � Kommer du ihåg mig, Melodifestivalen 1991
Fredrik Kempe � Finally, Melodifestivalen 2004
Fredrik Kempe & Sanna Nielsen � Du och jag mot världen, Melodifestivalen 2005
Anabel Conde – Vuelve conmigo, Spain, 2nd place 1995 Eurovision Song Contest, backing singer for Andorra this year in Kyiv
Lasse Holm – Macaroni, not a Melodifestivalen song
Lasse Holm & Kikki Danielsson – Miss Decibel, their Melodifestivalen entry 1978, performed by them for the very first time in 27 years
Kikki Danielsson – Bra vibrationer, Melodifestivalen winner, finished at a 3rd place in the 1985 Eurovision Song Contest
Kikki Danielsson & Elisabeth Andreassen – Dag efter dag, Melodifestivalen winner and finishing 8th at the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest
Elisabeth Andreassen^- I evighet, Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix winner and runners-up at the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest
CatCat – Bye bye baby, Finlands representative at the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest ending 22nd
Karin & Anders Glenmark – Kall som is, Melodifestivalen 1984
Cecilia Vennersten – Den Vilda, Melodifestivalen winner, finished 3rd at the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest (with One More Time)
Xandee – One Life, Belgian representative at the Eurovision Song Contest of 2004, ended 22nd
Ann� Lie Rydé – Så nära, Melodifestivalen 2005
Lasse Holm & Monica Törnell – E' de' det här du kallar kärlek?, Melodifestivalen winner, ended 5th at the 1986 Eurovision Song Contest
Linda Bengtzing – Alla flickor, Melodifestivalen 2005
Nicole – Ein bißchen Frieden, winner of the 1982 Eurovision Song Contest, representing Germany
Bobbysocks – La det swinge, winner of the 1985 Eurovision Song Contest, representing Norway
Extra
Arja Sajonmaa – Högt över havet, Melodifestivalen 1987
Last year, the organization was criticised by many because of the amount of “harcore” Eurovision Song Contest participants. However, this edition was an intelligent mix of mainstream and hardcore schlager, which resulted in an overwhelmingly positive audience!
