In a special TV show aired on Sweden channel SVT1 this Saturday, three-time Eurovision Song Contest performer and Swedish entrant to the 2006 contest, Carola, was named the best female artist in the country, with 2004 entrant Lena Philipsson taking the bronze award, 1998 representative Jill Johnson in fifth position, and ABBA's Agnetha in eighth.

The show airs each week, and looks at a different top ten in each episode. This time it was the turn of Sweden's female artists to be ranked, and many other familiar Eurovision or Melodifestivalen names joined Carola in the line-up. These included:

• Marie Bergman (ESC 1971 and 1994)
• Lill Lindfors (ESC 1966 and the host of the 1985 contest in Gothenburg)
• Siw Malmkvist (ESC 1960 – Sweden and 1969 – Germany)
• Lill Babs (ESC 1961)
• Nanne Grönvall (ESC 1996 and several Melodifestivalen appearances)
• Kikki Danielsson (ESC 1982 (as part of Chips) and 1985)
• Shirley Clamp (MF 2003, 2004 and 2005)

At the end of the show, Carola was unveiled as the winner of the top ten vote, as decided by TV viewers and visitors to svt.se. The full round-up is as follows:

1. Carola (ESC 1983, 1991 and 2006)
2. Helen Sjöholm
3. Lena Philipsson (ESC 2004)
4. Louise Hoffsten
5. Jill Johnson (ESC 1998)
6. Nina Persson (Lead singer of The Cardigans)
7. Robyn
8. Agnetha Fältskog (ABBA, ESC 1974)
9. Laleh
10. Marit Bergman