The wait is finally over for one of the most anticipated announcements of the Eurovision Calendar… the naming of the Melodifestivalen artists! Some of the all time favourite return, with Nanne Gronvall competing for the tenth time! Andreas Johnson returns after finishing in third place earlier this year and former Alcazar boys Magnus Carlsson and Andreas Lundstedt go head to head! Sonya Alden switches from English to Swedish and is tipped as a front runner whilst former Swedish representative in 2003, Jessica Andersson (Fame, 5th at the Eurovision Song Contest) has another try.
Nanne Grönvall's entry this year is likely to be her most emotional to date. She has recently returned to performing on stage in the second run of the muscial Sweet Charity after overcoming her battle with breast cancer. Her return to Melodifestivalen marks her return to the national limelight after enjoying a huge upsurge in popularity in 2005 with the song Hall om mig, which finished second and overwhelmingly won the televote in the Melodifestivalen final. She went onto huge success with the album, Alltid På Väg and her greatest hits album 20 År med Nanne 1985-2005, celebrating 20 years in the Schalger industry.
- Click here to purchase Nanne Grönvall's Alltid På Väg CD (special CDON price € 6.95)
- Click here to purchase Nanne Grönvall's 20 År med Nanne 1985 – 2005 CD
Andreas Johnson, who has a career in the USA as well as Sweden, returns to the competition for the second successive year. After earlier claiming that he was not sure if his schedule would allow him to sing the song himself, it seems clear that his first taste of the competition with Sing for mehas left him wanting more, and he seems an early favourite to improve on his 3rd place finish in 2006.
Sonya Alden is also being tipped as a front runner this time. She narrowly missed out on a second chance place earlier this year, singing Etymon, but qualified for the final as the Lyricist on The Poodles' song, Night of Passion which finished in fourth place. Sonya returns singing in Swedish this time and continues to prepare her debut album, due for release in 2007.
The boys of Alcazar, Andreas Lundstedt and Magnus Carlsson are both in the mix as solo artists this time around, and both are being tipped to win the competition. Andreas will perform for the third time as a solo artist, having performed Driver dagg faller regn in 1996 and Jag saknar dig, jag saknar dig in 1997. He of course also entered the group Six4One and performed for Switzerland at the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest.
Magnus joined Andreas in the group Alcazar who twice reached third place in Melodifestivalen, in 2003 with Not a sinner, nor a saint and in 2005 with Alcastar. Since the group split, Magnus has developed his solo career, recently releasing his second and third solo albums, the Christmas specials, Spår I Snön and En Ny Jul. He qualified for the final last year with Lev Livet and is strongly tipped to do so again with the song Live Forever.
- Click here to purchase Alcazar's Special Edition Dancefloor Delux Double CD
- Click here to purchase Magnus Carlsson's album, Magnus Carlsson
- Click here to purchase Magnus Carlsson's Christmas album, Spår I Snön
- Click here to purchase Magnus Carlsson's Christmas album, En ny jul
Jimmy Jansson is a face from Melodifestivalen 2005 and former Swedish Fame Factory participant. In his debut at Melodifestivalen, he reached the final with Vi Kan Gunga and he is expected by many to at least match that achievement this time around. He already has two albums to his name, the most recent being Som En Blixt from 2005. CD on have now re-stocked his debut album, Flickan Från Det Blå, at budget prices.
- Click here to purchase Jimmy Jansson's Som En Blixt CD
- Click here to purchase Jimmy Jansson's Flickan Från Det Blå CD
The Attic are enjoying a huge rise to stardom in Sweden at the moment. Debut album, The one was released on 8th November and went straight to the top of the Swedish itunes sales charts. Having already remixed tracks for top Swedish stars, Alcazar, Marie Serneholt and Darin amongst others. Now The Attic alias Michael Feiner & Erik Amarillo are teaming up with Therese Grankvist from Drömhus (MF 1999, second behind Charlotte Nilsson) and together they make a line-up that could be expected to win Melodifestivalen. Fans of dance music will also recognise Therese's voice from the global smash hit 'Put 'em high' in collaboration with Swedish DJ Stonewall in 2004.
For fans of Melodifestivalen, there is a compilation album available (released 2001) featuring many of the classic hits from the show over the years. Several of the 2007participants, including Magnus Carlsson, Andreas Lundstedt, Anna Book,and Nanne Grönwall are featured. The full tracklist can be found below.
- Click here to purchase the Svenska Schlagerfavourterna Double CD
- Click here to purchase Melodifestivalen 2006 – the CD
- Click here to purchase Melodifestivalen 2006 – the DVD
FULL TRACKLIST (2007 participants highlighted)
01: Allt Som Jag Ser Barbados (Magnus Carlsson)
02: Anropar Försvunnen Hanna
03: Se Mig Barbados (Magnus Carlsson)
04: Du Är Så Yeah Yeah Wow Wow Martin
05: Stjärna På Himlen Drömhus (Therese Grankvist)
06: Avundsjuk Nanne Grönwall
07: Du Gör Mig Hel Igen cajsa Lisa Ejemyr
08: Driver Dagg Faller Regn Andreas Lundstedt
09: Du Är Alltid En Del Av Mig Henrik Åberg
10: Det Vackraste Cecilia Vennersten
11: We Are All The Winners Nick Borgen
12: Vad Som Än Händer maria Rådsten
13: Ett Liv Med Dig towe Jaarnek
14: Kommer Du Ihåg Mig Jim Jidhed
15: Symfoni loa Falkman
16: Mitt I Ett Äventyr Carola
17: Upp Över Mina Öron Orup & Glenmark
18: Okey Okey lili & Sussi
19: 100 % lotta Engberg & Tripple & Touch
20: Högt Över Havet Arja Saijonmaa
21: Dansa I Neon Lena Philipsson
22: Alexandra Sound Of Music (Nanne Grönwall)
23: ABC Anna Book
24: Dover Calais Style
25: Kärleken Är Evig Lena Philipsson
26: Piccadilly Circus Pernilla Wahlgren
27: Hallå Hela Pressen Chattanoga
28: God Morgon Sweet'n'chips
29: Växeln Hallå Janne Lucas
30: Hit Men Inte Längre liza Öhman
31: Johnny The Rocker Magnus Uggla
32: Det Ligger I Luften Tomas Ledin
33: Om Jag Skriver En Sång Eva Dahlgren
34: Nattmara Pugh Rogefeldt
35: Minns Du Hollywood Tomas Ledin
36: Ska Vi Plocka Körsbär I Min Trädgå Ann Christine Bärnsten
37: Michelangelo Björn Skifs
38: Rockin''n'reelin' ted Gärdestad
39: Bang En Boomerang Svenne & Lotta Engberg
40: Min Kärlekssång Till Dig Lars Berghagen
41: Fröken Ur Sång Titti Sjöblom
42: Säg Det Med En Sång Lena Andersson
43: Du Skänker Mening Åt Mitt Liv ola Håkansson
44: Hej Clown jan Malmsjö
45: Gå & Göm Dig Åke Tråk Mona Wessman
46: Alla Har Glömt Towa Carson
47: Zum Zum Zum Lilla Sommarbi Ann Louise Hansson
48: Twist Till Menuett Lars Lönndahl
49: När Min Vän Monica Zetterlund
The Semi-final line-ups:
Semi Final 1 – 3rd February in Kinnarps Arena, Jönköping
Andersson & Gibson – Anything but you
Addis Black Widow- Clubbi'n
Sofia Berntson – Hypnotised
Tommy Nilsson – Jag tror på människan
Elin Lanto – Money
Andreas Lundstedt – Move
Anna Book – Samba sambero
Semi Final 2 – 10th February in the Scandinavium, Gothenburg
Lustans Lakejer – Allt vi en gång trodde
Jimmy Jansson – Amanda
Svante Thuresson & Anne-Lie Rydé – Första gången
Jessica Andersson – Kom
Regina Lund – Rainbow star
Malin Lindberg – Trying to recall
Cosmo4 – What´s your name
Semi Final 3 – 17th February in Swebank Arena, Örnsköldsvik
Måns Zelmerlöw – Cara mia
MissMatch – Drop dead
Sonja Aldén – För att du finns
Kapell Sheida – I mina drömmar
Nanne Grönvall – Jag måste kyssa dig
Magnus Carlsson – Live forever
The Attic feat. Therese – The arrival
Semi Final 4 – 24th February in Läkerol Arena, Gävle
Andreas Johnson – A little bit of love
Sarah Dawn Finer – I remember love
Verona – La musica
After Dark – Åh, när ni tar saken i egna händer
Caroline af Ugglas – Tror på dig
Emil Azar – Vi hade nåt
Sanna Nielsen – Vågar du, vågar jag
