Elin Lanto opens Melodifestivalen on Saturday but doesn�t feel nervous at all. She enjoys her participation in the contest but reveals for esctoday.com that she never has had any dreams about taking part. This might very well be the first and only Melodifestivalen for her.

How does it feel to take part in the contest?

It feels great, but honestly I have never had any dreams about participating. I was never one of those young girls who stood in front of the mirror and hoped to be on a Melodifestivalen stage one day.

Why did you decide to take part in Melodifestivalen this year?

My song �Money� was originally written to be one of the tracks on my album. After finishing it we thought it would be perfect for Melodifestivalen and decided to enter with it. Melodifestivalen is so much more than traditional schlager music nowadays and therefore it feels okay to participate. The contest has become a totally different event than it used to be a couple of years ago.

Do you consider this as a one-off event then?

Well, I should not say �never again�, because one never knows. But I can�t see my self entering songs year after year. I am not really a Song Contest artist. I have had requests to sing other songs earlier, but I have always decided to turn the offers down.

Were you satisfied with the first rehearsals?

Not really. I focused a lot on finding the right angles, making the right moves and so on. I am definitely not dissatisfied but I can do much better than this. From here it will just be better and better!

Can you describe your song �Money�?

It�s a great pop song! It�s not a schlager song at all, really. We have a great show on stage, which I really enjoy. Participating in Melodifestivalen is actually the only chance to be able to put on a big stage show like this. The lights, all the dancers and everything feel wonderful! It�s what I would like to define as an international show number.

What is your goal on Saturday?

I want to make a great performance and I aim for winning. I have a great pop song, I think, and it would do well internationally. To win is my goal! Otherwise I wouldn't participate.

Do you aim for an international career?

Definitely! The next step in my career is to release an album that can do well both in Sweden and internationally. The kind of pop music I sing is international pop. I would love to have an audience in Europe and� yes, everywhere!

Have you done anything outside of Sweden yet?

Yes, recently I went to China to perform there. Big artists in China have released albums with my songs earlier and they are quite popular. I can feel that they are very interested in me in China and we are negotiating about releasing my album there soon.

How are you preparing for the show on Saturday night?

There is so much going on here in Jönköping. I haven�t really had the time to think about it and I don�t have time to feel tired. My schedule is full and it�s important to focus on one thing at a time.

Good luck with the performance on Saturday!

Thanks!