As one of the most hotly anticipated national selection events by fans, Sweden�s Melodifestivalen is no stranger to rumours and hype in tabloids at home and beyond. The latest of these, suggested by recent reports in Expressen, place Swedish superstar Carola together with two-time Melodifestivalen contestant Andreas Jonsson, in a possible duet for Belgrade.
It was already some time ago that Expressen reported on Carola’s wish to return to the contest, just two years after a successful fifth place at the Athens event. After the “fiasco” of The Ark’s disastrous seventeenth place for Sweden in 2007, the Swedish press seized upon the story at the merest hint that super-schlager singer Carola would sweep up the broken dreams and return Sweden to its former successes at the Belgrade contest next year. According to sources, she had already contacted Christer Björkman, former Eurovision representative himself, now responsible for Sweden’s Eurovision Song Contest entry each year.
Speculation fuelled
Now, Expressen hails the new “Super Duo” Carola and Andreas, fresh from a recent pairing in the show “Så ska det låta”. While a Melodifestivalen appearance together would play right into the hands of the enthusiastic press, official sources remain tight-lipped. Anne-Christine Blixt of “Så ska det låta” merely teases the press secretively: “I cannot say anything about this at the moment”, neither confirming nor denying – and continuing to fuel speculation. Equally, nothing has been forthcoming from the Carola camp either, with a tantalising “no comment” from representative Ulrika Hammar.
As for Andreas Jonsson, quotes are easier to come by to support a possible return. After last year’s Melodifestivalen, he mused: “the first year I came third, the second year I came second, so the next placing could be really good!”
The song itself, written by Andreas along with Peter Kvint, is the only given part of the equation at this moment in time, forming part of the 3,500-strong pile of entries which SVT’s secret jury will sift through in readiness for the national selection.
The bigger picture
Although rumours are currently dominated by fantasies about the über-duo, they are not the only names to be running through the gossip mill. According to Expressen, the list of names below will be involved in some way in the 2008 event – whether they get through is one thing, and whether they will actually perform as singers is another. Intriguing suggestions include the appearance of Shirley Clamp, Sonia Aldén and Sanna Nielsen together; would all three form a Swedish super-girl group to perform the entry together? Former Swedish and Norwegian representative (and 1985 winner as part of Bobbysocks), Elisabeth Andreassen, is down on the list too, in a possible Swedish comeback after her 1982 entry as part of Chips. Norwegian golden oldie Wenche Myhre is also tipped for a comeback – fans will remember her from Norwegian selections of old, and as the German entrant of 1968, who came sixth with Ein Hoch der Liebe in London.
- Carola och Andreas Johnson
- Darin
- Måns Zelmerlöw
- Mikael Rickfors
- Ola (from TV’s “Idol”)
- Kurt Olsson
- Shirley Clamp, Sonja Aldén och Sanna Nielsen
- Sara Löfgren
- Style plus Micke Syd
- Erika Norberg
- Wille Craaford och Meja
- Ann-Louise Hansson
- Elisabeth Andreassen
- Wenche Myhre
- Anna Holgersson
- Anki Bagger
- Valentino
- Peter Johansson
- Michael Michailoff
- Bröderna Rogendahl
