Melodifestivalen 2005 will feature several artists who have had success outside Sweden. Some of them took the time for a chat with our reporter at the press conference in Stockholm to tell us more about their participation. Pictures of the press conference can be found in our multimedia section.

Alexander Bard and Martin Andrzej Rolinski, two members of Bodies Without Organs, showed up at the press conference. The band should actually have been performing at a television show in Kiev but had to cancel it due to the recent developments in Ukraine. Anna Marina Schiptjenko, the third member of the band, has a Ukrainian father.

�We�d like to take the opportunity to say hello to all our international fans and especially to all the people of Ukraine to whom we give our warmest support. We hope to be on stage in Kiev for the Eurovision Song Contest.� The band is sure that they would be nicely welcomed and successful in the Eurovision Song Contest if they got the chance, but is more worried about their first task: winning their Melodifestivalen heat in Linköping. �When we are done in Linköping we have a greater chance to win the rest,� say Alexander and Martin. �We are awaiting a huge competition with stars such as Arja Saijonma, Avalon and Fredrik Kempe who are competing in the same heat.�

Alexander Bard, a former Army of Lovers member, adds that the participation of Bodies Without Organs in Melodifestivalen 2005 is mainly for their Swedish fans and a way to become better known in Sweden. Despite the success Bodies Without Organs have in Eastern Europe, the band is less known in Sweden.

Another band with an international touch is Avalon, winner of the biggest Music Award in Africa and well known in Africa and France, but still rather undiscovered in home country Sweden. Avalon is very optimistic about their chances of winning Melodifestivalen 2005. �We will surprise the Swedish people with a stunning and exciting show on stage and hope that it will do the trick in order to obtain votes from the Swedish people,� they told to esctoday.com. Anyway, their participation will make them better known in Sweden.

Arja Sajonmaa is very happy to be back in Melodifestivalen. The Finnish star, who recently celebrated her 60th birthday, ended second at Melodifestivalen 1987 with Högt över havet and was guest hostess at Melodifestivalen 2000. This year Arja faced a luxury problem since she had two songs especially written for her. In the end she preferred to participate with Vad du än trodde så trodde du fel, a classic song that will be remembered like Högt över havet.

Arja is pleasantly surprised over the fact that a whole new generation has discovered her old songs. �I often hear six-year old children singing phrases of my old songs. That is fantastic and fun. It proves that the quality of the songs is great and long lasting,� she told our reporter in Stockholm before greeting all her international fans in Scandinavia, Finland and across Europe.

Click here to see our Melodifestivalen 2005 photo gallery with images taken at SVT's press conference.