Ola says no more Melodifestivalen for The Ark

Ola Salo from The Ark said to Aftonbladet that the group will never do Melodifestivalen ever again. "Now we have won and that's it, it has been a great experience" Salo says. Salo continued by saying that he first wanted to meet Carola in Melodifestivalen but after meeting her he passed with a smile on his face he concluded.

source:oikotimes.com

Eurostars in Allsång på Skansen concert

Allsång på Skansen, the annual Swedish summer “singsong” kicked off on Tuesday in Skansen.

The community singing, which is the exact translation of the word “Allsång”, is all about eating, dancing and having fun watching famous stars on stage performing live in the Skansen wildlife park in Stockholm. The popular event sees this year, as well ,many Eurovision stars and hopefuls, amongst them The Ark, Lasse Berghagen and Nanne Grönvall.

The show is hosted by Anders Lundin known to Eurovision fans as the host of the 2000 contest in Stockholm. A day before yesterday saw the The Ark in their first appearance after this year's Eurovision Song Contest, as well as Melodifestivalen participants Pernilla Wahlgren and Electric Banana Band. In the weeks to follow the Skansen stage will see the following Eurostars:

July 3
Måns Zelmerlöw (Melodifestivalen 2007), Patrik Isaksson (Melodufestivalen 2006)

July 10
Lasse Berghagen, who participated for Sweden in 1975 Eurovision Song Contest and who also hosted the Allsång på Skansen from 1993-2003, managing to increase the ratings to an amazing 2 million viewers and, finally, Lasse Holm, composer of no less than five Melodifestivalen winners.

July 17
Svante Thuresson (Melodifestivalen 2007)

July 24
Peter Jöback (Melodifestivalen 1990) and Marie Lindberg (Melodifestivalen 2007)

July 31
E-type (Melodifestivalen 2004 and coach in this year's Lilla Melodifestivalen Artisterna with Shirley Clamp)

August 7
Nanne Grönvall ( Sweden 1996 and many times Melodifestivalen participant)

The show is broadcast on SVT in HDTV (High Definition) for the first time this year. Ticketing information in English can be found here .

The complete line up and more information in Swedish can be found here.

source:esctoday.com

No Melodifestivalen plans ahead, Paparizou says

The fiasco of the Eurovision result in Helsinki is not going to recur. Next year Sweden has to participate in the semi-final. SVT have already started to plan so they can send the best they have. Highest on the list of ‘wants’ are two names: Carola Häggkvist (40) and Helena Paparizou (25)

"There is place for them both"It could be a scramble between the schlager-divas.- The competition has room for both of them. We don’t see that as a problem. It might be rather them who do that, says the competition’s organiser Christer Björkman.As late as in the middle of May, Carola told in Icelandic TV that she is going to arrange something for next year:- Next year I’m going to celebrate that’s 25 years since “Främling” – it would be cool to be able to invite the audience in on that, since it’s a great way to come out in Europe.

read more HERE

photo:ANDREAS BARDELL - aftonbladet.se

Carola vs Helena Paparizou in Melodifestivalen 2008?

Swedish broadcaster SVT will do its utmost to make another spectacle of Melodifestivalen 2008.

The apotheosis of the Swedish selections for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Belgrade should be a duel between two former Eurovision Song Contest winners: Carola and Helena Paparizou.

In 2008 it will be exactly 25 years ago since Carola won the Eurovision Song Contest for Sweden with the song Främling. The 40 year-old singer wants as many people as possible to join the celebration. Carola already stated to be interested in another Melodifestivalen participation and another European adventure.

As for Helena Paparizou it is a matter of timing, according to Melodifestivalen organiser Christer Björkman. Ever since the Swedish singer won the Eurovision Song Contest for Greece in 2005, he has been in contact with Helena Paparizou concerning a participation in the Swedish Eurovision Song Contest selections.

Meanwhile, Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet asked for their readers' opinion. The participants in the poll clearly prefer Helena Paparizou to represent Sweden for the first time in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Belgrade, rather than Carola for the fourth time.

source:belgovision.com