Carola

Carola Häggkvist, born on September 8, 1966, in Stockholm, Sweden, is a renowned Swedish pop singer and songwriter. She gained national fame at the age of 16 when she won Melodifestivalen 1983 with the song “Främling,” which became the best-selling album in Swedish music history, selling around one million copies. Her career spans various genres, including pop, gospel, and schlager, and she has released albums in multiple languages, such as Swedish, Dutch, German, English, Norwegian, and Japanese.​

In 1990, Carola returned to Melodifestivalen with the song “Mitt i ett äventyr,” written by Stephan Berg. The song finished second in the competition, narrowly missing the opportunity to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest that year. Despite not winning, the song became a hit and is remembered as a significant part of her musical repertoire. ​

In 1991, she made a triumphant return to Melodifestivalen with “Fångad av en stormvind,” again penned by Stephan Berg. The song won the competition, earning Carola the right to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest in Rome. At Eurovision, she secured victory for Sweden, marking the country’s third win in the contest’s history. The song became a massive hit across Europe, further cementing her status as one of Sweden’s most prominent female singers. ​

In 2006, Carola participated in Melodifestivalen with the song “Evighet,” co-written by Bobby Ljunggren, Thomas G:son, Henrik Wikström, and Carola herself. She won the competition, representing Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens, where she finished in fifth place. This achievement made her one of the few artists to have top-five finishes in three different decades at Eurovision. 

In 2008, Carola returned to Melodifestivalen as part of the duo Johnson & Häggkvist, alongside Andreas Johnson. Their entry, “One Love,” co-written by Carola, Andreas Johnson, and Peter Kvint, competed in the second semi-final held in Västerås on February 16, 2008. The song placed third in the semi-final, advancing to the Second Chance round (Andra Chansen) held in Kiruna on March 8, 2008. In the Second Chance round, “One Love” was eliminated in the first duel against Nordman’s “I lågornas sken,” thus not qualifying for the final. ​

Throughout her career, Carola has been recognized for her contributions to Swedish music and culture. In 2023, she was awarded the Illis quorum medal by the Government of Sweden, one of the country’s highest honors. ​

As of 2025, Carola continues to be a significant figure in Swedish pop culture, known for her dynamic performances and enduring appeal across generations.