Road to Liverpool: Sweden

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Sweden.

Loreen

Loreen won the Swedish Melodifestivalen with a landslide. Her song “Tattoo” is written and composed by Thomas G:son, Jimmy ‘Joker’ Thörnfeldt, Jimmy Jansson, Moa Carlebecker, Peter Boström and Loreen herself. 

Loreen’s real name is Lorine Talhaoui. She rose to fame when she took part in Idol 2004. She reached the live shows with her performances. After that she featured in a song of Rob ‘n’ Raz, “The snake” and hosted a tv show. In 2011 we saw her back as a singer, in Melodifestivalen. She sang “My heart is refusing me“. The song did not reach the final of Melodifestivalen. A year later she was the favourite from the first moment on. She won Melodifestivalen and went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest with “Euphoria“. The song became one of the most successful Eurovision winners ever. After this, she released two albums and a lot of singles, some of which became hits in Sweden. “We got the power“, which she sang in the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest, was also a success abroad.
In 2017, Loreen did a new attempt to represent Sweden in Eurovision, but she failed. “Statements” did not reach the final of Melodifestivalen. It took Loreen six more years to be the Swedish representant again.

“Euphoria”, performed during the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö.

Melodifestivalen

Melodifestivalen is the Swedish national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. It is internationally recognized as the biggest and most viewed national final of all. Eurovision fans all over the world follow this final as if it is the one of their own country. Since 2002, Melodifestivalen expanded from a one evening event to an event with four semifinals, a 2nd chance round and a final. In recent years Eric Saade (“Every minute“) and Dotter (“Bulletproof“) were non-winners with a lot of success. Longer ago it was a group called Agnetha, Frida, Björn and Benny (Yes, Abba!), who got an international hit with “Ring ring“.

Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest

Sweden first participated in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958 with Alice Babs. She took the 4th place with her “Lilla stjärna”. The first victory is Eurovision history: ABBA won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with “Waterloo”. Not only because of conductor Sven-Olof Walldoff who was dressed like Napoleon. Also because no other Eurovision winner rose to fame like ABBA. Not immediately after Eurovision, but two years later.
In 1984 Herreys won the contest with “Diggy-loo diggy-ley”, to be followed in 1991 by mrs. Eurovision, Carola. She sang “Fångad av en stormvind”. In 1999 it was Charlotte Nilsson who sang “Take me to your heaven”. Loreen herself won in 2012 with “Euphoria”, and Måns Zelmerlöw was the last one with “Heroes” in 2015. Will Loreen bring the 7th victory? In that case, Sweden will hold the record of most victories, shared with Ireland.

Bookmakers

The betting odds say Sweden ís going to win. And we all know that, since 2017, the winners all had been no. 1 in the betting odds at least at some point. A Swedish victory is of course not sure, but at least very likely.

The song

And of course this is the song:

 

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Martijn

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