Eurovision 2016: Review: Sweden: Frans: If I Were Sorry

Frans: Another Swedish winner?

And finally, for this year at least, our attention turns to host nation Sweden and their entry If I Were Sorry, a song which is co-written and performed by 17-year-old Frans.

Coming from someone so young, it's not surprising that the track is probably the most contemporary in the competition. An almost spoken narrative dominates the song and this in itself is conspicuous by an accent which sounds like a mixture of Eastenders combined with ABBA.

However, unlike Sweden's winner from last year, If I Were Sorry is a much more understated affair, backed by hip-hop dance rhythms in a style which unifies Ed Sheeran's pop/folk with Justin Bieber's electronic R&B. As such, it reflects all that is current about pop radio.

It has already sold well across some parts of Europe - unusually for a Eurovision song it has entered the UK Top 200 before a single vote has even been given. Whether this pre-Contest success will be enough to send Sweden to the top of the scoreboard for a second year in a row is questionable. The song is distinctive enough for it to score well, but whether the average Eurovision audience is ready to vote for it en masse is debatable.

With the news that no other Nordic country has made it through to the Final, it can expect some high points from its Scandinavian neighbours, no doubt helping it to settle somewhere within the Top 10.

What do you think?

Image by Albin Olsson (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Eurovision 2014: Sweden: Undo

Sweden: Sanna Nielsen

Melodifestivalen, the Swedish national Eurovision event, usually creates a buzz of anticipation and this year it was no different.

In a tough final battle with Ace Wilder and her (now) hit song, Busy Doin' Nothin', seven-time participant Sanna Nielsen finally took the crown by a slim two points and will represent Sweden in Copenhagen with Undo.

It's a testament to Sweden's commitment to Eurovision that (at least) two quality songs were in the running for the event. In the end, the ballad beat out the pop dance tune, but either could easily have been contenders at this year's event.

Rightly, Undo has become one of the favourites to win the competition, already topping the poll undertaken by OGAE, a network of 40 Eurovision Song Contest fan clubs. While this is organised by a group of committed fans, it can quite often become the barometer for the public vote.

So, it's all sounding good for Sanna Nielsen whose amazing voice pushes this superior ballad to places very few other ballads go this year. It's power is in its heartbreaking lyrics which, although tinged with sadness, give the impression that no-one should mess with Sanna.

Because of this, I anticipate a commanding performance from the Swedish singer. Finally, she has the perfect song to match her talent as an exceptional chanteuse. I have no doubt it will bring the house down in the B&W Hallerna.

Will she get votes, though? Of course. It will quite easily qualify from the first semi-final and there will be something very wrong if the public don't send this to the left hand side of the scoreboard on May 10.

Don't be surprised to see Sanna Nielsen in the Top 3 - or indeed enjoying another win for Sweden.

New Release Celebrates ABBA Eurovision Win in 1974

ABBA: 1974

Forty years ago today, ABBA performed Waterloo at the Eurovision Song Contest and it has since entered the competition's archives as the best song (so far).

To celebrate this landmark anniversary, the group's second studio album of the same name has been expanded with eight bonus tracks. To make this a truly deluxe release, fans will also receive a DVD of previously unreleased television material, including appearances from the BBC's Top of the Pops.

You'll also get to see the group performing Waterloo at Melodifestivalen and the Contest, as well as rare performances of Honey, Honey. To top it all off, there's also an interview with Frida and Stig after the Eurovision victory. 

Full CD bonus material:

• Ring, Ring (U.S. remix 1974)  
• Waterloo (Swedish Version) 
• Honey, Honey (Swedish version) 
• Waterloo (German version) 
• Hasta Mañana (Spanish version) 
• Waterloo (French version) 
• Ring Ring (1974 remix, Single version) 
• Waterloo (Alternate mix)

Bonus DVD material:

• Waterloo (Eurovision Song Contest Performance I, BBC)
• Waterloo (Melodifestivalen Performance I, SVT)
• Waterloo (Melodifestivalen Performance II, SVT)
• Waterloo (Eurovision Song Contest Preview Performance, SVT)
• Waterloo (Eurovision Song Contest Performance II, BBC) Interview with Frida and Stig After the Eurovision Victory (Rapport, SVT)
• Waterloo (Top Of The Pops Performance I, BBC)
• Honey, Honey (Disco, ZDF)
• Waterloo (Top Of The Pops Performance II, BBC)
• Honey, Honey (Spotlight, ORF)
• Waterloo (German version) (Musik aus Studio B, NDR)
• Honey, Honey (Ein Kessel Buntes, Fernsehen der DDR)
• Waterloo (Top Of The Pops Performance III, BBC)
• International Sleeve Gallery

The collection also includes a 20-page booklet which throws more light on the making of the Waterloo album, together with some very fine images from the period.

It's all available on April 7 from Amazon. The purchase of the CD will include a free MP3 version of the album.

Image by AVRO (FTA001019454_012 from Beeld & Geluid wiki) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Eurovision 2010: Serbia and Sweden Song Entries

Last night saw both Serbia and Sweden select the entries that will represent them at this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

Serbia chose the song Ovo je Balkans (This is the Balkans) which will be performed by Milan Stanković.

Sweden decided on the song This is My Life sung by vocalist Anna Bergendahl.

So, what do you think of the Serbian and Swedish Eurovision songs?