Stick It Up Your Juries!

The Schlagerboys are LOVING this moment when the Dutch televoting public completely ignored the so-called professional jury members AND the 40-odd foreigners who had all voted for the other two boring songs in the Superfinal and plumped instead for Joan's singa-longa guitar schlager anthem! And it makes it even more fabulous that Joan's dressed in an outrageous American Indian outfit and completely upstaging Pearl and Ivan just by standing there.

There Was Always A Bit Of Eurovision In Me!

It's all go this weekend and in a few hours time it's the Dutch Nationaal Songfestival. There's a potential schlager stompathon taking part, and judging from the 30 second clip we've heard, "Chocolatte", will be a Eurodisco classic for years to come. Oh! My! God! It's Raffaëla Paton.

Schlagerboys: We've only heard a short clip of your song so can you tell us what is it actually all about? Is it really about a chocolate flavoured coffee drink?

Raffaëla Paton: My song "Chocolatte" is about chocolate. And nothing more! How much I like like chocolate and what it can do to make me happy! But it.s not about a drink.

SBs: What will your performance be like on Sunday? We've seen photos of you with dancers wearing sailor hats – will they be making an appearance on stage?

RP: Sunday I'm going to own the stage. I'm going to dance with dancers (girls) to show how much we like chocolate. And the guys with the sailor hats.. hahaha they are members of the band I'm in. That night we had to perform on a boat. That why we're wearing the hats! This is us in action.

SBs: Have you got a fabulous outfit planned?

RP: My outfit.. people gonna talk about that's for sure..

SBs: How did you get involved with Eurovision?

RP: When I was 8 years old I first entered a stage and performed. I promised myself that moment, that this was going to be my job work life. A few years later my uncle Humphrey Campbell represented Holland during the Eurovision. He came 9th. The year after his (now ex) girlfriend Ruth Jacott represented Holland in the Eurovision and came 6th! PROUD! So there was always a bit of Eurovision in me.

SBs: So you’re sort of related to Dutch Eurovision icon, Ruth Jacott. Has she given you any tips and advice? Has Ruth still got the fabulous flared trouser catsuit outfit she wore on stage in Ireland? Does she let you try it on when you go round for tea?

RP: Ruth told me last Sunday to act in stage like I always act. With dance and fun and love and laughter. And then I got this..! She gave me a hug for strength.

SBs: Besides Ruth who are your other Dutch Eurovision icons?

RP: "Without You" from Reunion, "Hemel En Aarde" from Edsilia Rombley and Maxine and Franklin Brown "De Eerste Keer".

SBs: It was a travesty when Sieneke and her giant organ didn’t make the Eurovision final in Oslo wasn’t it? Were you as disappointed as we were?

RP: I was disappointed when Sieneke didn't make it to the finals but more because were fighting so hard the last few years and we don't even make it to the finals. Its a shame..

SBs: You won Idol a few years ago. What have you been doing since? What other music have you released? Is it all like "Chocolatte"?

RP: I did a lot after Idols. At first I became a mother of a lovely girl called Beautifull. After that I taped a lot of songs and what's the most important I performed a lot so when I'm on stage now it's like a second home. I also went to Afghanistan in 2010 to perform for the soldiers there. It was a life changing experience.

SBs: Have you got a message for the readers of Schlagerblog?

RP: My message is: You live only once, make the best of it. Don't care what other people say. Live the life YOU thing is right. VOTE FOR RAFFAELA- CHOCOLATTE!!!

What a fabulous motto Raffaëla!! Good luck tonight!!

In The Green Room...

Fredrik: I should have made the key change more clunky....

Charlotte: ...and I was walking back from the video screen for that bit! What was I thinkingI should have stood still and rolled my head or something ...

Fredrik: Hmmm. shall we go and find the buffet

Charlotte: No thanks, Fredrik,.I ate last Tuesday.

Feel The Pow-ow-ow-er Of Schlager!

It's taken four weeks but finally the final heat in Melodifestivalen tonight gives us some fab schlager to get excited about. Hurrah! We never gave up hope!

It's a schlager heat of death as three fab songs compete for two spaces in the final:

1. "The Girl" by Charlotte Perrelli gives us everything we want from Melodifestivalen and would make for a schlagertastic Swedish Eurovision entry. The verse is fab, the chorus is singalongafab, it's got an ABBA reference with plinky plonky Mamma Mia instrumental bit, it's got a great build up to a classic Perrelli key change and a clunky bit just after, and it's got a proper ending too. God bless Sir Fredrik of Kempe.

2. "Don't Let Me Down" by Lotta Engberg and Christer Sjögren has already become a schlager anthem at Schlager Towers. It's got a fab "aaaaaah" wailing bit in the first ten seconds; it's possibly the most cheesetastic song ever to make Melodifestivalen and the lyrics are hilarious; our favourite couplet being "From a distance you're still hot". The key change in the middle is classic Lasse Holm and our only disappointment in in the lack of key change for a final repeated chorus but never mind. Oh and the ending is pure 1983. God bless Lord Lasse!

3. "Amazing" by Danny Saucedo is also quite good in a non-song type of way. Clearly the song thinks it's too modern to shove in a key change, the verse is way more exciting than the chorus and there is a really annoying "break it down" bit in the middle but it ticks boxes and we can forgive a lot when Danny jumps around in a snug fitting light up suit.

We will be watching via the interweb later on from behind a cushion when the results come in because it seems to be a foregone conclusion that Danny will go to the final but we really want Charlotte and Lotta & Christer to get there! Then you've got the hideous Lord Thomas of G:Son rock song and frankly looking at the rubbish Sweden has been voting for over the last three weeks heaven only knows what will happen later.

Sweden, do your schlager duty!

I Looooove Italian Salami! In Every Possible Way!

It's the Austrian final tomorrow night and amongst the rubbish rock songs is a schlager stompathon of almost Carola-esque proportions sung by a lady with a beard. Oh! My! God! It's Conchita Wurst!!

Schlagerboys: Conchita! You are FABULOUS! Where have you been all our lives?

Conchita Wurst: Awww…you are so cute. Thank you so much!

SBs: To be honest you probably weren't born for most of them. Your last name means sausage in English. What’s your favourite kind of sausage?

CW: I looooove Italian salami! In every possible way.... with pizza, hot, cold, with or without bread.

SBs:You clearly know how to dress and have amazing fashion sense, so what will you be wearing for the Austrian Eurovision selection show?

CW: Actually I'm not that sure yet. I think something glittering.

SBs: Good choice. Obviously we love your song, but could you put in a key-change just after the slow bit towards the end? You could have fireworks and wind-machines being turned on at that point. It would be amazing!

CW: Hey guys, thank you for the input.... I'll immediately call my agent!

SBs: When you win we'll expect all of the above. Have you got any tips on how we can get our hair looking as glamorous as yours?

CW: Well, you know it's all about taking care..... and having awesome stylists. I could never do my hair like they do..... I just love them!

SBs: You're involved in something called Salon Kitty. What’s that all about?

CW: This is a burlesque revue in Vienna named after Kitty Willenbruch. I am hosting the show. It’s spectaculous, you should come and watch it some day!

SBs: Have you got any favourite Austrian Eurovision divas? We love Petra Frey and think she is a Schlager ICON! How about you? Could you do a duet with Petra please?

CW: I also like Petra Frey, especially her style... such a beautiful woman! I would love to sing with her. Someone I also adore is Nadine Beiler, of course.

SBs: Ooh we forgot all about her! Do you have a message for the readers of Schlagerblog?

CW: Hey there, I am so thankful for this lovely interview and I hope to see you all in Baku!

You are FABULOUS Conchita!! Good luck tomorrow!! And next time we're in Vienna we'll pop into Salon Kitty!

Dutch Duel Schlager Disaster!

It's the Dutch final this weekend and for some reason they've split the 6 songs into duels which will leave a Superfinal of 3 songs. But it's really all about the first duel between Raffaëla and her song, "Chocolatte" and Joan's "You & Me". All the rest are a bit boring...

"Chocolatte" could be the schlager anthem of the season and "You & Me" is singa-longa happy clappy guitar schlager (if there is such a thing). If only they weren't up against each other! Silly Dutch TV!!

Love Generation Were Fab!

The Schlagerboys loved Love Generation and Youngblood last night in Sweden. Fab dance routines, lots of enthusiasm, a couple of back flips, fireworks, and key changes (mostly from the boys) made for two schlagertastic performances. And then the Swedish public go and spoil it all by sending the dreary yawnfest from Molly Sandén to Globen! What's going on???

At least we get to see Youngblood again in a couple of weeks for the Andra Chansen; may the schlager gods please not put them up against Timoteij in the dreaded duels. But it's bye bye to Love Generation who provided the schlager shocka last night by disappearing altogether in the first round; further evidence that Sweden is clearly losing the plot this year.

The big surprise for the Schlagerboys was how excited we got about Björn Ranelid feat. Sara Li. Who'd have thought a bonkers orange bloke wandering around the stage rambling on in Swedish while his granddaughter prances around for the chorus in a glittery frock would be so fab! The best bit was near the end where the key change should have been, when he clearly forgot his microphone was live and started mumbling the words to the chorus. Love it!

Björn Ranelid gives us a second song to be excited about in the final, joining Loreen. 2 out of 6 isn't very good but we're pinning our hopes on week 4 and Lotta and Charlotte bringing the schlager back to Globen. And you never know, Danny may surprise us all and give us a song with a tune this year!

Nice Work If You Can Get It!

You won Eurovision last year and turn up in Italy. All you have to do is walk on stage at some godforsaken hour and open an envelope. You don't have to sing your song. And you don't even have to sit through several squillion hours of people speaking Italian and singing rubbish songs because you probably sat in your hotel room watching reruns of "Desperate Housewives" and doing your hair until 10 minutes before traipsing on stage. Nice work El & Nikki!

Give Us A Wave, Sir Fredrik!

The schlager pickings are slim again in Sweden tonight but at least we'll get to wave at Sir Fredrik of Kempe on the songwriters couch. One day we'll get organised and send  Sir Fredrik and Lord Thomas schlager gonks to put on the table in front of them for good luck. Lets face it, this year schlager songwriters need all the luck they can get in Sweden.

The Schlagerboys are looking forward to a fab Youngblood dance routine and key change. The girls in Love Generation are looking rather glam too in stripy unitards, which are going on the Schlagerboys' Christmas list for 2012.

Youngblood! Youngblood! You Can Call Them Youngblood!

The Song Has Two Key Changes! It's Fredrik, What Did You Expect!

It's about time we had a new song by the King Of The Clunky Key Change himself, Sir Fredrik of Kempe. We're two weeks in to Sweden and it's all been very un-schlagertastic so far, so the Schlagerboys are very excited about the third heat of Melodifestivalen 2012 this weekend; Sir Fredrik is back, Back! BACK!! He's written a song for a brand new Swedish boyband. Oh! My! God! It's Youngblood!

Schlagerboys: Who on earth are Youngblood? What did you all do before getting together as a group? How did Youngblood come together?

Youngblood: The group is the result of an audition process that went on throughout the summer. We all tried out and were handpicked for the project by, among others, Fredrik Kempe.

SBs: Ooh how exciting! Why weren't we invited? What is the song "Youngblood" like? Has it got a clunky key-change?

Youngblood: The song is a great way to show the audience what we are like as a group. The song actually has two key changes, but Fredrik wrote it, what did you expect!

SBs: All hail Sir Fredrik! How did you get to work with schlager songwriting icon Sir Fredrik of Kempe?

Youngblood: The project was his and Robert Skowronski's idea from the beginning. Since Sweden has some of the best writers of boyband songs ever, it seemed right for Sweden to have their own boyband.

SBs: What’s it like recording a song with Sir Fredrik? Did you all go round his house and have tea and cake on the sofa and discuss Sanna Nielsen and Charlotte Perrelli?

Youngblood: Both Fredrik and David are some of the most inspiring people we've all worked with, so there is always room for jokes and conversation. But we all do it while being professional. And yes we now know a story or two about Swedish singers!.

SBs: Ooh do tell; we'll keep it to ourselves! Do you know all of Fredrik's other Melodifestivalen entries over the years? What is your favourite?

Youngblood: We all know what he had done before, that's why we appreciate that we get to work with him. But of all his entries, we like "Youngblood" the most, of course!

SBs: Have you been working on a dance routine for your Melodifestivalen performance? Will you be using props on stage like Eric's exploding glass box from this year? What will your dance routine be like?

Youngblood: Much like the song, you will see energy and liveliness in the dance performance. The dance is very much like the song.

SBs: Who is your favourite Swedish schlager icon of all time? Is it Kikki Danielsson?

Youngblood: No, it's Molly Sandén.

SBs: Yawn! The youth these days have absolutely no idea! Do you have a message for the readers of Schlagerblog?

Youngblood: We just want them to know that we appreciate all the support!

Thanks Youngblood! Good luck in Leksand!

Christer's Schlager-o-meter!

There was some sort of award thing last week in Sweden with a tribute to Christer Björkman which was basically an excuse to roll out lots of schlager celebs for a huge medley. More interesting than the celebs on stage however, was Christer's reaction to each one, which we can use in a schlager-scientific experiment to predict likelihood of schlager comebacks at Melodifestivalen in years to come. How exciting!

Shirley Clamp
Schlager Reaction: The glittery cardie is so not a good look. Bring back the blue wrap-around frock.
Christer's Reaction: I've moved on.                        

Love Generation
Schlager Reaction: What miming was invested for.
Christer's Reaction: This is more like it! I'm current and down with the kids I am!

Andreas Johnsson
Schlager Reaction: Where did they drag him up from? Oh, that's right. He's in Melodifestivalen again this weekend.
Christer's Reaction: I should never have paired him up with Carola.                  

Sarek 
Schlager Reaction: Good grief. And where's the bloke with the wind-up box instrument?
Christer's Reaction: Hilarious back in 2003! Even more hilarious now!

Sanna Nielsen 
Schlager Reaction: OMG! Schlager icon!
Christer's Reaction: Like the schlager daughter I never had!

Linda Bengtzing
Schlager Reaction: Don't try the key-change, love. Oh, you didn't.
Christer's Reaction: I only put her in for a laugh every couple of years.

Afro-dite
Schlager Reaction: Don't bother with "The Boy Can Dance".
Christer's Reaction: Ooh, I love a bit of disco me. Time for some rubbish dad dancing.

Jenny Silver
Schlager Reaction: Robbed last year!
Christer's Reaction: I'm really getting into my dad dancing stride now!

Malena Ernman
Schlager Reaction: Malena was busy so they got a drag queen.
Christer's Reaction: Too scared to sit down.

Swingfly 
Schlager Reaction: Was Eric Saade busy?
Christer's Reaction: Remind who these pair are!

Måns Zelmerlöw
Schlager Reaction: The beardy look really isn't working. But pleased the "legs akimbo" dance routine makes an appearance.
Christer's Reaction: Everyone else is clapping so I'd better show willing.

Charlotte Perrelli
Schlager Reaction: Loving the big hair and heels.
Christer Reaction: Oooh, let's try the key-change head roll. I LOVE YOU CHARLOTTE!!!

What can we learn from this footage? Shirley and Måns appear to be finished while Linda is good for a laugh every now and then. Christer clearly loves Charlotte, Sanna and Andreas and they will always have a place in Melodifestivalen while Malena just gets scarier with every year that passes. So ends our scientific schlager experiment for the day. Hurrah!

Tooji-tastic Norway!!

The Schlagerboys had a completely schlagertastic weekend in Oslo for MGP 2012. Here are our schlager highlights:

- Tooji winning. The general assumption was that Plumbo were going to win and it was so exciting to see the votes coming in and realise quite quickly that it wasn't going to be "Ola Nordmann" in Baku. When Tooji started  to overtake the dreary yawnfest "Something Beautiful" we were on the edge of our schlager seats. "Stay" is a fabulous Eurovision entry; it's exciting, you can jump around to it and Tooji is nice to look at. Hurrah!

- We spent the afternoon at the rehearsal but managed to meet absolutely none of the schlager celebs as the Green Room had been moved from it's usual side-stage-accessible-position to behind the stage-away-from -stalkers position! Oh no!. We managed to get hold of Per and he told us to meet him at the side of the stage after the rehearsal and he would take us to meet Tooji, but time was getting on and we had to meet some schlager friends and open the vodka so we didn't bother waiting. Oops!

- After the show we jumped on the stage to make up for lost schlager celeb stalking time. In about ten minutes we managed to grab and have short "You are fabulous can we have a photo" conversations with Minnie-Oh, Reidun, hunky lead singer from The Carburettors, Silya Nymoen and Bobby Bare...well, he was standing nearby looking bemused so we thought we might as well. We really wanted to grab hold of Tommy Fredvang but he was no-where to be seen; judging from his reaction to standing in the line up for the super final four times he was probably off sobbing somewhere.

- Far more exciting than the celebs on the stage were the smattering of those in the audience. During the interval we managed to grab Benedicte from Dollie Deluxe and Haldor from 2001. He seemed genuinely surprised that we remembered his song; we didn't like to admit that we didn't actually because it was a boring ballad. We also sat either side of Nora Brocksetdt for a fab schlager photo. We told she was a schlager icon and we loved her and she said absolutely nothing back to us but was clearly  loving the attention. We walked past the Norwegian Prime Minister and said "Oh My God! are you the Prime Minister?" and he said no he was the Mayor of Oslo. Well it's an easy mistake to make. We didn't bother asking for a photo.

- After the show we nipped back to the Radisson for a quick vodka. The Radisson was the schlager hotel for the weekend; earlier that day we spotted Lord Thomas tucking in to breakfast and stood next to one of Plumbo in the lift. We didn't speak to Plumbo man; we ignored each other. In the entrance to the hotel we managed to get a photo with Nora Foss Al-Jabri and tell her we loved her song; this is a complete lie because we couldn't stand "Something Beautiful" but she's only about eleven years old so you have to be nice. Standing across the floor we noticed Christian A1 so we ran up to him and drunkenly gabbled "We used to fancy you ten years ago! Can we have a photo please". Christian A1 looked absolutely horrified but duly posed with us. He then said, perhaps as a way of changing the subject, "I've now written three songs that came second..." "ah yes", we replied, "But you've never won because you keep putting ballads in! Send something fab like "The First To Believe" by A1 next time" He said he would think about it. Outside we bumped in to Per and congratulated him on a fab MGP final and a fab winning song. He asked us where we were going now and we told him the Brighton Pub for a Eurovision party. He said; "see you" which was basically his way of saying, "Well you 'aint coming to the Official After Show Party!" but we don't mind.

- We went to The Brighton Pub on Friday and Saturday night for a Eurovision disco which was totally schlagertastic. Both nights get a bit hazy but we do recall demonstrating the full dance routine to "Rocket Ride" and "Sha la lie" at some point. We spent Saturday evening with our favourite Scandinavians, the Good Evening Europe bloggers. We were particularly impressed with their talents for arty photos and the way one of them can hold her vodka.

The Schlagerboys have renewed our "Norway is fab" vows and depending on what song the UK send to Baku, may be applying for citizenship. Considering the rubbish that Sweden came up with last night in Melodifestivalen, there is no doubt that Norway is once again the schlager capital of Europe. Vi elsker Norge! We love you! Oslo 2013!

Do Your Duty Norway!

Do The Tooji Dance!

So basically it's right foot out, left foot out, to the back, to the front and STOMP! STOMP! STOMP! Even we could probably manage that after several vodka and diet cokes at the MGP Afterparty at the Brighton Pub tomorrow night!

Ps. We heart your little wave at the beginning of the video Tooji, love!

It's All About The Penny Whistles, The Kaftans And The Hair!

The song snippets for week two of Melodifestivalen 2012 are on-line and we only fast-forwarded through two of them so it's a definite improvement on last week.

But lets face it, Timoteij are the must-go-through-to-the-final song this week. "Stormande Hav" has everything we wanted; hair, recorders, nice chorus, and that's without a sneak preview of the key change.

Andreas Lundstedt is okay, but we think he should get the Alcazar girls back. Mimi Oh also got a listen all the way through.

The other song to note is the last one by the bloke in a kaftan. It's a bit Coldplay for the Schlagerboys but there's something about him that makes us want a photo and an "OMG! You are fab!" conversation. Maybe it's just the kaftan and the hair.... we got all excited about this one winning and found one betting site where it currently stands at 60-1. We almost put a fiver on it but changed our minds at the last minute; we really have to stop throwing money at the internet after a couple of vodkas and diet cokes.

There's A Key Change! And It's Powerful Too!

It's the second heat of Melodifestivalen 2012 this weekend and taking part are schlager icons who play violins, accordions and whistles on stage while strutting around in front of wind machines. They saved Melodifestivalen 2010 with their ethno-schlager stomper "Kom". Oh! My! God! It's Timoteij! (Well, it's Johanna from Timoteij! The one that plays the violin!)

Schlagerboys: What have you been up to since Melodifestivalen 2010?

Timoteij: Since Melodifestivalen 2010 we've been working a lot! We've released our first album "Längtan", we've been on tour (two summer tours and two Christmas tours), and also we have started to work with our upcoming album that will be released next year. So, as you can hear, a lot of work has been done!

SBs: An album! Hurrah! What did you do with the hunky blokes playing the drums? Will they be making an appearance on stage in 2012?

Timoteij: Ha ha, the guys! We miss those guys! What did we do with them? Well, nothing really I think... We're not going to have drum boys again, but there are going to be more people than the four of us on the stage in Melodifestivalen 2012. But that's all you get to know for now!

SBs: Oooh, you big tease! What is "Stormande Hav" like? Is it an ethno-schlager stomper like "Kom"?

Timoteij: Our song "Stormande Hav" is a big hit! It's a song filled with energy, happiness and love. It has that special touch of ethno that "Kom" also has, and you will absolutely recognize us, but this song is even more powerful and more up-tempo. Over all it's a great song!

SBs: What is "Stormande Hav" all about? We’ve put the title through Google Translate and it means "Stormy Seas" – is it about a lots sailor or something? And will your outfits have a sailor theme?

Timoteij: "Stormande Hav" is translated into "Stormy Seas", but it definitely has nothing at all to do with boats or sailors. The lyrics is about a stormy relationship which has had its downs but now we want to turn it around and make it work again. It actually can be taken for a bit sad but at the same time it's very hopeful and full of love.

SBs: Will you be playing your instruments on stage this year or will you have a dance routine?

Timoteij: We will definitely be playing our instruments on stage even this year. It's our thing, you know. There will be a lot of energy in the number but a big dance routine is kind of hard to do while we're playing the instruments. But that's where the other people we're going to have on stage start working.

SBs: Is there a key-change and will there be wind-machines turned on just as the key-change comes in?

Timoteij: There is a key change! And it's powerful too! Whether there's going to be a wind-machine or not is too early for me to say right now, but I absolutely think that you can be hopeful. In the end the song is about stormy seas!

SBs: Do you think Sweden is returning to schlager following the disaster of Anna Bergendahl not qualifying for the final in Oslo?

Timoteij: I absolutely think that Sweden is up and coming in the Eurovision Song Contest. Just look at our result last year; Eric ended up at third place, that's awesome!

SBs: Do you have a message for the readers of Schlagerblog?

Timoteij: Thank you to everyone who supports us! We're so happy to have you guys, cause without you we're nothing! Big hugs and a lots of love!

Bless you Timoteij! Can't wait to hear "Stormande Hav"! Good luck at the weekend!!

We Love Sailors!

So the MGP wildcard is "Sailors".

Reasons to be very, very happy;

 - There are giant silhouette screens with dancing shadows.
 - Lise looks fabulous with her giant crow feather shoulderpads and slinky satin spray-on trousers.
 - There's lots of coordinated strutting all the way through.
 - There's a funny-looking shoulder-shrugging, fist-punching dance routine to learn.
 - The backing dancers are wearing funky wigs.

Hurrah!

Loreen Saves Melodifestivalen!

The Schlagerboys were annoyed with Sweden last week for giving us an opening week of Melodifestivalen 2012 with rubbish songs. Honestly, you wait all year and get all excited from September onwards and then you end up with a shouty rock band, boring girls with guitars, boring old blokes with guitars and a growly vocal, a tedious rapping comedian who just wants a slap and then an ex-presenter without a tune.

Afro-dite almost saved the day but despite being completely discotastic and the girls looking totally fabulous, "The Boy Can Dance" just wasn't good enough for the Swedish televoters.

Everything turned around, however with the last song of the evening. We weren't impressed by "Euphoria" from the 30 second clip we heard earlier in the week, but seeing the whole performance with bonkers dance routine, wind machine and snow, and despite lack of key change, the Schlagerboys were sold. Loreen was amazing.

The Schlagerboys have decided that "Euphoria" is being adopted as a new schlager anthem for 2012. Waving your arms about frantically is the new strutting! The Schlagerboys can't wait to grow our fringes and practice looking moody. All hail new schlager icon Loreen.... well she'll do until Lotta and Charlotte in week four, anyway.

The MGP Schlager Wildcard Campaign Starts Here!

There is no question for the Schlagerboys: the wild card for the MGP final next week has to be one of "Shapeshifter", "You and I" or "Euphoria". This year Norway has given us a fabulous line up of songs, but for some inexplicable reason the Norwegian televoting public have chosen some of the wrong ones to got to the Spektrum.

Week one saw yawnsome Disney ballad "Somewhere Beautiful" go through instead of Lisa Stokke's "With Love" and the fabulous Velvet Inc wannabe's "Irresistable" lose out to the obligatory toilet break for the final; "Don't Touch The Flame".

As if that wasn't bad enough, week two saw the worst schlager travesty when Minnie-Oh and Rikke Normann both failed to get more votes than the acceptable-but-not really-good-enough-"Crush" and nice-to-look-at- but-really-not-that-special Tommy Fredvang.

The Schlagerboys assumed Bobby Bare and Peter Øien winning last night's heat was a joke until they started the reprise. At least The Canoes had a sing-a-longa chorus line and a rehearsed performance! But how on earth Lise Karlsnes and Silya were pushed aside by the dreary and uninspired "Things Change" is beyond us!

So next week the Schlagerboys are travelling across the North Sea to a final where all our favourite songs haven't made it (apart from Reidun and Tooji, of course).... but there is a lifeline. The wildcard is being decided by some jury somewhere and announced later this week The jury have an opportunity to save the MGP final by putting the right song in.

So far we have three songs to cheer for next Saturday; "High On Love" is a classic Lord Thomas of G:son schlager stomper; "Stay" is exciting Eric-Saade-esque Eurovision and would be a fab entry for Norway. We also wouldn't be adverse to a Plumbo win; after all they have a key change. But to have "Shapeshifter", "You and I" or "Euphoria" joining them in the final would make it an amazing line up.

Come on, Norway! ou know it makes sense! Choose schlager!

It's Persian Baby!

It's the last MGP heat tonight in Florø and it's a fabulous line-up! Kicking off the show is a schlager stomper with the potential for lots for dramatic on-stage dance routines. It's sung by a bloke who's presented Norwegian MTV and looks mean and moody in photos. Oh! My! God! It's Tooji!

Schlagerboys: We love "Stay". Tell us how you got involved in MGP.

Tooji: Well, it's really easy. After working with my music for a loong time and preparing myself to reach out to the rest of the world, I thought: "why not do this with a big bang?". And voilà: I'm here!

SBs: Are you going to be moving around in your performance? Is that bit in the middle where everything stops so you can get your breath back?

Tooji: Hopefully if I have not collapsed until then its definitely a great moment where the grand finale takes place and you can sing along.

SBs: Don’t you think it ends a bit suddenly? Did you run out of time?

Tooji: No way! Never thought about that?

SBs: You've got fab schlager hair! What’s the feather all about?

Tooji: Its Persian baby, Persian persuasion. I have thing for feathers. Feathers are a symbol for freedom, spirit and something out of this world.

SBs: You look a bit grumpy in your photos – were you having a bad day?

Tooji: No, just really trying hard to pose...haha

SBs: Have you been watching MGP? Was it a travesty that Minnie Oh and Rikke Normann didn’t get through last week? What songs do you like in the competition?

Tooji: I was really cheering for Rikke. I think she was awesome and got quite shocked that she didnt go on.

SBs: Who do you think will be joining you in the final from your heat on Saturday?

Tooji: Only one way to find out. *scary music*

SBs: Can you do the "Haba Haba" dance?

Tooji: No, but I can shake booty. Feel that's more in the African spirit.

SBs: Have you got a message for the readers of Schlagerblog?

Tooji: Let's have fun, party and kick it in true ESC spirit. No haters, only LOVE!

Fabulous! Good luck tonight and see you next week in the Spektrum!

Thank Heaven For Afro-dite (and Norway)!

The Schlagerboys have been excited all day about the song snippets released by SVT for the first week of Melodifestivalen but quite frankly we needn't have bothered. In 2011 Sweden came back! Back! BACK!! to schlager with a fab line up including schlager stompers from Jenny Silver in week one, then Sanna and Linda and Eric to follow.

Clips of the first eight songs for 2012 have been released today and they are mostly a bit rubbish. 

There is some horrible mess that we had to fast forward, a couple of dirgy ballad things and then right at the end some almost promising Lord Thomas of G:son dancey stuff from Loreen but even that isn't exactly Jenny Silver. Afro-dite give us the best hope of the night with a speeded up version of "Aqua Playa" and a couple of  "Shake it! Shake it! bits.

Thank god for Norway!

Over on NRK we have the fabulous Tooji, "Euphoria", "Sailors", something mid tempo sounds-like-the-sort-of-thing-Denmark-sends, a fab drinking song that is clearly written for us except "wine" is easier to rhyme than "vodka" and a couple of others we can't remember.

Where's the schlager, Christer? Remember what happened in 2010! Get with the plot!

I Remember Slapping A Swedish Photographer!

OMG!!! Melodifestivalen 2012 starts this weekend and we are beyond excited!! Making a comeback is a trio of schlager divas who represented Sweden at Eurovision in 2002 dressed in fabulous glittery tinfoil outfits. The Schlagerboys have stalked Afro-dite at various points over the last ten years, the most memorable encounters being outside the toilets in Naglo Bar in 2006 and right down in the bowels of Patricia when we burst in to their dressing room following a performance in 2008 and got them to sing "Never Let It go". Oh! My! God! It's Afro-dite!!! Well, it's Blossom Tainton from out of Afro-dite!!!

Schlagerboys: Is "The Boy Can Dance" a discotastic stomper just like "Never Let It Go"? Is there a great big key-change? And what will your dance routine be like. We're hoping for lots of coordinated strutting and finger-pointing!

Blossom Tainton: Lets just say, you won´t be dissapointed!!!

SBs: Oooh, you big tease Blossom! Have you decided on your outfits for Växjö yet? What will you be wearing? Have you still got the tinfoil outfits from Tallinn? We saw you at Stockholm Pride last year and you looked fabulous! We’d recommend resurrecting those outfits!

BT: Thank you! We had a fitting today and we are very happy about our nice outfits. Were gonna look sexy, glamorous and funky!

SBs: Who on earth was that bloke you were performing with at Stockholm Pride? And why didn't you get to sing on your own?

BT: That was our very good friend Jonas Hedquist and it was he who invited us to be guesting in that number, which actually led to our participation in Mello.

SBs: You've all been doing different things since you were last in Melodifestivalen in 2003. What made you decide to get back together as Afrodite?

BT: We've actually been working together all this time although not full time. Weve been trying go be in Melodifestivalen for a couple of years now. Remember to spell our name right. Its Afro-dite.

SBs: What was your experience like in Tallinn ? What was the most memorable thing you did during your week in Estonia? And have you got any gossip about the other contestants?

BT: I remember slapping a Swedish photographer in the middle of the street. Sorry, it was 10 years ago and I don't even remember the other contestants.

SBs: Obviously you are all bona-fide schlager divas, but who are your Swedish schlager icons?

BT: ABBA of course!

SBs: After the debacle of 2010 when Sweden chose a dull guitar ballad for Eurovision and then didn’t get into the final, do you think Sweden should always choose fabulous disco schlager stompers? Is that what Europe expects of Sweden ?

BT: I love the fact that Swedes votes from their heart in the moment and don't really care about what happens in the Eurovision. They might regret it afterwards but that's kind of the magic of it all. That anything can happen!

SBs: Have you got a message for the readers of Schlagerblog?

BT: We´re soooo excited to be back and we promise to give you a good show. We send you lots of love and happiness. Thank you so much for your support. See you in the Eurovision!!! Yiiiihaa

Good luck at the weekend Blossom! We can't wait to hear "The Boy Can Dance" and see your fabulous frocks!