Repeat Offenders!
Thursday, 03 November 2011 22:58Sometimes Eurovision contestants just can't help coming back to compete. We look at a few 2nd and 3rd attempts for glory.
Ooh Aah | Eurovision cheese!
Sunday, 25 September 2011 14:44News Round-up of the day. Jedward's (Ireland 2011) portrait was maid of cheese because of British Cheese week.
Azerbaijan hopes to start talking with EU about visa facilitations before end of the year.
Charlotte 2.0
Wednesday, 25 January 2012 11:38ESC winner Charlotte Perrelli launches her new website to an astonished world: Charlotte 2.0 is born.
Eurovision 1999 winner Charlotte Perrelli has announced a total relaunch of her website, just in time for her appearance at Melodifestivalen's four semi-final on 26 February. On the front page, Charlotte has her best catsuit and high-heels on a la Olivia Newton-John at the end of the film GREASE, and you can find out more about her new solo album, her upcoming appearance in the musical EVITA at Malmö Opera, and how to get fit with Charlotte's exercise video.
Visit Charlotte's new site here. The text is in Swedish but you can always use Google Translate or just look at the pretty pictures.
Charlotte participated in ESC 2008 with the song "Hero", but this song from 1999 gave Sweden its first victory in 8 years.
"You HAVE to listen to this one."
Wednesday, 22 February 2012 20:50Out of the light like a star, like a hero! 12points.tv interviews the gracious Charlotte Perrelli as she prepares for Melodifestivalen on Saturday.
Many of the artists performing at Saturday's Melodifestivalen heat arrived in Malmö today, getting ready for rehearsals and performances in the coming days at the city's relatively new Arena. Charlotte Perrelli, who won ESC 1999 and competed again at ESC 2008, took some time with us to talk about the twists and turns of her performing career, Eurovision wins and losses, and her expectations for her new song, "The Girl". There are some interesting revelations below that we bet even her fans didn't know about.
New trends in arm-ography
Thursday, 23 February 2012 17:48This week's Melodifestivalen songs had their first run through, and 12points.tv were at the arena to check it out.
The press were allowed into Malmö Arena today to watch a run through of Saturday's songs. Below are our initial impressions.
GLAMOUR. Charlotte Perrelli's song is, as you would expect, incredibly slick and sincere. If you thought the arm-ography for "Hero" was good, wait until you see what "The Girl" has in store for you. There's lots happening in under 3 minutes - screens dropping, catwalk action, wind machines turned on, lots of hair tossing, religious iconography and a great musical hook. To top it all off, for the rehearsal, Charlotte was wearing a shirt saying "I Will Always Love You" with a giant picture of a young Whitney Houston on the front. How fab. The current betting odds in the press room place Charlotte at 3,80 to 1, with 3 songs ahead of her. Does that mean being relegated to the second chance round? Don't be idiots, texting Swedes. Go here to see a one minute clip of Charlotte's rehearsal today.
CHARM. Greek-influenced group OPA! may not stand a chance, if typical Swedish voting is anything to go by. But that is a great shame because the song is totally charming and their mandolin player is quite a looker.
HILARITY. Christer Sjögren and Lotta Engberg's song "Don't Let Me Down" has the funniest lyrics I think I've ever heard in Melodifestivalen. They are so over the top that I laughed each time they ran through the song. If you're expecting another "I Love Europe", you won't find it here. There are a ton of string players and a lot of meandering back and forth. The press around me say this is their favourite.
GLOW IN THE DARK. We all knew that the last song at the last semi final was going to be something special, and Danny Saucedo brings out the unexpected with his song "Amazing". Danny and his backing dancers are wearing space-age costumes with lights that change colour and pulsate. It's likely you've never seen anything like this before. Danny is a super talent and has a very flexible tenor that suits an arena. Gimmicks aside, it's obvious this will go straight through to final. I know I will be in a minority here, but Loreen's song had no gimmicks or tricks and it worked better.
Other notes from today's rehearsal.
- Axel Algmark wore jeans so tight during his rehearsal, you can rule out thinking he may be a Muslim or a Jew.
- Hanna Lindblad needs a great song to match her talent. She is brilliant live but her song isn't doing much in the arena.
- Dynazty is not the usual kind of music most 12points.tv readers will go for, but their vocalist sang very well and unlike most contestants, without any playback.
- Lots of fabric in Lisa Miskovsky's song. Fans and fabric. But I don't discount it, it could be a sleeper hit.







