12points.tv: You started your career in what you call the "dansband" genre. For someone who isn't Swedish, how would you summarize what dansband is?
Charlotte Perrelli: That's a hard question to answer! Dansband is quite similar to schlager music. A lot of the dansbands take some of the songs from Melodifestivalen and play them. The thing with this music is that you should be able to dance to it. The lyrics are always happy, describing happy relationships. It's hard to explain how the songs actually sound but it's not a cool type of music. Mostly people in the countryside like this type of music. People in the cities - they think it's much cooler with pop music.
When you did your first Melodifestivalen in 1999 - not only did you win that contest but you went on to win at Eurovision. What was going through your mind at that time leading up to Eurovision? Did you say, "I am going to win this, there is no question in my mind that I am going to come first place"?
It wasn't like that at all. One of the guys in the choir - his name is Gabriel - he actually competed for at Eurovision two years earlier singing "Bara Hon Älskar Mig" with a group called Blond. Everyone was talking about Sweden when I was there [in Israel]... about our chances of winning. I said to him, "Was it exactly like this two years ago, when you were competing?" And he said, "No, Charlotte. It wasn't like this when I was here." And I was thinking about this all the time. What was happening? On the betting lists, we were at the top of the ratings all the time, and everyone was talking about us, and I was quite confused. I mean, I was a dansband singer in Sweden. I actually never expected to win in Sweden in the first place. When I did, I was like (gasps) "What happened?!" When we went to Israel, I started to understand that we might have a chance to win this. But it was very strange - the thought never crossed my mind before. Of course, it was fantastic. It was one of the craziest times of my life.
Had you travelled a lot before you won?
Not that much. When I won, I was 24. I started touring because it opened up a lot of doors in Europe. I started touring in so many countries. And not only Europe - I went to Japan... China...
I always think that Eurovision winners become like a Miss America - where for an entire year after the contest, you can't breathe and you have to do endless performances and press. What kind of direction did your career take after Eurovision? Did you think you would be more of a pop singer and get away from dansband?
I was actually a member of a dansband when I won Eurovision. But after a while, I realised that it's impossible to go on with both of the careers. I didn't have the time and it was quite a mess for some months. When I stopped touring with the dansband, I chose to just go full on with pop music. I was touring all over everywhere. It is quite similar to Miss America, like you said. The only thing that I really did was tour. I was tired all the time, and I didn't have a life without music, without my work, without touring. When I actually came home and I was just relaxing, it was very strange. I wasn't comfortable with that. I started to... I don't know...
Withdraw?
Yeah, a little bit. I thought, maybe I need to go out, maybe I need to see some people. But I was freaking out. I didn't feel well. It was too much of everything.
You started to lose your sense of where you were.
Yeah.
After that, you became much more of a fixture in the gossip press here in Sweden. What is the craziest thing that you've read about yourself that is totally not true?
I think it was actually something that was in this type of magazine just this week. It was saying: "Charlotte is talking about her alcoholic problems." I think it was one of the strangest thing I have read about myself. I never drink. The thing was, they had taken this interview I did talking about the dansband years, where I said "I don't like people who drink, especially women. Drunk women are so... whatever". Of course, I talked about alcohol. But it was so strange to see this on the front page. I was looking at this and I thought, "How have they managed to do something so stupid?" This was definitely one of the craziest things. And I was pissed off, because I realised that my son is 8 years old, and he can read. I don't want his friends at school to read something like this and start to think that something isn't correct. Most people are just walking by and just see it and think "Ahhhh... I didn't know..."
"She's an alcoholic..."
Yeah, exactly! And then just continue to walk. It's quite boring.
Let's jump forward a bit. When you appeared at Melodifestivalen again in 2008 with "Hero", was it your decision to compete again, or were you approached to appear a second time?
It was the same that time as it is this time. Fredrik Kempe, who wrote "Hero" and who also has written "The Girl" - he called me and said "I have a song for you. Do you want to listen to this song?" Even Christer Björkman, who is the director of Melodifestivalen, called me as well and said, "You have to listen to this song. I know you said you would never do this again, but you HAVE to listen to this one. I think it is a really good song for you." So I went to his place and listened to the song and I was totally knocked out. I just realised that I have to do it. I loved the song and I had to do it. I couldn't sit at home on my sofa and watch someone else perform this song. I am very glad that I did it, and I feel the same today.
I remember the song was universally predicted at the time to be in the top 3, or win altogether. People said "Will Charlotte do it again?"
Yes, exactly.
But it didn't quite place as well as everyone expected.
No, no.
In retrospect, did you feel it was down to a single factor? What were you thinking at the time?
I'm still confused. I don't know what happened. Every was talking about it, saying we would win, or at least come second or third place.
I put money on it.
(laughs) I'm sorry!
I was so sure that it was going to do well.
I don't know what happened. The only thing that I can think of now is that maybe people had such high expectations. So when I came on stage and did the song, they were disappointed. Maybe they expected too much. I don't know. That's the only thing I can think of. The song is the song and I did exactly the same as I did in Sweden. People didn't like it, and I don't know why. If I came fifth or sixth place... OK. But eighteenth! It was like, "Umm... alright."
Just a bit about your new song, "The Girl". I understand that Fredrik Kempe said that he has the perfect song for you.
Yes.
The lyrics are probably quite autobiographical. Is it easier to perform a song that you know is written for you, especially one that is much more personal?
It is, because the song describes a bit about me - where I was when I performed the last time, and it describes where I am today. I feel so much stronger now, I feel so much more safe. I feel happy. And my God, just feeling happy and enjoying everything that I do. I think this song is so much fun. I think it was fun last time as well but the feeling is not the same now. I don't say that I will win or maybe I won't even go to Globen. But I like the song, I like the number we are doing. I see it as an opportunity to hear how the album will sound, and where I am standing today in 2012. I just feel happy and comfortable with it.
I wish you the best of luck on Saturday.
It should be really nice! (laughs)
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Here is a reminder of why Charlotte is much revered all over. Watch her performance of "Hero" from 2008. I first saw this at a big gathering of Melodifestivalen fans in London, watching the competition live in a bar, and the gasps of shock that came with this performance made me realize that this song was destined to become a classic.
