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Post by Jan on May 21, 2014 22:20:36 GMT 1
 Semi-Final 2 Artists & Songs Presentations!01. RAW("We Own The Night") Raw is a  Swedish pop trio formed in 2012, originally as female duo, but in 2013 Celina and Elin got male assistance by their producer Silvae, who has now officially joined the group.
As newcomers they want to try their luck in Fantasifestivalen. They'll open the second semi-final with "We Own The Night". Maybe they will indeed own the night?02. HOFFMAESTRO & CHRAA("Desperado") During the last seven years, Hoffmaestro have been one of the hardest working bands – as well as one of the biggest draws – in theirnative Sweden. Their live shows became staples of the biggest festivals, whilesetting new records of attendance as headliners.
Hoffmaestro build their audience the old-fashioned way:through being a great live band that always delivers, come rain or shine. As alive act, Hoffmaestro represent a unique combination of discipline and chaos. Anyone who’s experienced the band livecan attest that Hoffmaestro are a force of nature, a runaway freight train thatno one can stop.
”We rarely fail onstage, regardless of situation. Our lowest level is high. And it’s not due to people knowing all the songs. The reactionis pretty much the same all over the world”, says Jens Malmlöf.
All along, Hoffmaestro have released hit albums, singles and EP’s in Sweden. Now it’s time for them to take on the world.
Hoffmaestro belong to a worldwide family of bands thatinclude acts like Manu Chao and Gogol Bordello. What these bands have in commonis that they combine various elements, styles and spices into their own musicalmelting pot. If one word sums up what Hoffmaestro are all about, it’s raw,unabashed Energy – whether it comes from ska, soul, country, hip hop, folkrock, reggae or punk. In the end, it results in a style that’s unmistakeablytheir own. Another of their main sources of inspiration is the city of  New Orleans and its sensual sounds – a musical melting pot in itself.
The seeds of what was to become Hoffmaestro were sown on the90’s suburban live scene of Stockholm where, while a sense of communityprevailed, there was always room for a healty dose of competition.
”We played youth clubs around the suburbs of Stockholm. Eventhough we were friends back then we played in different bands and we allwaystried to outmatch each other when it came to getting the crowd hyped up andjumping the most”, remembers John Lindgren.
Another one of their tricks, before they were able to pull acrowd of their own, was to arrange huge parties. And guess who played live atthose parties?
”A lot of bands look down on small towns, or low-key events.We never did. No gig was too small, no venue too strange” remembers Jens.
The founding members of Hoffmaestro first attractednationwide attention when they wrote and directed a feature film, ”Stockholm Boogie” (2005), for which they also provided the soundtrack, including thetheme ”Desperado”, which became a hit. The film was a cult success, and theband took off. Since then, they have focused on touring, recording, and makingmusic videos.
Hoffmaestro appeared on the Swedish scene around 2005,during a period of worldwide music industry confusion. Most record companies inSweden failed to understand what was happening, and didn’t quite know what tomake of the latest tools available, like social communities and networks.Combining the best of both worlds, Hoffmaestro were able to build theirfollowing playing live, while communicating with the very same people online,thus forging a relationship of mutual respect that lasts to this day.
”Early on, we made sure to communicate directly with our fanbase. We still do”, says Karl-Uno Lindgren.
Needless to say, it doesn’t matter how internet-savvy youare, if you don’t have the goods: memorable songs and an ability to deliver.Owners of their own studio, a cottage in a park near central Stockholm, Hoffmaestro thrive on throwing themselves into the creative process as often aspossible. Their diverse backgrounds in music makes for another secret weapon.The fact that this band can rely on any combination of writers, means that theyare able to avoid being stuck with a predictable formula.
”Something special happens when you combine self-taughtsongwriters with trained musicians” says John. ”If you leave room for greatmusicians to breathe, they usually enjoy the freedom to add their own identityto the material”.
If you want to know what they’re about as people, justlisten to the lyrics. At this point in their career, Hoffmaestro feel that theycan write about almost anything that occupies their thoughts, and lives. In the beginning, a lot of their lyrices shared the same sense of joy as the music –it was a lot about living in the present.
”But we sometimes to try to keep things interesting andunpredictable by, for example, combining reflective or melancholy lyrics withoptimistic music”, says John.
”Our next goal will be to experiment with moods live, andmaybe include album tracks that are less intense”, says Jens.
The fact that everyone in this band seems to have othertalents, whether it’s as producers, accountants, arrangers, organisers or filmmakers, is another added bonus.
”We grew up with a do-it-yourself attitude, and remain veryself-sufficient”, says Karl-Uno.
”In a way we had to do it that way, since the music industryhas changed after the digital revolution. We did a lot of things the wrong way,at least according the the existing music business rules – but those rules didn’t apply any more” says Jens.
A lot of bands that have reached national success are toolazy or safe to leave their home country. Always up for a challenge,Hoffmaestro started touring Germany two years ago, at the peak of their Swedish fame, choosing to utilize their considerable collective live experience tobuild an entirely new audience. Since then, they have gradually moved from thesmallest stages to the big ones.
Now the time has come for their firstinternational release, consisting of six Hoffmaestro ”classics”, and six newlywritten songs (released back in Sweden as a new EP). Twelve studio recordingsthat capture their famous live energy, while adding nuances and folk flavoringsthat draw you in, and encourage repeated listens.
Hoffmaestro make no bones about the fact that they want tosee how far they can take this, in every way. And they don’t expect a hitsingle to do the job for them.
”We’ll work our way around the globe. Travelling and seeingthe world sure beats working in an office. I hope we’ll end up as old men,still gigging – even if we need chairs”, Jens laughs.
Their aim is to work hard, while retaining the carefreesense of joy and cameraderie that has characterized this band from day one.
Regarding the future of the band, Karl-Uno gets the lastword: ” The bottom line is that we’re all great friends. There’s always been anelement of playfulness to what we do, that we don’t intend on ever losing.”
They will perform their song "Desperado" 2nd.03. MANDA("Criminals") Manda is a Swedish singer who is known for participating in the Swedish version of X Factor in 2012.
In 2013, she released her first single "Sweetest Heartbreak" and in 2014, her single "Glow" followed, with which she participated in Melodifestivalen 2014 where she ended last in her heat.
Her third single has been submitted to Fantasifestivalen and will be performed third in the second semi-final, called "Criminals".04. MELANIE WEHBE("Irresistible") Melanie Wehbe was born December 2nd 1991 in Västerås, Sweden. She is of  Lebanese and  Armenian descendents. Melanie started singing with her grandmother at a very young age. She studied at the Fryxellska music school in Västerås where she learned to develop her singing and performance skills and when she turned fourteen she wrote her first song.
Melanie has gone through several different musical experiences, she sang at the opening of the famous Moon house which was inaugurated by the Swedish astronaut Christer Fuglesang, she competed in the TV show called Körslaget 2010, Team Picasso and with its amazing and talented leader Marie Picasso they placed second. In spring 2011 Melanie got a phone call from the Swedish Idol who wanted her to audition for the show, Melanie auditioned and managed to get to top 30.
Never giving up, one week later she won Coverjakten at Vakna med The Voice, and on 20th August she performed at The Voice '11 in front of 40 000 spectators. In summer 2011 Melanie signed a contract with music label Samssonmusic and recently with EMI Music who released her first single Irresistible January 30th 2012.
During 2012 and 2013 Melanie spent many hours in the studio writing songs together with talented songwriters and producers. In 2013 she finished school and graduated with a Bachelor Of Science Degree in Business Administration at Mälardalen University, Västerås & two months later she announced that she together with Linnea Deb, Joy Deb & Charlie Mason co-wrote the song "Glow" which will be performed by Manda Nilsénius in Melodifestivalen 2014.
Now she is competing against Manda, performing instantly after her with the song "Irresistible".05. TAKIDA("Swallow (Until You're Gone)") Takida are an English-language alternative rock band from Sweden that experienced immediate success upon signing to Ninetone Records in 2005 after a half-decade of independent activity. Founded in Ånge, Sweden, in 1999, the band is comprised of Robert Pettersson (vocals, piano), Tomas Wallin (guitar), Mattias Larsson (guitar), Fredrik Pålsson (bass), and Kristoffer Söderström (drums), of whom only Pettersson and Wallin remain from the founding lineup. Not long after forming, Takida recorded their first demo, the five-track Old (2000), followed later in the year by another five-track demo recording, T2. A few more demos -- Takida (2001), Gohei (2003), Thorns (2004) -- were recorded in subsequent years before the band was offered a recording contract in 2005 with Ninetone Records, a Universal Music Group affiliate founded by producer Patrik Frisk. Takida made their label debut in 2006 with a hit single ("Losing") and album (Make You Breathe) that peaked respectively at number two and seven on the Swedish charts. The band's second album on Ninetone Records, Bury the Lies (2007), proved even more successful, debuting atop the Swedish albums chart and spawning a major hit ("Curly Sue") as well as a minor one ("Halo"). Takida's third long-player, The Darker Instinct, was released in September of 2009.
Now they're back, to perform their new song "Swallow (Until You're Gone)" in the second semi-final of Fantasifestivalen 09.06. ERIK HASSLE("Hurtful") Erik Hassle is a Swedish soul-pop vocalist who made his debut in 2009 with Hassle. Born on August 26, 1988, in Katrineholm, Sweden, he studied at the Rytmus school of music in Stockholm. After signing a recording contract with the Swedish label Roxy Recordings, he made his commercial recording debut in 2008 with the single "Hurtful." The song was only a minor hit at first, reaching the Top 30 of the Swedish chart before beginning to fade away. Months later, "Hurtful" began climbing the charts once again after Hassle signed an international recording contract with Universal Island Records in the  United Kingdom and began generating a buzz there. After re-entering the Swedish singles chart in mid-2009, "Hurtful" peaked at number 11 and paved the way for a follow-up single, the Top 30 hit "Don't Bring Me Flowers After I'm Dead."
Hassle fared even better with his self-titled debut record, Hassle, which reached number two on the Swedish albums chart and featured collaborations with Tysper (Tommy Tysper), Mack (Marcus Sepehrmanesh), and Grizzly (Gustav Jonsson) of the songwriting/production team Company Ten, who had previously collaborated with A-Teens and Amy Diamond. Many of those collaborations also appeared on 2010's Pieces, a revised version of Hassle's debut featuring several remixes and one new track. Pieces was released exclusively in the U.K. in an attempt to widen Hassle's European fanbase, but the album failed to chart.
Erik Hassle made the clever decision to submit his most successful single "Hurtful", which he'll perform 6th in the second semi-final.07. ACE WILDER("Voodoo Amore") Alice Gernandt (born 23 July 1982 in Stockholm) better known by her stage name Ace Wilder, is a Swedish singer and songwriter who took part in Melodifestivalen 2014.
Gernandt made it to the final on 8 March in Friends Arena, progressing from the third semifinal in Scandinavium with her song "Busy Doin' Nothin'".
Wilder grew up in several places around the world, and for a long time she lived in Miami, Florida, USA. Nowadays she resides in Stockholm again. Along with two friends she started the music group Paper Moon Dragon. They released a single in 2006 called "Betty".
Wilder has written songs for other artists. She has placed in the Top 10 singles charts in Germany.
After several years of singing and dancing behind international singers on world tours, Wilder decided in 2012 to launch her solo career. She got a record deal with EMI Records and Warner Music. She released the single "Do It", which has since been used in American television shows. In 2013 she released the single "Bitches Like Fridays".
In late 2013 Wilder's debut album "A Wilder" was awarded "Best Music Album of the Year" at the Scandipop Awards.
She is the niece of radio personality Anders Gernandt.
"Voodoo Amore" is the song she'll be performing second-to-last in the second semi-final. #7 - her lucky number?08. NONONO("Hungry Eyes") Swedish threesome NONONO, aka front girl Stina Wappling, and production duo Astma & Rocwell formed in Stockholm during the spring of 2012, following Stina’s return from Brighton where she had spent three years studying for a degree in psychology - a subject which might have indirectly impacted her songwriting...
“I don’t know about songwriting rules, and I didn’t go to music school,” Stina explains. “It’s more about a feeling I want to get out. i don't do that much active thinking when writing music but Psychology has probably influenced me because it gives you so many tools to think about life and situations”. Stina now works in a mental hospital alongside making music. “I like to have that world alongside the music, because it is quite ease to get wrapped up in the music industry and lose sight of why you are really doing it- the love for music.Working with something completely different reminds me of how amazing it is that I get to work with my passion. This in its on turn makes me really happy and pleased on the inside, and thus hopefully doing a better job at the hospital, it´s a win win situation!
Despite her laid-back attitude, Stina threw herself into songwriting projects when she returned to Sweden during her long university holidays, having signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell at the tender age of 21. In fact, it was through her publisher that she was introduced to Tobias and Michel aka Astma & Rocwell. Having worked together for ten years, primarily on hip hop, the production duo were looking for a vocalist for a new project. The three found instant chemistry, and soon became the trio now known as NONONO, a name which highlights an important philosophy for the band.
Having been pushed into musical projects that they didn’t want to do, it became clear that in order to do the music they really wanted, they would have to start saying no, no, no. “We look at it as something that is really positive... to have the courage to say no to things you don’t really want to do. If you say no to a job, or finish a relationship, it is often viewed as a negative thing, but it means you can start something new,” Stina muses. She adds that it has now almost become her life motto.
This thoughtful sensibility is reflected in their much-hyped debut release “Like The Wind”, to be released in the UK in early May through Best Fit Recordings. Described by Popjustice as “a song you are going to listen to once, then immediately feel like listening to again, setting in motion a repeat listening frenzy that will last well over three hours,” it has also been championed by tastemakers including The Guardian, Notion and The Quietus.
“Like The Wind” is to be preceded by the anthemic “Pumpin Blood”, set for a Scandinavia release this week. Having previously been described by The Guardian as “the kind of percussion-heavy, gloom-tinged pop which brought Niki & The Dove to
the masses last year”, this track swerves the group in a new direction, with its overwhelmingly positive sentiment and rousing whistling hook. In fact, we expect the track to be universally adopted as the far superior “whistle song”. With its instant appeal and summery feel, expect to see this track propel NONONO to anthemic status.
The band are currently finishing their debut album, which they describe as “dark and beat-orientated,” for the most part, although the mood will likely improve as the seasons change in Sweden. The aim? “We would really like if someone gets a feeling that they can take from it. We want to make an impact and for people to be touched,” says Michel. “Most importantly, it is going to come from the heart”.
After coming 3rd in the fifth edition of North Vision Song Contest, with their song "Pumpin Blood", they have set themselves a new goal: Winning North Vision Song Contest - "Of course we're very happy about receiving such nice feedback and success for our hard work and we enjoyed it that much that we immediately said 'yes' to a return when our record label contacted us. Though we are really crazy about winning the whole thing, we go into this with highest carefulness, as we don't know how the Swedish and especially the international audience will react on our return", says Stina.
"Hungry Eyes" is the last song for the second semi-final, which is supposed to be the lucky key to another success for NONONO. (ᴅɪᴍɪ),  (𝐴𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑎̀),  (Phil),  (Aless),  (@hvdstrcbcbr),  (Jess),  (Dmitry),  (Shaun),  (lazarkoo),  (James),  (vaneedas),  (George),  (Jιm),  (Dimitris),  (How Bogs How Blue),  (Miloš),  (Tias),  (eurosongbh),  (@eurovisiongermany),  (Shane),  (Franck),  (Rick),  (@douzepointa),  (¥€$),  (ClassifiedCat),  (Eke),  (Hyunzales),  (Sel),  (Daniel),  (Laimis),  (viktorasvigo),  (@mightyhawks),  (El Catracho),  (@garameaning),  (Ser Pounce),  (andreagomezsolis),  (1musicfun),  (Jordy),  (Vaios),  (Mateusz),  (LittleDemon),  (Domantas),  (Aleks Džehverović),  (Kenajabam),  (Christian AT),  (Logan),  (ESCTudor),  (Tom),  (Jan),  (Marko),  (Kerem),  (Anesović),  (Liev),  (@hunterandprey)
 (ESCIliasMANL (Inactive))  (alex(a)bg)  (@gvsongcontest)  (Matt)  (Dylan)  (MG)  (Asi)  (@lolzwut) |
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Post by Jan on May 22, 2014 20:04:26 GMT 1
Semi-Final 3 Artists & Songs Presentations!01. GATHANIA("Nobody's Breaking Me") Gathania became a household name in 2008 in Sweden after becoming a finalist on Swedish Pop Idol. In two years Gathania went from a waitress with dreams of pop stardom to a pop star herself.
Gathania Holmgren was born in 1987 to Swedish and  West Indian parents.
Her debut single, ‘Blame It On You’ is a club tune with crossover potential.
Her second single, 'Spinning' qualified for the final of Fantasifestivalen 01, where it ended 10th.
Her third single, "Nobody's Breaking Me" will be her return to Fantasifestivalen and the first song to be performed in the third semi-final.02. MAHAN MOIN("Asbe Sefid") Mahan Moin was on of the contestants in the persian music contest Googoosh Music Academy 2011. Mahan was one of the favorites of 10, because of her persian/swedish/western style, that made her different from the other contestants and because she radiated positive energy. Mahan came 3rd and as people say: Mahan made a musical change in the persian music. During the 3 months, 4 milion people voted and the channel MANOTO 1 showed the contest in satellite and web for the whole world. Mahan Moin was competing in the swedish competition Melodifestivalen and ended 7th in the semi-final.
She's trying to bring her persian roots to Fantasifestivalen with her song, "Asbe Sefid", which is sung in Persian and will be performed 2nd in the third semi-final.03. LINDA BENGTZING("Kan Du Se") In Linda Bengtzing's case, persistence paid off. A Swedish pop singer in the mold of Fantasifestivalen veterans Lena Philipsson and Carola, Bengtzing literally battled her way to celebrity beginning with her appearance on the fourth and final season of Fame Factory. Long story short, Bengtzing never made it to the finals; however, she was selected to compete at Melodifestivalen 2005 during her stint on the show. Entering the national song contest with "Alla Flickor," Bengtzing finished last with zero "phone-in" points. She'd been trounced, but "Alla Flickor" nevertheless peaked at number eight on the Swedish charts. Another single, "Diamanter," followed on the heels of "Alla Flickor," peaking at a respectable number 32. Bolstered by her chart success, Bengtzing returned to Melodifestivalen the following year with "Jag Ljuger Sa Bra," a song originally intended for Jessica Andersson. Bengtzing finished seventh; regardless, "Jag Ljuger Sa Bra" went on to peak at number two on the charts. Her debut full-length, 2006's Ingenting att Forlora, managed to peak at number four. Bengtzing teamed up with novelty rapper Markoolio early in the following year for the comedic single "Varsta Schlagern." It would prove to be Bengtzing's first number one single. She was again selected to compete in Melodifestivalen 2014; however she did not make it into the finals.
The third starting position will be hers with the song "Kan Du Se".04. GRAVITONAS FEAT. ARMY OF LOVERS("People Are Lonely") Gravitonas is a brand new Stockholm-based music project, fronted by lead vocalist Andreas Öhrn and celebrated record producers and songwriters Alexander Bard and Henrik Wikström. They have already competed in the fourth edition of Fantasifestivalen with their song "Live and Let Go".
The flamboyant multicultural Swedish dance-pop group Army of Lovers formed in 1987, the brainchild of composer and producer Alexander Bard. Five years earlier Bard first emerged as a member of the short-lived trio Baard, best known for the single "Life in a Goldfish Bowl." In 1985 -- in drag, no less -- he led Barbie, a band also comprised of hairdresser Jean-Pierre Barda (alias Farouk), Yazmina Chantal, and model Camilla Henemark (aka Katanga); two years later, Bard, Barda, and Henemark (now performing under the name La Camilla) founded Army of Lovers, taking the name in honor of the 1970s cult movie Armee der Liebenden.
Army of Lovers With the aid of designer and stylist Camilla Thulin, the group created an outrageously campy image, the bandmembers' wardrobe drawing heavily on religious imagery while also referencing history and folklore. Army of Lovers debuted in 1988 with the single "When the Night Is Cold," followed by the more dance-minded "Love Me Like a Loaded Gun." After scoring a 1989 hit with "Supernatural," the following year they issued their debut LP, Disco Extravaganza (issued in the U.S. as Army of Lovers). Released in 1991, Massive Luxury Overdose, recorded with producer Anders Wollbeck, was their breakthrough; in tandem with a pair of lurid videos, the singles "Crucified" and "Obsession" became club hits, and Army of Lovers became major stars in their native Scandinavia and throughout Eastern Europe.
The Gods of Earth and Heaven In the wake of the record's success, however, La Camilla was fired and replaced by model and school teacher Michaela Dornonville de la Cour, who debuted on the single "Judgment Day." After recording music for the soundtrack to the film Ha Ett Underbart Liv, Army of Lovers recruited former phone-sex operator Dominika Peczynski and released 1993's The Gods of Earth and Heaven; the single "Israelism" became the subject of considerable controversy when it was accused of mocking Jewish culture, but ironically rose to the number one spot on the Israeli pop charts. After 1994's Glory Glamour and Gold, de la Cour exited, paving the way for the return of La Camilla prior to the release of 1996's Les Greatest Hits. With Army of Lovers on hiatus, Bard formed a new group, Vacuum, and issued 1997's The Plutonium Cathedral; La Camilla, meanwhile, mounted a solo career. In Melodifestivalen 2013, they have officially made their comeback despite finishing 6th in their semi-final only.
The collaboration of two projects by Alexander Bard will present their song "People Are Lonely" 4th in the 3rd semi-final.05. BEATRICE ELI("It's Over") Beatrice Eli released her debut EP 'It's Over' on March 24th.
The EP includes previously released single 'The Conqueror', which contains the perfect cominbation of dark and experimental production, with sweet pop accessibility, plus three new tracks including title track 'It's Over' - a slice of unadulterated, dark synth-pop, down-beat ballad Definite Mistake and Scandi-pop gem Violent Silence.
Combining emotional vocals with mesmerizing beats not only does Beatrice Eli have a killer voice, but also a wicked sense of humour and an affinity for the theatrics. Beatrice’s very strong sense of identity, her vocals and talent as a songwriter make her a genuinely unique and credible artist. Things have been going from strength to strength for Beatrice in her native Sweden - having most recently opened for Miguel in her home city of Stockholm.
Beatrice joins the wonderful lineage of Scandinavian pop queens, stretching from defiant experimentalists like Fever Ray to critic and chart darlings such as Lykke Li, Oh Land, Robyn and more. Like them, she tries not to adapt the music industry's one-dimensional view on women. But how would she like to be perceived? “That’s a hard one”, she muses. “I’d like to be perceived as someone who's real, and passionate about what I do. But”, she says, laughing, “I’d want to be the badass daughter of Jackie Brown. I think it’s gonna take me some living experience to get to that level of fearlessness or badassness, but I’m working on it”.
"It's Over" - but apparently not for Beatrice Eli, because this is the song she'll be performing 5th in semi-final 3.06. PERNILLA ANDERSSON("Lovesong") Pernilla Andersson is a Swedish left-handed songwriter and singer. She is the singing coach for the TV-program True Talent and married to Dregen.
Pernilla sings "Blå vägen hem" on Svante Thuresson's album Svante Thuresson & vänner. She wrote the music of Thuresson's album Nya kickar and she produced his two last albums. As pianist she has been touring with Thomas Di Leva. In 2001 she received SKAP's scholarship. She contested Melodifestivalen 2011 with the song "Desperados" and came to the "Second Chance" (Andra Chansen) but lost. In 2011 she received the Ulla-Billquist-scholarship.
Pernilla Andersson is interested in ecology affecting fish and seeks to preserve the species of fish in the Baltic Sea.
She wants someone to write her a "Lovesong" performing this song 6th in the third semi-final.07. CARINA & PERNILLA("C'Mon & Däns") Carina Perenkranz & Pernilla Parszyk will rather be recognised as Judit & Judit – the two redhead beehived ladies who have been fronting KomHem’s advertising campaign for around five years now.
The song "C'mon & Däns" was originally selected to compete in Melodifestivalen 2014 before being unceremoniously disqualified a few weeks before the final 32 were announced. It's probably that tie-in with a commercial brand which unfortunately resulted in their disqualification from Melodifestivalen, as the publicly funded SVT eventually decided that they couldn’t be seen to be promoting a well known business alignment.
Carina & Pernilla want the whole Europe to "C'mon and Däns" - first they have to make the Swedish public dance though.08. AGNES("Instant Repeater") Responsible for one of the biggest dance hits of 2009, vocal diva Agnes is one of the few European Pop Idol winners to make an impact in the U.K. charts. Born Agnes Emilia Carlsson in Vänersborg, Sweden in 1988, she began performing at a young age, singing in the church choir and playing the violin in school concerts. Influenced by Beyoncé, Whitney Houston, and Janet Jackson, she auditioned for Sweden's 2005 series of Pop Idol. Although she initially failed to make it through to both the final 11 and the wild-card round, she was eventually chosen as the Judges' Choice contestant. Thanks to stellar performances of tracks by Oasis, Irene Cara, and Avril Lavigne, she was crowned Sweden's first female Pop Idol, defeating runner-up Sebastian Karlsson with 57 percent of the vote. After signing to Sony BMG, both her debut single, "Right Here, Right Now," and self-titled first album reached number one. Follow-up LP Stronger also debuted at number one, but in 2008, she left the label due to creative differences. She soon landed a deal with Roxy Recordings, and began recording her third album, Dance Love Pop, with Anders Hansson. Its first release, "On and On," reached number eight, but it was second single "Release Me" that gave her an international breakthrough, charting at number three in the U.K., and gracing the Top Ten in several European countries and Australia. Following its success, she was signed to A&M/Interscope Records by Ron Fair, the man behind Black Eyed Peas and Pussycat Dolls' careers. Agnes also finished eighth in the 2009 Melodifestivalen, the Swedish search for a Eurovision Song Contest entrant, supported N-Dubz and Cascada on the Clubland tour, and performed at the wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden.
Agnes will close the third semi-final with her song "Instant Repeater". (ᴅɪᴍɪ), (𝐴𝑑𝑟𝑖𝑎̀), (Phil), (Aless), (@hvdstrcbcbr), (Jess), (Dmitry), (Shaun), (lazarkoo), (James), (vaneedas), (George), (Jιm), (Dimitris), (How Bogs How Blue), (Miloš), (Tias), (eurosongbh), (@eurovisiongermany), (Shane), (Franck), (Rick), (@douzepointa), (¥€$), (ClassifiedCat), (Eke), (Hyunzales), (Sel), (Daniel), (Laimis), (viktorasvigo), (@mightyhawks), (El Catracho), (@garameaning), (Ser Pounce), (andreagomezsolis), (1musicfun), (Jordy), (Vaios), (Mateusz), (LittleDemon), (Domantas), (Aleks Džehverović), (Kenajabam), (Christian AT), (Logan), (ESCTudor), (Tom), (Jan), (Marko), (Kerem), (Anesović), (Liev), (@hunterandprey)
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