Loreen, 2012 Swedish star.

Loreen's performance in the Swedish selection to the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 was in several aspects dreamlike. Her vocals and stage performance had a celestial quality that made commentators use words like ”otherworldly” after her experiencing contribution ”Euphoria”.

It came as no big surprise when she won the competition and made so with some distance. Before winning the votes from the television viewers with record figures. More than 670 000 of the four million viewers – close to half the population – called in to vote for Loreen, twice the support of last years winner.

Afterwards Loreen was simply overwhelmed. ”A fantastic feeling, I almost started sobbing” she admitted to the television cameras.

"Two months of preparation can do miracles!” Loreen will bring “Euphoria” to Baku, Azerbaijan, where the 2012 Swedish entry will participate in the second of two semi finals for the ESC on May 24.

This attitude tells a lot about Loreen. Raised on the countryside outside Stockholm, in a family of Moroccan-Berber origin, she has a very detailed attitude to her music. 

”The music I get inspiration from is music that gets you into kind of a trance. Both musically and vocal vice. Artists like Björk, some of Enya's music, and especially Lisa Gerrard.”

It's fitting that Loreen learned to play the piano by imitating the very minimalistic Michael Nyman score to the 90's film ”The Piano”. Loreen continues: ”I want to make music that really connects to my soul. I think that's when my music affects the most.”

She describes herself: ”Somewhat a loner, a seeker that steers away from the information overload of today. I have no tv set. I have a laptop but I only use it for e-mails and music programs.”

Her general aim? ”To unite people in the thought that there is much more to life than the materialistic aspects. I know that it may sound hippieish and overblown. But is that really a reason to give up on this ambition? I'm certain the answer to that is no!”

Loreen’s third single release “Euphoria” has already spent some two weeks topping the Swedish single and airplay charts with sales quickly surpassing Platinum status. 

Robyn

Robin Miriam Carlsson - more famous as; Robyn - was born in Stockholm in 1979. She spent the first seven years of her life touring with her director father and actress mother in their Constructivist-inspired theatre company. At the age of 13 she was discovered by Swedish pop singer called 'Meja' (who has some hits in parts of Asia) when singing a sad, self-written song about her parents' divorce in a school workshop and was immediately signed to BMG. Four albums later, and Robyn has re-invented herself as a purveyor of razor-sharp, inventive electro-pop, releasing 2007's self-titled album on her own label, Konichiwa Bitches, to great critical acclaim. Latly she hasn't made any big hits; but she believes she can do it, and its going to happen very soon. Some of her hits have lasted for a while. She has gotten a little pit of popularity among the US. People have been expecting hits this year from her, but so far nothing has come out of Robyn. She is hoping that one of her songs will get a hold of the hits soon. 

A, for ABBA

The whole Abba thing started in June 1966 when Björn Ulvaeus met Benny Andersson. 

The pair wrote their very first song that year. By that time Benny had quit a band he used to

play in called 'The Help Stars'. 

In spring of 1969 Björn and Benny met 2 women who were to become not only their fiancées 

but also the other half of Abba. Agnetha Fältskog had been a successful solo singer since realeasing her first single in 1967. She and Blörn got married in July 1971. Anni-Frid Lyngstad also known as Frida, started her recoding career shortly before Agnehta. 

Frida was of Norwegian origin, but had moved to at a early age. Benny and Frida didn't

get married until the October 1978. 

In the 1970's the attractive sounds of their voices combined gave them the idea to start a band. Their 1st song was a failure; but their 2nd song, 'People need love' was a medium sized hit in Sweden. 

Encouraged by their success, they entered the 1973 Swedish selections for the 

Eurovision with the song 'Ring Ring' They came out as 3rd place. 

 Ring Rung became a  hit in several European countries.

The group entered again in 1974 with the song, 'Waterloo', witch took them to the

finals  in Brighton, Engliand. By this time they had the name ABBA.

Soon after the triumph, 'Waterlooä was Number 1 on the charts all over Europe, it even

reached the US Top Ten. The album was a huge hit in Sweden. It was not until

18 months later, they got a new hit called, 'SOS'. 'Mamma Mia', returned the group to

the UK Number 1 spot, which they occupied a total of 9 times. Over a few years 

Australia would be caught up in the virtual ABBA fever, giving the group a total of 

6 number one hits. Soon enough; Abba became one of the most popular groups

in the world.

ABBA's journey continued like this; they got a few hits like, 'Monney, Money, Money,'

and 'Dancing Queen.' Soon a movie called, 'Mamma Mia' was let out. 

Surprisingly Benny and Björn have helped made it.