Star Pilots - I'm Alive

Star Pilots are a group out of Sweden that rose to fame with their track In the Heat of the Night which reached #2 in Sweden and after a release in the UK last year reached #21 there. They also participated in Melodifestivalen 2009 with Higher which made it to the Second Chance round but didn't reach the finals in the end.

Back then Star Pilots were lead by Johan Becker, although he has since left the group. They are keeping on keeping on without him with I'm Alive getting its release last week in Sweden. In its first week on the Swedish charts it's already up to #22 although it might have a hard time competing with the Melodifestivalen songs getting released shortly.

I'm Alive is in the same vein as the previous Star Pilots songs - but this isn't a bad thing! It's got the 80s feel to it which was well promoted in the Top Gun-themed video for In the Heat of the Night. I will admit that I'm Alive wasn't an instant hit for me but after a week of listens it's definitely growing. The video is also an unashamed trash-fest. Think Baywatch meets Miami Vice with more bikinis and car washing. Yes it's that kind of video.

On another (somewhat related) note - this weekend is Melodifestivalen Semifinal 3. A big deal with Alcazar, Darin and Elin Lanto all competing - it's going to be BIG!

For now - enjoy the latest from the Star Pilots!



Star Pilots - I'm Alive

Alice - I Wanna Live

Another of the alumni of Swedish Idol, Alice Svensson (better known as Alice), was a participant in the 2008 competition. I happened to watch her in the final rounds last year when I was in Stockholm and was pretty impressed by the big voice coming out of this little girl. Adopted from Vietnam as a baby, Alice grew up in Sweden and was part of several musical projects in her youth before Idol.

Her first single after her Idol success, Lady Luck, was a bit of a motown-ish inspired track that reached #12 on the Swedish charts but for her latest effort she has moved into the dance genre. She has worked with Pitchline (responsible for work on Velvet's latest remix of her song My Destiny) and I Wanna Live is something pretty special. Although the extended version is a bit drawn out, once the verses and chorus starts the song is pretty amazing.

The song is quite reminiscent of My Destiny but Alice's unique sounding voice certainly takes it up a notch (and more). Enjoy a sample of the song from YouTube before you download as well as Alice (borrowing what looks like one of Agnes' dresses) performing at Sommarkrysset with Lady Luck for a taste of her live talent (as well as one of the best intro's ever).

Enjoy!





Alice - I Wanna Live

Linda Pritchard - You're Making Me Hot Hot Hot

Pretty much the best six weeks of music in Europe got started last night in Sweden with Melodifestivalen 2010 having the first semi-final take place in Örnsköldsvik. Overall, this is one of the least hyped up semis and in the end Ola and Salem were the first two to progress directly to the finals. Eric Saade competes next week and Elin Lanto, Alcazar AND Darin compete in semifinal three in two weeks. More good things to come.

The only real song worthy of note came from Linda Pritchard, a former Swedish Idol participant from 2008, who competed with You're Making Me Hot Hot Hot and ended up 5th - just out of a spot in the Second Chance finals with a final shot at competing in the finals in Stockholm.

Her vocals were pretty spot-on for the night and the whole performance went quite well but it appeared there were some bigger names and bigger songs. Something tells me this one will still manage to make its way to the Swedish airwaves in high rotation much like most of the rest of the songs from this week and to come.



Linda Pritchard - You're Making Me Hot Hot Hot

Belinda Braza - Million Dollar Baby

With Eurovision season well underway with several national finals happening across Europe, it is time to start blogging about what is happening. With Sweden's national final - Melodifestivalen - set to start this weekend, there will certainly be lots to talk about but until then it's Belinda Braza who gets the distinction of being the first to be mentioned despite her not-so-good result at the Norwegian finals - Melodi Grand Prix.

Belinda has been mostly behind the scenes and has worked primarily as a choreographer including work with Velvet Inc. from last year's Norwegian finals and also work on So You Think You Can Dance Scandinavia. This year she found herself vying for a chance to represent Norway at Eurovision although she didn't manage to make through to the finals or even the Second Chance Round.

Million Dollar Baby is a great pop track mixing a lot of pop with a bit of Belinda's hip-hop style as well. The result on the night isn't too hard to believe when seeing her performance (below) as the vocals were pretty crap but the song itself is pretty good and the studio version is definitely worth a listen.

Keep tuned for the results of the Norwegian (and other) national finals over the next few weeks.

enjoy!



Belinda Braza - Million Dollar Baby