Here’s a couple of good folks you’ll be seeing compete in the first heat Melodifestivalen this weekend.
Michael Feiner is best known as one half of The Attic, alongside Eric Amarillo. The pair competed in Melodifestivalen 2007 with the hugely underrated ‘The Arrival’. And they’re also the producers of the Melodifestivalen theme that you hear played every week on the show.
He’s already more than proved his worth with new music partner Caisa though, on the ph’nom ‘I Do‘ from last year. If their Melfest entry ‘We’re Still Kids’ is even half as good as that, then all will be ok. But we don’t want things to be ok, we want them to be amazing. And we don’t want ‘We’re Still Kids’ to be half as good as ‘I Do’, we want it to be even better. The fact that they’ve been chosen to perform last in their heat however, well that makes us hope and believe that it’s going to be as amazing as we want it to be. So yes – based on past form and a lot of guess work, this is the one we’re anticipating most of all this week.
We met up with both Michael and Caisa at the Melodifestivalen press conference, and had a chat with them about it all.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Scandipop: I have to start off by referencing ‘I Do’. It’s so good. Catchy and euphoric, and definitely one of the best dance tracks of the year. So I’m wondering if ‘We’re Still Kids’ is gonna be anything like that? ‘Cos that would be a good start.
Michael: Yes! ‘We’re Still Kids’ is similar in that it’s still very catchy, it’s up-tempo, it’s energetic, and it features this beautiful voice of Caisa. It’s great. We’re really looking forward to the contest because we know it’s a very strong song.
Scandipop: That’s a relief to hear. Michael a lot of people know you from being one half of The Attic, and you’ve done Melodifestivalen before. Did you ever envisage yourself coming back to the contest without Eric?
Michael: I never really thought about it no. Myself and Caisa just spoke about it recently, saying let’s get a track to Melodifestivalen – why don’t we try? And then all of a sudden we got in! So that’s great. It’s not something we thought about a lot, but it’s a lot of fun that we’re here.
Scandipop: We’ve heard a lot from Eric Amarillo since The Attic went on a break, but not so much from you. What have you been up to?
Michael: I’ve been more underground, on the club side of things. But now that I’ve been working with Caisa, we’re making music where she adds melodies and lyrics, so it’s become a lot more pop than my usual work. And it’s a really nice collaboration we have here. I love pop music, so it’s great that we’re getting more pop now.
Scandipop: Love it when that happens! And Caisa, ‘I Do’ aside, I don’t really know too much about you. Can you tell us a little bit more about yourself and your music career?
Caisa: Well I’ve known Michael for quite some time and I’ve always wanted to work with him. In the beginning we started to work together with Eric Amarillo. But then last year, my sister got married, and I’ve always made songs for her. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, ha ha, but I’ve always made them for her. And so I forced Michael – because he’s always so busy DJ-ing and making tracks for other people – I told him I had this hook and I had these lyrics, and could he please help me with them. And at first he was reluctant, but then he heard it! And then he was like, “oh wow, can we do something with it“. That was a week before the wedding, and it was the track ‘I Do’. And that was the beginning of our work together as a pair. I’ve always been a singer, but I’ve never written tracks like this before. But with him, we really do inspire each other. I come from a totally different angle, and then there’s his angle – and when two good things meet…..
Michael: It’s a very good energy and effect.
Caisa: It really is.
Scandipop: Ah so you aren’t *just* the singer then, you’re also the songwriter
Caisa: Yes, I’m a songwriter. A topliner.
Scandipop: So that’s good. With the name Michael Feiner, we can expect a club sound, but with you involved, you’re bringing it towards pop.
Caisa: Exactly. And that’s such a good style, when you mix dance and pop. It doesn’t just sound good, you can do all sorts of moves when you dance too, ha ha!
Scandipop: That’s very true indeed. My favourite sort of dance music.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
More from Michael Feiner & Caisa over at SVT’s Melodifestivalen website.
And even more from them this Saturday night when Melodifestivalen 2013 kicks off! Read more about that here.
