What’s going on here then? Pernilla Wahlgren, Jenny Silver, and Hanna Hedlund getting together for Melodifestivalen and calling themselves Swedish House Wives, that’s what!
Genius name by the way. It shows that the ladies are at least able to poke some fun at themselves and the aforementioned feeling of what’s-going-on-here-then, that’s brought about upon seeing their names in the line-up of 32 artists. Which, as it happens, evoked a feeling of “HOORAY“, in us at least.
The grouping together of three schlager icons for a one-off Melodifestivalen song is nothing new exactly. But these three have been very quick to distance themselves from what’s gone before, as you’ll read below. For a start, the song is NOT schlager, it’s dance – to quote Pernilla with appropriate emphasis on the “not“. So anyone looking hopefully towards these ladies as the potential providers of the token schlager song this year, is going to be disappointed. If anything, their participation in Melodifestivalen signals the final nail in the coffin (for now anyway) of schlager at the contest. And by that we mean, in a time when Melodifestivalen clearly seems to be distancing itself from the genre, if even the musical matrimony of Pernilla Wahlgren, Jenny Silver, and Hanna Hedlund is coming off as anti-schlager, then we think it’s somewhat safe to say that we may not be seeing much of the genre on the Melodifestivalen stage over the next few years. Major sad face.
With Swedish House Wives though, there are more than enough positives to focus on before the contest – the main one being the songwriting team behind their song, ‘On Top Of The World’. They’ve only gone and secured the pairing of Thomas G:Son and Peter Boström! And yes, the last time those two got together, we got ‘Euphoria’ (and Sanna Nielsen’s ‘I’m In Love’ before that, which is just as exciting, but Pernilla probably wouldn’t agree). QUITE the coup. And even if you’re one of the folks who had placed those schlager expectations upon The Wives, you should at least be consoled and freshly invigorated with hope, at the revelation that it’s those two chaps who have written and produced ‘On Top Of The World’.
Let’s find out more. We spoke to all three ladies at the Melodifestivalen press conference at which their participation was announced. Here’s what went down;
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Scandipop: Well it’s very nice to see all of you here together. As the same act.
Swedish House Wives: Ha ha, thank you!
Scandipop: Obviously I know each of you three ladies individually, with regards to what you’ve done before, and the music you’ve released. Never would have thought to put the three of you together though….so how did it all come about?
Swedish House Wives: Well, it was a suggestion from SVT. Perhaps it’s Christer Björkman’s wet dream – we don’t know! But it’s certainly a dream team. They had the song, and they tried to figure out a fun and unexpected combination, and they came up with our names! And we all thought it was a great idea.
Scandipop: Well yes – definitely fun and definitely unexpected as well. Ok, so tell us all about the song.
Swedish House Wives: It’s a very good club song. Up-tempo and….
Scandipop: Oooh thank goodness for that! I somehow couldn’t picture the three of you each standing behind a microphone and singing a ballad.
Swedish House Wives: Ha ha, no that certainly won’t be the case! And it’s also not a schlager song at all. It’s very modern. Very modern and it’s got some very catchy phrases and melodies in there too. A big refrain, the chorus is fantastic. And it’s written by the same team behind Loreen’s ‘Euphoria’.
Scandipop: And if you’re the dream team of artists, they’re the dream team of songwriters!
Swedish House Wives: Exactly! And put together, it’s gonna be AMAZING!!! No pressure, ha ha!
Scandipop: Indeed. Hmmmm – are we gonna be seeing some impressive choreography from you fine girls?
Swedish House Wives: Ha ha, we hope so. We’ll see.
Scandipop: And is this all a one-off thing? Or do you think you’ll enjoy the whole experience so much, that there’ll be more music from you afterwards? At least another song?
Swedish House Wives: Well it’s been so far so good. But we’re gonna take it all one step at a time.
Scandipop: Very much looking forward to seeing you three ladies on stage though. I think you’re gonna be one of the highlights of the contest.
Swedish House Wives: Yaaayyy! Thank you so much!
Scandipop: It’s interesting to hear you say that it’s not a schlager song though, which is what people will be expecting.
Swedish House Wives: No no, it’s dance. Not at all schlager.
Scandipop: So people definitely shouldn’t expect the new Kikki, Bettan & Lotta?
Swedish House Wives: *death stare from Jenny*
Scandipop: Ok bye then!
Swedish House Wives: Ha ha, we love you. Thank you. See you in Göteborg.
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More from the Swedish House Wives over at SVT’s Melodifestivalen site here.
