Amazing songwriter Tony Nilsson gave a radio interview a week ago and, amongst the other comments I had to strain to understand a third of (yeah, I need to find a Swedish tutor pronto), one of the more interesting facts was that Fernando Fuentes sang the original demos for Tony's "You're Out Of My Life" and "Like Suicide" (the latter of which Fernando co-wrote). The show even played a few clips, excerpted below for anyone who's as much of a pop nerd as I am.
Fernando's claim to fame comes from participating in the first season of Fame Factory. Since then he's mainly been out of the public eye, but he's worked as part of a party band and at Wallmans, a show-featuring restaurant where many journeymen singers work as part of making a living in music.
Fernando may not have gotten to sing "You're Out Of My Life" or "Like Suicide" in Melodifestivalen--those privileges went to Darin in 2010 and Christian Walz in 2011, who both recorded excellent studio versions even if they received disparate results in the contest--but before you feel too sorry for him, he provided backing vocals for Eric Saade at this year's Eurovision. Participating in Sweden's highest-ranking entry since victory in 1999 has to feel pretty darn good, as does showing up on the cover of Aftonbladet celebrating.
In today's Melodifestival, it's hard to climb from the behind-the-scenes roles into the spotlight, so I'm not necessarily expecting Fernando to appear in the contest as an artist in his own right. Still, every now and then someone manages it, so who knows? He certainly acquits himself very well in the "Man Of The Mirror" video above (and sounds pretty good on the demo of "Like Suicide" as well, though I'm glad we have Christian Walz's version). If nothing else, keep your eyes peeled the next time you see a line of singers swaying behind the main artist--you never know who you might spot.
Sometimes, when you disappear from the Internet for a while, you miss things.
Big things. Important things. Like, say, the fact that DARIN IS RECORDING A NEW ALBUM WITH AWESOME PRODUCERS.
What finally clued me in to this fact was a tweet from him today saying he was recording with Anders Bagge (who has done so many songs that his discography quality varies) and Johan Kronlund. Even better news is that a month ago he apparently was recording with Niklas Bergwall (formerly of 2N, the production team behind Kate Ryan's hits) and LO-FI-FNK. Seriously, let's just repeat that: Darin is recording with Lo-Fi-FNK.
I'm sure this was covered on blogs a month ago, but since I only just found out now, I need to emphasize how awesome that is. Lo-Fi-Fnk are the kind of cool but pop-friendly electro pop duo that Sweden seemed to be producing every other day a few years ago, but they're one of the best. I've been eager for new material from them, but I had no idea they'd moved into producing for other people as well. Their version of "Want U" is probably a good indicator of their sound, though it's a little less boyish than Boylife, the album that preceded it. So you can hear that sound, I've embedded "Steppin' Out" from that album as well. Darin recording with them is the sort of slightly left-field but smart choice that reaffirms my faith in him as a popstar (not that it needed to be reaffirmed).
I'm so glad Darin had his big ballad moment. I love Tony Nilsson and I loved their work together; "You're Out Of My Life" was one of my favorite singles of last year and much of the Lovekiller album contained big, lovely, '80s-styled pop songs.
Still, it's time for something different and this news about his new album collaborators couldn't be more welcome. Lo-Fi-Fnk and Niklas Bergwall (definitely worth getting excited about in his own right--I enjoy almost everything he does and most of what he does is dancey pop) certainly indicate a change of direction. I literally don't think I could be more excited.
Darin's new album has only two songs that can even kind of be argued to be something other than a ballad. Before the album's release, we'd heard at least part of every song on it except two. There are only ten songs on it.
And you know what? Despite all that, it's pretty good. I can't lie and say that I wouldn't have been happier if he'd delivered a few more songs in the vein of "Breathing Your Love" or "Paradise" ("OK (Dangerous Game)" is the closest you'll find to the RedOne-heavy sound of Darin's previous album), but overproduced '80s power ballad-style drums and synth washes behind classic melodies suits him.
Mutt Lange-loving producer Tony Nilsson is probably guiding force in this stylistic change. "You're Out Of My Life" still comes across as a lost John Waite-meets-REO-Speedwagon hit from twenty-five years ago, which is nothing but a compliment. "Only You Can Save Me" and "Drowning" continue in the same vein and count as some of Darin's strongest ballads ever, while Darin's generally electronic cover of Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" adds in little U2 guitar flourishes. The pseudo-uptempo "Microphone," featured on this year's Swedish Idol, is a highlight; it falls somewhere between inspirational self-affirmation and cocky boasts but finds the right musical mix of string-using uplift, those '80s drums, and modern electronic beats to avoid being as cornball as you'd expect.
The only two songs on the album which aren't co-written by Nilsson are end-of-August ballad "Endless Summer" and "I'll Be Alright," an acoustic guitar and string-featuring ballad written solely by Darin, but they slot in nicely next to the other tracks, even if they are noticeably different.
Lovekiller is an enjoyable album, pushed along by strong melodies, a good production concept, and Darin's always pop-ready voice. Now, if only we could get someone to start making modern day "Livin' On A Prayer"s...
Darin's fifth album, Lovekiller, can be purchased here (physical) or here (digital).
Mexican group Belanova's new single, "Nada de más," comes out August 2, apparently. You can listen to a clip below. It sounds pretty fantastic, but then again, I would expect nothing less for the lead single for their new album, Sueño Electro I.
Swedish singer Nanne's new album, En Rastlös Själ, comes out October 6. It's been preceded by the singles "Otacksamhet" and "I Natt Är Jag Din," with one more, the title track, to be released August 18. The cover of the album is at left and the single cover can be viewed here. Other upcoming Swedish albums you may be interested in: Darin's Lovekiller (August 18), Ola's new album (September 15--at least, that's what I read at one point, but Ola now says that it's only 28 days away), and Robyn's Body Talk Pt. II (September 6 internationally). You should be able to buy all those albums from Bengans, though Ola's album isn't listed yet and it probably makes more financial sense to buy Robyn's album from a music distributor in your home country.
The third proper single from the reformed a1, following on "Take You Home" and "Don't Wanna Lose You Again," is "In Love And I Hate It." It's out August 4 in Norway, but the group has been performing it live recently. If you want an advance feel for what it sounds like, here's one such performance.
You know "Champagne Lemonade," that great new song from upcoming British singer Ed Drewett which I wrote about a month ago? It's co-written by Tim Powell of Xenomania. Now we know why it's so buzzily fun. Unusually, for a song coming from a member of Xenomania that we actually get to hear, its only authors are Tim and Ed.
Swedish retailer Ginza gives this picture as the cover for Darin's new album Lovekiller, out August 18. The tracklisting is below. I've linked to the studio versions or live performances where we have them, or, failing that, noted anything we know about the songs. If you know anything I've left out, though, please tell me!
1.) Microphone (written by Tony Nilsson/Darin Zanyar) 2.) You're Out Of My Life 3.) Lovekiller 4.) Can't Stop Love 5.) Drowning (hear Darin working on the studio version here) 6.) Viva La Vida 7.) Endless Summer (by George Samuelson/Tomas Granlind/Darin Zanyar; George also wrote Darin's uptempo second album single "Want Ya," but I've read nothing to indicate what "Endless Summer" sounds like) 8.) Be Careful With My Heart 9.) Only You Can Save Me 10.) Turn It Up 11.) I'll Be Alright (Darin wrote or co-wrote it and was in the studio while strings were recorded for it recently)
We know most of the songs are by Tony Nilsson, and that Henrik Jansson (who co-wrote "You're Out Of My Life") is also involved. A press release mentioned that Arnthor Birgisson contributed to the album, though his work might or might not be amongst what we've already heard.
Remember, you can preorder the album here, regardless of where you live.
Sweet Swedish popstar Darin makes me want to pull out a trapper keeper and scrawl "I ♥ Darin," complete with flowers and rainbows and unicorns, in pink Gelly Roll ink all over it. It's not so much a case of pure physical attractiveness--though he's grown up to be someone who, on the right day, when he's not trying so hard, pulls that off--but because he's EXACTLY WHAT I WANT IN A POPSTAR. He has a perfect pop voice and makes perfect pop music.
Now, that said, he's yet to pull off a perfect album in my books, though his fourth, Flashback, came the closest. Catchy and often club-friendly, it was just what an international male popstar should release, even if it didn't take off internationally for him.
Unfortunately, it didn't exactly take off in Sweden either, resulting in a change of labels and change of styles. It's hard to believe given the massive success Darin found with the '90s teen pop style "Money For Nothing" from his first album and the floorfiller "Step Up" from his second, but there was reason to be worried about him having a record label given the less than stellar sales of Flashback and its singles (including the excellent "Breathing Your Love," which took the title of my sixth favorite single of 2008 and probably should have been even higher). Darin found a new home at Universal, though, and in late 2009 had his biggest hit in years with an electronic cover of Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" produced by Johan "Kermit" Bobäck.
That hit seems to have been the jumping off point for Darin's new material. His Melodifestival entry "You're Out Of My Life" is one of the best singles of the year so far, and it marks the debut of the Darin-Tony Nilsson giant percussion-based '80s mid-tempo ballad sound. I first fell in love with Tony when he was making pure pop uptempo songs like Ola's "S.O.S."; for a while, that was always the sort of song I'd hope any new track from his was. As of this year, though, I am all about him channeling his big dramatic '80s ballad side, mixing the adult contemporary and power ballads of that era to singing-at-the-steering-wheel-of-your-car effect.
Darin's song for the royal wedding, "Can't Stop Love," was in a similar style and, if not quite as fantastic as "You're Out Of My Life," still pretty good. Now, back with "Lovekiller," his first "proper" single since "You're Out Of My Life," Darin finds himself once again going back to the '80s. From the opening strings and lyrics about bloodstained hands, a smiling knife-wielder, and an irreparably scared heart, you know Tony and Darin have drama on their minds. The bridge is absolutely fantastic, building and building as Darin repeats his accusations. The chorus backs off from that intensity, which occasionally still a little iffy about (it sometimes feels a little too...musically open still, like it's a great thought that's not quite finished and just needs a little closure). Still, when the middle eight comes up and mixes the bridge from earlier with clanging bells and a choir, I'm so swept along in a tide of big pop ballad awesomeness that no sooner has the song ended than I'm playing it again. This is full-on clenched-fists-and-dramatic-lip-syncing stuff--and there's no one who could do it better than Darin who, even when he isn't releasing edgy danceable pop, proves there's a reason he's my favorite popstar going.
Darin's new single "Lovekiller" is available on iTunes in Sweden here. It will be on his fifth album, also titled Lovekiller, which is due out August 17. You can preorder the album here (physical).
Darin's new single, "Lovekiller," comes out tomorrow, the same day he'll be performing it at Allsång på Skansen.
That is all.
Edit: and Darin's just uploaded the audio to his YouTube page:
Hmm...I'm only one listen in, but after being one of the few to think it had real potential based on the live performances, I think I was expecting better. The bridge and bells are fantastic, though, and I know me--once again, I'm sure I'll play it a bunch and upwardly revise my opinion in a few minutes.
(Also: Darin, release the photoshoot from Chic as proper promo pictures!)
As far as I know, "Lovekiller" is still slated to be Darin's new proper single, but in the meantime, while we wait for that release, we have Darin's new song/semi-single written for the Swedish royal wedding (though if it showed signs of taking off, I'm sure his record label would jump behind it). Like most of what we've heard from Darin this era, it's co-written by Tony Nilsson, this time in tandem with Darin.
As much as I would have loved the idea of writing some awesome club-friendly song for a newly married high status couple, let's be real: this was always going to be a ballad. It was created after SVT specifically asked Darin to come up with something for the wedding. We're still in a holding pattern, basically. No music revolutions here, just Darin singing over a burbling electronic background, slow but with a heavy enough percussion beat to create that mid-tempo feeling, like "You're Out Of My Life." No lyrical genius reinventing how we think about love.
All that said, we still have Darin, lovely Darin with his pop-friendly voice, singing a solid song. I might have preferred a stronger topline, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't probably going to overplay this song. I realize if someone else released "Can't Stop Love" I might brush it off, or at the least not pay it so much attention, but Darin sells these songs so well. We all have our musical weaknesses, right? I'll probably always love strings in dance music, purposeful catchy stuttering, synthy uptempo songs, "Knock On Wood"-style drum rolls--and Darin's singing. Preferably in something that incorporated all of the aforementioned elements (you'll find only the latter here), but until that day comes...well, until then, just one of them will do.
"Can't Stop Love" is available on Swedish iTunes here.
As hoped, Darin performed a few songs from his new album last night. Since we've heard bits of "Drowning" and "Only You Can Save Me" before, the song of note is "Lovekiller," his new single. Listen to some it it below. Thanks go out to the person who recorded it.
Of note: it's a ballad. Much as I'm eager to hear a new uptempo Darin song (partly because it's been so long and partly to reassure myself as to the album having another side), ballads seem to be what sells for him these days, so I can understand the choice. I like the obviously previously recorded backing vocals, and I'm saying that sincerely; it's a great production touch. I'm still eager to hear the studio version--after all, I was just saying I wanted more songs like "Out Of My Life"--though I'll understand if this dampens the excitement for some people.
A few bits of news I mentioned on Twitter that I feel bear repeating over here:
Darin's new album finally--finally!--comes out August 25. Nearly a perfect birthday present. The more time that passes, the more time I'm inclined to think "You're Out Of My Life" is my favorite Melodifestival entry from this year, though that's not to say I would have wanted it to win. I realize that it's just a big sparkly '80s adult contemporary power ballad, but THAT'S WHY I LOVE IT. More songs that channel this style, please, Misters Nilsson and Janson.
As a brief recap, songs from this era include Darin's cover of Coldplay's "Viva La Vida;""You're Out Of My Life;" "Drowning," another Tony Nilsson/Henrik Janson song which we've heard Darin working on in studio (it sounds very much in keeping with "You're Out Of My Life," which I love); and "Only You Can Save Me," which he's performed live acoustically (the melody sounds lovely) and with more accompaniment. It could be premature to judge based on only a few songs, but we've yet to hear anything of the uptempo urban pop variety, so this could be pretty different from Flashback. Hopefully there will be at least a few songs that leave you wanting to dance; he has mentioned an uptempo song written by Tony and Henrik at least once. EDIT: at least one Swedish source reports his next single will be called "Lovekiller" and is released to radios soon. That would be an unfortunate coincidence given the release of the Style single of the same name, so I want to verify that there wasn't just some confusion on the part of the journalist before I say that that fact is 100% certain. Stay tuned... Edit 2: just confirmed that Tony Nilsson did write a song for Darin called "Love Killer," so the news about that being a single and at radios shortly must be true. Maybe it's that aforementioned uptempo song.
Ola's new single, "Overdrive," comes out this Wednesday. The digital single will include two additional new songs from his upcoming album, though he's once again tried to emphasize the album being varied in sound and that these songs don't represent it. I'm worried about "Overdrive," to be honest, but I'll be keeping an ear out regardless.
I feel as if I read this somewhere else a while ago, but since today's such a summery day, here's the possibly old news anyway: Timoteij's new single looks to be "Högt Över Ängarna," which is a choice I'm pretty happy about. Längtan has other options, sure, but the song is still great sugary girly pop.
Darin's cover of "Viva La Vida" is in all likelihood only going to appeal to a limited demographic, but for those of us who love his voice--on my part, I'd say it's my favorite male voice going in pop--it's a special treat. It never fully soars, never fully explodes, never gives us that moment of totally swooning, but that was my main problem with Coldplay's original version (the "ohh-ohh-ohh-ohh-ohh"s of the middle 8 come close, but, particularly on the original, never quite got there for me).
Strangely, much as the the main vibe of this song is one of contemporary electronic somewhat R&Bish pop (no violins here...I think I might have welcomed having them somewhere in the mix), Darin's cover actually comes closer in a moment or two the the U2esque production I think I would have loved the original to have. It's just a second or two that comes around no more than a handful of times, but it's reminiscent of the soaring filtered electronic guitars we heard in that band's classic era.
As I said, though, in general, it's a mid-tempo reworking thoroughly in Darin's style. There's no particular musical edge or bite to it--we're talking gentle electronic, not hard electro--and it's perhaps not quite as grand as I'd like (fun diversion to tie in with Idol, not future classic Christmas single or the mark of a new album campaign), but in that context, it gets my approval.
Anyway, for any of you out there who are as interested in the song as I am...
(I'm still seeking good options for uploading songs that will allow people to stream them in full and not be ridiculously easy to download as mp3s. Yes, I realize it's still pretty easy with Imeem, but there's at least one more step involved. If anyone has any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. I guess I could go the YouTube route, but I'm reluctant to do so.)
Darin's new single "Viva La Vida" is not yet available for purchase, but you should soon be able to buy it from here (digital). In the meantime, I HIGHLY recommend his latest album, 2008's Flashback, to any lover of modern chart music. You can buy it here (physical) or here (digital). There are far too few popstars, especially male popstars, making music like this.
Jessica mentioned Darin doing a cover of Coldplay's "Viva La Vida" a few days ago and linked to a trailer for Idols which featured it (you may have to wait for an ad to play first). In typical Darin style, it sounds great; I imagine I'll like it more than the original. In all likelihood it was produced by Johan "Kermit" Bobäck. Apparently said cover, which puts an electronic beat beneath the song, will be released on Friday and is a new single.
In further Darin single news, Scandipop announced that "Breathing Your Love" will be released in the UK in November. Still a fantastic song (it took the #6 spot on my Favorite Singles of 2008 countdown).
Kim-Lian (a Dutch singer best known for the great "Teenage Superstar") and Linda Bengtzing (who like Scandipop I have to say is my Swedish diva of choice) have released the video for their much-anticipated (well, by maybe a couple dozen people online) collaboration "Not That Kinda Girl." It's way more poppy than I anticipated given Kim-Lian's move towards a somewhat harder pop-rock sound and comes across to my ears like a mix of Pink's "So What" and Lady Gaga with a big helping pure pop thrown in (though in retrospect I have to agree with a commentor who pointed out an "If U Seek Amy" similarity in the beat in the verses and with EurovisionEssex who called it "Katy Perry schlager"). We're not talking something that's going to get taken to the US or UK here, but if you love your Swedish pop (which I think we can at least partially count this as, given the Linda connection--though it's the lead single from Kim-Lian's upcoming album--and its songwriters), you'll probably enjoy this. It may not be schlager, but hey, at least it's got those schlagery "ah-hah"s and, if Linda still loves rock, she could do worse than to release songs in this vein. Plus: Linda in English! Not that she's ever needed it to make the amazingness of her songs apparent, but it's a nice treat.
(Before you say anything, yes, we all know the outfits are ridiculous.)
I really like Sweden's entry to this year's Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Sure, it probably won't do well, but to my ears, "Du," written by thirteen year old performer Mimmi Sandén (yes, another of the Sandén sisters) and co-written and produced by Alexander Kronlund and Ali Payami, does an admirable job of taking a pinch of relevant-to-contemporary-R&B-pop-radio production and mixing it with Swedish pure pop. I've had "ah oh ah" stuck in my head since the Melodimen wrote about it.
Oldish news: Basic Element's next single "Baby Baby" features work from Empire Music (Alcazar's "Burning," West End Girls, Star Pilots). They've previously collaborated on "Out Of This World" from their album Empire Strikes Back.
Some of the great things about how music-filled the Internet has become are the insight we get into songs while they're still being prepared for recording or release and the proliferation of new songs from across the globe that we might never otherwise have heard of.
Of course, this comes with frustrations, too. One of the ones that drives me the most crazy is hearing a fantastic song and not knowing who sings it, a danger that comes up frequently when you follow songwriters but that also comes up often when supposed demos for big artists are leaked; think Eva Simons's "Silly Boy," for example.
The song currently driving me crazy in this way is below.
Internet land has alternately referred to this song as being called "Exit (Give Me A Heart Attack" by an unknown singer and "Exit" sung by David Jassy and produced by Twin. I could believe that David and the duo from Twin created the song (which I think appeared on the Internet in 2008), but from the few times I've been exposed to David's voice--mainly on raps, to be fair (see: Darin's "Karma," an inappropriate song title given the event David Jassy has received press for)--I really don't think it's him singing. What I do know is this: I LOVE it. It's a fantastic catchy example of the R&B meets Europop sound popular at the moment, with the added advantage of having strings. The singer's voice--male and R&B-pop-sounding--suits the song to a T...I just don't know who he is.
While we're on the subject of David Jassy, I have to mention a piece of news Damian clued me into: a previously unheard Darin song has leaked. Club-friendly "Pop That" is the most R&B (maybe most American? Not quite what I mean, but I can't figure out how to put what I mean into words) we've heard Darin sound, though it's still synthesizer-filled, and comes from the studios of David and Ilya, who have worked with him before. That fact means I don't know where this song fits in chronologically--it's being billed as new, and it could be, but I just don't know if that's the case (and I don't know how much new song creation David Jassy has been doing...but this is somewhat of a new sound for Darin, so that fits with the "new song" idea).
More songwriter notes and random artist tidbits (I really am going to do more in depth posts, less "news bullet"-y, soon):
Johan "Kermit" Bobäck is working with Darin on new music (he previously collaborated with him on "Seasons Fly").
Apparently British boy band a1 are reuniting for some concerts in Norway in early December and will be performing both old and (gasp!) new songs. I am not ashamed to admit I got more than a bit excited listening to the group rehearse modern classic "Caught In The Middle." Speaking of new songs, Ben Adams, who appeared on this blog many a time in its early days, has a new-ish song on his MySpace (listen to it in higher quality on Facebook), "The Dust Won't Settle," which is really pretty pleasant (albeit sad) pop-rock--more like third album a1 than most of what we've heard of his solo album, but it shows he's just as great with a melody and with his voice. Love it. Ben has also (as I think I've mentioned before) written for Alexandra Burke's upcoming album.
Blake Lewis apparently worked with Darkchild for his upcoming album Heartbreak on Vinyl (out October 6). Listen to some beats but no vocals in this video.
If you're a sucker for über-bubblegummy Swedish pop that sounds like it could have come straight out of the '90s--I mean the really sugary sweet, cheesy kind--you might want to listen to Three's "Lucky Number." Who are Three? Three blonde sixteen year old triplets. You can probably already imagine what the music sounds like. Of course, me being me, bubblegum pop is always welcome, especially if it's got a Swedish connection.
Georgie Dennis, sister of Cathy and songwriter in her own right, has a song called "Dirty Drum" on her MySpace that sounds like it's sung by Elin Lanto. There are better, non-Elin songs there, though.
Carl Falk uploaded some new songs to his MySpace a few months ago. I presume they're demos, though I've got no actual proof of that. My favorite is "Shameless," co-written by him, Lindy Robbins, Kristian Lundin, and Rami Yacoub; it's very pop.
Speaking of demos uploaded on MySpace months ago, Tony Nilsson put the demo of Elin Lanto's "Discotheque" on his MySpace. I'm a total demo addict, as I've convinced before, so for me, hearing the substantial differences--though in this case, it's not a matter of voice, since even the demo contains Elin's voice--is really fascinating. The final version is definitely better, but there are some lost elements which, though they probably had to be lost for the sake of the song, I love.
As Rick pointed out in the comments, I've been neglecting the world's greatest male popstar. Darin, as I've written about before, is doing a sort of special charity promotional single thing with album bonus track "What If" to promote anti-bullying organization Friends while releasing "Runaway" as his proper next single. It seems like ages since we first heard about the filming of a video for "What If," but it's finally out now. The video is good but only a must-watch if you're a Darin addict and/or love watching him pronounce words, especially his trademark "oo"s. Not that I know anyone for whom that last part is true.
In a meeting of two very different famous singers, Darin also did a duet with Owe Thörnqvist for Swedish TV program Musikministeriet. Watch them work on it here and download the Middle Eastern-meets-urban-electro-pop "Julie" here (if you want to listen to the original song which inspired it, Cheb Khaled's incredibly famous "Didi," go here). Sadly it only lasts two minutes, with Owe taking up the first half and Darin doing the second--I wish so much that it was longer (especially, let's be honest, if the whole song being sung by Darin, just because his style is more in line with my tastes). This information, by the way, was stolen straight from Popknark.
As I mentioned when it happened, during the fourth semifinal of Melodifestivalen, Darin performed a cover of Jan Johansen's "Se på mig," Sweden's 1995 Eurovision entry, during the interval act. Watch the performance below.
Darin will also be appearing on Let's Dance, Sweden's version of Strictly Come Dancing, a few hours from now. Edit: if you want to watch Darin's dance-filled medley of "Breathing Your Love," "Step Up," and "Runaway," go here (though I had to open it in an Internet Explorer tab because it wouldn't play in Firefox). Warning: he opens the performance wearing some ill-advised glasses.
Darin correction: Darin's official site posted yesterday that "Runaway" is the official new single from the Swedish artist and is being promoted to Swedish radio stations. Despite that, I know stations just got shipped a version of "What If" (listed as an album bonus track despite being on all versions of the album) credited to "Darin featuring Friends" or "Friends featuring Darin" which was made available digitally for purpose today; he filmed video for "What If," too.
I think the situation is what I initially thought it was: "What If" is just to promote an anti-bullying campaign for the organization Friends. "Runaway" is the actual third single from Flashback.
"Runaway" isn't a bad song by any stretch and it would be more than welcome on my American radio any day, but it's very much not in my top tier of songs from the album (if we're talking of things other than club-friendly urban dance tracks, "Road Trip" and "Paradise" are far ahead of it in my eyes). Still, my taste in Darin's music and the Swedish public's taste doesn't seem to line up very often, so I'll be hoping the single and maybe his performance during the interval of Melodifestivalen about a week ago can give the album a bit of a sales boost, something it really needs.
Why didn't anyone tell me Dutch singer Jim had a new single out?
Boy, I love his voice. If you're not already familiar with Jim or haven't been won over by his previous work, "Door Jou" isn't the place to start, but I really like it; uplifting gentle pop-rock is a subgenre I have a lot of patience for, and Jim did it nearly unbeatably with "Fenomeen," a track from his last album which was one of my absolute favorite songs of the year it was released. I'd be thrilled if the album from which "Door Jou" comes ends up featuring some electro-pop edge like the also fantastic "Altijd" from that album, too. If I'm speaking of Jim songs I love, there's at least one more that I can't leave out: his 2003 debut single "Tell Her," a precious (gasp!) ballad that owes much of its emotional edge to that voice of Jim's. Watch him perform it while looking almost unreasonably pretty below.
Though I enjoy "Door Jou," I'm pretty sure I could tell you how it came about: Jim's people saw the unbelievable success Dutch singer Jeroen van der Boom had with his cover of David Bisbal's "Silencio" and went out and found another track written by Colombian hitmaker Kike Santander. I say "unbelievable" not for any reasons related to the song itself--I adored "Silencio," a 2006 single from David's most recent studio album and, though less dancey, a worthy successor to songwriter Kike and David's earlier hits together like "Ave María" and "Bulería"--but because I'm under the impression that Jeroen somehow ended up gaining a lot of credibility with his cover of it. Anyway, the result here is a cover of Cristian Castro's "Azul," but in this case, unlike with David and Jeroen, I like the cover version a lot more; I've never loved "Azul" as much as I wanted to and, in addition to the advantage of Jim's voice, the Dutch language lyrics just feel as if they fill out the vocal part of the song more completely to me.
Jim's latest single "Door Jou" can be purchased from all countries' iTunes stores here (digital).
In other news about male European singers who took second in the first season of Idol in their countries to some other male singer, it looks like Darin is properly releasing the anti-bullying song "What If" as his next single. It's been known for a while now that he filmed a video for the song, but I just always figured it was a tie-in with some campaign or something; now, though, "What If" is officially listed on the singles release list.
Next up: maybe that '80's Danish song, Swedish pop-rock, or Swedish/Finnish dance.
The Melodifestival semifinal everyone says is overpacked with goodness (listen to song clips here) AND it looks like Darin is going to be appearing as the interval act performing an old Melodifestival classic?
I think I'm going to ban anyone from even walking near me, let alone talking to me, from 2 to 3:35 on Saturday.
I wanna spend My nights And days Between your arms Every day breathing your love
"Breathing Your Love" is, heaven help me, sexy. It's a term I usually avoid applying to songs at all costs, try to work around and explain their appeal in any other way possible--maybe a result of defensiveness from years of "you're a girl, you only like something because X singer is hot, your music taste isn't valid" from just about all corners of the world--but oh my gosh, it is. You don't necessarily have to be hot to make a sexy song, so more important than anything Swedish singer Darin might look like or even who he is is the fact that when the RedOne-created dancefloor-friendly synth beats here wrap around me I never want them to let me go, that Darin's gasped out "baby, breathing your love, love, love" at the end is almost intolerable in the best possible way, that his voice and delivery still makes for one of the best pop voices going, that the melody had me caught up like an addict, that just listening to it is enough to change the way I walk. That the song's writers (which includes Darin) have gone out of their way to allow Darin opportunities to do his über-recognizable pronounciation of "ooo" even induces a grin, even if it's more one of laughter than anything else.
If Usher's going to be off messing around with the ballad side of maturity and Chris Brown is mining the rich field of gentle adorable Europop beats, we need to go somewhere for our urban pop made for the clubs, with that pounding bite and that bit of sexy to it; I love cute pop songs and love pop songs that are dedications to the disco, but I can't live on them alone. Thank goodness that Darin, amazing popstar that he is, is there for us again.
Swedish radio show Morgonpasset is having some of the artists who come to sing live perform Christmas songs and they've got the songs linked to on their site for you to listen to. If you like the idea of Darin singing "Oh Holy Night," Danny singing "The Christmas Song," Sibel singing "What Child Is This," or Amanda Jenssen and Erik Hassle singing original Christmas songs--all in acoustic, live, and usually abbreviated versions--go here.
Also on the Swedish music front, I recommend checking out the Idol medley from the Idol finale on Dirrrty Pop and Robyn performing at the Nobel ceremony on Oswalds Popcorn.
Your problems don't exist when music feels like this.
Songs are posted only for promotional purposes (I love them and want others to know about them, too)--if you like them, please "go out and buy the record"! If you are an artist, represent one, or are a songwriter/producer and would like your songs removed, I'll gladly do so (just let me know).
Fernando may not have gotten to sing "You're Out Of My Life" or "Like Suicide" in Melodifestivalen--those privileges went to Darin in 2010 and Christian Walz in 2011, who both recorded excellent studio versions even if they received disparate results in the contest--but before you feel too sorry for him, he provided backing vocals for Eric Saade at this year's Eurovision. Participating in Sweden's highest-ranking entry since victory in 1999 has to feel pretty darn good, as does showing up on the cover of Aftonbladet celebrating.
