Robertson's Reflection
Two weeks ago I got an invite to the launch of a new music video in the middle of Stockholm. It was a fascinating experience and as it so happened a lot of the dark side of Melodifestivalen emerged throughout the course of the evening.
It was already a Eurovision-capped evening on my side, as my close friend Dani Aragay was in charge of the production for the video, who Eurovision geeks may know as not just writing lyrics for Andorra 2005 but also as a former Andorran delegation media manager and for running some of the biggest fansites in the early part of the century. I was going along more than anything for a catch-up with him and to support his new work.
The artist in question is a man called Erik Toro. No, I haven’t heard of him either. Anyway, this was the launch of his new single which was also to be released on the same day on iTunes. In the invite I got to attend, it also included a link to the song on iTunes. The deal was, anybody was free to attend, but if you had downloaded the song on iTunes you would be allowed to get two free drinks with proof of purchase. Now, the song costs 9 kr (about 80 p in British money) on iTunes, and the drinks menu at Södra Teatern on trendy Södermalm in the centre of Stockholm...well, you don’t me to tell you what the best deal is and what everybody did before arriving.
The bar was packed, but probably didn’t have more than 200 to 250 people inside. Nevertheless the viewing was a big success and Erik sang one piece by himself on piano proving he had one big huge voice. Dani slipped a word in my ear to say that Erik was keen to enter Melodifestivalen, so I made sure he got the chance to introduce me later in the evening. Erik wasn’t just keen, he was ready, and he is just waiting to send the song in. Melodifestivalen was clearly the goal of all the occasion that this lovely ceremony was for.
Later that evening you may or may not be surprised to hear that The Right by Erik Toro peaked at no. 1 on the Swedish iTunes charts. It was a very successful launch in terms of the immediate numbers (although three days later it is down to no. 65). What it means though, is that the charm offensive can begin with SVT to get their man into the big competition.
SVT need convinced that the people that get on stage are a safe pair of hands. With Melodifestivalen being such a big show they are looking for people who are going to keep the ratings high and generate the media interest. Erik looks the part, with his well-built body, slicked back hair and his shirt unbuttoned to near his belly button, he is already acting like a little diva superstar in the making. I was surprised based on this impression that his music video was a slow and sentimental ballad but then not surprised to hear he would raise the tempo with his prospective Melodifestivalen entry which he revealed would be in a gospel-style.
When SVT receive their songs, they will go through the backgrounds of each singer and songwriter that has entered. They will take notice. Yes the Marie Lindbergs will squeeze through (a tokenistic guarantee of one wildcard place in the final 32 for a previously unreleased artist) but overall the jury system isn’t this fair beckon of anonymous equality. And even if he misses the jury, if the name is big enough SVT can push a specific selection into the line-up.
Whether or not Erik does make it to Melodifestivalen this year or the next year is anybody’s guess. The purist in me would hope that if he does make it through it is purely on the quality of the song alone. However this whole exercise was evidence to me to show how it was much more than that. This was a cynical approach to boost Erik’s profile so that more eyes would be on him and his personal background would be the carrying point over the finish line into one of next year’s deltävlingar.
This is the cynical world of Melodifestivalen behind the scenes. Subtle but very clever and as much image based as song based.
Pictures by ORF and Erik Toro (www.eriktoro.com)
