#schalger

[dishdasha]

Iconic.

[afoxcalledneil]

Euphoria!

Those who know me well will say I have a number of peculiar interests and passions many of which we do not have the space or stomach for here. However, two of more obscure ones are Eurovision and its 2012 victor country, Sweden.

An obsession that culminated my already legendary two week emigration to Stockholm in 2009, since the late 90s I have been weirdly drawn to the land of meatballs and ABBA. But why? Well Benny, Bjorn, Agnetha and Anni-Frid may have a little to do with it, raised on a diet of cheesy pop music thanks to a Dad who rocks at Popmaster, I have always been fond of a melodic hook and sing-along chorus. A teenager in the age of Steps and S Club 7 I knew all about how much the art of miming and cha-cha-slide could make or break popstars. However surrounded by the rugged landscape of the Scottish highlands and a peer group nodding along to Travis and the Stereophonics, I was a little at a loss.

Then every year something amazing happened. Come May time the good old BBC would broadcast a pageant of colour, key-changes and camp. Heaven, I was in heaven. Now let's get one thing sorted, as much as j'adore Eurovision, it has uncountable flaws. Many of the songs are utter drivel, there is more back-stabbing than the News Corp trial and talk about tactical voting. But, putting that all aside, its marvellously good fun. And Europe does love a good pop song.

No more so than the Swedish. Welcome to a land of handsome blondes, pear cider and pop music, celebrated in all its glory. Cause the Swedes don't shy away from pop. Unlike the fickly British who download American tripe ivy the bucket, the folks of Sweden know a good pop song when they see it. I don't do well with the UK music scene. Grime, urban, dubstep (are these things the same or different?) riddle the UK charts. Not in Sweden. 

Israel 1999. Dana International had brought Eurovision back East. And storming to victory that year? Charlotte Nilsson (now Perrelli) with Take Me To Your Heaven. I don't know if it was the cerise belly dancer outfit, the epic key change or the brilliant chorus but I was hooked. Charlotte was already a big star on Sweden. Still is. And she has represented her country since, whilst always attempting to undertake the honour one more time. They love her.

It may seem strange but many gay men have a strange and unexplainable connection with Sweden. I think for most it is the music. Good pop songs with great writing and excellent production skills (Xenomania, Robyn, Lyyke Li, Eric Saade) fill their charts. Sweden has one of the biggest music industries in the world outside of the USA and Britain. Many of the UK's better pop acts head to the Baltic to write and record. Girls Aloud alone have a hell of a lot to thank the Swedes for.

But why all the fuss today Neil? Well for those not glued to BBC One on Saturday night to witness the world biggest event outside of the sporting world, Azerbaijan hosted the 56th Eurovision song contest. And Sweden romped to victory with the song Euphoria sung by the beautiful Loreen. She is already a star in Sweden. The song has had weeks at the top of the Swedish charts, of course. Its genius. But something else has happened. The song is actually being appreciated beyond Scandinavia. Hours after the victory Loreen was top of iTunes charts Europe wide. Stranger still, as I type, she is number 1 in the UK. The United Kingdom. The country that hates Eurovision.

So, as I slowly realised that Sweden were taking home the 2012 trophy, the 14 year old boy inside of me did a little summersault. Because schalger is on top. Over a decade on from Charlotte's charge to victory, my adopted second home is the talk of the town, the top of the pops. Twelve years I have followed Sweden at Eurovision, from the pre-selection to almost every final, and at last, the winner takes the all.