BLOG BIRTHDAY!!!

My blog is one year old and so I thought I’d celebrate. I promise the big speech won’t go on tooooo long....!

This blog began on 11th March 2007 with a short review of the 2007 Melodifestivalen final. I had no idea that one year and nearly 800 posts later I’d still be posting my "random ramblings" and loving every minute of it.

To all of you who have ever taken time to visit, a million thanks, and I particularly appreciate it if you’ve ever left a comment, it gives me such a big thrill to know that what I’ve written has inspired you to do so.

Special thanks to my blogging buddies out there who are all trying to promote European music, and who have made me feel like part of a big happy blogging family - particularly Poster Girl, Acer Ben (Pop Unlimited), Rachel (Work Your Magic) and Lemur (The Lemur Blog), your friendship and support over the past year has totally inspired me to keep it going, and your blogs have introduced me to so much great new music on my blogging journey over the past year.

Recently I have also discovered a different type of blog, where record collections are shared and discussed and you realise that you weren’t the only person in the world who loved "that song", so I must give a special mention to Tracklister and Raiding The Vinyl Archive for bringing back those musical memories.

OK I’ll shut up now and in the words of those great philosophers Girls Aloud, I’ll let the funky music do the talking. Yes I’m having a virtual blog-birthday party, and have (virtually!) invited eight acts to perform. For various reasons, all eight would appear to sum up the past year on this blog for me.

Our opening act tonight is Måns Zelmerlöw, the ex-Swedish Idol contestant who is now enjoying a very successful pop career. Here’s "Cara Mia" from Melodifestivalen 2007, and it was also the song of my trip to Stockholm last May:



Next up is Lee Mead, the first of two British acts performing tonight. Lee of course won the talent search show "Any Dream Will Do", and is still performing in the leading role in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat" in London. He also released his debut album. Here’s a clip of his recent appearance on a British daytime TV chat show singing "Make It With You" and looking, well, utterly gorgeous. Of course.



Our third act tonight is arguably the biggest pan-European musical phenomenon of the last year, Tokio Hotel, who are now trying to break the USA! Here is the song which they tried (but sadly failed) to make the UK chart with - "Ready Set Go!"



I discovered Swedish rap duo Snook last summer thanks to their connection with Salem Al Fakir (more of him later) and completely loved this song from the first time I heard it...here’s the mighty "Inga Problem"!



Good British musical talent was thin on the ground during the past year - but here is a notable exception and if there’s any justice he’ll become a superstar in the next 12 months - Paul Steel with "Your Loss":



I had a lot of fun following various European reality-talent shows over the past year and was delighted when, finally, the right person won France’s "Star Academy". Here’s Quentin Mosimann with Peter Cincotti and David Guetta with an amazing version of Guetta’s hit "Love Is Gone".



Penultimate act of the evening - please welcome BWO with "Lay Your Love On Me". Absolute wonderful Swedish poptastic-ness in all its glory. It won’t win Melodifestivalen of course, but it’s still a winner to me!!



And finally, to the top of the bill, and the person I wrote about more on this blog than any other - so much that he ended up getting his own spin-off blog!! Here is Salem Al Fakir, my favourite singer/songwriter/musician/everything!! What else can I end with but "Good Song" which is now possibly my favourite song ever!



OK I’m all virtual-partied out now and off to get some sleep. Night night :-)