OMG You Guys, How Can Something So Amazing Be Legal?

I am a huge musical fan! There is no denying it! I love the OTT nature, the song out of nowhere attitude, amazing costumes and fantastic emotional reactions!
Two years ago when the first clips and pics of the American production of Legally Blonde the musical hit the internet I was so so so excited! Instantly fell in love with the first released track "OMG You Guys!" Since then I have been wishing for it to head to the West End in London and this year my dream comes true!

Sheridan Smith will be playing Elle Woods, which at first I thought wouldn't work as I didn't really enjoy her in Little Shop of Horrors. I saw the touring version and thought Clare Buckfield
She is a perfect comedian, and ha been hilarious in 2 Pints & her new stint in one of my TV addictions, Benidorm!
Duncan James will be fantastic too I believe! He has the west-end charm and stage presence to really pull off the cheesy heartthrob role! This will be more successful for him than the Blue reunion I'm sure!
A Special shout out too Suzie McAdam who will be making her West End debut in this musical. Suzie went to the same school as me but was in the year above. Her voice dominated many a school production and I always thought her singing was effortless! It is amazing to see she is doing to well and landed such a pretigious musical!

Hopefully I will get to see this in December, maybe catch a few other shows when down too!

Still waiting on more Måns Zelmerlöw Chicago the musical news! He would be amazing in it so hopefully it will go ahead! was better! After seeing this clip though it's clear she is the ideal Elle!

UK vs Sweden: XFactor vs Idol (Very overdue) Week 1 Showdown!

Here, finally, is the week one showdown between the UK's and Sweden's Number one Talent searches! You might be all over it but If you missed either show last week catch up here before the next round begins! If you don't agree with my views comment away!

Week 1 is brought to you by the word: Disappointment

Top 3 Points....
1. X Factor 2008's Diana Vickers hand has gone Scandinavian
2. Former contestants do battle
3. Cringing aplenty!

You can read in depth my first week review by expanding the post by clicking the link below!

SugaJades Video Tragedy!

You are about to witness one of the most disturbing things you have ever seen... Those of a nervous disposition please look away now! The official Sugababes tribute band 'The SugaJades' as they are now called (well on this blog at least) have released their newest video for their next (s)hit single "About a Girl"!
The title sort of screams to me... "you liked 'About You Now' and you liked the novelty YMCA style song 'Here Come The Girls'... so we've mashed the name an you'll love this!
Unfortunately a big budget, picturesque scenery, and a modern Eurovision goddess produced this....

I like the countdown at the beginning... gives me time to really think through if I want to watch the video again!
Now the video starts... and I think this might seam an extremely embarrassing thing to admit, but the first thing I noticed was that it appears to be the same set as 'S Club 7 - S Club Party'!

Am I right? Am I wrong? Am I sad because I recognised an S Club video set (YES!!)
The bad guys speech is simply cringey, and a much better result could have been produced though mime I believe!
Hold on... the script just gets better.. "You see it yet?" "Not Yet!" "Oh wait.. Is that it right there?" "Yeah that's it!"(End Scene) It's almost Shakespearean!

Look out! someone's in gear for some major chaffing!

Now the plot thickens as the extremely eloquent ladies leave the car... but wait.. could It be??? Yes its Sugababes V2.0!! Here we discover it is actually based on a real life story of Heidi, Mutya and Keisha!

Further on were treated to some more excellent script! It's almost like what you would get if one of those Hitler spoof videos was written by a 3 yr old!
"So...? So...? You want to show it or not? You want to see it? Yes, let's see it! SEE THIS!!!" I am in LOVE with the caps lock use during this gripping piece of drama!

2:27 mark shows some fantastic shot caravan wobbling! It really captures the ruckus inside, by slightly rocking!
Here's some final classic, and actually my favourite, lines...

"Come over here... I will get you" "Come back here... don't do that!!"
The video ultimately distracts from what is a really a mediocre piece of modern Swedish born pop! If you had given this to September or Gathantia they might have ripped it! Instead for me I think the song an video as a whole under writes everything the former band (Sugababes) have done before! They used to sing from the soul, now they flash their knickers to any hip producer that will work with them! Seriously though, watch the video... here the song... and think... If this had been a random girlband debut single with the same video, would anyone give a rats ass? Or would it be one of the many overlooked European acts that never reach the UK shores each year! On this my final point I will be... this track wouldn't have looked out of place on the very disappointing Monrose 'I Am' album (though there is still hope with Monrose, and hopefully with The SugaJades)!

Boy + Girl + Girl + Boy = Europop!

For the past few days I have had a song stuck in my head!
Completely wedged in and going no where, well until the next chunk of europop comes along!
Here it is....

How ridiculously catchy is that song! I know I am a proud supporter of credible pop, music with substance... but you can't tell me Rigga Ding Dong Song doesn't make you smile and want to be in the sun! Avid europoppers will recognise the song as a Passion Fruit cover! Cherona are a new German Pop group formed through a TV show on German channel Super RTL!

This got me thinking about the many europop foursomes that Germany have had in this formate! Here are my favourites*... prepare for serious cheese! If any of the Spotify links don't work internationally let me know please.

First up we have ATC (A Touch of Class)
Formed in 2000 after meeting while performing in the musical Cats, the members hail from New Zealand, Italy, Australia and England. An eclectic mix of nationalities, the majority having English speaking as their 1st language. Yet their music sounded typically europop a if English was their 2nd language. Their main hit was their debut single, a cover of the Russian song Pesenka...

I't catchy, It's mega European! Simple yet with a touch of class! The video is nonsense perfection, and shows that the kids in Germany were singing in cars long before Girls Aloud!
Other tracks on ATC to check out are: The very Steps-esc Thinking of You and the Alcazar style New York City

Next up we have Se-Side.
This two hit wonder band appeared to be in the ATC mindset with their debut single...

Though the Scalextric is now a Playstation Portable, the concept is the same and the real cars do appear at the end! The blonde guy reminds me of a cheap version of Danny Saucedo, even my favourite line of the song "A dedication, Of my affection" sounds Danny style! Their only other single was Kamboleo, which was created to promote a new roller-coaster at Phantasialand. This video shows some spectacular survival advice that Bear Grylls could only dream of! What do you do if swallowed by a giant snake??? Have a Dance Break! Genius!

3rd act is Banaroo!
They are not my favourites, but have some good points!
Formed in 2005 by the same Super RTL that has just created previously mentioned Cherona! They were formed as the German answer to the band Ch!pz, which I will speak about later.

Aimed at kids their videos and songs were just as playful, but not the best pop around. Their Christmas album Christmas World is worth a listen as it is surprisingly good and is the sheer essence of the festive period!

The 4th foursome is Ch!pz!
Yes they are Dutch and were bigger in the Netherlands than Germany, but they still had German hits and are not good enough in my opinion to have their own post! Watch out for the my favourite section around the 3minute mark.

Their style is typical europop, but with a budget all previously mentioned could only dream of! They could be seen as the Dutch S Club 7, if S Club's TV show was about superheroes not just a band going around the USA and Spain for no apparent reason seeing as they didn't really release music over there!
Ch!pz have a great style and expensive video set up, but I still feel a little empty after listening to the majority of their music!

Final act is Buttons.
One flop wonders in Germany which I discovered when in Spain watching Viva in 2005.
Their song is along the similar lines of Rigga Ding Dong Song with its Spanish vibe and Latin europop beats. This is on Las Ketchup style dance crazy that never caught on!


Hope you enjoyed this trip! If you know of any that I've missed out make sure you add a comment and ill look into it!

*yes A*teens, Abba, Alcazar, Bucks Fizz, Deuce and Vengaboys all fit in this band formation equation.. but they are not made in German, and of a far higher caliber to be classed in here!

Viva Darin!

HERE IT IS!!!!
The performance of the cover I have been dying for and the net has buzzing about (well my fav blogs Here Here and Here!)
I've waited up late in order to get the glimpse of the fantastic performance so here we go....

W TO THE OW!!!
Okey Okey the vocal is a bit shaky, but overall the style and performance is Swedelicious!
I'm not sure if you would agree but I think the backing track sounds more Danny Saucedo than Darin!
How cute for Darin to perform and release a song for no other reason but to big up the show from which he started! That's loyalty for you kids!
The wind machine of course is equally amaizng, probably due to it's sheer pointlessness!
He kicked Ola's Körslaget kör hands down!
Also check out Future M.I.A. Legend Camilla Håkansson during the contestant line up! Will she stand like an awkward celebrity on a forgein TV show, clapping and nodding like the some of her fellow contestants? No No No, this kidette has class! Shes singing and dancing like a true Schlager Icon!
I kinda hope Darin doesn't do Melodifestivalen (it's OK I'm feeling fine don't worry, I did really say that!). I think, as this performance shows, he's far too current and potentially international for the contest at the moment!
This makes me even more excited for Darin's UK invasion! BRING IT ON!

Think Darin deserves M.I.A. Legend status after this... so watch this space!

M.I.A. Future Legend: Camilla Håkansson

I'm following the new series of Svenska Idol online and loving every second of it so far! Seriously Sweden make generic talent show formates so relevant and unique.
Though there are some seriously talented singers on the show, there is one future pop starlet who has stole my heart! Camilla Håkansson is the definition of a Schlager lover in human form!
Here is her electrifying performance of My Heart Will Go On...

I know... I know... her presentation of the lyrics was a bit all over the place! My favourite bit is at when she repeats with such punch "True Time"! If you think her Schlager remix was blasphemy then overt your eyes now....

HOW AMAZING!!!! legend legend legend! Alexandra Burke should listen up! wonder if that's what Same Difference would have performed the song like if that had been their winners single??
After this performance she got a right telling off by the judges! Have they not heard of Melodifestivalen? Can they not she that Camilla is setting down an audition for 2010???
What ever happens to her the rest of the series I will be following in great detail!
I will end this post with the fantastic fail she made live on TV!


Follow Idol either via the fabulous http://annkisvenssons.blogg.se/idol/ or searching!
annkisven on Youtube

Aquatic & Diva Themed Post

hey hey people!
got a few things to discuss and they seam to be linked by that lovely see through stuff... water!
Firstly we've got the pop Princess Agnes Carlsson with her newest addition to the musical perfection that is Dance Pop Love! After the disastrous remix of Big Blue Wall for the German album edition, I was surprised a ballad was added to the album! Even though it sounds a little like shes singing Urine instead of You Rain, the ballad is gorgeous. She has done ballads before with better results, check out original Big Blue Wall, her winner's single Right Her Right Now , the failed melodifestivalen entry Somewhere Down the Road, and my favorite of all the heartbreaking What Do I Do With All This Love


Next up is the brilliant new video by Emilia! Those fellow Swede lovers will recognise her for the immense Your My world from this years Melodifestivalen, which was easily one of my favourites from the show! Other readers may know her from 90's hit Big Big World. Anyway this new disco dancefloor delight will hopefully be her next European smash! The video was filmed at the club I visited in Stockholm. I had the best night out of my life there because it was filled with Schlager! This would rip the dancefloor up im sure!



Hopefully this post has not dampened your day... get it???

MadamImAdam on Facebook

*EDIT* Page not Group now!

Hey guys been a busy bee sorry about this! my blog will hopefully take off the ground fully soon but for now I have opened a Facebook PAGE!

Become a Fan: MadamImAdamFacebook

Become a Fan, Join then chat! I'm going to hopefully use that more often to just post videos and news stuff that I find online and I love!
Feel free to add your own tunes and enlighten the group with new music!

I have not forgotten the blog don't worry! Thank you for your support so far!