Eric Saade
Eric Saade |
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Eric Khaled Saade (born 29 October 1990) is a Swedish pop singer and children's television presenter.[1] After two years with the boyband What's Up!, he left in February 2009 to pursue a solo career. Eric Saade will represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Germany after winning the national Swedish selection Melodifestivalen 2011 with his entry "Popular".[2]
Beginnings
Saade grew up in Kattarp outside Helsingborg to a Lebanese father and Swedish mother, who divorced when Saade was four.[3] He is the second of eight siblings and half siblings. Saade began writing songs at age 13.[4] Football had been Saade's number one interest up until he signed his first music contract at 15, which resulted in one album and three singles. None of them charted. He also came to prominence after his win on the Swedish music contest Joker (now Popkorn).
Member of What's Up!
In 2007, based on his initial success, he also took part in a competition for filling up a position in a new proposed Swedish boyband to be formed. Out of hundreds of applicants, 15 were chosen to perform at the Globe theater including Saade. Saade became successful as one of the 4 finalists to form the band named What's Up!.
The others members of the band picked were Robin Stjernberg, Luwdig "Ludde" Keijser and Johan Yngvesson. All had been in musical competitions earlier just like Saade. Stjernberg, had been a winner in the Sommarchansen in Malmö in 2006, Keijser had competed in Lilla Melodifestivalen and Yngvesson had appeared in Super Trouper television series.[5][6]
The newly-formed What's Up! band toured Sweden starting Spring 2008. The same year, they sang the Swedish language version of the theme song of a Disney production entitled Camp Rock. Saade and members of What's Up! recorded the soundtrack for the film. The song was titled "Här är jag" in Swedish. Saade also dubbed the voice of the character Shane in the Swedish version of Disney's Camp Rock with other What's Up! members dubbing voices of other characters. They also appeared on the promotional trailer prepared by the Disney Channel.
In 2008, the band released its album In Pose. It stayed one week in the Swedish Albums Chart at #40. Two singles were released, "Go Girl!" in May 2007 that peaked at #5 in the Swedish Singles Chart and "If I Told You Once" in March 2008 reaching #16.[7]
In early 2009, the band announced the departure of Eric Saade for a solo career. He was replaced by Johannes Magnusson.
Television work
During the summer of 2009 Saade presented Disney Channel's popular My Camp Rock a Scandinavian music competition based on the Disney Channel's hit movie Camp Rock as well as holding interviews with Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens.
Saade also appeared on Julias Stjärnskott, a competition for young people, as a compere.
He was a member of the Swedish jury for the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 and on the night of the final, 29 May 2010, he announced the Swedish votes.[8] This brief on-screen appearance caused his name to trend on Twitter.[9]
Solo career
In August 2009 Saade signed a new contract with Roxy Recordings (Agnes Carlsson, Malena Ernman, Peter Jöback, Erik Hassle, Sarah Dawn Finer). In December 2009 Saade released his first worldwide single "Sleepless" that reached #44 in the Swedish Singles Chart. His third single after the success with Manboy "Break of Dawn" reached number #45 in the charts.
Eric released his first studio album, Masquerade, on May 19, 2010, and it peaked at #2 in the Swedish Albums charts.[10] All his three singles ("Sleepless", "Manboy" and "Break of Dawn") appear on the album as well as his next single release "Masquerade".
Eric's next album is expected for release between July and September 2011, with singles "Still Loving It" and "Popular" already released. His summer tour is expected to include some songs from his upcoming album.[11]
Melodifestivalen and Eurovision
Saade has taken part in Melodifestivalen Sweden's national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest two times in a row. He failed to qualify the first time placing third in the final "Manboy" and succeeded the second time with "Popular".
Melodifestivalen 2010
Saade participated in Melodifestivalen 2010 in the 2nd semi-final on February 13, 2010 at the Göransson Arena, Sandviken with the song "Manboy"[12] written by Fredrik Kempe (music and lyrics) and Peter Boström (music) and achieved the third place in the national final on 13 March 2010.[13]
| Place | Artist | Song | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jury | Viewers | Total | |||
| 1 | Anna Bergendahl | "This Is My Life" | 82 | 132 | 214 |
| 2 | Salem Al Fakir | "Keep on Walking" | 95 | 88 | 183 |
| 3 | Eric Saade | "Manboy" | 49 | 110 | 159 |
Eurovision 2010
On 29 May 2010, he read the results of the Swedish votes[14] in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 and was also a member of the Swedish jury.
Melodifestivalen 2011
On 19 February 2011, Eric Saade competed in the third semi-final in Cloetta Center, Linköping, of Melodifestivalen 2011 (the Swedish Eurovision selection process for Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Germany. His performance of his entry Popular, written by Fredrik Kempe, got the most votes in the semi-final. Thus Saade competed in the Swedish final on March 12, 2011 where he won both the Swedish televoting and the international juries voting from 11 countries[15] (getting the maximum 12 points from juries from France, United Kingdom and Malta and 10 points from the Ukraine and Irish juries and 8 points each from Greek and Croatian juries).
Table for the top three at Melodifestvalen was as follows:
| Place | Artist | Song | Votes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Juries | Viewers | Total | |||
| 1 | Eric Saade | "Popular" | 81 | 112 | 193 |
| 2 | Danny Saucedo | "In the Club" | 79 | 70 | 149 |
| 3 | The Moniker | "Oh My God!" | 55 | 69 | 124 |
Eurovision 2011
After winning the national Swedish selection Melodifestivalen 2011, Eric Saade will represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf, Germany on the second semi-final to take place on 12 May 2011, and if successful to go on to the final in Düsseldorf's Esprit Arena on 14 May 2011.
Awards and nominations
In 2010, Eric Saade won the Artistic Award for the Melodifestivalen-related Swedish Marcel Bezençon Awards for his song "Manboy". One year later, he won the same prize but in the category Press Award for his winning song "Popular".
Personal life
Saade is in a long-term relationship with Swedish singer Molly Sandén, who represented Sweden in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2006.[16]
Discography
Albums
- With What's Up!
- 2008: In Pose - (reached #40 in the Swedish Albums Chart)
- Solo
| Year | Album details | Chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| SWE | ||
| May 19, 2010 | Masquerade
|
2[17] |
Singles
- With What's Up!
- 2007: "Go Girl! - (#5 in the Swedish Singles Chart)
- 2008: "If I Told You Once" - (#16 in the Swedish Singles Chart)
- Solo
| Year | Single | Chart position | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWE[18] | |||
| 2009 | "Sleepless" | 44 | Masquerade |
| 2010 | "Manboy" | 1 | |
| "Break of Dawn" | 45 | ||
| "Masquerade" | – | ||
| 2011 | "Still Loving It" | – | TBA |
| "Popular" | 1 |
References
- ^ Interview with Eric Saade
- ^ http://www.svd.se/kulturnoje/nyheter/saade-blir-sveriges-bidrag_6002477.svd
- ^ http://www.ericsaade.com/?sid=article&pid=read&id=14073
- ^ http://www.ericsaade.com/?sid=article&pid=read&id=14073
- ^ What's Up Online: Biography section
- ^ YouTube: What's Up! Fan page
- ^ Swedish Charts: What's Up band page
- ^ Moopy Eurovision Forum "A thread for Swedish megastar ERIC SAADE"
- ^ Moopy Eurovision Forum "A thread for Swedish megastar ERIC SAADE"
- ^ http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Eric+Saade&titel=Masquerade&cat=a Eric Saade in the Swedish charts
- ^ http://www.ericsaade.com/?sid=article&pid=read&id=15081
- ^ "Melodifestivalen: final spots for Eric Saade and Andreas Johnson". ESCToday. 2010-02-13. Retrieved 29 March 2010.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "Sweden reveals artist names for Melodifestivalen". ESCToday. 2010-03-13. Retrieved 14 March 2010.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Presenting the results of the Swedish jury at Eurovision Song Contest 2010
- ^ http://www.svd.se/kulturnoje/nyheter/saade-blir-sveriges-bidrag_6002477.svd
- ^ http://www.expressen.se/noje/melodifestivalen2011/1.2337325/eric-saade-firade-med-flickvannen-molly-sanden
- ^ Swedish Charts: Masquerade album page
- ^ "Swedish Charts portal".
External links
