Eurovision song contest Jan
Jan Johansen Interview - November 2009
Jan Johansen is on the train back from Borås where he performed at a tribute concert to Ted Gärdestad. Eurovision On Top catches him on a somewhat shaky telephone line to talk about past, present and future.
Tell us some more about the tribute concert!
- Well, this is a tour and concert concept that’s been going for 2 years in different line-ups, at the moment it’s Sara Löfgren (MF 2004) , Johan Boding, Janne Schaffer and myself. Ted Gärdestad (ESC 1979), who sadly passed away in 1997, is one of the most beloved singers and composers of all time in Sweden and his musical legacy still lives on.
Congratulations to the top spot on EurovisionOnTop’s Top 20! Can you tell us something about the song “Fri”?
- Just by coincidence I found this song on composer Micke Wennborns MySpace, and began to rework it. We got in touch and kept sending the song back and forwards and later Py Bäckman (MF 1979, 1992) wrote new Swedish lyrics to it as it originally was in English. I really love Py Bäckmans lyrics. I didn’t actually meet up with the Micke until we did the video clip. I wanted to do a videoclip with echoes of Aerosmith and 80’s and I think we managed pretty well.
Your new album was only released in Norway. Why?
- “Se På Mig” has been played on Norwegian radio on a daily basis ever since 1995, and Universal Norway thought it was just about time to release a Best Of Compilation, “Minnen”, but we decided to put in a couple of new songs as well. There have been several different Greatest Hits compilations released in Sweden over the years and I wanted to wait until I could release a whole new album for the Swedish market with all new material. Last summer I performed at “Allsång På Glenten”, a Norwegian sing-a-long TV-show with 1 million viewers, Other artists in the same show were Anita Skorgan (ESC 1977, 1979, 1982) and Norwegian boy band A1. Apparently I did very well as it all lead up to the release of “Minnen”, which currently has sold about 13,000 copies in Norway.
What’s your strongest memory from 1995 when you represented Sweden and reached Number 3 in Dublin?
- 1995 was such a crazy year. After winning Melodifestivalen it was a whirlwind with gold records, going to Dublin, tours and everything. It was my big break and during these years it was a bit hard to absorb what was happening. That’s why I needed some time off at the end of the 90’s and then step by step began preparing for coming back. “Se På Mig” then went on to become an all time classic and one the most popular Swedish entries of all time. The lyrics can apply to everyone in so many ways, it’s all about what you choose them to be about, a lover, a friend or even God. I guess that’s why it can be sung in so many different contexts, even at weddings or funerals.
You participated in Melodifestivalen 4 times a singer (1995, 2001, 2002 and 2003). Would you do it again?
- Of course I would, as long as it’s a good song. I still get lots of proposals from different composers and I’ve been singing on many various demos submitted for the preselections over the past years, not only in Sweden but also in other countries. So, I’m keeping fingers crossed that one day I’ll be back. It’s all about getting a song that suits me and my kind of rockier and husky voice. Not too many notes, not too many words, but lots of feeling! I don’t feel limited to one specific genre, but pop/rock and power ballads I think suits me best.
Do you still watch Melodifestivalen & ESC? Any ideas on what Sweden need to win the ESC?
- Yes, I still follow both Melodifestivalen & ESC with great interest. There are so many different styles represented these days, so it’s really hard to say what it takes to pick a winner for Sweden. Alexander Rybak (ESC 2009) really had it all, a talented musician and loaded with charm that went instantly to the audience. I think it’s either about having a song and a show that really stands out or to have a really powerful and sensitive ballad. After all, it’s about to be the one who stays on the viewer’s mind after a very long line of entries.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
- It’s hard to mention anything in particular or specific artists, but I’m very much influenced by rock from the 80’s. I have a huge record collection in the basement at home and I always keep coming back to U2, Coldplay, Tom Petty and The Rolling Stones. Apart from that I listen to all sorts of music, I keep staying in touch with all sorts of new music by listening to the radio. Katy Perry’s “Hot’n’Cold”, “Human” with The Killers and the new song by Juanes are some of my favourite songs at the moment. I like everything that focuses on a good melody. Currently I’m also listening a lot to IVO, a Swiss pop/rock-singer who I met during the Baltic Song Festival earlier this year. My song “Fri” won 3rd place and IVO won.
Your father, Egil Johansen, was a famous jazz musician. How did his music influence you?
- Just as myself, my dad was always fascinated by a good melody. He introduced me to the music of Miles Davis and Weather Report to name but a few. My dad was also a big fan of Prince, and funnily enough, his favourite song was not one of the jazzier or funkier numbers, but “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World”, a slow ballad with a very simple but great melody with lots of feeling and soul.
What about future projects? Will there be a new album?
- I’m still promoting the Norwegian release of “Minnen”, but I’m constantly working on new material. The new songs on “Minnen” will be the base for my new album called “En Ny Bild Av Mig” (“A New Image of Me”). For a couple of months, the Swedish music business is so focussed on Melodifestivalen, so I’ve decided not to release the album until late spring or summer 2010. The album will be in Swedish only, but who knows, I might do some of the tracks in English versions. One of the songs released on “Minnen” is a duet with Norwegian singer Maria Arredondo. For the Finnish market, I recorded the same song with Sonja Bishop (Euroviisut 2004, 2010). I’d like to record it with a Swedish duet partner for inclusion on the forthcoming album, maybe you guys could arrange a poll to decide what female singer would be best? Haha. Other projects are a duet with Elena Risteska from Macedonia (ESC 2006) and I also hope to collaborate with IVO, maybe translate some of his songs to Swedish and include on the new album. During the Swedish OGAE convention earlier this year, I teamed up with the lovely Chiara (ESC 1998, 2005, 2009) from Malta for a version of ‘Let Your Spirit Fly’. Who knows, we might record it in the future and make it available exclusively on Eurovision On Top!
That sounds like a great idea, we’re really looking forward to that! So, before hanging up, do you have a special message to the Eurovision On Top-readers?
- I want to say a big thank you to everyone who’s voted for “Fri” on the Top 20 and it’s great to know that you guys are still out there checking out my new material. It’s a fantastic way for me to spread my music and stay in touch with old and new fans.
Thanks a lot for your time, it’s been really great talking to you. Good luck and hope to hear from you in the future!
For more information on Jan Johansen
http://www.janjohansen.com/
http://www.myspace.com/janjohansen
http://www.youtube.com/user/Janors66
http://mickewennborn.se
By Micke Hjernestam for Eurovision On Top.
2009-11-04
© http://www.eurovisionontop.com/
Jan Johansen is on the train back from Borås where he performed at a tribute concert to Ted Gärdestad. Eurovision On Top catches him on a somewhat shaky telephone line to talk about past, present and future.
Tell us some more about the tribute concert!
- Well, this is a tour and concert concept that’s been going for 2 years in different line-ups, at the moment it’s Sara Löfgren (MF 2004) , Johan Boding, Janne Schaffer and myself. Ted Gärdestad (ESC 1979), who sadly passed away in 1997, is one of the most beloved singers and composers of all time in Sweden and his musical legacy still lives on.
Congratulations to the top spot on EurovisionOnTop’s Top 20! Can you tell us something about the song “Fri”?
- Just by coincidence I found this song on composer Micke Wennborns MySpace, and began to rework it. We got in touch and kept sending the song back and forwards and later Py Bäckman (MF 1979, 1992) wrote new Swedish lyrics to it as it originally was in English. I really love Py Bäckmans lyrics. I didn’t actually meet up with the Micke until we did the video clip. I wanted to do a videoclip with echoes of Aerosmith and 80’s and I think we managed pretty well.
Your new album was only released in Norway. Why?
- “Se På Mig” has been played on Norwegian radio on a daily basis ever since 1995, and Universal Norway thought it was just about time to release a Best Of Compilation, “Minnen”, but we decided to put in a couple of new songs as well. There have been several different Greatest Hits compilations released in Sweden over the years and I wanted to wait until I could release a whole new album for the Swedish market with all new material. Last summer I performed at “Allsång På Glenten”, a Norwegian sing-a-long TV-show with 1 million viewers, Other artists in the same show were Anita Skorgan (ESC 1977, 1979, 1982) and Norwegian boy band A1. Apparently I did very well as it all lead up to the release of “Minnen”, which currently has sold about 13,000 copies in Norway.
What’s your strongest memory from 1995 when you represented Sweden and reached Number 3 in Dublin?
- 1995 was such a crazy year. After winning Melodifestivalen it was a whirlwind with gold records, going to Dublin, tours and everything. It was my big break and during these years it was a bit hard to absorb what was happening. That’s why I needed some time off at the end of the 90’s and then step by step began preparing for coming back. “Se På Mig” then went on to become an all time classic and one the most popular Swedish entries of all time. The lyrics can apply to everyone in so many ways, it’s all about what you choose them to be about, a lover, a friend or even God. I guess that’s why it can be sung in so many different contexts, even at weddings or funerals.
You participated in Melodifestivalen 4 times a singer (1995, 2001, 2002 and 2003). Would you do it again?
- Of course I would, as long as it’s a good song. I still get lots of proposals from different composers and I’ve been singing on many various demos submitted for the preselections over the past years, not only in Sweden but also in other countries. So, I’m keeping fingers crossed that one day I’ll be back. It’s all about getting a song that suits me and my kind of rockier and husky voice. Not too many notes, not too many words, but lots of feeling! I don’t feel limited to one specific genre, but pop/rock and power ballads I think suits me best.
Do you still watch Melodifestivalen & ESC? Any ideas on what Sweden need to win the ESC?
- Yes, I still follow both Melodifestivalen & ESC with great interest. There are so many different styles represented these days, so it’s really hard to say what it takes to pick a winner for Sweden. Alexander Rybak (ESC 2009) really had it all, a talented musician and loaded with charm that went instantly to the audience. I think it’s either about having a song and a show that really stands out or to have a really powerful and sensitive ballad. After all, it’s about to be the one who stays on the viewer’s mind after a very long line of entries.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
- It’s hard to mention anything in particular or specific artists, but I’m very much influenced by rock from the 80’s. I have a huge record collection in the basement at home and I always keep coming back to U2, Coldplay, Tom Petty and The Rolling Stones. Apart from that I listen to all sorts of music, I keep staying in touch with all sorts of new music by listening to the radio. Katy Perry’s “Hot’n’Cold”, “Human” with The Killers and the new song by Juanes are some of my favourite songs at the moment. I like everything that focuses on a good melody. Currently I’m also listening a lot to IVO, a Swiss pop/rock-singer who I met during the Baltic Song Festival earlier this year. My song “Fri” won 3rd place and IVO won.
Your father, Egil Johansen, was a famous jazz musician. How did his music influence you?
- Just as myself, my dad was always fascinated by a good melody. He introduced me to the music of Miles Davis and Weather Report to name but a few. My dad was also a big fan of Prince, and funnily enough, his favourite song was not one of the jazzier or funkier numbers, but “The Most Beautiful Girl In The World”, a slow ballad with a very simple but great melody with lots of feeling and soul.
What about future projects? Will there be a new album?
- I’m still promoting the Norwegian release of “Minnen”, but I’m constantly working on new material. The new songs on “Minnen” will be the base for my new album called “En Ny Bild Av Mig” (“A New Image of Me”). For a couple of months, the Swedish music business is so focussed on Melodifestivalen, so I’ve decided not to release the album until late spring or summer 2010. The album will be in Swedish only, but who knows, I might do some of the tracks in English versions. One of the songs released on “Minnen” is a duet with Norwegian singer Maria Arredondo. For the Finnish market, I recorded the same song with Sonja Bishop (Euroviisut 2004, 2010). I’d like to record it with a Swedish duet partner for inclusion on the forthcoming album, maybe you guys could arrange a poll to decide what female singer would be best? Haha. Other projects are a duet with Elena Risteska from Macedonia (ESC 2006) and I also hope to collaborate with IVO, maybe translate some of his songs to Swedish and include on the new album. During the Swedish OGAE convention earlier this year, I teamed up with the lovely Chiara (ESC 1998, 2005, 2009) from Malta for a version of ‘Let Your Spirit Fly’. Who knows, we might record it in the future and make it available exclusively on Eurovision On Top!
That sounds like a great idea, we’re really looking forward to that! So, before hanging up, do you have a special message to the Eurovision On Top-readers?
- I want to say a big thank you to everyone who’s voted for “Fri” on the Top 20 and it’s great to know that you guys are still out there checking out my new material. It’s a fantastic way for me to spread my music and stay in touch with old and new fans.
Thanks a lot for your time, it’s been really great talking to you. Good luck and hope to hear from you in the future!
For more information on Jan Johansen
http://www.janjohansen.com/
http://www.myspace.com/janjohansen
http://www.youtube.com/user/Janors66
http://mickewennborn.se
By Micke Hjernestam for Eurovision On Top.
2009-11-04
© http://www.eurovisionontop.com/
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