Fredrik Kempe (Interview 2013)

FRENCH Version

You made big success in Melodifestivalen. What is your ambition right now ?
Well, I’m very, very happy to have launched a new artist : Anton Ewald. I think that he’s made quite an impression. He is number one on all the charts and he is the most played song on the radio and Spotify… So what else can you ask for ? Of course, one could win Melodifestivalen but that’s not the only way to win, actually. So we’re super happy.

You wanted to launch a new artist ?
Yeah, of course, I’m continuing to launch new ones. I think Anton has a really good potential to go outside of Sweden. Because he is an amazing dancer, he’s got the perfect look and very good singing voice and he plays the guitar. I think he is also a very nice person, very humble… I think that he is a true artist from the heart, which I think is very important.

He’s a big artist, yes. Like Eric Saade and Mans Zelmerlöw ?
Yes, Yeah. No, I think they’re quite different in many, in many ways. Eric is an amazing artist also with an enormous drive, total focus and ambition. Anton is more of a dancer perhaps. But, I enjoy them both. They are different, but they could be brothers I think… [Giggles]

Do you think big divas, like Charlotte Perrelli and Carola, can make a good return in the competition ?
I think it’s very-very difficult to have a really great success, when you had so much success already. They are like classics for Melodifestivalen. We tried with Charlotte a year ago… and it failed. But she’s an amazing artist and she is got an enormous carrier in Sweden. She can do as many concerts as she wants… Well, we tried. I think it’s very-very difficult to come back and try to repeat something that you’ve already achieved.

And you try to make other songs to this kind of artists, big divas, for the next years maybe ?
Well, I’d liked to find a new big diva then. That’s more the focus ; I try to do a really big song with a young artist, Janet Leon, with a song called "Heartstrings". But unfortunately we didn’t go through, to the finals. So, I especially try to find the girls, because it seems to be even harder task to accomplish ; to make a really good breakthrough for a girl in Melodifestivalen. I’m very sad it’s true, but unfortunately it seems, especially this year, that we have only one lady in the finals. I think that’s not really good for us in a society like Sweden.

You are also a singer. You want to make more music, more personal music for you?
No. That’s…

That’s finished ?
…Being there, done that [giggles]. I enjoy singing and I do some concerts. But the focus on launching and, trying to be pleasing to the audience ; that’s not my kind of thing. I really like to explore my inside, emotions and then write songs, and to help others.

Fredrik Kempe - Finally - Melodifestivalen 2004

When you write a song, you always think to a person ?
Yes, always, yeah. "Begging" is written for Anton. Generally always to one artist.

And you prefer writing music or doing lyrics ?
Music, absolutely. Lyric is just something that I struggle with. I really try to make good lyrics, but music that’s my friend, and lyrics are my enemies. [Giggles]

You are also doing different kind of music with "Cookies'N'Beans", that’s very different…
Yeah, Yeah. That’s one of the things that I like. I like to explore all the different types of music that is possible to write I think. Yeah.

I know you speak a little French.
Un petit peu, oui.

Can you tell us something in french ?
No, I won’t… [Giggles]
Thank for listening to my songs and voting for me, and supporting my career. All the best from Sweden, from me Fredrik, bye bye.