Translation of Salem's recent P3 Populär interview

My thanks once again to Eva Jonson, who has provided this translation of Salem's recent interview on Swedish radio. Eva - I don't know how you have the time to put all the work into Salem's Facebook page and do all these translations, but I really appreciate it :)).

Interviewer (Hanna Fahl): So did you want to win Melodifestivalen?

Salem: You know ... I wouldn’t say ’no thanks’, it would have been fantastic and a lot of fun to go on that trip. It would have been great fun to check it out. As previously mentioned, I got the highest jury ... the jury liked me the most, if you sum up the foreign votes and all, so actually I think it could have worked quite well over there. That’s also what is so fun about all this; people here in Sweden choose the song they prefer to hear on the radio, but all and all it’s basically a contest where things will have to get across in Europe, and ... it doesn’t always work, so it can be very difficult ... difficult how to sort of ... and that’s why I liked that they had a foreign jury, to see how it came across. But the Swedish people are the ones who decide what they want to hear, in the end. And then you’ll just have to see how it goes.

H: But now I feel you are fribbling away the question. Did you want to win?

S: I have become so good at that, haven’t I! After this journey ...

H: Doesn’t work with me! Did you want to win, Salem Al Fakir? Or is there a a small sense of relief somewhere inside of you?

[long pause]S: If I would say ... yes, in a way. Because I released a new record at the same time. I have so little time to spare for everything, so then I wouldn’t have ... I would have needed a 36-hour-day to make it. So in a way I’m a bit relieved, because I wouldn’t have had the time to finish everything I had started here. Some might say that’s due to poor planning – others would say very well planned – I don’t know, but yeah, a bit of relief I would say, because I’m so tremendously proud of this record that I have released now, so I want to do everything to make it come through, so then maybe it would have ended up very much in the dark. – Sorry Christer for saying this! [my comment: Salem talks about Christer Björkman, supervisor of Melodifestivalen i Sweden].

H: Yeah, cause that’s like ... I’m thinking it’s a very ’double’ thing. In one way, you get a lot of exposure and a pace-setter by being part of like the biggest TV event of the year, but in fact, your record HAS ended up a bit in the dark? Or ...?

S: No, it hasn’t, not at all! That’s what’s so cool; you are ... they are fantastic out there! It hasn’t ended up in the dark, not one bit.

H: Who are fantastic?
S: The ones who ...the people, who listen. I’m so happy I got to be part of that contest. Some people ask: ’Why are you in that thing?’ bla bla ... I think it was so cool that I got to participate just as I am, and had the permission to be there, and that everyone took me as I am! Even the media – you know, this circus, in the end it’s actually a contest where the biggest artists are they ones with pen and paper, and who ask questions, questions, questions. They are the ones steering the whole thing. And I thought it was so cool to be a part of all that, and still be able to be myself. They took me for who I am – was, and am – and people around the country who called and voted and kind of ... The ones that were interested, also accepted me in that way. I’m just completely ... what’s it called?

H: Amazed ...?

S: Yes, I think it’s fantastic, that I could still be who I was, without changing anything. And that has done ... there seems to be a big interest for the record, lots of people who are interested.

H: Great!

S: Yeah, I’m very happy.

H: And you’ve also got ... for example, my mum is new fan of yours. She was one of them who called in and voted.

S: Yeah, I’ve also noticed ... I started out in ... when did ..? My first EP came out in 2006,

H: You’re asking me, now?

S: Yeah well, you keep track of so many things! ... and ... I still get the same questions now as I did then, so that has to imply that lots of new people have seen me. I think all this is so much fun and such a thrill.

H: Salem Al Fakir – you get to hang around in the studio for a while more. Here is your song, it’s actually number one on Tracks [Swedish radio toplist, my comment] now, congrats, even if you got silver in ... What? You didn’t know that? – Ah, it was just a small joyful leap!

S: Yeah, but I always get just as happy ...!

And I'm so happy for Salem too :)