Salem - by royal appointment (again)!

Over the past few years Salem has been a big favourite of the Swedish royal family, appearing at Crown Princess Victoria's birthday concert in 2007 and 2009, and then at a concert on the evening before Victoria's wedding to Daniel Westling in 2010, Salem memorably performed "All Day Love" which was specially written for the occasion.

On Saturday the wedding of Sweden's Prince Carl Philip and Sofia Hellqvist took place in Stockholm and the happy couple had a very special wedding singer at their ceremony - the one and only Salem! Dressed in a black suit, shirt and tie, he performed a lovely version of Coldplay's "Fix You".

When it comes to wedding singers, the Swedish royal family certainly have excellent taste :))

Salem on "Skavlan" with Petter

It's been a while since we've seen or heard anything from Salem, but this week he appeared on the SVT/NRK chat show "Skavlan" backing Petter who was performing his new single.  The song was co-written with another two of my favourite Swedish artists, Vincent Pontare and Daniel Adams-Ray, whom you can also see in the clip below. It looks as if Salem had borrowed one of Damien Adore's hats for the occasion :)

Dom Kallar Oss Artister: sneak peek

SVT now has some clips from the eagerly-awaited first episode of "Dom Kallar Oss Artister" which will be broadcast next Monday night on SVT1 at 20:30 Swedish time...and hopefully later on SVT Play so that all of us Salem fans living outside Sweden can watch it too. The programme will take a look behind the scenes of Salem and the band's last gig of the summer tour in Gävle, and will also take a journey with him out on his boat.

Go to http://svt.se/2.135508/dom_kallar_oss_artister?lid=20110131&lpos=SVT1_0000_sitelink&from=tabla and you'll find the trailer and links to clips from the show.

This looks as if it's going to be a very promising series featuring some great Swedish artists - of course the first show will feature the best artist of them all :))

'Dom kallar oss artister' - SVT, 31st January

Lots of news today!!

Svenska Dagbladet reports today http://www.svd.se/kulturnoje/nyheter/salem-al-fakir-hyllas-i-svt-program_5756477.svd that Salem will be featured in the first episode of the third series of SVT's 'Dom kallar oss artister' on 31 January 2011.

I didn't know anything about this show, so I had a look at some clips and it looks like a really interesting programme, going behind the scenes with the artists featured.

Nassim on tomorrow night's "Dansfeber"

Don't forget to tune into TV4's "Dansfeber" tomorrow night - Salem's brother Nassim will be among the contestants and he'll be dancing to Beyonce's "Single Ladies"! Will he be wearing the Beyonce-catsuit, I wonder ???? :)))

The show airs at 20:00 (Swedish time) and will be available later at TV4 Play: www.tv4.se.

"I'm So Happy": Allsång på Skansen 20.07.10

Enjoy!!

4 O'Clock (Skansen, 20th July 2010)

Keep On Walking (Skansen, 20th July 2010)

Salem on Allsång = fabulous.

I've just finished watching tonight's "Allsång på Skansen" and the extra Webballsången.

You know what I'm going to say, but I'll say it anyway...

SALEM WAS BRILLIANT!

"4 O'Clock" to start the show, "Keep On Walking" to end the show (with Salem jumping off his piano stool!), and "I'm So Happy" in the extra-show. He certainly knows how to make a crowd happy too.

Salem's band were also great tonight - and I really enjoyed that guitar solo from Adam on "I'm So Happy".

I loved that sign which someone in the crowd had held up - "Salem Al Fakir - it's only you we think about". So true :D

And Oskar Linnros was great too :))

If you haven't seen this week's show, or you just want to watch it over and over again like I do, go to http://svtplay.se/t/102897/allsang_pa_skansen - Salem appears 5 minutes into the show ("4 O'Clock") and at 54 minutes ("Keep On Walking").

EDIT 21.07.10: SVT now has individual clips of "4 O'Clock", "Keep On Walking" and "I'm So Happy" at http://svt.se/2.37615/allsang_pa_skansen?lid=index_2059174&lpos=sajt&from=innehall_ao

EDIT 21.07.10: I've just been reading on Aftonbladet and Expressen's website that there was a crowd of 27,000 at Skansen last night - twice as much as last week! I think the appearance of a certain Mr Al Fakir and a certain Mr Linnros may have had a lot to do with that...

Found a nice review of last night's show at http://www.aftonkuriren.se/?p=11947 with a good picture of Salem.

Were any Planet Salem readers at Skansen?

Allsång på Skansen right now!!

"I'm so happy" that I can watch Allsång på Skansen live on the internet right now!! http://svt.se/2.37615/

Salem opened tonight's Allsång with "4 O'Clock" - which immediately got the crowd going. It looks as if there are lots of Salem fans at the Sollidenscenen tonight :)))

Anyway he was brilliant as always, a complete showman and entertainer. And of course he looked very nice in his dark blue suit and new glasses!

But of course Salem being Salem, he got the words of the song mixed up and repeated "They were laughing, I was mourning" instead of singing "It's a never ending story"...but then again that's the kind of thing that makes him even more endearing to us!! :D

He'll be back again later in the show - I'm hyperventilating with excitement!!

Here's a picture from SVT's Allsång blog, from this afternoon's rehearsal for the show. Put your hands up :))

(photo courtesy of SVT/Emelie Birgersson)

Salem i mitt hjärta - Allsång tomorrow!

Don't forget to tune into SVT1 at 20:00 tomorrow night for this summer's most long-awaited edition of Allsång på Skansen! Salem and Oskar Linnros will be appearing on the show. Of course this brings back memories for me of Salem's first appearance on Allsång in July 2007, one of the first times I ever saw him on Swedish TV. This is one of my favourite clips ever, it's a brilliant performance of my favourite Salem song, and I thought I'd share it here once again for everyone who hasn't seen it....and of course for everyone who loves it as much as I do!!



And follow the lead-up to the big show at http://svt.se/2.37615/ which includes a little video interview with Salem, which was recorded at the show's launch a few weeks ago.

"You are my princess all day...."

"All Day Love": awesome song, fantastic performance. And a little reminiscent of "Good Song" which can only be a good thing).

Congratulations Salem, Linn and Stefan - this really made my night.

Tune to SVT right now...

or if you're in front of a computer: http://svt.se/2.132586/det_kungliga_brollopet_-_livesandningen?lid=puff_2047242&lpos=bild for Festföreställning Konserthuset: a pre-wedding celebration concert for Crown Princess Victoria and Daniel Westling, who are getting married tomorrow.

Salem is appearing in this show!! http://www.facebook.com/salemalfakir/posts/135569906455711

Allsång på Skansen - 20th July!

Great news!

Just found out from Salem's official site that he will be appearing on the legendary Swedish summer TV show on 20th July, three years after his first appearance there.

Here is this year's line-up, which was announced today.

Programme 1: 29th June
The Ark, Mozart Group, Anna Bergendahl, Robert Broberg, Carola

Programme 2: 6th July
The Playtones, Marie Kühler, Eric Saade, Marie Bergman, Mikael Wiehe, The Ten Tenors, Wille Crafoord, Marika Willstedt

Programme 3: 13th July
Cotton Eye Joe Show, Darin, Timoteij, Movits!, Olivia Stevens, Kikki Danielsson

Programme 4: 20th July
Salem Al Fakir, Gunhild Carling, Drängarna, The Real Group, Di Leva, Oskar Linnros

(Salem and Oskar Linnros on the same show - this should be a great one!)

Programme 5: 27th July
Mando Diao, Jonas Gardell, Thorsten Flinck, Christer Sjögren, Jasmine Kara, Lill Lindfors, Idolerna

Programme 6: 3rd August
The Baseballs, Huutajat, Jakob Hellman, Kjerstin Dellert, Gösta Linderholm

Programme 7: 10th August
Jerry Williams, Ola Forssmed, Tove Styrke, Orup, Hanna Lindblad, Charlotte Perrelli, Magnus Carlsson

Programme 8: 17th August
Sveriges Radios Symfoniorkester, Anders Berglund, Måns Zelmerlöw, Lisette Pagler, Fredrik Lycke, Sarah Dawn Finer, Joachim Bergström

As usual there is something for everyone in the line-up - apart from Salem and Oskar, I'm particularly looking forward to seeing The Ark, Mando Diao, Orup, Darin, Måns Zelmerlöw and Sarah Dawn Finer.

After "Nu är det gott att leva" at Skansen in 2007 and then "Det börjar verka kärlek banne mej" at "Lotta på Liseberg" in 2009, I wonder what classic Swedish oldie will be getting the 'Allsång' treatment from Salem this time? And of course I'm sure he will play "Keep On Walking" and "4 O'Clock" which will both be massive crowd-pleasers! I guess that many of you who read this blog and live in Stockholm will be at Skansen on the 20th July and making yourselves heard!!

Meanwhile I will be sitting over here watching it on SVT Play as usual and wishing I was there with you all :))

Salem interview (in English) on The Voice in Finland today

Here are clips from Salem's appearance on The Voice in Finland today - even better news for all those of you out there who don't understand Swedish, as the interview is in the English language. It's always nice to hear Salem speaking English, so I really enjoyed this. Hope you all enjoy it too.


http://www.voice.fi/index.php?option=com_sbsfile&tmpl=audiovideo&cid=7094


http://www.voice.fi/index.php?option=com_sbsfile&tmpl=audiovideo&cid=7095

Salem in Finland...

I've only just found out about this one, so sorry it's late :(

Salem has been in Finland today and appeared on the KesäKummit charity concert tonight, which was very similar to the "Children In Need" show that we have on British TV every year. The only difference is that we aren't lucky enough to have someone like Salem appearing on that show! (Well maybe in the future...I can dream!)

EDIT 25.05.2010: you can watch the show at http://www.katsomo.fi/?progId=39928

(Many thanks again to our good friend Eva who sent me the link)

Salem performs "4 O´Clock" (1 min 24 sec into the show) and "Keep On Walking" (1 hour, 5 min and 42 secs into the show). As usual, he never disappoints. Looking and sounding great at the moment, don't you all agree? And I just love the hair ;)

There is also a nice Swedish-language interview with Salem on this Finnish website: http://www.peppar.fi/article/Salem-Al-Fakir-pa-Finlandsbesok

So what's been happening then???

Hello again everyone, I’m back home now from my holiday in Bratislava - which was almost cancelled as the airports were all closed due to the volcanic ash cloud reappearing. However, the airport reopened just three hours before the flight was due to depart, so I was able to get away. Even if the weather wasn't so good, it didn't stop me having a great time in the beautiful capital city of Slovakia.

But that's enough about me, let’s talk about Salem! I’m just catching up with everything that’s happened over the past week...

4 O’Clock - single and mixes-EP released last Monday. Currently at no.45 in the iTunes chart, and No. 60 on Sverige Topplistan. Although I’m sure the song will climb much higher...

4 O'Clock - Video: the video for "4 O’Clock" was premiered on Spotify on Friday. Enjoy!
http://www.spotify.com/se/blog/archives/2010/05/21/salem/

The video was made by Andreas Ackerup and Stefan Segolson - well done, you did a great job! It's a very minimalist, black and white video which stays with the monochrome styling of "Ignore This". Of course you won't be able to ignore this video - and you won't take your eyes off the screen for one second. Some martial arts moves, some dancing, some clapping....and Salem barefoot ;))

Chart positions: Ignore This - no. 10 in the Sverige Topplistan / no. 6 on iTunes.
Keep On Walking - no. 35 in the Topplistan, no. 34 in the SR Digilistan. The song was the most played on Swedish radio for five weeks in a row but has finally fallen from the top spot to make way for Melodifestivalen winner This Is My Life. http://radionytt.se/nyheter/?p=5033
　
Good news - Keep On Walking is still at no. 1 in the Mix Megapol Topp 20: vote at
www.mixmegapol.se/program/mix-topp-20-gbg to keep it at the top for yet another week!

Keep On Walking is no. 2 on SR P3's Tracks chart this week - you have until 14:00 tomorrow to vote to keep the song up there in next week’s chart. Vote at
http://sverigesradio.se/cgi-bin/p3/tracks/index.asp?taskid=1

Djävulsrallyt: sadly Salem and Claudia narrowly missed out on a place in the final (they came third). You can watch last Monday night's programme again at www.kanal5play.se/program/play/djavulsrallyt-s01e01

Webchat: Salem did a webchat for sydsvenskan.se this week, just before his appearance at Lundakarnevalen. You can read the transcript at www.sydsvenskan.se/lund/karneval-2010/article880283/Chatta-med-Salem-al-Fakir.html

In that interview Salem mentioned that he will be appearing with his band at this year’s Malmofestivalen, which will take place between 20th and 27th August - although this hasn’t officially been announced yet, so I don't have any more details at the moment.

Lundakarnevalen 22.05.2010: check out these very positive reviews of last night’s show :-

http://www.lundagard.se/2010/05/23/trallvanlig-eufori-pa-stora-scenen/

http://www.expressen.se/noje/recensioner/konsert/1.1997902/full-fart-for-fakir

I think that's all for now! If I missed anything please let me know :))

Salem on SVT's "Go'kväll" - Wednesday 12th May

Don't forget to tune in to SVT's "Go'kväll" this Wednesday. The show starts at 18:15 and Salem will be playing with his band in the studio. The show will also be available to watch later at SVT Play - I'll post the link tomorrow night.

EDIT 12.05.10: Watch the show again at http://svtplay.se/t/102930/gokvall

There's a brief interview with Salem at the beginning of the show, then he and the band perform "Keep On Walking". Salem is back again 28 minutes into the show, for another interview and then it's time for (clap clap) "4 O'Clock".

The sight of Salem singing and dancing around will definitely put a smile on your face. Very infectious and entertaining :))) Are you all pointing your fingers in the air ???? ;)

Djävulsrallyt - new interview clip with Salem & Claudia

Tonight I found this interview clip with Salem and Claudia at Kanal 5's website: http://www.kanal5play.se/klipp/play/djavulsrallyt-infor-s01e01-claudiasalem

I think they make a really nice couple and I hope they win!! "Djävulsrallyt" will be screened on Kanal 5 on 17th May.

Salem on "God Morgen Norge" - TV2, Norway

Salem appeared on TV2's "God Morgen Norge" today and sang "Brooklyn Sun" and "Keep On Walking". There is a link to the show at http://webtv.tv2.no/webtv/sumo/?treeId=16 (although when I clicked on this, it asked if I wanted to subscribe?)

EDIT 06.05.2010: Salem has posted these clips on his official site, but here are the links anyway...

"Keep On Walking":


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNRux8J11_M What a wonderful new band-arrangement of the song - I didn't know how it would work without the strings, but it works very well, it's extremely soulful, and I particularly liked the new ending to the song.

"Brooklyn Sun":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQwEone_FS8&NR=1 Well what more can you say about this song? Everytime I hear him sing this song live, it completely rips my heart to shreds. And despite faltering on the first note, Salem delivered what I think is one of his best vocal performances of this song that I've ever heard from him.