Interview on aftonbladet.se [saved]

Extreme anxiety; couldn't sleep before her comeback!
Helena talks about her Swedish comeback: "I woke up at 4 o'clock"!


Helena Paparizou, 31, is back on Swedish soil after 7 years.
Yesterday she played at Pride Festival and her new album is on the way (out in fall).
- I am very, very nervous. Now, it is determined whether they are interested in me or not, she says.

Before her Pride performance the otherwise sleep-deprived singer was up early.
- I woke up at four so nervous about standing on stage in Sweden again. The time has come, she says.

Has been away for a long time:
Helena Paparizou says that nervousness stems from the fact that she has been away from the Swedish music market for so long.
- It's been a little too long, almost seven years.
- It's not just my own effort, there are so many people who have worked for this record. What I think we are all concerned about is that it might flop.

A visit to her nephew's school in 2011 gave her an insight.
- I was at their music lesson, and they asked me why I was famous. Time flies. They were born in 2002 and I have not done anything in Sweden that they could follow. It was the worst slap.
She did, however, a sneak comeback in Sweden last year when she performed Eric Saade's "Popular" in Melodifestivalen and participated on the "Let's Dance".

Recorded a Greek album:
Then she went back to Greece and made a Greek record.
Helena Paparizou has lived in Greece for many years and she now lives with her Greek boyfriend in Athens.
Will you concentrate on your Greek career again if it doesn't go as (well as) expected here:
- No, I'm stubborn. I will insist. Obviously it'll be Sweden for me now. It feels like I'm starting from scratch.
The album will come in October and as for her future plans she will aim to spend time in Sweden as much as possible.
Whether there will be a comeback on Melodifestivalen is still unclear.
- They've called almost every year and wanted me to participate. This year, no one called.
Would you like to?
- You should never say never, but I am in this kind of mindset about it "been there, done that". I have experienced the Eurovision twice.
A new appearance outside the competition, she can however imagine.
- Christer Björkman may call me as much as he wants. I am equally excited every time I get to hear his voice. I would absolutely be willing to do something.

Source: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

I am extremely glad for those statements! Maybe her most sincere and honest in a long time!
I am also happy to see that she seems serious about the Swedish attempt!

So happy about this interview and glad she has made headlines with it! Really hope she is as determined as she sounds like but I couldn't help noticing she sounds a bit insecure too so her Swedish fans will hopefully embrace all that's coming next!

I'm really happy for finally reading something like this, so honest. Glad to see that she will not stop try to get back in the swedish music market. Also agree with her about Eurovision, although I would love to see her again in ESC I'm not sure it will be good for her career

It's nice too see that the article is so high up on the front page of Aftonbladet.

That anecdote in her nephew's school made her come back to reality and be aware that she's nobody in the Swedish music industry (it's hard to say it, but it's true)

On the other hand, as all you said above, I liked her encouraring statements and I really hope she won't give up if the album flop badly there (as it is not preceded by an successful single, maybe it will happen)

And finally, she knows how time flies... 7 years doing nothing there... that's too much and maybe is too late for her. But at least, I would be glad that she tried with determination.

For sure it is not too late for her, she only could have saved herself a lot of hard work if she hadnt left Sweden as she did after Eurovision.... Now she has to work and try much harder than she would have needed too if she had released some stuff and done a little promo in Sweden to be kept in people's minds... In 2007 it was still ok, at least she was at bingolotto and some festivals, but after...

@Ruben:
She isn't exactly a nobody in Sweden's music indudstry today. If that was the case she wouldn't be featured on the front page of aftonbladet and she wouldn't create the biggest buzz at Pride along with Agnetha from Abba, Carola and Gina G (they were all hailed as the Divas of the night by the Swedish press: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

However being a big star in 2005 is one thing and being a fading star in 2013 is another thing so despite the fact that people can still remember her name and her biggest hits, she needs to prove that she is still relevant today and she can leave her footprints in today's music industry as well with her new music.

@Reb:
In my opinion her most memorable moments in Sweden (along with those during the Antique years) came after her victory in ESC 2005. The problem is they didn't last for too long and basically after mid 2006 she started spending less and less time there. Up until 2007 her popularity was established there indeed but the problem is when she was supposed to make another comeback in 2009 her father had recently passed away (and according to her family the state was to blame for the ambulance arriving late - in my opinion they were totally right about that) and she didn't feel like meeting the media or working there while she and her family were in a court battle with the swedish state.
Anyways it still took her too long. I hope it's not too late for her!

Miss KA wrote:For sure it is not too late for her, she only could have saved herself a lot of hard work if she hadnt left Sweden as she did after Eurovision.... Now she has to work and try much harder than she would have needed too if she had released some stuff and done a little promo in Sweden to be kept in people's minds... In 2007 it was still ok, at least she was at bingolotto and some festivals, but after...

That's correct Reb. Now she has to work harder but if she succeeds then the price will be much bigger I think - I mean after such a long break in Sweden if she become successful again that would probably please her even more than it would a singer who would never had left Sweden.
Hope you understand what I wanted to say XD

Derek wrote:

@Reb:
In my opinion her most memorable moments in Sweden (along with those during the Antique years) came after her victory in ESC 2005. The problem is they didn't last for too long and basically after mid 2006 she started spending less and less time there. Up until 2007 her popularity was established there indeed but the problem is when she was supposed to make another comeback in 2009 her father had recently passed away (and according to her family the state was to blame for the ambulance arriving late - in my opinion they were totally right about that) and she didn't feel like meeting the media or working there while she and her family were in a court battle with the swedish state.
Anyways it still took her too long. I hope it's not too late for her!

oh I absolutely understand this but still it doesn't change anything about the facts  Besides I am not too sure that without this ugly story it would have been different. She said so in an interview but maybe she excuses her to herself by this. Of course it's an understandable reason, but still, I somehow doubt she would have tried it seriously otherwise...

well... that remains a mystery now  

Miss KA wrote:

Derek wrote:

@Reb:
In my opinion her most memorable moments in Sweden (along with those during the Antique years) came after her victory in ESC 2005. The problem is they didn't last for too long and basically after mid 2006 she started spending less and less time there. Up until 2007 her popularity was established there indeed but the problem is when she was supposed to make another comeback in 2009 her father had recently passed away (and according to her family the state was to blame for the ambulance arriving late - in my opinion they were totally right about that) and she didn't feel like meeting the media or working there while she and her family were in a court battle with the swedish state.
Anyways it still took her too long. I hope it's not too late for her!

oh I absolutely understand this but still it doesn't change anything about the facts  Besides I am not too sure that without this ugly story it would have been different. She said so in an interview but maybe she excuses her to herself by this. Of course it's an understandable reason, but still, I somehow doubt she would have tried it seriously otherwise...

True but somehow I think she would have done it then. There was some pressure by the media and the fans plus I think in a late 2007 interview (Star channel - super star) she had said she would return with a Greek album in spring 2008 and the english language album would follow a year after (can't remember precisely) so there were already plans for an international comeback in late 2007. Anyway what's done is done, let's see what she can do now.

To say that she was nervous both performances were pretty incredible. Especially Pride. I have some friends that were there and said that she stood out amongst the performers. There was a genuine love for Helena. The fact that Shirley Clamp and Velvet, who have been successful in their own right, joining her for Die For You proves that she is still admired in the Swedish Music Industry. Once the Greek tour is over later on in the year and the album is ready for release I think we'll see Helena in Sweden and Europe a lot more. I think Lionheart could do a lot for her. She needs to a Radio Tour, prominent TV shows (Bingolotto ect), and hell, Melodifestivalen wouldn't hurt her. Not even to win, just for the exposure. She needs to be everywhere.

Ramin Moran [Bosley] wrote:To say that she was nervous both performances were pretty incredible. Especially Pride. I have some friends that were there and said that she stood out amongst the performers. There was a genuine love for Helena. The fact that Shirley Clamp and Velvet, who have been successful in their own right, joining her for Die For You proves that she is still admired in the Swedish Music Industry. Once the Greek tour is over later on in the year and the album is ready for release I think we'll see Helena in Sweden and Europe a lot more. I think Lionheart could do a lot for her. She needs to a Radio Tour, prominent TV shows (Bingolotto ect), and hell, Melodifestivalen wouldn't hurt her. Not even to win, just for the exposure. She needs to be everywhere.  

I so agree with you
& she seems to know Martin Rolinski as well she talked with him as he was an old friend

Her performances were the best ones easily, maybe I'm a bit partial but still

Ramin Moran [Bosley] wrote:To say that she was nervous both performances were pretty incredible. Especially Pride. I have some friends that were there and said that she stood out amongst the performers. There was a genuine love for Helena. The fact that Shirley Clamp and Velvet, who have been successful in their own right, joining her for Die For You proves that she is still admired in the Swedish Music Industry. Once the Greek tour is over later on in the year and the album is ready for release I think we'll see Helena in Sweden and Europe a lot more. I think Lionheart could do a lot for her. She needs to a Radio Tour, prominent TV shows (Bingolotto ect), and hell, Melodifestivalen wouldn't hurt her. Not even to win, just for the exposure. She needs to be everywhere.  

have I missed something?

TinaCZ wrote:

Ramin Moran [Bosley] wrote:To say that she was nervous both performances were pretty incredible. Especially Pride. I have some friends that were there and said that she stood out amongst the performers. There was a genuine love for Helena. The fact that Shirley Clamp and Velvet, who have been successful in their own right, joining her for Die For You proves that she is still admired in the Swedish Music Industry. Once the Greek tour is over later on in the year and the album is ready for release I think we'll see Helena in Sweden and Europe a lot more. I think Lionheart could do a lot for her. She needs to a Radio Tour, prominent TV shows (Bingolotto ect), and hell, Melodifestivalen wouldn't hurt her. Not even to win, just for the exposure. She needs to be everywhere.  

have I missed something?

Well. I use the term "Tour" loosely. It's more of a series of random gigs.  

A Moh Denbei Produced Melodifestivalen entry would do her wonders.

lol indeed

apart from the Melodifestivalen part I agree with you

One of her best interviews - not to say her best - and into the point.I admit her honesty about her poularity in Sweden but the most important is her desire to make a hard try in Sweden whatever the result is. 

Stathis wrote:One of her best interviews - not to say her best - and into the point.I admit her honesty about her poularity in Sweden but the most important is her desire to make a hard try in Sweden whatever the result is. 

with hard work and secure talent she can success and gain Sweden again like 2005 era. It needs good songs mainly! and apperances on tv

who I am supposed to credit for the translation of the interview, please?