News - Sweden: Interview with Charlotte Perrelli | Eurovision Song Contest News - 2008 Belgrade, Serbia 

As announced earlier already, esctoday.com had an interview with Charlotte Perrelli during her promo visit in The Netherlands last Sunday. Charlotte looked back with us on her 1999 participation in the Eurovision Song Contest and talked about her forthcoming second try as well. Besides that, you can win a signed press kit of this year's Swedish entry!

Hi Charlotte, first of all: why did you decide to take part in Melodifestivalen again?

"I told everybody for years that I'd never take part again in Melodifestivalen, I know that. I did it once; I won it and I won the international contest as well. I could never improve that result as it already was the best result I could ever get. However, when Fredrik Kempe let me listen to 'Hero', I fell in love with it immediately. I just felt this was the song for me."

What's the difference between your participation in 1999 and 2008?

"There's a huge difference! Of course the contest has been undergoing several changes. But back in 1999 I didn't do a promo tour; I didn't even release an album. The whole idea of promo visits just didn't exist yet. This time I visited a lot of countries  before the contest. I think it could be an advantage in the Eurovision Song Contest when people already know your song. A lot of people won't remember that I took part in 1999 as well, so during these promo visits I can refresh their memory. And of course I hope a lot of international radio stations will pick up my song."

You won the contest in 1999. Do you feel  more pressure now to do well?

"Not for myself. I won the contest once already, so I already made it to the history books. If I do well again this year, it would be a very nice bonus. But I do feel some pressure from my home country. Everybody expects me to do well this year, but anything can happen in the Eurovision Song Contest. Of course I'm very happy with all the support in Sweden; apparently most of my fellow citizens believe in this song as well."

How about your stage performance in Belgrade? Will we get to see the same act as we saw during the final of Melodifestivalen?

"We won't change a lot. We will start the song in black and white again and there will be a laser show again at the end of the song. I will practically bring the same backing singers with me to Belgrade. However, there's a new girl  who was one of my backing singers in Jerusalem as well. The only big difference will be my dress."

You can win a signed press kit of Hero. Inside you can find the cd single, the lyrics of Hero, pictures of Charlotte Perrelli and an extra signed postcard. All you have to do is answer the following questions:

1. How many times did Sweden win the Eurovision Song Contest?

2. Who composed the music for Charlotte's 2008 entry 'Hero'?

3. What are the names of Charlotte's children?

You can send your answers to the following email address: win@esctoday.com

The winner will be contacted by our editorial team on Friday, May 9th.