Poster for "Hopp för Haiti"

This is the poster for the charity concert "Hopp för Haiti" that takes place on Thursday February 25 at 7.00 pm at the Filadelfia Church in Stockholm.

Link: Buy tickets here

About the Aftonbladet article

Aftonbladet published an interview with Carola today, in which she allegedly makes some remarks about the catastrophe in Haiti could be part of the Biblical "End of Days". I would hope Carola tries to clarify this statement if she has been misunderstood or misquoted.

Since Carola International went from being a regular fan website to a blog, I feel freer to make personal comments about what's going on around Carola and her career, and I would just like to say that I find her remarks unnecessary, totally uncalled for and wonder how they could be interpreted by her younger fans.

The remarks also cast a shadow on the good work she and Hoppets Stjärna were hoping to do for Haiti. It should also be said that the newspaper Aftonbladet carries a responsibility for changing the narrative of her visit to the country as well.

Carola in Haiti

Photo: Jerker Ivarsson / Aftonbladet

Carola has visited Port-au-Prince in Haiti to witness the magnitude of the catastrophe caused by the earthquake. She has also met with her current sponsor child Eden and her previous sponsor child Celecuinne, who is not 29 years old and work as an educator.

You can read about her visit to Haiti in many Swedish newspaper today, when she has been in sms contact with journalists to continuously bring attention to the severe situation in the country. She has also given an interview to Swedish radio show P4 Extra.

Link: Read about the visit on Carola.com

Link: Listen to the radio interview

Link: Read article in Aftonbladet

Link: Read article in Expressen

Tickets for "Hopp för Haiti"

Tickets are now on sale for Carola's charity concert "Hopp för Haiti" ("Hope for Haiti"). The concert is organized by Hoppets Stjärna (the Swedish Star of Hope organization) and the money will go to the work to rebuild Haiti after the earthquake. Among the artists scheduled to perform, you'll find LaGayla Frazier, Sarah Dawn Finer, Samuel Ljungblahd, Gabriel Forss and his gospel choir among others. The concert takes place on Thursday February 25 at 7.00 pm at the Filadelfia Church in Stockholm.

Carola left for Haiti on Monday and will return to Sweden on Friday.

Link: Buy tickets here
Link: Hoppets Stjärna's website

2009 Best Selling Albums Chart

Carola's latest album "Christmas in Bethlehem" is listed as one of the most sold albums of 2009. Every year Grammotex publishes a list over the best selling albums of the year. This year, Carola is no 36 on the list.

2001 Sov på min arm #21 / My Show #62
2003 Guld platina och passion #2 / Jul i Betlehem #95 /
2004 Guld platina och passion #21 / Jul i Betlehem #35 / Credo #62
2005 Störst av allt #32
2006 Från nu till evighet #34
2007 I denna natt blir världen ny #6
2009 Christmas in Bethlehem #36

It would be interesting if X5 Music Group will publish sales figures from Sweden and worldwide, both physical album sales and downloads...

Poster for "Carola & en flygel"

This is the poster for Carola's mini-tour in the north of Sweden in February: "Carola & en flygel".

13.2 Hotell Lappland, Lycksele
20.2 Hotell Södra Berget, Sundsvall
27.2 Hotell Lappland, Lycksele

According to Carola.com, the concert will include as varied material as "Evighet" and "Blott en dag".

Coming releases

There are some Carola related releases coming up, some scheduled, some still not officially announced. Besides the charity single and the movie theme song that will probably be released as digital singles, these releases are happening soon:

ABSOLUTE SCHLAGER (Release date: February 3)
This 3xCD compilations includes Carola's three biggest hits from the Swedish Song Contest: "Främling" (1983), "Fångad av en stormvind" (1991), and "Evighet" (2006).

ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS (Release date: March 24)
In December 2008, Sony BMG released "Carola Original Album Classics" that included five CD's: “Steg för steg“ (1984), “På egna ben“ (1984), “Much More“ (1990), “Personligt“ (1994), and “The Sound of Music“ (1995). In March the label releases another compilation with the same name, but only including three CD's. Which albums will be included has not yet been announced.

GOSPEL CONCERT–CD & DVD (Release date: TBA)
Carola's old label Rival has plans to release a live CD+DVD recorded during her gospel concert at Cirkus in Stockholm in 1994. The show has previously been aired on Swedish TV4, but this release would be a real treat for her fans. Let's hope this will released sooner rather than later.

Link: Pre-order "Absolute Schlager"

Link: Pre-order "Original Album Classics"

Charity single by Natasha Bedingfield

X5 Music Group will release a new single with Carola to benefit the organization Hoppets Stjärna's work in Haiti. Carola has been involved in Haiti for a long time and is now planning to organize a charity concert at the Filadelfia Church in Stockholm on February 25. Other people that are scheduled to take part in the concert include Kristin Kaspersen, Charlotte Perrelli and LaGaylia Frazier.

Could it have been this charity song Carola recorded in the studio in Stockholm last week? I was under the impression it was the theme song for the movie "Yohan—Barnevandreren". The song is written by Carola's friend, the British popstar Natasha Bedingfield (with hits like "Unwritten" and "Pocketful of Sunshine").

More info to follow...

Link: Read article in Aftonbladet

Concerts in USA 2010

According to Carola's A&R Anders Johansson in an interview in Swedish newspaper Expressen, Carola is planning to perform a number of concerts in USA.

Towards the end of 2010 she will give concerts in the U.S. We are taking it slow, we don't wanna push her down the throats of the Americans.

According to the same article, Carola had planned to work on her self-biographical book during January, but the filming in California made her change her plans.

(Translation by Carola International)

Link: Read article in Expressen

Teaser trailer and website

Watch the teaser trailer for the Norwegian movie "Yohan—Barnevandreren" in which Carola plays a small part. Also visit the movie's official website for news, information and photos.

Link: The movie's official website

Carola filming in California

Photo: Carola.com

Carola is in San Pedro, California to film her scenes for the upcoming Norwegian movie "Yohan—Barnevandreren". Carola will play herself, singing the movie's theme song in an 80's setting. The singer/actor Kris Kristofferson is playing the grown up version of the main character (read more here) and plays harmonica on the song Carola is singing. Carola recorded the song in a studio in Sweden last week and it will probably be released before the movie opens in theaters on March 26.

Filming continues today.

Link: Read article in Aftonbladet

Yohan—Barnevandreren

Carola is in Los Angeles to film the opening sequence of the Norwegian movie "Yohan—Barnevandreren" where she plays a singer and sings the movie's theme song. The film is in its final production stages according to International Movie Data Base.
Some facts about the film:

Title: Yohan—Barnevandreren
Director: Grete Salomonsen
Writer: Grete Salomonsen
Procution company: Penelope Films

Plot summary: With his family struggling to survive in late 1890s Norway and his father leaving on a ship for America to earn much needed money, 10-year-old Yohan devises some plans of his own to help his family. However, his jealous older brother has other ideas, and, unbeknown to their parents, he signs a contract with an agent for Yohan to become a farm laborer. Now consigned to being a child wanderer, Yohan is sent off to work on a faraway farm providing cheap labor. Yohan embarks on a long, rugged journey filled with danger, loneliness and feelings of abandonment. Along the way, he meets up with two other child wanderers, 8 year-old Anna and her younger brother. Together with other child wanderers and led by the menacing boy Aslak, the group makes its way on foot through the countryside with Yohan finally arriving at the farm where he is told to work. He becomes a shepherd boy, protecting the farmer's livestock from wolves and grizzly bears. His boss, Nome, is a harsh disciplinarian and a tough man to please. Following his heart and with good intentions, Yohan makes decisions that are misunderstood by local adults and are sabotaged by other envious children. Unjustly accused, he is punished and beaten by Nome. Events only get worse, with wild animals attacking Nome's herd on Yohan's watch and Yohan's discovery that his friend Anna and her brother have been beaten at a neighboring farm. Using his resourcefulness and ingenuity, a battered Yohan sets out to help his friend Anna and her brother escape from the farm owners.

The movie opens on March 26 2010.

Link: Read article in Expressen
Link: Read article in Dagen
Link: Read article in Dagbladet
Link: Read article in NRK

Swedish Album Chart (w 53)

"Christmas in Bethlehem" drops three spots to no 16 on its seventh week on the Swedish album chart.

Week 47: No 8
Week 48: No 7
Week 49: No 4
Week 50: No 9
Week 51: No 16
Week 52: No 13
Week 53: No 16

Link: Sverige Topplistan's website

10 Moments of the 00's - The final list

After ten days of voting, this is the final list over the ten most memorable Carola moments of the last ten years:

1. The return to Melodifestivalen (2006) 50%
2. Eurovision Song Contest (2006) 20%
3. The 20th anniversary shows (2003) 13%
4. "Genom allt" could have won (2005) 7%
5. "Find My Way To Bethlehem" (2009) 5%
6. "Les Misérables" in London's West End (2002) 1%
Johnson & Häggkvist miss the finale (2008) 1%
8. Missing a golden opportunity (2001) 0%
Throwing a plant at the audience (2005) 0%
Receiving the Letteris et Artibus medal (2007) 0%

Thank you all for participating! Happy New Year!

Swedish Album Chart (w 52)

"Christmas in Bethlehem" climbs three spots to no 13 on the Swedish album chart this week, its sixth on the chart.

Week 47: No 8
Week 48: No 7
Week 49: No 4
Week 50: No 9
Week 51: No 16
Week 52: No 13

Link: Sverige Topplistan's website

Norwegian Album Chart (w 52)

"Christmas in Bethlehem" managed to stay on the Norwegian album chart one more week, at no 40, its third week in the top 40.

Week 48: No 36
Week 49: No 44 (outside top 40)
Week 50: No 42 (outside top 40)
Week 51: No 39
Week 52: No 40

Link: VG Listan's website

Merry Christmas!

I wanted to wish a Merry Christmas to all the readers of this blog. It's amazing what a diverse group of people you must be... I have daily visitors from all over Scandinavia, Europe, USA, South America, Israel etc. Those of us who celebrate Christmas do it on different days: some already tomorrow the 24th, some on 25th, some on 26th, and even on January 7th...

Despite nationality, religion (or lack thereof), Merry Christmas to All!

Exclusive: Photos from concerts in Stockholm

© Photos: Peter Karlsson



These photos were taken at yesterday's two final concerts of the Christmas tour in Stockholm. Guests were Paul Potts, Blues and Gladys del Pilar. Click to enlarge them. Thanks to Peter Karlsson for sending me the photos!

Video: "DR's Juleshow"

Use the button below to share this video on Twitter, Facebook, etc.

Time to vote for your favorite!

During the last ten days, I have listed what have been (in my opinion) the ten most memorable Carola moments of the last ten years. The list looks like the following:

1. The return to Melodifestivalen (2006)
2. The 20th anniversary shows (2003)
3. "Genom allt" could have won (2005)
4. Eurovision Song Contest (2006)
5. Missing a golden opportunity (2001)
6. Throwing a plant at the audience (2005)
7. Receiving the Letteris et Artibus medal (2007)
8. "Les Misérables" in London's West End (2002)
9. "Find My Way To Bethlehem" (2009)
10. Johnson & Häggkvist miss the finale (2008)

But you shouldn't take my word for it! Now you can vote for your favorite, and on New Year's Eve, I will announce the No 1 moment of the 00's.

You find the poll at the top of the right column, and you have ten days to vote! Don't hesitate! Just do it!