Sweden

Referring to Malena Ernman as Sweden's most unusual opera star would hardly be an exaggeration. The mezzo-soprano from Sandviken - north Sweden - comfortably fluctuates between the high culture opera houses of Vienna and Paris to comedy sketches at award shows.

"People also react when they hear me "speaking normally". I guess it can come as a surprise, since an opera singer can sound like a pompous actor just by ordering a regular cup of coffee".

About the high culture aspect of opera, Malena says:

"I think we have worked very hard within the opera world to become a part of the popular music scene, but we can't! Only the audience can make opera popular music. Hopefully "La Voix" can play a small part in making that happen."

Despite her young age, Malena has paid her dues and gained a lot of experience within her field. She was born November 4th 1970 in Uppsala, Sweden, and she's a mezzo-soprano opera singer. She is the daughter of Lars Ernman and Eva Ernman, and is married to actor Svante Thunberg.

Malena is a member of the Royal Academy of Music and is one of the most sought-after opera singers in the world. She has quickly gained worldwide fame within her genre and is considered by many to be a world-class mezzo-soprano singer. She was educated at the Royal Academy of Music in Stockholm, the Music Conservatory in Orléans, France and at the school of the Royal Swedish Opera.

Malena Ernman's breakthrough performance came in 1998, when she did a spectacular performance as Kaja in Sven-David Sandströms show, "Staden."

Malena Ernman

Malena Ernman has appeared as Cherubino in Le Nozze di Figaro (Staatsoper Berlin/Daniel Barenboim), Rosina in Il Barbiere di Siviglia by Rossini (Staatsoper Berlin) and in the title role of Carmen (Royal Opera Stockholm). She was also seen in the title role of Boesmans' Julie at la Monnaie, Wiener Festwochen and in Aix-en-Provence. She also played the role of Zerlina in Don Giovanni (Staatsoper Berlin/Barenboim).

On March 14th 2009, Malena won Melodifestivalen in Stockholm, and will go on to represent Sweden in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. Malena explains how the idea came about:

"Fredrik Kempe, who wrote the song, is an old friend of mine. We worked together at the Opera in Stockholm with "Staden" by Sven David Sandström, ten years ago. Then Fredrik called me last summer and said he had a song that would suit me. It sounded like a fun idea, but of course I thought about it for a long time. We recorded a demo during the autumn, and that was it!"

Malena looks at her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest as a 'fun thing to try':

"I always watch the Eurovision Song Contest on the web. The whole family will watch together in front of the computer, in whatever city we happen to be in. It's like being back in Sweden for a few hours, and that's a great feeling!"

"I love the Eurovision Song Contest. Together with the World Cup in football and the Olympics, I think it's the best entertainment on TV."

But just two days after the Swedish competition I will be back on the opera stage, this time in Frankfurt. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to try so many different genres of music, everything from opera to jazz and ballads, and now the Eurovision Song Contest.

Discussing the biggest difference between opera and the Eurovision Song Contest, Malena says:

"In the opera I'm on stage for three hours, singing without a microphone. In the Eurovision Song Contest, I'm on stage for three minutes, singing with a microphone."