On Friday we went to a Velvet gig in Stockholm. It took place in the club Paradise, and was a full on, energetic show that lasted around 45 minutes. She looked stunning, her live vocals were great, and the crowd absolutely loved her! All the hits were performed; ‘The Queen’, ‘Take My Body Close’, ‘Come Into The Night’, ‘My Rhythm’, ‘Chemistry’, ‘Fix Me’, ‘Deja Vu’, and a new remix of ‘Mi Amore’. And afterwards, we had an interview with the lady herself, real name Jenny Petersson! Here it is;
scandipop: Hello Jenny! Well that was an amazing show! Everyone really enjoyed it. I think if you can emulate that on the Dance Nation tour next month then you’ll go down very very well.
Velvet: Thank you! I hope so. I’m only doing two songs though.
scandipop: Oh, which two?
Velvet: ‘Fix Me’ and ‘Chemistry’
scandipop: Ok, they’re a good two! So after three years of having hits in Sweden and Eastern Europe, you’re finally coming over to the UK. How are you feeling about it?
Velvet: I’m really excited about it and REALLY looking forward to it!
scandipop: You’ve got a very strong back catalogue of songs. Why did you and the UK label choose ‘Chemistry’?
Velvet: Well, me and my manager like it a lot. And the record label in the UK really like it. So that was the decision. I’ve been working hard on it. And I worked with it in Poland quite a lot too.
scandipop: Ok. Well its already been number one on the UK club charts, and its been played quite a bit on BBC Radio One. Have you got high expectations of chart success?
Velvet: Hmm, I’m really so happy that I’m doing this, that I’m finally going where I really wanna go. So I’m just, I don’t know what to expect. I’m just really grateful for everything and I really hope that it will be a big success.
scandipop: Well it’s already done well in UK clubs.
Velvet: That’s good, that’s really good.
scandipop: And if you can emulate on the Dance Nation tour what you achieved tonight then I think people will like you.
Velvet: Thank you! I love doing this, this is my playground – the clubs!
scandipop: So with the Dance Nation tour, are you looking forward to playing to packed arenas of potential new fans?
Velvet: I’m gonna win them over! (laughs) I’m nervous about it, but I love challenges. That’s why I’m in this business, it’s all about challenges. It’ll be a lot of hard work but I’m really looking forward to going on this tour.
scandipop: The UK fans, they like to dance and they like it when dance music is brought to them by a good strong diva!
Velvet: Well I’m gonna give them the diva and the good music!
scandipop: Excellent. And aside from Dance Nation, what other promotion do you have lined up for the UK?
Velvet: Well while I’m doing the tour, I know that I’ve got a lot of promotion planned, but right now I’m not sure exactly. But I know that I’m definitely doing a lot of other things while I’m there, I just don’t know exactly what!
scandipop: How many times have you been to the UK before?
Velvet: I’ve been to London lots for shopping! But I was there when I filmed the video for ‘Chemistry’.
scandipop: Oh that pink dress in the video is amazing!
Velvet: You wanna know a funny story? I got to the shoot and the stylist showed me a lot of stuff, and I was like, ” no I’m sorry, that’s just not me” (laughs), and here comes the diva part – I said ”I wanna have the Gucci, I wanna have the designer style, I have to go out”. So I went out and I had one hour to find something, so I went to Harvey Nichols. And I found that dress! And you know what the label was called? Velvet! I wanted a pink dress and it was called Velvet!
scandipop: Your legs looked great in it!
Velvet: (laughs) It’s a funny story, because I just panicked! And I thought I’m never gonna find anything in one hour. But I did.
scandipop: And in Harvey Nichols too. So have you had any discussion with the UK label about the follow up single to ‘Chemistry’?
Velvet: Hmm, I love all my songs. So they can choose what they want!
scandipop: And what are you hoping for?
Velvet: On the album, I really like the song ‘My Rhythm’ a lot. Have you heard it?
scandipop: Yep!
Velvet: Have you heard the new version though?!
scandipop: No, I haven’t actually.
Velvet: Well there’s a new version now and it’s really good. ‘Take My Body Close’ is another one I’d really like. We’re talking about that one a lot.
scandipop: Yeah everyone loves ‘Take My Body Close’. Whenever I play it at the scandipop club nights, everyone goes crazy. It probably gets the best reaction out of all your songs.
Velvet: It’s a fun song, it makes you happy, it makes you wanna dance, it’s a summer song. Although I like them all, and that’s why I’m so happy now that my album is packed with hits like ‘Deja Vu’ and ‘Fix Me’.
scandipop: Exactly. So your album, ‘The Queen’ is released this week in Sweden. What’s your favourite song on there?
Velvet: I really like ‘My Rhythm’! I’m hooked on that right now! It’s so difficult because….’The Queen’ and…working with this new songwriter now it’s a good challenge – we’ve come up with ‘The Queen’ and a new song called ‘Radio Star’ and they’re a bit different. And I like that – they’re a little more edgy and cool. And the remix of ‘The Queen’ that’s on there, I love that too. And ‘Chemistry’. I really do like all my songs. (laughs) Are you allowed to say that?!!!
scandipop: Of course you are! So how do you think the album will perform in Sweden. How will it do?
Velvet: Hopefully good. You never know. I hope people buy the album because it’s a really good record.
scandipop: Ok. Well ‘Deja Vu’ was one of the biggest hits from last year’s Melodifestivalen, despite not progressing from its heat in the competition. And ‘The Queen’ has been one of the biggest sellers of this year’s Melodifestivalen. Why do think that the Swedish public love to buy your music, but don’t vote for you in Melodifestivalen?
Velvet: I don’t know. I actually don’t know. And this year I was really surprised actually. You know, because I put so much into it; the music, the performance. Velvet’s music is all about the performance, it’s not only about the good singing and the song, it’s also about doing a good show. And I really think that I did that this year, I put a lot of work into it with the dress and with the dancers. And I was just so happy with it afterwards and that’s the most important thing to me. I think I succeeded with everything….I?…..it was a great team, a really great team; the hair dresser, the choreographer, the dancers, the people who made the clothes. We were such a great team, so it felt like a success in our own way. And when we looked at it afterwards I was like, ”Oh my God”. I was so happy. I should be proud of what I did, and it doesn’t really matter.
scandipop: Good. You know in London we have a Swedish pub called The Harcourt Arms, and they screen Melodifestivalen every week. And when your song came on, everyone erupted when they saw that dress. So when you only finished 6th, we were all shocked. It was probably the biggest shock of the whole competition, never mind Shirley Clamp!!!
Velvet: Yeah, I think so too, I agree! (laughs)
scandipop: So do you think you’ll ever enter Melodifestivalen again?
Velvet: Of course!
scandipop: You love it?
Velvet: Yes. But maybe I will enter for another country one year.
scandipop: Really? Which other country? You’re big in Poland, and in some Eastern European countries…
Velvet: It really doesn’t matter. When I think of performing, I don’t just think Sweden, I think international, because I’m an international artist. And Velvet is all about the performance and maybe that is too much for the Swedish people, maybe it’s….I don’t know…..maybe it’s just too much. So maybe I should just compete for another country or something, or maybe I should just carry on entertaining in Melodifestivalen.
scandipop: And back to being international; have you got any definite plans to release the album, ‘The Queen’ in the UK?
Velvet: Yes, I hope so.
scandipop: And if you do release it, do you think it will have the same tracklisting as the Swedish album?
Velvet: Well we haven’t really talked about it, but I think it will be the same.
scandipop: Ok. And where else in the world are you releasing music at the moment?
Velvet: Umm….in the States I’m releasing ‘Chemistry’. And in Poland I’m releasing my album. And in Russia too.
scandipop: And how has ‘Chemistry’ been received in the States so far? Have you any plans to visit there soon?
Velvet: It’s doing good I think, I haven’t really had the reports yet. I hope to visit soon though. Actually, I did a show there last year. But you know, right now we are really focusing on the UK. First the UK, and then everywhere else. There’s a lot of focus on the UK now.
scandipop: So would you say this is the busiest you’ve been so far in your career? Because you’re releasing in so many places?
Velvet: Yeah, so many big things are happening right now for me. I almost don’t think it’s true, I can’t believe it’s happening.
scandipop: Well this coming Thursday is the next scandipop club night, and I’m going to play 5 Velvet songs. Which 5 would you like me to play?
Velvet: (laughs) Any ones you like!
scandipop: No, you have to choose!
Velvet: Well you have to play ‘The Queen’, and ‘Chemistry’……. and ‘Fix Me’………and I guess you wanna play ‘Deja Vu’….and maybe you could try ‘My Rhythm’ and see how it works – the new version.
scandipop: Ok! And finally, what was your favourite song of this year’s Melodifestivalen. Aside from ‘The Queen’.
Velvet: Ummm…I really liked Alcazar’s show. And I hope that they win. They really have a chance to do really well, I think that’s the one that would do the best at Eurovision. And they’re very good friends of mine also. But I think they did a very good show.
scandipop: Ok, well thank you Jenny! I’m gonna go to the Manchester date of the Dance Nation tour so I’ll see you there.
Velvet: Good. I really cannot wait for that tour. It’s gonna be good. It’s gonna be crazy!!!
What a woman! We love a pop star who loves their own music and really believes in it. Velvet’s clearly passionate about her back catalogue and is obviously never happier than when she’s putting on a show. And she’s very excited about coming the UK. Hopefully the UK will get equally as excited about her!
