Linda Bengtzing: "Ta Mig" is intense, dancy and a winning song

Photo: Peter Knutson

MELFEST ALERT! MELFEST ALERT! Im so excited right now! Im here to post a FABULOUS interview with one of my favorite artists! I JUST LOVE HER SO MUCH! Here are the answers of the amazing LINDA BENGTZING:

Name: Linda Birgitta Bengtzing
Birthday: 13 march 1974
Height: 1,65 cm
Favorite Color: Red, red, red and red
Favourite food: I love food, asian and .....everything
Eye color: Green in sunny weather, grey in London weather
Where are you right now? On a train, heading for Kristianstad in south of Sweden...singing at a big sports gala!
3 things that makes you happy: My family, singing and horse riding!
What’s your strangest talent? I can make anything with flowers..
Do you have any nicknames? No. But people call me only "Bengtzing" more and more..
Home alone and you are bored. What do you do? Watch Tv series. Breaking Bad, Games of Thrones.....
What is the strangest thing you have in your room? A canister of teargas.
What are you really good at? Talk a lot!!! ha ha.... And to be positive.
What are you really bad at? Be on time and bake bread!
Childhood idol: The Swedish rock group Europe
Childhood memory: To be on a party with mom and dad. And fall asleep under a table or in a sofa-hearing them talk and laugh, carried from the car in the middle of the night and skip teeth brushing.
Tell me something no one knows about you: I hate to lose. So much that I avoid to compete..... Melodifestivalen is a dream AND a nightmare for me...
What would you do if you were invisible? Live 24 hours in the Swedish royal palace ...
Favorite movie: Alive
Favorite TV series: See previous question....
Tell me a super power you wish you had: Fly
What is your guilty pleasure? Eating pastries.....many and often!
Name a song that never fails to make you happy: Electric with LeilaK
If you were a product, how would you sell yourself? I would be a reflector. Cause I save lives!!
Can you teach me some interesting words in Swedish? Why not reflector: REFLEX
If you were the journalist what would you ask to Linda Bengtzing? and tell me your answer.
What would you, Linda Bengtzing, like to serve Elvis Presley for dinner? Well, not hamburger.... a lesson of how to get a longer life!

Hej Linda! Welcome back to Melodifestivalen! How are you?
-Hej.... Thank you. Im fine. I can't wait to go to Örnsköldsvik and sing my song for you all..

How would you describe yourself as an artist?
-Energic and positive. Love my job and now i finally found my genre!

Before we start talking about this year, can we talk a bit about your experiences in Melodifestivalen? Your first melodifestivalen was in 2005 with "Alla flickor", what do you remember the most from that year?
 - My record company representative were in love with the studioman Henrik von Zweigberg so she left me alone a lot. At one time I felt so confused so I hide. Under a table in my loge and fell asleep. Woke up and felt even more confused...

Alla Flickor, Jag ljuger så bra, Hur svårt kan det va? and E de fel på mig? (I LOVE THEM ALL) are Mello classics. What do you feel when you perform those songs and see the public sing along with you?
-Joy! People of all ages know the lyrics and I love singing all of them.

What does Melodifestivalen mean to you?
-A lot. I can thank melodifestivalen for a lot of fun and my career. Without it I would be singing anyway but not having this fun!

What have you learned from all those Mello experiences?
-Nothing. Every year I think "Ah I got it" . Then everything changes and feels different.  But of course I feel more and more safe for every year.

You are one of the 32 participants of Melodifestivalen 2014, how did it all begin?
- Me and Nicke Borg -my songwriter-has been working for a long time with "Ta mig" and didn't know how to get it out. When Mello came up on the table.....

"Ta mig" is the title of your song and its written by Nicke Borg and Jojo Borg Larsson. How was it to work with them?
-Great. I have never met a more dedicated person in my hole life. Nicke. His wife also-but she has been more in the background... she's so warm and sweat. She makes me feel good.

What can you tell me about the song? whats the story behind it? what did you feel the 1st time you heard it?
-The song has been a project. A long one. There are many producers involved... But the first producer Franz Bengtsson did the first version of the song. When he played it to me I fell in love. The lyrics are from Jojos life. Its tough and rough and makes you wanna fight. For a better relationship, for your own rights in life and so on....

Describe the song with 4 words: 
-Intense, dancy, suggestive and winning song

Lets talk about the performance, what can we expect to see on stage?
-Me. And in time some of my friends. A light show from heaven....

Do you know what you are going to wear for the semifinal? any hint?
Not yellow! A more androgyne dress... Im a boy girl and that will shine through....

What do you think about the other artists on semifinal 4?
-It will be tough. Its the hardest semifinal...

What do you like about eurovision?
-I love it. Last year I got more engaged than ever....

Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word:
2013: Baby year
Instagram: A must in my profession.
IKEA: meatballs
Baby food: Boobies
Christer Björkman: Imorgon är en annan dag
Stage: happpiness
Fear: to loose my family
Wind machine: Carola
Sweden: 4 seasons and love
Dream: To be able to feel as happy and content as today

Apart from Melodifestivalen, what are your plans for 2014?
- To make some more good music with Nicke and Franz and to be more with my family than last year.

Is there anything you want to say to close the interview? 
-Do what you love, or love what you do! 

BIG THANKS To Linda for the awesome interview! I love her even more now! Cant wait to see her rock the mello stage! She is one of the artists from semifinal 4! Vote for her! Melodi nummer 6 on February 22! GO BENGTZING!

Here is her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/LBengtzing
Twitter: http://instagram.com/lindabengtzing
Instagram: https://twitter.com/BengtzingLinda