Carola Famous Swedish singer Date of Birth: 08.09.1966 Country: Sweden

1. Biography of Carola
2. Early Career and Eurovision Success
3. Continued Success and Musical Diversity
4. Later Career and Achievements

Biography of Carola

Carola Maria Haggkvist, known as Carola, is a famous Swedish singer. She was born on September 8, 1966, in Stockholm. Carola first appeared on television in 1977 when she won a talent show for children. From 1979 to 1982, she studied at the Adolf Fredrik Music Academy in Stockholm.

Early Career and Eurovision Success

In 1982, Carola caught the attention of Bert Karlsson, the president of Mariann Records, who offered her a chance to participate in Melodifestivalen, the Swedish selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest. However, she initially declined the offer. A year later, Carola changed her mind and competed in Melodifestivalen with the song "Framling." On February 26, 1983, she won the Swedish selection and went on to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest in Munich, Germany, where she achieved third place.

Carola's debut album, "Framling," sold over 1 million copies and earned her the Golden Ampex Reel Award. It remains the best-selling album in Sweden for over 20 years. Her first concert tour was incredibly successful, breaking ticket sales records in 23 out of 26 Swedish cities and attracting more than 220,000 spectators.

Continued Success and Musical Diversity

Carola released several albums between 1983 and 1984, including "Steg for steg" (1984), which featured collaborations with renowned Swedish composer and producer Anders Glenmark. In 1985, she began working with the Gibb brothers from the Australian band Bee Gees. Their collaboration resulted in the double platinum album "Runaway" (1986) and the hit single "The runaway." Carola took a brief hiatus from pop music to embark on a missionary tour with Swedish pianist Per-Erik Hallin, recording the live album "Carola & Per-Erik Hallin i Rattviks Kyrka" (1987).

In 1990, Carola participated in Melodifestivalen again, finishing in second place with the song "Mitt i ett aventyr." However, the following year brought her great success as she won both Melodifestivalen and the Eurovision Song Contest in Rome, Italy, with the song "Fangad av en stormvind." Her concerts became a massive hit, with ticket sales rivaling international stars such as U2, Rolling Stones, and Bruce Springsteen.

Throughout the years, Carola continued to release successful albums, including the Christmas album "Jul" (1991), the gospel-inspired "My Tribute" (1993), and the rock-infused "Personligt" (1994), which marked her songwriting debut. She also ventured into musical theater, starring in "The Sound Of Music" in Stockholm in 1995.

Later Career and Achievements

In 1998, Carola released the album "Blott en dag," featuring hymns written by Lina Sandell. The following year, she recorded the Christmas album "Jul i Betlehem" in Bethlehem, which became a chart-topping success in Sweden. In 2001, Carola released the children's album "Sov pa min arm," followed by the pop-focused album "My Show" (2001), featuring collaborations with renowned composers such as Burt Bacharach and the Gibb brothers. Her single "I Believe In Love" (2002) became a hit on Swedish dance floors.

In 2003, Carola celebrated her 20-year career with the double platinum compilation album "Guld platina och passion - Det basta med Carola." She continued to release new music and participated in Melodifestivalen in 2005 with the single "Genom allt." Carola's extensive collection of gold and platinum albums reflects her talent and versatility as a singer, whether performing pop compositions, hymns, folk songs, or musical theater.

Carola's remarkable career and dedication to her craft have made her one of Sweden's most beloved and successful singers.