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Abba fans go for 'world record' ahead of Eurovision finals

Published: 15 May 09 10:52 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/19464/20090515/

Swedish Eurovision fever spread across the continent on Thursday, as Abba enthusiasts gathered in London for a world record crooning Waterloo and a second Swedish vocalist helped Azerbaijan advance to the 2009 Eurovision finals.

More than 150 flamboyantly dressed Abba impersonators gathered in London’s Leicester Square on Thursday night to sing the Swedish pop icons’ breakthrough single and 1974 Eurovision Song Contest winner, the Daily Telegraph reports.

The celebration of hot pants and bright colours was an attempt to set a Guinness World Record for “The Largest Amount of Assembled ABBA Impersonators to Sing At One Time” and was organized by the Betfair gaming company.

Ahead of the event, organizers said they needed “at least 50” sets of Abba impersonators to break the record. Despite the strong turnout, there is no word yet whether or not the gathering constitutes a world record Abba singalong according to the standards of Guinness.

Meanwhile, at the second semifinal heat in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow, the Iranian-Swedish raised pop star Arash ensured – along with his female counterpart AySel – that Azerbaijan advanced to the finals for the second year in a row.

Arash, who moved to Sweden at the age of 10 and has roots in Azerbaijan, was ecstatic upon learning he and AySel would be performing in Saturday’s final.

“It was so incredibly great to have our name called first. It feels fantastic,” he told the Aftonbladet newspaper after Azerbaijan was the first country announced as having made it through Thursday’s semifinal.

Arash will do his best to help Azerbaijan best its 8th place finish in the 2008 contest.

David Landes (news@thelocal.se/+46 8 656 6513)

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15:55 May 15, 2009 by dtes
i hate abba and i hate tv and needless to say i hate eurovision, fact ive never watched it but i hate it anyway!
20:23 May 15, 2009 by Kooritze
This god awful Melodifestival again!!!!!! Streets will be deserted again on Saturday as the nation is gripped by this televisual feast of meaningless euro trash music.

How blinkin spanande!!!
19:40 May 17, 2009 by sontuchowdhury
The competition would be better if all the songs were in English. But it is not. ABBA is my one of the most favourite bands and it is indeed one of the best of all time. It is very surprising to know someone like dites who hates ABBA.
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