The Daily Roxette

'Team Marcel Jacobs', a Dutch organisation raising money for more research into brain tumors, is auctioning an electric guitar that has been signed by many artists that performed at the Bospop festival in The Netherlands. To obtain this unique item, which has been signed by Roxette, Ringo Starr, Ron Wood, Joe Cocker, Rodger Hodgson and many more, you can place a bid by sending an email to the organisation. For more information, see the organisation's auction page (Dutch and English).

The Daily Roxette has mentioned this before, but according to an article in today's Aftonbladet biljett.nu keeps selling tickets to Roxette's free concert at Tivoli in Copenhagen, Denmark July 22. The only fee you have to pay is the entrance fee to the amusement park Tivoli which is 95 DKK (roughly €10) and that's it. Biljett.nu has apparently been selling tickets to the "Roxette concert" for 495 SEK (roughly €50). What you actually receive in your mail is a regular Tivoli ticket. "I'm annoyed," says Mats Pentmo to Aftonbladet. He has also reported the matter to the Swedish Consumer Organization. Mats claims the information on biljett.nu's website is misleading. "It doesn't mention anywhere that you only get an entrance ticket." continues Mats. Robert Jakobsson from biljett.nu feels that the information on the site is very clear, but if they receive further complaints they will look into changing the info on the site. Robert also thinks the price is fair.

The information on biljett.nu's site reads "Secure your entrance ticket to Roxette's gig at classic Tivoli in Copenhagen".

PARIS – A new website for the Young Masters Program on Sustainable Development (YMP) was launched yesterday at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris and "Green," the opening track on Christoffer Lundquist's new album Through the Window, is being used as the soundtrack for a video on the site that outlines the project.  The song, with lyrics by Michael Saxell, is a "perfect fit" according to Torvald Jacobsson of YMP.

Developed at Lund University in Sweden, the program features a web-based, global classroom. It is free of charge and open to students 16-18 years old all over the world. So far, more than 20,000 students from over 110 countries have completed the curriculum.

Christoffer's album, by the way, has met with mostly favorable reviews and initial sales figures put it in the top 30 on Sweden's official album chart.

NEW YORK – Their performance of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" at the Academy Awards this past February was seen by some 40 million-plus U.S. TV views, but it's the power of YouTube, where their videos have been seen over a million times, that got these elementary school kids there in the first place.

Over the past 11 years since their director, Gregg Breinberg, started the chorus at Public School 22 here on Staten Island, their fame has grown. Their most recent video – a cover of Roxette's "Listen to Your Heart" – has in just over a day, already had over 25,800 views. 

"Don't fake it, you should feel it," Mr. B (as he is known) tells his kids. The result, as you can see in all the videos posted to the blog he maintains, are performances remarkable for how uninhibited the children are. Far from being stiff or self-concious, these kids move to their own individual, as-the-spirit-moves choreography. 

Each year, Mr. B auditions another set of 10-year-olds for the chorus. The kids have sung with Tori Amos, Passion Pit, Crowded House, Queen Latifah, The Bangles, Little Dragon, Judy Torres and Kylie Minogue, just to name a few. They have also performed for President Obama and the first family, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Stevie Nicks, Rihanna, Kanye West and appeared on the Oprah Winfrey television show.

NEW YORK – Helena Josefsson, currently on tour with Roxette as the backup vocalist, is one of five women whose lives are examined in "I’m My Own Dolly Parton," a deeply personal full-length documentary directed by Jessica Nettelbladt that had it's U.S. premiere last night here in New York at the Tribeca Grand as part of the Nordic Music Documentary Festival.

The film, which premiered in Sweden on March 11, introduces us to music producer Gundrun Hauksdottir and – along with Helena – singers Nina Persson, Cecilia Nordlund, and Lotta Wenglén. As the description of the film states, "five colorful women ready to take on whatever challenges life throws at them, inspired by Dolly Parton’s strength to go her own way and defy the pressure to conform. The film takes us on a thought-provoking and inspirational journey about taking yourself seriously, listening to your heart and having the courage to make your dreams come true."

Nettelblat tells The Daily Roxette that spearheaded by Hauksdottir (who was perhaps the biggest Parton fan), the group had assembled to do a Dolly Parton tribute concert in 2005 and she had been asked to film it. When they did another such concert a year later, she decided that she "was so inspired by these five women or girls" that it would be interesting to do a documentary about their lives. Most of the filming was done during 2007-2009, and after that there was a lot of editing to do.

Persson, who is best known as having been the lead singer for the Cardigans, said that "actually a gradual friendship developed" amongst the group of five, and that the movie "happened very much alongside everything else. I knew she was filming, but we really didn't think much about it."

In a particularly funny scene, Helena and her husband Martin are at home and inhale helium out of balloon that was given to their baby, and then they sing to him in high-pitched voices.

Several scenes were shot at Christoffer Lundquist's Aerosal Grey Machine Studio as both Helena and Nordlund were recording solo albums there during the three-year period the movie was being shot.

The end of the documentary was met with sustained applause, and everyone we spoke with after the screening felt that it was an extremely entertaining and thought-provoking film. 

Christoffer Lundquist's debut solo album, Through the Window, was released today in Sweden, just two days after Christoffer was awarded the first ever Sir George Martin Music Award at a gala event in Malmö.

Christoffer told The Daily Roxette that from start to finish, it took him about 12 years to complete this album because so many other projects got in the way. But now, he's so excited about how well this album has been received (it was released by Warner, a major label), that he's already begun work on another one.

Those readers who only know Christoffer from his appearances on stage with Roxette, will be surprised that the wailing electric guitar is gone, as this is an album where every track – from the opening "Green" to the closing "Angel Blue" – has an intimate, almost "unplugged" quality to it.

Another such surprise for some will be just how well Christoffer can sing. His friend Michael Saxell, a successful Swedish singer-songwriter who lived in Canada for many years, wrote the lyrics... and Christoffer's sings those words with a voice that has incredible range, timber and tone. On some songs, for example "A Clearing in the Forest" and "Cloudberry Way," this reviewer can't help but be reminded of Paul Simon during his Simon & Garfunkel days. Yet on other tracks, for example "Everybody (Prop. 8 Breakdown)" – which references a 2008 ballot proposal in California that limited the definition of "marriage" to a man and woman – his voice takes on a completely different character.

It's a beautiful album (as one might expect for something that took so long to create).

See Christoffer perform "Tiny Penelope" earlier today on TV4's morning show.

The UK and Ireland keep promoting Roxette. Roxette has been on VidZone a while, but now there's a special Greatest Hits feature you fans with PS3 need to view. VidZone is like MTV, but with actual music, that you watch on your PlayStation3. Celebrate the many many hits of the mighty Roxette. Featuring new video "She’s Got Nothing On" plus all the other hits including "It Must Have Been Love"... It definitely will be after you have watched this feature!

Jacaranda 94.2, 94.5 KFM and M-Net are excited to announce that Roxette will be supported by one of South Africa’s top acts - The Wedding DJ’s - on the South African leg of their World Tour in May 2011.

The Wedding DJ’s have performed at anything from club nights to bar mitzvahs, from festivals to weddings. It is definitely not a jaw dropper why The Wedding DJ’s are the supporting act for Roxette. Their choice of material and mixes of '80s and '90s music is intensely tasteful and nostalgic. There is no doubt that Roxette is a crucial influence to the boys’ love for the decks and getting the masses moving and singing along.

Also, Charm School and All Videos Ever Made are on Top12 this week.

Christoffer Lundquist's solo album, Through the Window, that took him about 12 years to complete, will be released by Warner Music Sweden on May 4, just two days after Christoffer is set to receive the Sir George Martin Award at a gala event in Malmö.

In the interview that accompanied our news article announcing the award, Christoffer talked about all the instruments that he's learned to play. The evidence of this is that on this album – except for the drums – he plays all the instruments (on separate tracks that have been mixed together).

Click on the "read more" link below for additional details about Christoffer, his connection with Per Gessle and Roxette, and the album.

The following video is a medley of some of the songs that will be included:

Everyone knows you can't have a tour without tour merchandise! Roxette's still unnamed 2011 World Tour has it too of course. However, not all merchandise is available in all territories. The Daily Roxette has looked into the matter. Some of the merch you can purchase online.

Update: Per lets us know that there is a Charm School T-shirt in the making...

In Russia, T-shirts 1-3 were sold. In South America all T-shirts, the lanyard and the bag will be for sale, while in South Africa T-shirts 1, 2, 4 and 5 will be available. In Europe you can get all merchandise.