Frans
Frans (17) became popular at age 7 with a song dedicated to the football player Zlatan Ibrahimovic and made an explosive comeback in this year's Melodifestivalen, the Swedish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, with the song If I Were Sorry.Frans Jeppson Wall was born on December 19, 1998 in Ystad, region of Skåne in Southern Sweden. He first gained recognition during the World Cup of 2006 when he released his now famed tribute track paying homage to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, all at the tender age of seven years old. The song, named Who's Da Man swiftly became a phenomenon and Frans was soon crowned "Zlatan- Frans" with and by the Swedish people. This year, 10 years after his original homage to Zlatan, Frans is now making an explosive comeback in the Swedish Song Contest Melodifestivalen with his new track If I Were Sorry.
The track is co-written by Fredrik Andersson, Michael Saxell, Oscar Fogelström and Frans himself. Frans performed the song for the very first time in Gävle during the fourth and last semi-final making it directly to the big final at the Friends Arena, Stockholm. The single was released immediately after the performance and ascended quickly in the charts. The song is currently #1 on the Swedish Spotify charts, number 1 on the Swedish national single sales chart and the track has since been streamed more than 4 million times – this despite stiff competition from other strong Melodifestivalen contributions as well as world famous artists including Zayn and Rihanna.
Things to know about Frans
What are the three most interesting aspects about your entry?
- It´s very simple, natural and authentic.
What are the three most impressive facts about you?
- I´m 17. My dad was crowned prince of Ogboh. I go to school alongside my artist career
Do you have a (lucky) routine before you go on stage?
- No, I often just have a pep talk with my team
Why is the Eurovision Song Contest important for you?
- It means a lot to me to represent Sweden.
The composers
Fredrik Andersson is a songwriter, producer and executive director of Cardiac Records. In 2015 Fredrik wrote and produced one of the most popular tracks in Sweden, Johnny G with the artist Badpojken. It was also Fredrik who in 2006 wrote the hit Who’s da man with Frans which stayed at the top of the charts for 21 weeks! Fredrik was awarded the Ystad Kommun Culture Prize last year. The prize was recognition for the initiative he had taken in founding the new music course at IMP - Institute of Music and Production.
Oscar Fogelström is a Swedish producer, songwriter, composer and originator. He’s been heard and seen throughout the world through his work with artists, in movies, commercials and creative writing. Oscar’s music and creativity has shaped and underpinned movies, TV shows and commercials for the past 15 years. His clients have included such names as Coke, Blackberry, Reebok and IKEA as well as award winning performers and movie directors.
Michael Saxell is one of Sweden's most versatile successful songwriters in recent years. With multiple gold and platinum awards in Sweden and internationally in the past three decades, he’s a firm believer in the magic of the moment and translating it into song form. Saxell’s songs have been recorded by Canadian rockers BTO, country music legend Dickey Lee, Procol Harum’s Keith Reid, Terry Jacks, jazz great Ulf Wakenius, as well as numerous other international and Scandinavian artists.
