Shirley Clamp

Biography

Shirley Natasja Clamp (born 17 February 1973) is a British-Swedish pop singer. She has achieved four Top 10 singles in Sweden including a Number 1 with "Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus×Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus5 March 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus (radio version)3:092Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus (Oscar Holter remix)3:23" in 2009, and three Top 10 albums. She has competed seven times in Melodifestivalen between 2003 and 2022, reaching the final twice where she finished second in 2004 and fourth in 2005.

Nationality

Clamp was born in Borås, Sweden. Since her mother is Swedish and her father is British, she has dual nationality.

Career

Shirley Clamp's career began as a backing singer for various singers and groups, including Antique during their Eurovision Song Contest 2001 performance to name one.
She started her solo career in 2003, when she took part in Melodifestivalen 2003 with the song "Mr. Memory". Finishing in 6th place in her semifinal, she lost the chance to qualify for the final. Her big breakthrough came in Melodifestivalen 2004 with the song "Min kärlek×Min kärlek20 April 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Min kärlek3:022Min kärlek (Lång radioremix)3:433Min kärlek (Längre klubbremix)6:014Min kärlek (Längre instrumental)5:59" (My love) composed by Ingela "Pling" Forsman. She came fourth in the last semifinal and went on to take second place at Andra Chansen, the "second chance" semifinal, thus qualifying for the final. There she was the first artist on stage, and ended 2nd, behind Lena Philipsson's immensely popular winner, "Det gör ont". "Min kärlek" won the National Finals Song Contest. A little later, in May 2004, Shirley released her first studio album, Den långsamma blomman×Den långsamma blomman26 May 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1För den som älskar3:442Min kärlek3:023Eviga längtan3:324Ingenting finns kvar3:415Den långsamma blomman2:566Det är så enkelt3:267Dårarnas natt4:098Ber en liten bön3:429Jag fick låna en ängel3:2010Äntligen3:0211Vågar inte än3:3812Det är du4:0113Champions4:0114Du är allt3:20 (The Slow Flower).
In 2005, she tried once again to win Melodifestivalen, with the song "Att älska dig" ("To love you"). Shirley won the first semifinal, but in the final in Stockholm, she ended 4th. Her second studio album, Lever mina drömmar×Lever mina drömmar20 April 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Lever mina drömmar3:192Att älska dig3:043Sanslöst förlorad3:074En ny chans3:515Mina minnen4:016Jag ljuger dig full3:057Sjunde himlen3:038Längtan är allt jag har4:079Du sa tid3:3610Lång natts färd mot dag3:4711Ärliga blå3:5312Dålig mottagning3:5713Ensam3:4314Som en vind i ditt hår4:00 (Living my dreams) was released in April 2005. A year later, she released Favoriter på svenska, a special covers album, containing songs with lyrics in Swedish, such as Roxette's "It Must Have Been Love" ("När kärleken föds×När kärleken föds17 April 2006 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1När kärleken föds5:112Öppna din dörr4:13").
Clamp appeared at Melodifestivalen again in 2009 with the song "Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus×Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus5 March 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus (radio version)3:092Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus (Oscar Holter remix)3:23". She placed last in the first semi-final, but eventually received a Swedish #1 single with the song. She was also a commentator for SVT during the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. Shirley returned to Melodifestivalen in 2011 with "Shirley's Angels", alongside Vera Prada and Jessica Marberger, with the song "I Thought It Was Forever." The trio competed in the third heat and advanced to Andra Chansen, where they were knocked out in the fourth duel against Pernilla Andersson.
Three years later she tried her luck participating at Melodifestivalen 2014 with the song "Burning Alive×Burning Alive15 February 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Burning Alive3:022Burning Alive (instrumental)3:01" which was composed by Bobby Ljunggren, Marcos Ubeda, Sharon Vaughn and Henrik Wikstrom. Shirley competed in the third Semi-final and finished 6th for a second time, failing to qualify for the next round. This was the 4th time she didn't make it to the final, the first being on the 2003 contest.
She presented the Second chance round of Melodifestivalen 2021.
In 2022, she entered Melodifestivalen 2022 with the song "Let There Be Angels". She performed in Heat 1 on 5 February 2022, finishing in sixth place and failing to qualify to the final.
In 2024, she had a lead role in the SVT Christmas calendar ”Snödrömmar”.

Melodifestivalen entries

As a performer

2003 - "Mr Memory×Mr Memory10 March 2003 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Mr. Memory3:022Mr Memory (Soundfactory radio mix)3:193Mr Memory (Soundfactory Diva Anthem)10:054Mr Memory (Soundfactory Hard Queen Dub)10:04" (6th in semifinal)
2004 - "Min kärlek×Min kärlek20 April 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 4 tracks1Min kärlek3:022Min kärlek (Lång radioremix)3:433Min kärlek (Längre klubbremix)6:014Min kärlek (Längre instrumental)5:59" (2nd)
2005 - "Att älska dig" (4th)
2009 - "Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus×Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus5 March 2009 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus (radio version)3:092Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus (Oscar Holter remix)3:23" (8th in semifinal)
2011 - "I Thought it was Forever" (Shirley's Angels) (knocked out in Andra Chansen round)
2014 - "Burning Alive×Burning Alive15 February 2014 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Burning Alive3:022Burning Alive (instrumental)3:01" (6th in semifinal)
2022 - "Let There Be Angels" (6th in semifinal)
As a composer

2003 - "You" performed by Pandora (Did not qualify for the final)*

Other singles

2002 - My Life (C'est ma vie) (with Christer Björkman) (Pride-anthem 2002)
2003 - Mr. Memory
2004 - Do They Know It's Christmas? #28