Carola Häggkvist is celebrating 40 years as an artist and this will be celebrated with a big tour. Carola was 16 years old when she won the Melodifestivalen with “Främling” in February 1983 and took Sweden by storm. For Jenny Alversjö, she talks about what it was like to become a star overnight.
– At home in Norsborg, there was a lemming train. It wasn’t scary or anything, but we felt like we wanted to take care of them and offer coffee, but it didn’t work out. People stood in the kitchen window and looked in and wanted autographs.
“Was getting worse and worse”
Carola has always had a fast pace and a full schedule and she says that she is grateful that her body has lasted these 40 years. But when Carola participated in Let’s Dance 2021, her body gave up and she had to drop out. Afterwards, she found out that what she suffered was a side effect of a medication.
– I didn’t recognize myself in my body. That medicine is not to be trifled with. I reacted very strongly. I got quite a high dose and I really got worse and worse, she says.
Now she is going on a big tour to celebrate these four decades and her treasure of songs. She will hold concerts in different genres at the concert venue that suits each genre. Pop in the Avicii arena, gospel in the churches and musicals in concert halls.
– I want to do this together with my audience, who have become extended family, says Carola.
See the interview in the player above.