It wasn't an obvious yes for Niklas Strömstedt when he was asked to host this year's gala. But after some thought, he decided to accept.
I thought, "Why not?" I've been a program host before and I'm curious to try new things. It's a fun assignment," he says.
Strömstedt has been on the Grammis stage before - but then as an artist. In 1994, he won the song of the year award with the group GES. He also has the role of host of the talk show "Thank you for the music", where he interviewed several of Sweden's top artists.
“Can get messy”
Unusually for this year is that Niklas Strömstedt is the sole host. It is usually a duo that is assigned the task, something he sees both advantages and disadvantages of.
"It can also get messy with two presenters. But I might have to get someone to stand next to me," he says with a laugh.
The Grammis will be held on April 29 at Annexet in Stockholm. The entire ceremony will be broadcast live on YouTube.
Previously broadcast on TV
Previously, many galas were televised, but now it is rarer. Niklas Strömstedt believes that it is a natural development.
The galas are very much for the sake of the industry, and it's fun for those who work in it. But I think there were a bit too many galas on TV and that it's absolutely right that some are allowed to go on YouTube.
Among the nominees are several of his friends, such as Lisa Nilsson, Veronica Maggio and Miriam Bryant.
"It's going to be a really fun evening. The whole industry is there. An industry that I've been a part of for 40 years," he says.
Age: 67 years
Grammis: won a Grammis in 1994 together with the group GES for the song "När vi gräver guld i USA". As a solo artist he was nominated in 1991 in the pop/rock category – for the song "Om".
Personal favorites: I like listening to older music. A favorite is Jackson Browne. I've also listened to a lot of Lily Allen's new album.
Touring: Has been on tour since mid-September. He seems to have noticed that his older music has also caught on with younger listeners.
The song "Om" got a bit of a new lease on life last year when it started trending on TikTok. That's the wonderful thing about music, when a song that's 35 years old still works, he says.
