LONDON (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The BBC released a swift response to comments in the Swedish press stating that local singer, Pandora, is taking legal advice over the United Kingdom's Eurovision Song Contest entry. Pandora claimed in the paper that she is to make an official complaint that Flying the flag (for you) is plagiarism of her song “No Regrets.”
Following a report in Swedish newspaper, Aftonbladet, partner website escsweden.com wrote that:
Swedish singer Pandora is angry and seems to be on the move. She´s furious over United Kingdom´s Eurovision entry Flying the flag (for you) that according to Pandora is pure plagiarism. "It´s more than similar to my song No regrets that I released on a album back in 1999, especially the refrain in Flying the flag (for you)". Pandora points out the British band has stolen from her eight year old song. Tabloid Aftonbladet wrote on Wednesday that Pandora has been in contact with lawyers at the Swedish Muscisian Organisation to take legal actions against Scooch. "I want the Scooch entry to be disqualified", Pandora says to Aftonbladet.
The BBC has issued a statement confirming that “The Scooch song is an original song written by Russ Spencer, Morten Schjolin, Andrew Hill and Paul Tarry. Those writers were never aware of Pandora’s songs so she can be assured there has been no duplication of her work”. Whilst the first line of the refrain appears similar, there are few other similarities, no duplication of lyrics and a completely different backing track. It is highly unlikely that this claim would be upheld should she take the matter to court or the EBU.
Morten Schjolin told esctoday.com's partner website, esconnet.dk: “I had never heard her song before. I believe it’s not released in England. Some easily can say it seems alike, but I’m not afraid for this case”.
Pandora (born Anneli Magnusson) has tried and failed to reach the Eurovision Song Contest through Melodifestivalen with the songs You in 2003 and Runaway in 2004. Her career blossomed in the early 1990s with success across Scandinavia and releases in Australia and Japan, but suffered a downturn towards the end of the decade. Her greatest claim to international success in the last few years was a previous release called “On A Night Like This” which became an international success for global icon, Kylie Minogue.
Pandora is inviting British fans to compare the songs on her website.
