Allsång på Skansen is a popular programme that unites people through music and togetherness and has long been a sign that the Swedish summer has finally arrived. New this year is that the beloved artist Pernilla Wahlgren is taking over as presenter.
– This is big and fun, I'm pumped, she says enthusiastically in response to how it feels to take on the new honourable role.
I feel both honoured and incredibly happy to have been offered to host Allsång på Skansen – one of perhaps the most iconic programmes we have in Sweden. What is so wonderful about the programme is how it gathers generations throughout our long country.
The premiere for the summer's was on June 27th Sing-along at Skansen and also a debut for Pernilla Wahlgren as the presenter of the popular programme. Pernilla is the daughter of actors Hans Wahlgren and Christina Schollin and has been known since she was born and an artist for most of her life, with both singing, dancing and acting in her repertoire. Pernilla had her first stage performance at the age of four.
This summer she is therefore active as the leader of Sing-along at Skansen, a mission that, with her impressive musical career and ability to engage and entertain an audience, should suit her perfectly. But it is not the first time the audience has seen the artist on the Solliden stage in connection with the popular summer show. During the press conference, we learn that she has lost count of how many times she has been invited as a guest. Inrikes can announce that she has participated in the Allsång programme four times previously.
With playful irony
Allsången has a long tradition, and therefore much will be familiar from previous seasons. But Pernilla will also put her own stamp on the programme. With a big, broad smile and a tone of playful irony, we are told that she will bring some freshness and youthfulness, while adding.
– What’s new this year is that it’s me. And that I get to be who I am.
The rest of the year Pernilla has a fully booked, packed schedule. Since 2016, she has been recording season after season of the reality series Wahlgren's World. Here, Pernilla holds the baton and viewers get to follow her life and activities as well as meet her loved ones and other guests who stop by. Not least, daughter Bianca Ingrosso is a recurring figure in the TV series. Wahlgren's World has become a ratings success and has been awarded the prestigious Kristallen award in the category of TV Programme of the Year. Both Pernilla and Bianca have won awards as TV Personalities of the Year.
Fully booked schedule
This spring, Pernilla has also been seen at Cirkus in the acclaimed performance Peter Pan is going to hell directed by Edward af Sillén. Pernilla played the roles of Tinkbell and the mother of the children, among others. Like many other famous personalities, the artist has launched her own wine, sold under the brand Pazzione by Pernilla. To top it all off, the ”multitasker” runs her own clothing brand and has started the skincare brand Lácuila.
As if this weren't enough, Pernilla has also been a permanent panel member in all three seasons of Masked Singer. On the show, her role, along with Felix Herngren, Nour El Refai and Måns Zelmerlöw, is to try and figure out which famous personalities are singing while hidden behind extremely well-made costumes.
Together with Sofia Wistam, Pernilla releases a new podcast episode every Sunday where the duo ”reflects on big and small things” concerning relationships, parenting, love and failures. According to them, the podcast has roughly one million listens and is Sweden's largest female podcast in their target demographic.
But above all, I'm looking forward to all the guest artists who will be in the show. I'm so happy to be here and to host the Sing-along for eight shows.
On sponsor detox
But now it is summer and the artist is taking ”time off” from many of her other commitments and is therefore taking the opportunity to be at Skansen and host Allsången. Because the programme is shown on the public service channel SVT, she has had to stop all advertising commitments for a period before the broadcasts began.
– One can go on a sponsor detox! It'll be a few months for me with zero advertising, which is rather nice, said Pernilla Wahlgren in an interview with TV4.
– I think this is the best summer job in the world, she says during the press conference, continuing to tell about her first summer job, which was to open a small café in Norra Lagnö in the Stockholm archipelago, where the family has its summer house. She personally sold baked buns and cakes. Otherwise, over the years, she has mostly spent her summers touring.
Lovely weather
– When I was little, I toured with Pippi Longstocking and played Annika, says the artist energetically, and it's impossible not to think that the role of Pippi would have suited her better.
– And as a teenager, I played in the Folk parks, she adds. Now Pernilla is looking forward to the ”lovely audience” that usually flocks to the Solliden stage. And that the weather will be nice, she adds.
– I’ve heard it hasn’t rained during Allsången for the last seven years. So it would be incredibly unfortunate if it were to rain this year. – But above all, I’m looking forward to all the guest artists who will be participating in the programme. I’m so happy to be here and host Allsången for eight programmes, she says.
I can't imagine a more loved artist than Pernilla Wahlgren, she is a consummate professional and the perfect choice to take over the honour of hosting the show that has become a summer tradition for the Swedish people.
Honourable assignment
The tradition of Allsång på Skansen started back in 1935, and since 1979 the programme has also been shown on SVT. Pernilla is the seventh presenter since the show began. She succeeds Sanna Nilsson, who, after seven years as all-sing leader, decided to hand over the baton. When this was announced last year, however, it was not known that it would be the beloved Pernilla Wahlgren who would be the next woman in the role.
– I feel both honoured and incredibly happy to have been offered to co-host Allsång på Skansen – perhaps one of the most iconic programmes we have in Sweden. What's so wonderful about the programme is how it brings generations together across our long country. I'm looking forward to spending part of the summer at Skansen and being involved in bringing song, humour, and joy to everyone watching," says Pernilla Wahlgren in connection with the announcement that she will be taking on the prestigious role.
The choice of Pernilla Wahlgren was not difficult according to Anton Glanzelius, commissioning editor at SVT:
– I can't imagine a more beloved artist than Pernilla Wahlgren; she's a consummate professional and the perfect choice to take over the honour of hosting the programme that has become a summer tradition for the Swedish people. Pernilla Wahlgren loves Allsången's audience and its artists, a true love story in primetime.
