SWEDEN – Tone Sekelius, born July 16, 1997, in Växjö, is a Swedish video blogger who, among other things, makes videos about makeup. With the song “My way” she hopes to inspire people to go their own way – and steels herself to meet less open-minded people.
Sekelius released the single Awakening in 2017, which describes what it was like to come out as gay. Later that year, the single One More In The Crowd was released, which became the official song for Stockholm Pride 2017.
On February 22, 2021, Sekelius came out as a trans person, when she in an interview with Aftonbladet told about the name change from Thomas to Tone. At the same time, she released a video on Youtube entitled “I am trans” and a documentary on the streaming service Discovery+.
“To be able to represent and compete as the first trans person, it weighs so much more than a tired 45-year-old who should be bothered that I am trans”, she says.
One day after Sweden got its first trans person in the government, it is now clear that next year we will also have our first trans person competing in the Melodifestivalen.
She tells Aftonbladet that she wrote the song four years ago together with the songwriter Anderz Wrethov, but that it was twice rejected by the Melodifestivalen’s editorial staff.
“But then this summer they asked if I would still be interested in joining. We had a meeting and talked about it. When Karin (Gunnarsson, competition producer, editor’s note) then called and said that they actually wanted me with me, I could not believe it… It is so strange to have to stand here and preach that I am also human.”, she says.
ABOUT HER SONG
“It raises societal problems while encouraging people to go their own way, my way, go your way. Being yourself is an important message that I want to share with you in Sweden. I have received an enormous amount of love from those who have already cared for me and followed me. But when I end up in forums with people who do not actively follow me, there can be tensions in differences of opinion, I’m a little nervous about that. Because I will be exposed to all kinds of people, not just those who have actively chosen to follow me. But to be able to represent and compete as the first trans person weighs so much more than a tired 45-year-old who should be bothered that I am trans. That’s how it should be.”
Melodifestivalen 2022 premieres on Saturday 5 February. It is still unclear which show Tone Sekelius will compete in.
an oikotimes original text
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