Shirley Clamp

Shirley Natasja Clamp (born February 17 1973 in Borås, Sweden) is a Swedish pop singer. She has achieved four Top 10 singles in Sweden including a Number 1 with Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus in 2009, and three Top 10 albums. She has competed five times in Melodifestivalen between 2003 and 2011, reaching the final twice where she finished second in 2004 and fourth in 2005.

Because her mother is Swedish and her father is British, Shirley has dual nationality.

Shirley Clamp's career began as a backing singer for various singers and groups, including Antique during their Eurovision Song Contest 2001 performance.

She started her solo career in 2003, when she took part in Melodifestivalen 2003 with the song Mr. Memory. Finishing in 6th place in her semifinal, she lost the chance to qualify for the final. Her big breakthrough came in Melodifestivalen 2004 with the song Min kärlek composed by Ingela "Pling" Forsman. She came fourth in the last semifinal and went on to take second place at Andra Chansen, the second chance semifinal, thus qualifying for the final. There she was the first artist on stage, and ended 2nd, behind Lena Philipsson's immensely popular winner, Det gör ont. A little later, in May 2004, Shirley released her first studio album, Den långsamma blomman.

In 2005 she tried once again to win Melodifestivalen, with the song Att älska dig. Shirley won the first semifinal, but in the final in Stockholm, she ended 4th. Her second studio album, Lever mina drömmar was released in April 2005. A year later, she released Favoriter på svenska, a special covers album, containing songs with lyrics in Swedish, such as Roxette's It Must Have Been Love (När kärleken föds).

Shirley Clamp appeared at Melodifestivalen again in 2009 with the song "Med Hjärtat Fyllt Av Ljus." She placed last in the first semi-final, but eventually received a Swedish #1 single with the song. She was also a commentator for SVT during the Eurovision Song Contest 2009.

Shirley returned to Melodifestivalen in 2011 with Shirley's Angels, alongside Vera Prada and Jessica Marberger, with the song I Thought It Was Forever. The trio competed in the third heat and advanced to Andra Chansen, where they were knocked out in the fourth duel against Pernilla Andersson.