Bel Air
Bel Air Biography
Bel Air is a Swedish vocal group consisting of the three sisters Catharina, Cristina and Helena Lekander. They grew up in the small Swedish town Åtvidaberg. As teenagers they formed a group called Lekander Sisters in 1975, and performed in several talent shows around Sweden. They won some national finals, e.g. "Sommarchansen" in Malmö and "Barnens dags talangtävling" (Children's day's talent show) in Stockholm. In 1983 Catharina and Cristina recorded some backing vocals for the band "Bahrock" in Linköping. In 1985 the sisters were signed by Polar Music, and participated in Melodifestivalen, the swedish pre-selection for Eurovision Song Contest. The title of the song was "1+1=2", and the name of the group was changed to Bel Air. After their first single a whole album was planned, but probably due to a low score in the competition, only one follow up single was released. However, the three members continued their music careers in various projects, and they still perform together every now and then.
In July 2005 Bel Air had a reunion and performed 1+1=2 at Stockholm Pride Festival's SchlagerPride evening, among other bands that had participated in Melodifestivalen through the years. Today Catharina is working as a music teacher in Kalmar, and Helena is a member of a band called SoulCraft, as well as the gospel choir Voice. She also has a Myspace page, where she promotes her own music.
Bel Air Discography
Audio Samples do not exceed 30 seconds in length.
S 1+1=2
1985 Polar Pos 1367
Audio Samples do not exceed 30 seconds in length.
S PÅ ÄVENTYR
1985 Polar Pos 1375
Audio Samples do not exceed 30 seconds in length.
2. Gunga mej
Bel Air interviewed by Viveca Ringmar in Swedish Television, Café Norrköping, 1985 March 4.
Transcription translated into English
Viveca: …called Bel Air, but four years ago they sounded like this, the Lekander sisters:
Viveca: That was 1+1=2, but you are three - Three sisters from Åtvidaberg, and let's see if I remember your names: Catharina, Cristina and Helena. Catharina and Cristina are twins, and Helena is little sister. So this is Bel Air, that we could watch in the Swedish pre-selection for Eurovision song contest in television last Saturday. And this clip we saw, it was four years old, this snippet that aired before your performance. It's clear that you have changed style since then!
Cristina: Yes, you could say that. Our style is a bit more cool now.
Viveca: Is it a purposeful campaign?
Cristina: Yes it is.
Viveca: Catharina, how come you ended up in this big competition?
Catharina: Well, it was like this, we recorded another song for Polar that wasn't chosen for the competition, but then they managed to get in this other one, 1+1=2, and then they didn't have anyone to perform it, so we got it.
Viveca: Then you got it?
Catharina: Yes.
Viveca: Cristina, how was it to participate in Malmö?
Cristina: Well it was really exciting. Fun!
Viveca: It was? How?
Cristina: Well, you meet a lot of people, and things like that.
Viveca: Were you nervous?
Cristina. A little.
Viveca: Helena, you didn't get to the final, you didn't end up among these five best placed songs.
Helena: No.
Viveca: Does that make you a little disappointed today?
Helena: No, not really. I think, at first you were a bit disappointed, but now, we have recieved so much positive feedback, we heard we made a great performance, a good job, and that's good. It felt right anyhow.
Cristina; Yes.
Viveca: Do you sill like this song, 1+1=2?
Cristina: Yes I really enjoy singing it.
Viveca: Catharina, how many times have you've been singing it, approximately, since you first heard it?
Catharina: I don't know (laugh). It could be one hundred times.
Viveca: And it might be another hundred times? Who knows?
Cristina: Yes, let's hope so.
Viveca: But what happens now, in the future?
Cristina: Well, we're waiting for the reactions now. If it's positive, if we'll get a lot of bookings and so on, because then we'll possibly go touring this summer.
Viveca: There are plans for that?
Cristina: Yes, and then we're going to record a single and an album.
Viveca: Out touring in the parks maybe, Helena?
Helena: Yes, we hope so.
Viveca: You hope for that?
Helena: If there is any interest.
Viveca: So you go for the music now?
All: Yes we do.
Viveca: So you could say that after the Herrey's brothers now comes the Lekander sisters, let's wait and see!
Cristina: Yes.
