Lars: I want to make use of "Idol"
http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/idol2008/article3679031.ab

Now he reveals his secret plan to break through
  Lars Eriksson smiles and leans back. The notorious "Idol"-participant now reveals that he has a secret plan for the continuation of the competition.
  - I am making use of "Idol". That I'm f*cking proud of.

  He actually never reads the newspapers. On saturday Lars Eriksson, 28 years old, did an exception.
  - I thought that I needed to keep myself, hm, a little updated, he said.
  Lars' interpretation of "Det börjar verka kärlek banne mig" in Friday's "Idol" caused strong feelings for both viewers and the judges.
  And the news bills.
  From having done loved performances with for example R.E.M's "Everybody Hurts" and "One" with U2, Lars suddenly chose to offer on a pure joke performance.
  "Unproffesional" and "egoistic" were the words used by the judge Laila Bagge after Lars' performance.
  "Relieving" and "wonderful" a lot of the viewers thought.
  Lars himself thinks that everything went like it was supposed to.
  - It was planned to every detail. And when I opened up the newspapers I thought it great. I had succeeded.

"Disgusting"
  What did you want to achieve?
  - I wanted to say that I don't respect this concept. That I don't want to sing "schlager" (swedish word for popular music). That I still, as I wrote in my blog, think this is disgusting in the way they want to control us.
  But why are you participating at all then?
  - My goal from the beginning has been to make use of "Idol" in the best way for me to reach out with my job as an artist. That I'm f*cking proud of. Like the music world looks today I have no other choice than getting involved in these kind of ultracommercial contexts. I just have to compromise. And I want to be here for some more time, I'm not going to quit.
  You have said that you absolutely don't want to win. Like it is now you seem to be getting there against your will.
  - Ha ha. No, it's like this. I get a lot of letters from those who like me and who understand that I don't want to win, and they write that they are going to stop voting for me when I'm at third or fifth place. I trust them.
  Do you have an understanding that your fans felt disappointed after Friday?
  - No. If they got disappointed because of my way of doing this, I don't want to have them as fans.

"I know who I am"
  Lars is laughing.
  The 28-year-old from Karlskoga is looking at me with a calm look.
  Anyone who got the impression that he doesn't seem to know who he is or how he is as an artist should think again.
  - I am 28 years old, come on. I know who I am. I've written 180 songs. I've got everything ready, and I'm just waiting to find someone who believes in me.
  Anders Bagge offered it from the start.
  - Yes, I know. But I didn't know if I could trust him. That's why I chose to continue "Idol".
  A program that he never has watched before. The last years he has spent in the city of students - Lund - and improved himself in the languages of Icelandic, French and Spanish.
  The music dreams have though always been there.
  - But I have done music for four years now and you don't get anywhere. This seemed to be the only choice right now. Beatles also compromised in the beginning of their career. More than anything John Lennon hated all stunts. But if he hadn't done it, Beatles might never have become as big as they did.