So after weeks of “Melfest” – Finally there the final of the contest and tonight we will know if John Lundvik, Wiktoria or Anna Bergendahl will fly the Swedish flag in Tel Aviv in May. Looking at the jury groups and a feel of how the Swedish public usually votes none of the other 9 entries will have a chance to win tonight. But I will write one more post on that tomorrow on my views on Melodifestivalen over all. Here I will make a summary of the blogposts on the subject made earlier this week. Feel free to read them too. At the end of this post you find the links.
Jon Henrik Fjällgren with “Norrsken” one of two songs in Swedish tonight and I am sorry to say that I do not think this entry is the one taking JH to Eurovision. And please remember I really want us to send him and his hybrid of Joik and pop. But even for me this song is not strong enough he is neither the hunk of the final this year so the “he is cute” support votes won’t end up here. I am also very surprised that no one think about the different rules in Eurovision with only 6 people on stage and no pre recorded backup chorus. It is so obvious he sing tonight with a lot of recorded singing AND joik (to see him spinning around without joiking and at the same time hear him joik is stupid) something not possible in Eurovision so the song will be a completely other experience if it reach Eurovision. We done that mistake once with Malena Ernman and lets us say that was a failure.
Lisa Ajax and her “Torn” is a song that maybe could have been saved by Sanna Nielsen but Lisa do not have the “shine” to carry this ballad from start to end. It is boring and the lyrics, according to her very very deep and personal, do not impact me at all. I also wonder how a song can be so personal and be the most true thing she ever performed if she’s not involved at all in the composing of the song. Both music and lyrics belongs to someone else and might be personal to her but not to Ajax.
Mohombi enter the Melodifestivalen with one goal in mind to reach the Guiness Book of records as the person saying “hello” most in 3 minutes. But as written before he also think he can gain some votes in other ways and for all of you who know what I talk about I am sure you won’t even listen to the song, you will look for sign of proof. Mohombi released so many brilliant pop songs o I really don’t understand who he decided to enter with this one. His last try in Melodifestivalen with Group Avalon gave him some votes when he ripped his t-shirt off, maybe loose some clothes tonight again and as back then go full Carola throwing flowers on the audience and go for the explanation “I got feeling”.
Lina Hedlund enter the contest with what will be a ESC fan favorite if going to Tel Aviv, and we all know what happens with ESC fan favorites. Good for the CD sale or streaming but not a winner in the long run. I think “Victorious” is a amazing Schlager pop tune in the chorus but the verses is impossible to like. But Line go full out and save it as much as possible but still… Who is supposed to vote for it? Its not the older viewers, not the kids and the ESC fans have other favorites tonight.
Bishara, again I do not hate him! But I must be honest I think he is in this contest at least 2 years too early and the person behind him who decided to enter him with this song should be bitch slapped by the Swedish people. Two things can happen, he will fail with only 12 points from the Israel jury (that’s for sure) and end up in the middle with the telephone votes or he will win cause he is him and it will have nothing to do with the song. And in Eurovision the other countries have no connection to Laila Bagge so the background story fails and we might even not reach the final in Tel Aviv. Cause the song is boring how talented he is the song is crap.
Anna Bergendahl, “Ashes to ashes” One of the songs I think can win tonight and one of the songs I actually don’t mind to see going to Israel in May. Who guessed that knowing what I feel about Anna Bergendahl under normal circumstances – actually not bad at all and her voice fits this song like a glove, good staging and outfit. Go for it girl.
Nano, “Chasing rivers” Again Nano manage to present a cry story in Melodifestivalen and the Swedes fall for it. Why? We will not be able to explain the Europe and Australia in May that we voted for him to support his brother! Last time he entered he had one of the worst entries in Melfest history and I am surprised to find out that he managed to come back with something even worse, it must be a world record in bad taste.
Hanna Ferm & Liamoo I have NO connection to them since I moved before they participated in IDOL in Sweden. Liamoo I know from last years Melodifestivalen when he destroys a good song with adding rap and Hanna I expect her to be a beauty or fashion blogger after her time trying to be a performer. Maybe also a Miss Sweden candidate? She look more like a beauty queen than a singer. The song is “mellanmjölk” de luxe, amazing staging really like that and Liamoo managed as a guy to kick the girls ass when it comes to clothes but again the song is not all that.
“I do me” Malou Prytz, Good bye… Nice to have seen you on TV Sweetie but go back to school now and study. Before that give the girls who wrote the song a finger and blame the Swedes voting you to the final to be the obvious 12th placed song.
So the huge favorite to win tonight, the Swedes will be split between him and Wiktoris but I think the telemeters will push John to Tel Aviv even if the juries will have Wiktoria as number one. Joh will win on performance without a gimmick on stage, joy, talent, body and looks. Live this entry is amazing with he backup from the girls (who must enter alone as group next year) and simple but great to watch. But listen to the recording only the joy fro the live performance kind of not there even if its still an amazing song. But again, I think John will enter the flight to Tel Aviv.
Wiktoria and “Not with me” will be the Eastern part of Europes huge favorite if she go to Tel Aviv, its 100% slick, fake, over the top a la “In Eurovision only”. And even without any eastern states voting this year in the Swedish Selection I think the jury votes will keep her on top but John will pass her after the televises. From the Swedish point of view Wiktoria is not as easy to like as John, and it will be what decide this.
I do Casper, I do, so Arvingarna back with the song “I do”, I know its not a winner tonight (looking at the polls in Europe both songs in Swedish is 11 and 12 in most of them) but I think the televises will save them from ending up 12, but I´ll be surprised if the Swedish public place them higher then 9. But I would have voted for them, even with John and Wiktoria in the final I like this song, it makes me happy even if it is “old School” schlager. Just imagine in a dream that all “Dansbands” fans (most likely watching, cause Melfest and Dansband go hand in hand) decides together to save Dansband as a genre in Melodifestivalen and all voted Arvingarna…. Exiting.
Thats it for now, if you want more views on each song, please check the links