It is finally time to kick off Melodifestivalen again, the music extravaganza that has the Swedes filling arenas around the country and sitting glued to their TVs on Saturdays for the next six weeks. The winner will go on to represent Sweden in Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held in Malmö this May after Loreen taking the crown last year for her second time.
The setup of the competition has been changed slightly for this year, and it means there are a whopping 30 artists participating in five preliminary heats. Those voted first and second go straight to the final as before. Those on third and fourth places will get another chance in a vote that takes place after the fifth heat. So there will not be a separate Second Chance heat as was the case before.
We have been given a sneak peek at the rehearsals for Heat 1 at Malmö Arena ahead of Saturday’s live show, so below you can read a little bit about what to expect of each participant on this first week.
1) Adam Woods – Supernatural
Adam Woods made his Melfest debut last year together with Arc North and Jon Henrik Fjällgren, but is now trying out his wings as a solo act. His EDM sound blanket does not stand out very much within its genre, but it is of course well-made. The song builds up towards the end like is customary in such anthemic EDM tunes. Adam is alone on stage and the graphic effects on the massive LED walls and floor do look quite stunning at times.
2) Samir & Viktor – Hela världen väntar
Samir & Viktor are making a comeback and having their fourth go at Melodifestivalen, after taking a break from music, during which Viktor wrote a book about his ADHD and Samir worked as a real estate broker…. They have been shuffling, taking group photos and swimming naked in the Sergels Torg fountain on their previous attempts, and now they are back with another party song in exactly the same vein. Their fans may still enjoy the familiar chant-along hooks and the compulsory oj, oj, ojs. The staging involves stairs and five dancers to make it feel like a fun-filled party.
3) Melina Borglowe – Min melodi
Melina Borglowe is a newcomer in Melodifestivalen and clearly represents the Swedish singer-songwriter tradition of classic vissångare. She is alone on stage with her acoustic guitar and manages to keep the attention with her pleasant voice as well as the song’s melodies and lyrics. The Swedish text is well-written, drawing parallels between music and the one she loves… “you’re harmony, my melody…” .
4) Elisa Lindström – Forever Yours
Elisa Lindström is known from her dansband Elisa’s, which she started already as a teenager, but she has also participated in Melodifestivalen before as a solo artist. This time she is bringing a song in English though, but the sounds are filled with the purest of Swedish schlager traditions á la Charlotte Perrelli et al. There are of course many Melfest and Eurovision enthusiasts who totally adore schlager, but this is unfortunately quite generic with no surprises. The staging goes in purple, pink and blue, and Elisa is joined by dancers for parts of the number, and there’s some pyro thrown in for good measure — and plenty of glitter on her arms and legs….
5) Lisa Ajax – Awful Liar
Lisa Ajax won Swedish Idol in 2014 and you can already call her a Melodifestivalen veteran although she’s still only 25 years old, as she is entering for her fifth time. The vocals are strong, which is no surprise since that has alway’s been Lisa’s strongest selling point. The song is a competent enough ballad, with a remorseful message. The color scheme of the staging is purple, pink and blue for this number as well, and there are some stone monoliths spread around the stage. The emotionally moving pair of dancers in the background isn’t exactly the newest trick in the book.
6) Smash Into Pieces – Heroes Are Calling
Smash Into Pieces had a big breakthrough with the masses at last year’s Melodifestivalen and are back to repeat their success. Their melodic rock tune sounds very similar to their last year’s entry, but why change a winning formula. The staging includes video game like graphics again, plus lasers – in rehearsals it looked like the band was a bit too much in the shadows themselves due to those narrow rays of light, their energy could have taken more of a centre stage. But in any case they are clearly the strongest contenders to go straight to the final from this first heat.
Be sure to catch Melodifestivalen Heat 1 at SVT1 or SVTPlay on Saturday the 3rd of February at 8pm
All photos: Stina Stjernkvist / SVT
