We have already reached the last of the five preliminary heats of Melodifestivalen, in the run-up to the Grand Final that will be held in Stockholm on the 8th of March. This week the artists take to the stage in Jönköping and as usual, there are six songs competing for those two spots straight to the final, and one more will get a second chance.
The second chance round will be right after Saturday’s Heat 5, so two of the five entries that have made it to third place will get their spot in the final before the evening is over.
The songs will be released as usual on New Music Friday, and we will include the Spotify links once they are out. But now let’s take a look at the artists competing in the fifth and final heat.
1) Arvingarna – Ring baby ring
Dansband legends Arvingarna are back in Melodifestivalen for their 7th run. They of course made their debut with the absolute classic Eloise, which won the whole thing back in 1993. The youthful boyband vibes they had back then are gone, and their dance steps are pretty much dad choreo, but the number gets a bit more energy from the house dancers. The song really is not one of their best, but they do have the support of their target audience.
2) Arwin – This Dream of Mine
The 17-year-old Arwin Ismail made a name for himself on TikTok and had a breakhrough hit with För bra för att vara sant last year. He is now making his Melfest debut with a self-biographical song in English. Arwin is bringing plenty of charisma and much more energy than the song itself does. This type of young pop-boys completely ruled Melfest in the 2010s, so he would have been more of a contender back then. In any case, we can be sure to see more of Arwin in the future, and if he gets a song that matches his energy, he will be very strong.
3) Saga Ludvigsson – Hate You So Much
This really is the year of country music in Melfest, as we have the Swedish Cowboy Fredrik Lundman, the stomp-and-holler country of Tennessee Tears, and the colorful country pop of Dolly Style beside this offering from Saga Ludvigsson. Saga’s song may is pretty catchy, and Saga herself brings great vocals and a very confident stage presence, having gained plenty of performance experience in Idol 2023 and on the Diggiloo tour last year. The number also looks great with a neon-color American diner in the background and Saga joining in seamlessly in the dance choreo.
4) Victoria Silvstedt – Love It!
Hello Hey, it’s Victoria Silvstedt! The blonde bombshell made her name in the 1990s in modelling, TV and movies, and also got into the music field with her 1999 debut album Girl on the Run. She made her return to music on Masked Singer Sweden in 2021 and also played the “Vi som älskar 90-talet” festival in 2023. Now she is continuing on that path in Melodifestivalen and was one of artists garnering the most interest when the artists were revealed. The I Love It part is the best bit of the song, but the rest is rather generic euro-disco. Victoria is serving those 90s beauty standards, looking like a cross between a drag queen and a Barbie (and I say that with all love). She sure knows how to take the cameras, but she is a bit too confined to her light cube during the number, as she looks the coolest making that high kick and kneeling down for rockstar poses.
5) Vilhelm Buchaus – I’m Yours
Vilhelm Buchaus has been sharing covers and his own songs on YouTube for a while and made his official debut with the single First Cut in 2023. He cites influences like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and John Mayer. Here we have another song where all the songwriters are making their Melodifestivalen debut, so a big plus for that. The tune is contemporary pop/rock in the vein of the hugely popular Benson Boone, so Vilhem is right in time in that regard. He also sounds very convincing singing and performing, so he’s sure to have his big breakthrough. The staging is based on one shot filming in what looks like a New York apartment with skyscraper views from the window.
6) SCARLET – Sweet’n’Psycho
The metal duo SCARLET, consisting of Scarlet Hunts and Thirsty, had their big breakthrough at last year’s Melodifestivalen with Circus X and are now back for more. They are upping the ante with a much catchier tune, which is right up my alley of dark pop. The vocals sound great and they are performing with confidence. The staging has plenty of chains and the dancers looking pretty creepy making weird dance moves in the black latex suits – the best part being two of the dancers getting lifted up in the air from the stomach at the end. And this really is my personal favorite of the year, in case you care for my opinion.
All photos © Nina Uddin
