And so I sit down in a paniced hung-over mood to watch the second semifinal of Melodifestivalen 2008, with joy, glee, and excitement for the coming acts. What really is there to say, other than this is a great opportunity for five of my favourites to do well. In addition, I’m quite upset about the unvailability of a TV-Rip from this performance, and thus, thus far I won’t have any photos to display; how sad.
Ola – Love in Stereo
Andra Chansen
Personal Favourite
It’s sort of expected that Ola would have gone through, being an Idol participant who’s become a heck of a lot more successful than the winner. The singing was wonderful, like a true singer, the song was catchy but I don’t think it was catchy enough to really woo the audience away from the other big names. Luckily for me, and him, it made it through and the look of relief on his face made it worth it. His dancing was good, simple, and his outfit was sexy, and not overdone. The only quim I have about him is his hair; as it’s, like most Swedes, over the top. Far too blonde, and it’s clear that it’s been dyed. Yay for Andra Chansen!
Lasse Lindh – Du behöver aldrig mer vara rädd Perosnal Favourite
This is simply a great song. I absolutely love how it’s performed, and executed. His voice is a little rhaspy at the beginning, but it filtered out to be nice and round towards the end. The text is fantastic, and the simplicity of the act just makes it even better. It’s a shame that one of my top five didn’t make it, and that a stupid other song made it to the second round of voting. It was clearly one of the best songs, in my humble opinion. Simplicity wins too, people!
The Nicole – Razborka
I really don’t know what to say about this. Her voice is, shrill, she looks like something that’s been hit by a weird bus, and her song is just plain strange. Great that she’sa polygot like me, but really watching this song was sort of painful on the eyes. The text also left a lot more to the imagination. Now all you get down on the floor and entertain me… Or something! Maybe if the dancers would have covered her up a little more the act would have been better.
Alexander Schöld – Den första svalan
First thought when seeing the intro; ghetto wigger Swede… so wrong. And then when I see him on stage; emo transformation. What’s up with that? I don’t think he has style, I don’t tink he has looks, I don’t think he has a great voice (I mean it’s decent), but unfortunately for the whole situation; the song is actually half decent. It’s catchy, and I loved the recording a lot, but when performed it just lacks… everything. He’s not a heart-throb, and thus I can’t be drawn to him, but at the same time, he’s not a strong singer that lulls me into wanting to listen to it again. In other news, purple is the new pink, cause it’s the shit, and yellow is a huge clash with purple, so tone down on the lighting SVT! Take your emo-wigga-whatever self and go indie; or something!
Rongedal – Just a Minute Globen Personal Favourite
Two words: Absolute Masterpiece. Plain and simply put: this song is the shit and it makes me so happy. It had me interested from the moment that they moonwalked down the ramp, to jumping around, and to singing. They sound a hell of a lot like the Scissor Sisters, but maybe that’s the pull factor. Twins that sing together in red, and can pull it off, well, is hawt; and I’m enthrawled. I actually found myself screaming out random words in Swedish after this song because I think it’s so amazing. I truely believe that this has a huge chance in the final, and is one of my favourite songs thus far in the competition. I just can’t stop thinking about this song and hoppin’ around in my chair; I just wanna scream out: RONGEDALLLLLL!!!!!!
Sanna Nielsen – Empty Room Globen Personal Favourite
This is a chillingly powerful ballad, sung in absolute perfection. I actually forgot that this was the Swedish competition, because Sanna’s English is absolutely impecable! She is clear, articulate, a great singer, and great emotive act. I was on the verge of tears, as she was in the reprise; just because it evokes so many emotions. The only quim with this song is the word “moon” in the text, which just seems to stick out like a sore thumb. Apart from that, simple ballads sung by great singers equals instant success!
Andra Generationen – Kebabpizza slivovitza
At the risk of sounding like a total bitch, I say the following: What the fuck were they thinking? This act is a whole bunch of wrong packed up into one, and it makes me sad to have to even review it. Firstly… I don’t even know where to start. This is one of my famouse “go home” songs, just… I don’t know. I find myself less articulate with this act, and it makes me sad. The lead singer can sing, but it just sounds so weird, and I can’t believe that it got voted to fifth place! Shame, Sweden, Shame! Even the instruments were faulty, and his drum broke halfway through the song… Just go home, usch!
Johnson & Häggkvist – One Love Andra Chansen Personal Favourite
The much anticipated Carola & Andreas combination was interesting. I think the following: Carola is a good singer, but she overshadows Andreas (the better singer in my opinion) too much, Andreas could hardly be heard the entire song, Carola is in love with whaling, and the text is impossible to hear because there so much polyphony going on at once. The song itself is nice, but Carola, honey, knock it down a few notches. We all knew you’d make it through, and I’m even happier that it goes to Andra Chansen, to keep her ego a little deflated, just it’s a shame since I’m a huge fan of Andreas Johnson. Sad part for him is that this song was in a tough category, and as a result it got placed where it should have. In terms of æthetically, Orange and Yellow/Gold don’t
go together: please address this wardrobe problem before going to Kiruna!
All in all it was a great night, with great songs; and the best part about the whole thing is that the results were exactly how they should have been. The best songs went through, and the shit songs were left behind. Okay that’s cruel, but the “not so good” songs, then. Kristian Luuk never ceases to make me laugh, and Björn Gustavsson is again really funny, especially when he tries to sound like a gypsy doing magic on the street.