Making our way from Göteborg to Linköping for Melodifestivalen, isn’t that far of a journey, but going from a train wreck to a good show makes it feel like a much more distance-oriented trip!
Linda Sundblad – Lucky You
She’s got braces and she embraces it. What courage to be a performer and being in front of a camera with full on braces ilke a teenager, despite being in her late twenties. Go Linda! Musically the song is just a typical alternative-pop example, which doesn’t really leave much in the performance or talent department. Sure she’s a decent singer, and she’s got an okay-ish song, but really it’s no wonder that it didn’t go anywhere. Some people might see some potential, but in my eyes I only see a flop.
Simon Forsberg – Tid att andas
❗ Personal Favourite
Vilken jävlaskandal måste man saga! I think that this song merits at an absolute minimum a chance in Andra Chansen, but coming dead last in the heat? You’ve got to be freaking kidding me! Without completely attacking the aesthetic nature of the song, which was simple, clean and cut with no extras (that’s ok!), it’s a ballad and thus will be criticised by the vast majority of people. Simon has a good voice, but what really urkekd me was that it seemed like a conscious effort to display that it’s a hot guy singing a blush-worthy song but that’s clearly married, or at least assumed. Was it necessary to have the angle of the camera to be focusing on Simon’s ring the whole time? I think that it was just presented in a pretentious way that despite being good, left me a bit confused as to what to think.
Sara Lumholdt – Enemy
As a former teeny-bopper A-Teens fan (yeah I’m zoo not kidding!) I was optimistic for the performance of this song, and seeing what Sara has been doing. Well evidently not much. Dhani launched his R&B career years ago (what the fuck?!), Marie managed to make a career and a name out of herself, Amit seems to be going more towards a normal life. Sara’s song is likeable but is a clear rip off of Rihanna’s “Umbrella,” but I swear to god I thought she was singing “End of Me” instead of “Enemy.” Was I the only one?
The Playtones – The King
=> Globen
I quaver on this song to be honest. I like listening to it and I think that it’s a very popular possibility and the fact that it’s going to Globen makes sense (but directly?). The Swedish public voted towards it and well what can we say? So on one side I like it, but on the other side I don’t really feel like it’s a legitimate contender so I don’t like it. I think that every time the group was asked to answer a question, it was like pulling teeth; not a good sign if you can’t put up with the press and/or simple interviews.
Shirley’s Angels – I Thought it Was Forver
=> Andra Chansen
❗ Personal Favourite
Bust a move baby! Who doesn’t love Shirley Clamp? If you don’t like her you should be shot (at least in a musical way) because she’s got a great voice. The play off of Charlie’s Angels is sort of an unoriginal idea, but it’s effectively displayed on screen and is entertaining. The song is is popular sounding, positive, and well executed. The dancing and actual visual representation is entertaining and simple. The more listens one has, the better I think it will get. On a side note, at least this time they didn’t focus on Shirley’s chest: thank god for the gays!
Sebastian – No One Else Could
Whoah weight-loss. I hope I’m not the only one that noticed Sebastian drop, maybe 15kg?? He looks like a twig; or is it just the work of our good friend the colour black? What’s a girl to do?! The song really doesn’t do it for me, it’s just lacking everything. I mean musically he was okay, a bit off vocally (maybe because he lost so much weight?!), and the performance was a bit introverted and incoherent, so really I’m not surprised that it didn’t go anywhere, but it’s a shame really. At least former Idol contestants do better in Sweden than they do in the musical graveyards in North America! On another side note, I absolutely love the outfit that Sebastian wears. I want to have, and I need to know what it’s composed of so I can recreate it: help required! B)
Sara Varga – Spring for livet
=> Andra Chansen
❗ Personal Favourite
I’m a sucker for simple ballads and a pretty girl, despite err circumstances. Every time Marie say Sara’s name I get lost and it’s so fast it sounds like gibberish, but Sara sings well enough to make it all worth it. The song is uplifting, and an enjoyable time to listen to; but in the end do I think it will be successful: unfortunately not. It rocks, in a non-literal way, but I think I was as shocked as she was when she beat out Sebastian. Quite frankly I thought being Popular (for lack of a better pun) beats out the decent song!
Eric Saade – Popular
=> Globen
Eric Saade is still a walking wet dream, a tease, but it doesn’t seem to affect me this year. White shoes and good dancing, and decent vocals with lyrics that are too repetitive just doesn’t do it for me. I think musically it has potential, but the presentation is just too over the top! Is it really necessary to outdo the shower performance of last year and break out of glass? It’s clear that Eric has his ticket to Düsseldorf ready, but it hasn’t been stamped for approval, but I quite honestly think that there are better songs; the question is, can the better songs do better in Eurovision? Unfortunately I don’t think so So where does this leave me? – In a dilly of a pickle!
Thank goodness this week was less of a train wreck and we ended up going somewhere at least reasonable, with reasonable results (bar Simon Forsberg’s last place finish: WTF?!). I fall further in love with Rickard Olsson, but I will write more about that later
We had a twitter encounter.
**Photos posted, comments revised!**