sara varga

Danny – In the Club
❗ Personal Favourite

As much as I like this song, as did the Swedish voters, I didn’t really ever seeing this as a viable Eurovision contender. I would have guessed that Danny’s voice would have given out before May but either way the juries votes were all over the plaice, only receiving one 12 from Germany. A decent second place song, but there could have been better choices…

Sara Varga – Spring för livet
❗ Personal Favourite

Feel good favourite hands down. Despite the fact that it had to come through the second chance round, Sara is the most charming of all the contestants and has a song that speaks to people. It’s easy to relate to, and it’s eloquently presented. Jury wise, international people didn’t get it, but I did. This was a top 5 song to me, certainly not second last.

The Moniker – Oh My God!
❗ Personal Favourite

A strong third place performance from the ever-surprised pseudonym man. I’m not surprised by any means that this song was popular. It could appeal to the boyfriends of all the teeny boppers watching, but also to general population as a relatable feel good song. It has a beat and it’s happy-sounding.

Brolle – 7 Days and 7 Nights

Words can not express how happy I am that this song crashed and burned and came dead last in the competition. First of all, how did this qualify? Second of all, did he really think that he could get on with generic rock-and-roll and a bit of charm? Thankfully people saw how I do, and international juries didn’t feel it either. Frankly speaking I never liked it, and I’m disgusted that it took another possible contender from the final.

Linda Bengtzing – E det fel på mej?
❗ Personal Favourite

Linda wants it so bad, but is coming across as a little desperate. She returned to a genre that she’s good at, but the Swedes didn’t really relate to it at all. Gaining points from Croatian Jury and the Russian Jury make me wonder what they were thinking, but I do like this song. If anyone would have want it the most, Linda would have come top 3 for sure, however, I thick there were stronger songs with stronger possibilities for excelling in Düsseldorf.

Nicke Borg – Leaving Home
❗ Personal Favourite

This song is mainstream and brings out the minute and unproportional man in me. It’s rough, it’s emotional, it’s exactly what it looks like, no frill either. An eigth place finish guarantees that it wasn’t a huge pull with the audiences, but even less so with the juries. only San Marino really gave it some point value, which is curious.. Never the less, it will be a radio hit, though not a Melodifestivalen winner.

Swingfly – Me and My Drum

This song still irritates me, and I’m baffled as to why it end up in the top 5. It seemed to get voting from a few juries, but it was the greater televising results that equalized it and brought it up. Do I think that it was better than Sara Varga, no. Do I think it was better than Linda Bengtzing, no; so what exactly was so special about this song?

Sanna Nielsen – I’m in Love
❗ Personal Favourite

This song grew on me, a lot. I was listening to it while out on evening walks over the last weeks and it really made me feel good inside. You know that warm feeling that you get when a song really speaks to you? Well yeah, anyways, it was well liked by the fan and the majority of the juries so it’s no surprise that it came in the top 4. People have been talking a lot more about how she’s becoming the schlager-dröttning and the dream-bot of Melodifestivalen. They are both positive things and I agree. I just feel bad that she can’t quite get the win, with all her attempts.

The Playtones – The King

This song still irritates me and I’m horrified that it came in sixth place out of the whole group. They got points from every jury bar Norway, and I can see how it’s a mainstream song that feels good, but the group itself really irritate me. They remind me of an egocentric me me me performance and group. More value from juries than televotes, thankfully.

Eric Saade – Popular
=> Winner
❗ Personal Favourite

Well Malmös dreamboat teeny-bopper-wet-dream did it, and if he hadn’t then we’d have enough tension (sexual and otherwise) to stress out the country for another year next year. Hopefully this means that we don’t have to worry about another dreamboat next year, but who knows for sure? I think it’s a good song, and I think that it’s really catchy. It will be able to get a bunch of votes from some sure-in places, but really can being popular in Sweden spill over to being popular in the greater European communities? Only time will tell…

That brings us to the end of this year’s Swedish Preselection and the largest of it’s kind. Fantastic month long process, and fantastic songs, fantastic choreographing, fantastic hosts, fantastic musical acts.

With the highly anticipated matches of the second chance round, needless to say I was highly disappointed and shocked. Here’s why:

Quarterfinal 1: Jenny Silver vs. Love Generation

In by far the most contested battles of the evening, my favourite Jenny Silver lost out to Love Generation and not by much. Both songs are fantastic and it’s sad to see the classic ABBA influenced schlager go up against the dance-pop contestant. Either way I would be happy for them to go onto the final, but the road never ends up being as straightforward.

Quarterfinal 2: Loreen vs. Sara Varga

Unsurprisingly Sara won this contest probably quite handily. Loreen’s song is good but it’s highly introverted that it’s almost awkward. Sara herself seems quite introverted and unsure of herself, but the song is a feel good favourite, and it’s no surprise that it beat out it’s competition.

Quarterfinal 3: The Moniker vs. Linda Pritchard

I am shocked beyond belief at the Swedish voting this evening. The absolutely epic ballad (no matter how better she sang before) still should have outplayed the corny happy-go-lucky song of The Moniker. I like both songs, but the power and versatility of Linda’s song puts goosebumps down my spine. Absolutely robbed in my opinion.

Quarterfinal 4: Shirley’s Angels vs. Pernilla Andersson

The raging homosexual in me cries out for this loss. The awesomely popular Shirley Clamp and her sexy ceorigoraphs were no match for Pernilla and her guitar. I like both the songs, but I feel like Shirley’s Angels fits Melodifestivalen a little bit more. Perhaps given the amount of English songs in the final, the Swedes needed to push something more Svensk through.

Semifinal 1: Love Generation vs. Sara Varga

This is the feel good favourite win of the year I think. The fact that Sara could fend off the popular dance song is amazing and I’m glad that the Swedish public was able to choose the better song. No matter how much it sounds like I prefer the latter, I absolutely love the former!

Semifinal 2: The Moniker vs. Pernilla Andersson

As surprised as the rest of us, The Moniker becomes the second finalist tonight. It’s good, and seemingly popular, but if that’s the case, why didn’t it go directly through Globen instead of taking out the other good songs in the second chance round? :crazy:

So despite the phone number fiasco of the wrong numbers showing and SVT announcing that it didn’t affect the voting (right…! 8|), the results could have been worse. One good song gets through and likely will flop in the final for lack of excitement, and the other is okayish and will probably end up being in the top 5. Only one more week!

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!**