It’s here. It’s arrived. The time is now.
Melodifestivalen is BACK!
The 2012 contest kicks off on Saturday. The usual format applies this year as in recent years. There’ll be four heats, in which eight songs compete in each. The top two songs in each heat after a televote will progress directly to the grand final. And the songs that finish 3rd and 4th in each heat will be given a second chance – all entering the Andra Chansen round which takes place a week after Heat 4 and a week before the final. In Andra Chansen, the top two songs will then go to the final. And of the ten songs then competing in the final, the winner will go on to represent Sweden at the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest.
Over the four heats, we’ve got 32 songs and artists to familiarise ourselves with. And so each week we’ll be bringing you an introduction to each heat at the beginning of the week, and a summary of the results at the end of every week.
Below, is your handy introduction and guide to the eight songs and artists that will compete in Heat 1 on Saturday.
NEWS FLASH 1: We will be present at the first rehearsals for the show on Thursday. So check back here on Thursday evening to read our review of the songs and of their first outings onto the big stage.
NEWS FLASH 2: The Melodifestivalen 2012 CD is now available for pre-order at our online store. With much cheaper postage than all of the Swedish online stores! Here’s the direct link to pre-order that CD. Let’s hope the 32 songs on it are good. Otherwise we might feel very bad for flogging it.
Right then. Here we go;
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1. Sean Banan – ‘Sean Den Förste Banan’
Text och Musik – Sean Banan, Joakim Larsson, Hans Blomberg, Mårten Andersson
Oh Sean. Having only been living in Sweden for two years, we don’t quite ‘get’ Sean Banan or his perceived popularity. Or why he keeps talking about arses and showing his. We do however know that Sweden has given him a couple of big hit singles before now. We also know that Sweden hasn’t taken too kindly to ‘comedy’ entries in the contest before now either. In conclusion – we know fuck all about how this one’s gonna go!
2. Abalone Dots – ‘På Väg
‘Text och Musik – Abalone Dots (Rebecka Hjukström, Sophia Hogman, Louise Holmer), Viktor Källgren
The unthreatening, adult contemporary guitar pop category. Well – we say unthreatening…..but we do remember how Pernilla Andersson and Sara Varga both slayed some of our favourites in the contest last year with great ease!
3. The Moniker – ‘I Want To Be Chris Isaak (This Is Just The Beginning)’
Text och Musik – The Moniker
One of last year’s Melodifestivalen heroes in some quarters – but most certainly not in ours. Although despite not being to our taste last year, we of course concede that he had a strong song. This one will need to be really special to beat it, and improve on his result.
4. Afro-Dite – ‘The Boy Can Dance’
Text och Musik – Figge Boström, Catrine Loqvist, Johan Lindman
We’re very excited about this. They’ve promised us some disco schlager, which coincidentally is exactly what we want from them. We just hope there’s enough goodwill left towards these ladies and that genre, for this to progress further from its heat. It’s a tough one though.
5. Dead by April – ‘Mystery’
Text och Musik – Pontus Hjelm
Metal. Done by a group who’ve got quite a lot of supporters. This is gonna be quite the threat in this heat to us pop fans. But we’re hoping that there’s something in the song that we like too – as we’ll inevitably be seeing it again in the final. Oh well, at least four of the five chaps are really quite nice to look at.
6. Marie Serneholt – ‘Salt & Pepper’
Text och Musik – Lina Eriksson, Mårten Eriksson, Figge Boström
Marie!!! We’re so glad to see her back. And we would love to see her succeed in this contest after she did quite the opposite in 2009. We have a lot of faith in this entry, not just because it’s her, but because of the songwriters involved. Sources tell us the song is a little bland (ironic, given its title), but naturally we refuse to believe such nonsense. This will be amazing. It has to be. C’MON!
7. Thorsten Flinck och Revolutionsorkestern – ‘Jag Reser Mig Igen’
Text och Musik – Thomas G:son, Ted Ström
Thorsten is primarily an actor, who often forays into music. This is one such foray, albeit on his highest scale so far. This is probably gonna be one of those entries that will either do extremely well or fail spectacularly. And basing our opinion purely on the effort he’s made for the below photo, we’re sort of hoping it’s the latter! On the other hand though, Thomas G:son IS involved, so we do still have a bit of faith in this entry.
8. Loreen – ‘Euphoria’
Text och Musik: Thomas G:son, Peter Boström
The breakthrough star of last year’s Melodifestivalen – for Swedes and international fans alike. This will probably be amazing, and she will most likely sail straight to the final. But even if it’s not amazing, we reckon Sweden will give her the benefit of the doubt and at least put her through to Andra Chansen. They still feel a little guilty for leaving her in there last year.
