We’re here! Already?! It’s been six weeks, but my haven’t they flown.
Last night, the fifth and final round took place before next weekend’s grand final. And now we have the last two songs to make up the ten song line-up.
On Saturday night the ten songs will perform again, in the order detailed below (revealed last night by SVT), with Swedish viewers voting for their favourite throughout. After the performances, international juries (from Belgium, Bosnia, UK, Estonia, Ireland, Germany, France, Cyprus, Malta, Norway, and Ukraine) will then award points to their favourite songs. This will equate to 50% of the vote. The other 50% of the vote comes from the Swedish televoting public. A song’s points from the Swedish televote will be weighted as to what percentage of the televote it received. And after all that carry-on, we will have a winner of Melodifestivalen 2012, and Sweden will have its entry to this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
Much has been made of the notion that this year’s final is really between two strong entries in particular, with only either of the two assumed to be the winner come Saturday. But nothing’s decided yet. And with the traditionally sporadic voting patterns of the international juries, we’re expecting this to be another contest where we don’t know who the winner is until the very last set of points are awarded. It’s gonna be exciting.
You can watch the whole spectacle unfold over at SVT’s website, at 7pm (UK time) next Saturday.
And here’s how it’s gonna look;
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1. David Lindgren – ‘Shout It Out’
Text och Musik – Fernando Fuentes and Tony Nilsson
We’ve already been a little vocal over our resentment of this song’s place in the final. A pastiche of a song presented by a rather faceless entertainer. It’s a good choice as a show opener though, we’ll give it that – as David Lindgren IS an entertainer after all, and puts on a show. In another context we would have no problem with either David or ‘Shout It Out’. It’s not bad, it’s good. But this is the Melodifestivalen final – a showcase of some of the best popular music that Sweden has to offer. We’re not supposed to understand the metal entries or the rockabilly entries – that’s a given. But this is dance music, pop music. And we know that Sweden can do it so much better than this.
2. Thorsten Flinck och Revolutionsorkestern – ‘Jag Reser Mig Igen’
Text och Musik – Thomas G:son and Ted Ström
These cheerful chaps enter this two horse race late – having qualified from last night’s Andra Chansen round. However, we think they bring with them enough of a punch to potentially cause some upset. The amount of people voting for them last night MUST have been huge for them to overcome Sean Banan. That might have been because of an “anti-Sean” vote, or it might be a genuine enough following that sees them become this year’s Caroline Af Ugglas – the gravelly voiced alternative entry that comes from Andra Chansen and ends up finishing top 2 in the final. The results of the poll up on Aftonbladet’s website right now, certainly suggest the latter.
3. Dead by April – ‘Mystery’
Text och Musik – Pontus Hjelm
The tamed metal entry that everyone correctly predicted would qualify directly from its heat but that nobody is seeing as major competition in the final. In a way we’re lucky that the “anti-Melodifestvalen” voters have so many songs to choose from in this line-up. Dead By April’s fanbase alone might be large enough to see them finish in the top five of the public televote, but a “wouldn’t-it-be-funny-for-Melodifestivalen-if-this-won” vote concentrated entirely on these chaps could well have seen them cause some damage to the top 3. Dead By April foiled by Björn Ranelid – that’s Melodifestivalen for ya!
4. Lisa Miskovsky – ‘Why Start A Fire’
Text och Musik – Lisa Miskovsky, Aleksander With, Bernt Rune Stray and Berent Philip Moe
One week later and we still can’t see what all the fuss is about regarding this one. Or find the tune for that matter! Nevertheless its been selling steadily on iTunes, and getting itself up into the top half of the table of the Aftonbladet poll mentioned above. All bodes well for a finish somewhere between 3 and 5 on Saturday.
5. Top Cats – ‘Baby Doll’
Text och Musik – Lina Eriksson, Mårten Eriksson and Susie Päivärinta
Two years running we’ve had to endure a rockabilly entry in the Melodifestivalen final. Whatever happened to that good old-fashioned dansband music you used to like so much, Sweden? It’s TOO old-fashioned, you say?! Well then what on earth do you class this dirge that has been dragged all the way from the 50’s as, in that case?! ‘Baby Doll’ is the second qualifier from last night’s Andra Chansen round. To give it its dues, there IS a good tune in there somewhere. It’s a foot tapper. But it beat Timoteij, so of course we’re bitter until the very end.
6. Loreen – ‘Euphoria’
Text och Musik: Thomas G:son and Peter Boström
Ladies and gentleman, we have a winner. Or do we? Betting agencies, iTunes sales, opinion polls, and public feedback seem to suggest that this is a clear cut winner, yes. And we certainly can’t remember the last time we have seen such an overwhelming response to one song as this. Well, Facebook and Twitter didn’t exist then, so perhaps we haven’t ever seen one like this. Yes she goes into this week’s final as the big favourite. But there’s still one big question looming over ‘Euphoria’. Are enough people actually going to vote for it? Are all those people raving about it, the same people who will be staying at home and picking up the phone to vote? ‘Euphoria’ has already won people over. Now it just needs to make sure it gets them to take the next step.
7. Ulrik Munther – ‘Soldiers’
Text och Musik – Joy Deb, Linnea Deb, David Jackson, Ulrik Munther and Johan Åberg
Little Ulrik. He enters this not really a serious candidate for the win, but he’s got a lot to gain from it anyway. An understated, yet remarkable performance showcasing his talents and all that he’s about. He won’t win Melodifestivalen 2012, but he will come away from it with Sweden knowing who he is and what an Ulrik Munther record sounds like. This was supposed to be the big launch for his music. Job done.
8. Björn Ranelid feat. Sara Li – ‘Mirakel’
Text och Musik – Fredrik Andersson and Björn Ranelid
This whole scenario is very bizarre. Under normal circumstances this of course wouldn’t be a contender for the win. Three or four years ago, 9th place would be the best it could hope for. However, there’s just something about this year’s contest that turns a few elements in ‘Mirakel’s favour. There’s that “anti-Melodifestivalen” vote that we mentioned earlier. People who don’t really like the contest but stay in to watch it and vote every year anyway – for whatever entry is most likely to ridicule the sanctity of the contest – for the LOLZ. But then there are the actual fans of the contest. The old-skool fans. Those who don’t really like what Melodifestivalen is becoming – music wise. Those who resent that the only way a schlager song can make it into the final this year, is if a novelty personality speaks over the verses as some sort of comedy poetry. Nobody’s going to vote for ‘Mirakel’ because they want it to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest. But could ‘Mirakel’ be the poster entry for everyone’s woes? The protest vote from both those who hate the contest and those who love the contest? Or perhaps it’ll be business as usual, and ‘Mirakel’ crashes out in 9th place. What do we know?!
9. Molly Sandén – ‘Why Am I Crying’
Text och Musik – Aleena Gibson, Molly Sandén and Windy Wagner
This year’s only big ballad in the final. Executed and delivered to perfection by Molly. At one stage this was considered to be the dark horse behind the infamous Loreen vs Danny battle. But it’s slipping ever so steadily in betting odds, iTunes sales, and opinion polls. It’ll undoubtedly improve on her result in 2009. But we can’t see this winning next Saturday. Although we wouldn’t complain at being proved wrong.
10. Danny Saucedo – ‘Amazing’
Text och Musik – Danny Saucedo, Peter Boström and Figge Boström
He’s got the stage show, he’s got the fanbase, he’s got the goodwill, and he WILL have the vocals this time, don’t be cheeky! Added together though, is that all enough for him to snatch victory from Loreen’s celebrated expression of euphoric anguish?! This boy wants to win more than anybody else this week. Representing his country, he’s got a lot to offer Europe, with his performance and his song. Swedish House Mafia have done their nation proud by conquering the world with an often similar style of dance music, so it would make a lot of sense for Danny Saucedo to go to Eurovision for Sweden with ‘Amazing’. You can’t figure good sense into a contest like this though. Let’s just sit back and watch how the results unfold next Saturday. For now, we can’t call it!
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This time next week it’ll all be over. *insert sad face*
The Melodifestivalen 2012 CD is available NOW from our online store here, and the DVD released on March 30th is available for pre-order. Just so you know.
