You can catch up on everything that went down in Heat 1 right here. But for what to expect from Heat 2 this Saturday, here’s the line-up of artists, their songs, and the order they’ll be performing them in;
Heat 2: Göteborg, February 8
Nobody – Klara Hammarström
Songwriters: Erik Smaaland, Palle Hammarlund, Klara Hammarström
The writing was on the wall for a Melodifestivalen debut for Klara once she released ‘You Should Know Me Better‘ last year – a song that sounds like it would have won Melodifestivalen, albeit ten years ago. ‘Nobody’, meanwhile, has been described as more up-tempo and with a large production. She enters the stage already quite familiar to many Swedish TV viewers – she’s part of a popular Swedish reality TV show along with the rest of her family. She’s basically Klara Kardashian.
Miraklernas Tid – Jan Johansen
Songwriters: Thomas G:son
Drafted in at the last minute, literally confirmed only earlier today, Jan replaces the original artist behind the song Thorsten Flinck, as Thorsten is currently wrapped up in some criminal charges. We were dreading the idea of Thorsten Flinck miserably mumbling his way through a three-minute song, but Jan behind the microphone is a much more palatable idea. We have full confidence that the Swedish legend (finishing 3rd at Eurovision 1995) will make the song his own.
Bulletproof – Dotter
Songwriters: Dino Medanhodzic, Johanna Jansson (Dotter), Erik Dahlqvist
Here to right the wrong of her result in Melodifestivalen 2o18, Dotter is back for a second go as an artist in her own right (she’s twice made the final as a songwriter for other artists). We’re feeling pretty positive about her this time around, not least because she’s recently released one of the best songs of her career – the stunning ‘I Do‘.
Vamos Amigos – Mendez feat. Alvaro Estrella
Songwriters: Palle Hammarlund, Jimmy Jansson, Jakke Erixson, Leo Mendez
If this is anything even close to the quality of his 2018 finalist, ‘Everyday’, then we’re all in for quite the ride. Although truth be told, everything he’s released since then, really hasn’t been. This time around he’s bringing along Alvaro Estrella, who has yet to put his name to a dud track, despite what the result of his Melodifestivalen debut in 2014, ‘Bedroom’, might suggest. Going by the title of this song alone, we’re building our hopes up for an all-encompassing crowd-pleaser. They’ve described it as a song that picks things up where ‘Everyday’ left off.
Alla Mina Sorger – Linda Bengtzing
Songwriters: Yvonne Dahlbom, Jesper Welander, Adam Jönsson, Linda Bengtzing
It’s an absolute delight to see Schlager Queen Linda Bengtzing back in her spiritual home on the Melodifestivalen stage, for a seventh time. Now let’s just hope we can see her back to those glory days of the results of those first four entries she had, rather than the outcome of the latter two that she’d probably rather forget. She’s apparently done with experimenting, and has come back with a balls-to-the-wall schlager anthem for the ages. Suddenly everything feels right in the world again.
Talking in My Sleep – Paul Rey
Songwriters: Paul Rey, Lukas Hällgren, Alexander Standal Pavelich
He’s been releasing a steady run of top-quality singles since his debut in 2015, our personal fave of which has been ‘What Good Is Love‘. We’d be surprised to hear him veer away from his trademark sound and style of well-crafted soul-pop. And we’d be surprised if Sweden didn’t lap it up.
Kingdom Come – Anna Bergendahl
Songwriters: Bobby Ljunggren, Thomas G:son, Erik Bernholm, Anna Bergendahl
It’s a bit of a surprise to see Anna in the line-up. Given how last year’s Melodifestivalen restored her image to national treasure once more, surely the only way is down. Unless, UNLESS, ‘Kingdom Come’ is an even more kick-ass song than ‘Ashes To Ashes’? We cannot quite compute just how incredible it must be, in that case. She’s described the song as even more pop-friendly than its predecessor, with a touch of both Americana and country.
