So, it’s that time again… and the last one this year! There will of course be Andra Chansen next week and the final the week after, but this is the last Friday where we get 8 brand new Swedish pop songs. We’d better make the most of it!
Star Pilots – Higher
Although they make dance-pop, I find Star Pilots very boring and unoriginal. Their songs are very samey and could have been made anywhere in Europe – there’s nothing special about them, unlike poptastic dance acts September, E-Type etc.. If Velvet can’t succeed in Melodifestivalen, Star Pilots certainly won’t either.
Sarah Dawn Finer – Moving On
She’s a big name among MF fans after making her name with the very successful (and not bad for its type) I Remember Love, so she has a good chance of getting through. My mum loved I Remember Love and I think she’d like this too. However, it’s much less memorable, so it’ll depend on how good the full track is, and the competition.
Malena Ernman – La Voix
This is an odd one – an opera-disco-mum who’s apparently an international superstar! I love the verses (similar to Bulletproof Heart from MF ’04) but the operatic chorus ruins it for me. It’s a shame, because a song that was like the verses the whole way through would have been one of my favourites of this year.
Thorleifs – Sweet Kissin’ In The Moonlight
Another dansband, and just like Scotts they’re singing a super-jolly Swedish-language song. They’re an almost impressively ugly bunch, but they’re good fun and sure to have lots of dedicated lady fans in the audience. I don’t know how popular they are but they come from the golden age of dansbands, according to Wikipedia.
Agnes – Love Love Love
My most anticipated song this week, and I’m satisfied. After loving her last 2 singles, it doesn’t sound as new and different (they were quite a change in style for Agnes), but still it’s my favourite song of this week so far by a clear mile. I’m very confident that with her popularity she will sail through to Globen.
Susanne Alfvengren – Du är älskad där du går
I was dreading this one because she looks like a secondary school teacher or someone’s nice but boring aunt, and I was correct to do so cos it’s terribly boring. The MF site tells me it’s a grower, but I’m not convinced. Apparently she is known for her shrill, annoying voice. Wow, really can’t wait for her performance now…
Next 3 – Esta Noche
I didn’t believe any of tonight’s acts could be uglier than Thorleifs, but Next 3 really have outdone them. Their band name is rubbish too. It’s a rap song with a Spanish vibe, despite being in Swedish, and an early Enrique-style chorus. It reminds me a bit of Obsession by Aventura mixed with Daddy Yankee i.e. very 2005.
Anna Sahlene & Maria Haukaas Storeng – Killing Me Tenderly
Maria did pretty well for Norway last year, although I didn’t care for the song myself, and Anna did a fab entry for Estonia a few years ago, so this will be a strong bet for success. They’ve mixed the sound of Duffy with ABBA and I must say it works. A definite qualifier and stands a good chance of winning, I think!
So, my favourites are by far Agnes and Anna & Maria, and I think it’s likely that both of those will go further, but there’ll be a tough fight for the Globen places with Thorleifs, Sarah, and possibly Malena. I’m quite confident that those 5 will be the top 4, but so far every week I’ve only been almost right, so don’t put any bets on until we know who’s going to be the Owly/Rigo/H.E.A.T of this week.