VoR
Take it or leave it
Last week, Sweden once again SAVED SCHLAGER with Lina Hedlund going straight to the finals, alongside John Henrik Fjällgren and his lovely horse reindeer. However, is anyone else getting an unsettling feeling that we're three weeks in without having heard a potential winner? Here are the last seven who could turn things around...
Snippets: Tomorrow
Show: 7pm UK Time Saturday
1. Pagan Fury - Stormbringer
(Tobias Gustavsson, Fredrik Thomander, Anders Wikström, Mia Stegmar)
Now usually the token heat four rock entry is about as welcome around these parts as Liam Neeson at a Black Lives Matter convention, but this cosplay nonsense actually looks like it could be quite fun. The group describe themselves as 'historical nerds' and are best known for making music for a game called 'Crusader Kings 2'. I can see myself raising a glass of mead or two to this one.
2. Anton Hagman - Känner dig
(Gusten Dahlqvist, Oliver Forsmark, Anton Hagman, Jakob Hjulström)
Anton and his unacceptable tattoos was last seen in 2017 with Kiss You Goodbye, famously knocking out Loreen in the process. Clearly somebody in production still hasn't forgiven him, as he's shoved out in second here, which feels quite the indignity for a recent finalist. He's also singing in Swedish, which suggests maybe he isn't really playing for the win this year. So far the pretty boy effect has been fairly neutered by the new voting system, but let's not get complacent just yet...
3. Lisa Ajax - Torn
(Lisa Ajax, Isa Molin)
First her heart wanted her dead, then she didn't give a fuck. This year, Lisa Ajax is torn. Christ her life sounds miserable for somebody barely into her twenties. This was a last-minute addition to the lineup, presumably after bigger names such as Molly Sandén and Petra 'September' Märklund said no thanks. It's also her first entry that she's written herself. None of this bodes hugely well, but some insiders are claiming it's actually a really strong entry, so who knows?
4. Arvingarna - I Do
(Mikael Karlsson, Nanne Grönvall, Casper Jarnebrink, Thomas ”Plec” Johansson)
Back in 1993, four strapping Swedes hit the Eurovision top ten with the sing-along schlager classic Eloise. 25 years on they're older, fatter and beardier but still much beloved by the Swedish public - as evidenced by lead singer Casper Janebrink's recent victory on the reality show Stjärnornas stjärna. This one is written by none other than Nanne fucking Grönvall and is likely to play to their strengths with another stomping retro chorus. Most likely to qualify comfortably on goodwill and then do nothing in the finals when the Swedes get their voting gameface on.
5. Bishara - On My Own
(Markus Sepehrmanesh, Benjamin Ingrosso, Robert Habolin)
The youngest of this year's competitors, little Bishara has a song written by last year's winner Benjamin Ingrosso - so expect more slick, modern pop music with clever choreography. This has been a winning formula for Sweden in recent years, so unless fatigue kicks in I'd by no means discount this from potentially taking the whole thing.
6. Ann-Louise Hanson - Kärleken finns kvar
(David Lindgren Zacharias, Josefin Glenmark-Breman, Olof ”Ollie” Olson)
Oh Ann-Louise, was that really the best shot? Anyway, like a grim vision of Linda Bengtzing's future - or possibly present - Ann Louise currently holds the record for most appearences at Melodifestivalen without a win, thirteen times! One of those is of course the incredible C'est la vie, but don't get your hopes up for any high-kicking antics here, she's singing a mournful tribute to recently deceased Swedish icon Lil babs. Probably too much of a buzzkill to do anything, unless Sweden gets a major case of collective guilt for doing her dirty so many times in the past.
7. John Lundvik - Too Late For Love
(John Lundvik, Anderz Wrethov, Andreas ”Stone” Johansson)
After making a big impression with vers-bottom anthem 'My Turn' last year, songwriter John Lundvik is this year's pimp slot competitor. It's been a few years since anybody actually won from this position, but it's still a big stamp of approval from SVT, so there's definitely a very strong likelihood that this'll be one of the major contenders.
Reviews: Today(Tobias Gustavsson, Fredrik Thomander, Anders Wikström, Mia Stegmar)
Now usually the token heat four rock entry is about as welcome around these parts as Liam Neeson at a Black Lives Matter convention, but this cosplay nonsense actually looks like it could be quite fun. The group describe themselves as 'historical nerds' and are best known for making music for a game called 'Crusader Kings 2'. I can see myself raising a glass of mead or two to this one.
2. Anton Hagman - Känner dig
(Gusten Dahlqvist, Oliver Forsmark, Anton Hagman, Jakob Hjulström)
Anton and his unacceptable tattoos was last seen in 2017 with Kiss You Goodbye, famously knocking out Loreen in the process. Clearly somebody in production still hasn't forgiven him, as he's shoved out in second here, which feels quite the indignity for a recent finalist. He's also singing in Swedish, which suggests maybe he isn't really playing for the win this year. So far the pretty boy effect has been fairly neutered by the new voting system, but let's not get complacent just yet...
3. Lisa Ajax - Torn
(Lisa Ajax, Isa Molin)
First her heart wanted her dead, then she didn't give a fuck. This year, Lisa Ajax is torn. Christ her life sounds miserable for somebody barely into her twenties. This was a last-minute addition to the lineup, presumably after bigger names such as Molly Sandén and Petra 'September' Märklund said no thanks. It's also her first entry that she's written herself. None of this bodes hugely well, but some insiders are claiming it's actually a really strong entry, so who knows?
4. Arvingarna - I Do
(Mikael Karlsson, Nanne Grönvall, Casper Jarnebrink, Thomas ”Plec” Johansson)
Back in 1993, four strapping Swedes hit the Eurovision top ten with the sing-along schlager classic Eloise. 25 years on they're older, fatter and beardier but still much beloved by the Swedish public - as evidenced by lead singer Casper Janebrink's recent victory on the reality show Stjärnornas stjärna. This one is written by none other than Nanne fucking Grönvall and is likely to play to their strengths with another stomping retro chorus. Most likely to qualify comfortably on goodwill and then do nothing in the finals when the Swedes get their voting gameface on.
5. Bishara - On My Own
(Markus Sepehrmanesh, Benjamin Ingrosso, Robert Habolin)
The youngest of this year's competitors, little Bishara has a song written by last year's winner Benjamin Ingrosso - so expect more slick, modern pop music with clever choreography. This has been a winning formula for Sweden in recent years, so unless fatigue kicks in I'd by no means discount this from potentially taking the whole thing.
6. Ann-Louise Hanson - Kärleken finns kvar
(David Lindgren Zacharias, Josefin Glenmark-Breman, Olof ”Ollie” Olson)
Oh Ann-Louise, was that really the best shot? Anyway, like a grim vision of Linda Bengtzing's future - or possibly present - Ann Louise currently holds the record for most appearences at Melodifestivalen without a win, thirteen times! One of those is of course the incredible C'est la vie, but don't get your hopes up for any high-kicking antics here, she's singing a mournful tribute to recently deceased Swedish icon Lil babs. Probably too much of a buzzkill to do anything, unless Sweden gets a major case of collective guilt for doing her dirty so many times in the past.
7. John Lundvik - Too Late For Love
(John Lundvik, Anderz Wrethov, Andreas ”Stone” Johansson)
After making a big impression with vers-bottom anthem 'My Turn' last year, songwriter John Lundvik is this year's pimp slot competitor. It's been a few years since anybody actually won from this position, but it's still a big stamp of approval from SVT, so there's definitely a very strong likelihood that this'll be one of the major contenders.
Snippets: Tomorrow
Show: 7pm UK Time Saturday
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