VoR
Take it or leave it
We've reached the final week of Melodifestivalen, and while this season has certainly had its moments, there's not much sense that we've heard a potential Eurovision winner yet. Will it be in this heat? Here are the contenders...
1. Frida Öhrn - We Are One
Frida Öhrn, Hampus Eurenius, Nicklas Eklund
A talented journeywoman type, Frida Öhrn has popped up on a number of interesting projects. Her first band Oh Laura had a modest worldwide hit with 'Release Me' (no, not that one), then she made two Melfest appearances as part of the hysterically named country trio Cookies 'n' Beanz. More recently she's enjoyed a successful ongoing collaboration with Bo Sundström of the Bo Kaspers orkester. Will her first solo Melfest turn finally launch her as a star in her own right? This should be very professional fare and a good shout for Andra Chansen, although her lack of fanbase may stall her a bit.
2. William Stridh - Molnljus
Markus Lidén, Christian Holmström, David Kreuger, William Stridh
A finalist on the 2018 season of Swedish Idol, Stridh went on to release a few modestly received singles with his band The Audrey. His Melfest entry is his first solo effort of any note. The placement of this in the running order suggests filler, but he's young and in possession of a cock so you never know.
3. Nanne Grönvall - Carpool Karaoke
Nanne Grönvall, Peter Grönvall
A true Swedish icon, Nanne Grönvall makes her first competitive appearance since 2007. Always a quirky songwriter, of late her material has tended towards novelty songs of varying degrees of listenability. True to form, this song has been described as an over the top paean to James Corden. Sounds truly horrifying TBH, but a legend she remains and hopefully it'll be a dollop of big silly fun. Given how long she's been away, she's fairly untested with modern audiences, but I feel like she might be held in rather higher regard than your Bengtzings and Aldéns, so maybe she can get an affectionate push over the qualifying threshold. We live in hope.
4. Victor Crone - Troubled Waters
Dino Medanhodzic, Benjamin Jennebo, Victor Crone
Victor last appeared in Melfest voicing the eminently forgettable AC-er Det rår vi inte för in 2015, before doing what is known in the industry as 'a Sahlene' and popping over to Estonia, who he represented last year with Storm. That song was a modest Swedish radio hit, so now he gets an invite on home turf. This is well fancied in the odds, but it may just because he's been before so recently. Still, another likely contender to qualify in some form or another.
5. Ellen Benediktson & Simon Peyron - Surface
Paul Rey, Laurell Barker, Anderz Wrethov, Sebastian von Koenigsegg, Ellen Benediktson
Ellen Benediktson impressed producers as a stand-in vocalist at Eurovision 2013 and went on to score a Melfest finalist the following year with Songbird. Her sexpot transformation with Insomnia the following year didn't really take, but after a few quiet years she's back for a third go, and possibly a third genre switch, given she's drafted in heavy metal singer Simon Peyron of the band Outrigger. This really could go in any number of directions.
6. Jakob Karlberg - Om du tror att jag saknar dig
Nanne Grönvall, Isak Hallén, Henrik Moreborg, Jakob Karlberg
Another tough one to predict. Jakob Karlberg had a big summer hit a few years ago with Fan vad bra, but since then he's struggled to successfully follow it up, hence a possibly begrudging trip to Melfest to dodge the bullet of One Hit Wonderdom. Will anyone still care? Hard to say, but with Nanne a co-writer on this one too, it might not be a total waste of everybody's time.
7. Hanna Ferm - Brave
David Kjellstrand, Jimmy Jansson, Laurell Barker
The runner-up from last year's contest in a duet with LIAMOO, Hanna Ferm returns as a solo artist this time around, and with the heat four pimp slot secured, this is likely to be the song to beat.
Press reviews: Wednesday
SNIPPETS: Thursday
Show: 7pm UK Time Saturday
Frida Öhrn, Hampus Eurenius, Nicklas Eklund
A talented journeywoman type, Frida Öhrn has popped up on a number of interesting projects. Her first band Oh Laura had a modest worldwide hit with 'Release Me' (no, not that one), then she made two Melfest appearances as part of the hysterically named country trio Cookies 'n' Beanz. More recently she's enjoyed a successful ongoing collaboration with Bo Sundström of the Bo Kaspers orkester. Will her first solo Melfest turn finally launch her as a star in her own right? This should be very professional fare and a good shout for Andra Chansen, although her lack of fanbase may stall her a bit.
2. William Stridh - Molnljus
Markus Lidén, Christian Holmström, David Kreuger, William Stridh
A finalist on the 2018 season of Swedish Idol, Stridh went on to release a few modestly received singles with his band The Audrey. His Melfest entry is his first solo effort of any note. The placement of this in the running order suggests filler, but he's young and in possession of a cock so you never know.
3. Nanne Grönvall - Carpool Karaoke
Nanne Grönvall, Peter Grönvall
A true Swedish icon, Nanne Grönvall makes her first competitive appearance since 2007. Always a quirky songwriter, of late her material has tended towards novelty songs of varying degrees of listenability. True to form, this song has been described as an over the top paean to James Corden. Sounds truly horrifying TBH, but a legend she remains and hopefully it'll be a dollop of big silly fun. Given how long she's been away, she's fairly untested with modern audiences, but I feel like she might be held in rather higher regard than your Bengtzings and Aldéns, so maybe she can get an affectionate push over the qualifying threshold. We live in hope.
4. Victor Crone - Troubled Waters
Dino Medanhodzic, Benjamin Jennebo, Victor Crone
Victor last appeared in Melfest voicing the eminently forgettable AC-er Det rår vi inte för in 2015, before doing what is known in the industry as 'a Sahlene' and popping over to Estonia, who he represented last year with Storm. That song was a modest Swedish radio hit, so now he gets an invite on home turf. This is well fancied in the odds, but it may just because he's been before so recently. Still, another likely contender to qualify in some form or another.
5. Ellen Benediktson & Simon Peyron - Surface
Paul Rey, Laurell Barker, Anderz Wrethov, Sebastian von Koenigsegg, Ellen Benediktson
Ellen Benediktson impressed producers as a stand-in vocalist at Eurovision 2013 and went on to score a Melfest finalist the following year with Songbird. Her sexpot transformation with Insomnia the following year didn't really take, but after a few quiet years she's back for a third go, and possibly a third genre switch, given she's drafted in heavy metal singer Simon Peyron of the band Outrigger. This really could go in any number of directions.
6. Jakob Karlberg - Om du tror att jag saknar dig
Nanne Grönvall, Isak Hallén, Henrik Moreborg, Jakob Karlberg
Another tough one to predict. Jakob Karlberg had a big summer hit a few years ago with Fan vad bra, but since then he's struggled to successfully follow it up, hence a possibly begrudging trip to Melfest to dodge the bullet of One Hit Wonderdom. Will anyone still care? Hard to say, but with Nanne a co-writer on this one too, it might not be a total waste of everybody's time.
7. Hanna Ferm - Brave
David Kjellstrand, Jimmy Jansson, Laurell Barker
The runner-up from last year's contest in a duet with LIAMOO, Hanna Ferm returns as a solo artist this time around, and with the heat four pimp slot secured, this is likely to be the song to beat.
Press reviews: Wednesday
SNIPPETS: Thursday
Show: 7pm UK Time Saturday
