Many people were so happy to finally see Sanna Nielsen win Melodifestivalen on her seventh attempt. For a young veteran who slowly made her way into the hearts of Sweden, this was a very well deserved triumph, and I was very happy about it too. Then came Ace Wilder and ruined the whole thing for me.
Sanna Nielsen - Undo (Sweden 2014)
Sanna's song is elegant and classy, she sings it impeccably and the chorus is easy to remember, even if it isn't a piece of cake to sing along. All of these ingredients would normally make for a really great entry. They do. But they are also part of a very classic recipe for this contest.
Ace Wilder was everything that Undo is not. Wild, eccentric, unexpected. Not safe.
That very notion punched a hole in my balloon, so to speak. Her ballad shrunk a great deal in my eyes and it hasn't grown back on me as yet. And even if I am still very happy about Sanna finally winning, I'm less optimistic about her chances to make a splash internationally.
Qualifier: Yes. It will be distinct enough to stand out in a field of sixteen semi finalists. But how much will she stand out in the final?
My grade: 3/5
