Tobson predicts: Melodifestivalen 2021

It didn't take a particularly long time between The Mamas getting called out as the somewhat surprise winners of Melodifestivalen 2020 and the cancellation of the whole ESC in Rotterdam. It has been quite a year. 

The cancellation could have been a real blow to the ESC but the 2021 entries suggest otherwise. A lot of creativity has been set in motion. It seems people decided to rise to the occasion and try some new roads.

Melodifestivalen has done the same. For the last years I have found the Swedish flagship of tv entertainment lacking in several areas, being very much like many of the entries Sweden sent to the ESC. Tailor-made, professional and slick but without that beating heart underneath and with very little room for anything spontaneous or personable. This year something has changed.

The shows have been remarkably uneven but if you focus on the songs, I found myself fully engaging in several of them for the first time in years. Not least because there are finally songs that were not written specifically for Melodifestivalen, not written to please to producers.

When you give creative people space and let them create what they want to create, some wonderfully unexpected things will emerge. Melodifestivalen used to be full of them for the first ten years of the semi final format but lately the entries have been more streamlined. Until now.

This is my way of saying that the 2021 Melodifestivalen lineup in many ways was what I needed in my life and I am actively listening to at least half of these songs outside of the contest for the first time in years.

But it is time to select a winner and here are my views on the entries in the final - a final where the general standard is higher than in years. But does that mean I will agree with the winner?

01. Danny Saucedo / Dandi dansa

A light-hearted and uplifting start to the final with echoes of Jamiroquai, Eric Gadd and the first albums Orup made back in the late 80's. A happily dumb chorus and a song that has not been designed for this contest. Refreshing with a star who is ready to just bring his star status along and dance around without necessarily aiming at victory. Feels genuinely like it was written because somebody wanted to write a song and not because SVT needed something somebody they like could sing.

Grade: 4/5

02. Klara Hammarström / Beat Of Broken Hearts

If the first song is atypical for this contest in recent years, the second one is more familiar territory and clearly written with a Melfest formula in mind. But Klara is a real asset who dresses like a star and adds several layers of quality. She won't win this time but she'd headed in the right direction.

Grade: 3/5

03. Anton Ewald / New Religion

This was a surprise for me in the semis. Let's say my expectations were low but this dark and suggestive little number made me think of some late 80's single inspired by Depeche Mode. I like the darkness of this, something seldom seen in a Swedish final. The weak point is unfortunately Anton himself who is a gifted dancer but nowhere near as convincing as a performer. Imagine this with someone who could have filled it with a real sense of menace instead?

Grade: 3/5

04. The Mamas / In The Middle

Let me be frank. When The Mamas won last year I was very surprised. They are warm and talented and very likeable but their entry was much more of a mood than a fully functioning song. "In The Middle" is better but I still don't get the hype. In this age of pre-recorded backing vocals and singers who look cute but can only sing a bit, maybe it is mind-blowing for the audience to see someone who can perform the heck out of anything?

Grade: 2/5

05. Paul Rey / The Missing Piece

I liked this song a lot in its semi but since then it sort of slipped out of my attention. The strongest selling point is clearly the animated and uplifting live performance while the song in itself - when you only hear it and don't see it - remains a bit anonymous. Paul surely has what it takes to win but this is not his year.

Grade: 2/5

06. Charlotte Perrelli / Still Young

La Perrelli is back doing her best schlager diva and that in itself is a sight for sore eyes. The song itself takes no chances and is frankly little more than a rewrite of Pandora's "You" that crashed and burned in a 2003 semi but the way Charlotte elevates this with her determination and presence is nothing short of amazing. Could have made a proud ESC entry had the song been better.

Grade: 3/5

07. Tusse / Voices

This is the point where I disagree with my dear old Sweden. Tusse is a real talent and could be explosive with the right song but I don't think "Voices" is just that. It's very Sweden-by-the-numbers. An exercise in songwriting that will enthuse the ESC juries and then get a lukewarm televote result. I admit I looked through my fingers more than I should have when Måns was walking on the sun back in 2015, but the phrases lifted right out of "Starboy" really annoy me here. It seems this is everybody else's cup of tea this year but it certainly isn't mine.

Grade: 2/5

08. Alvaro Estrella / Baila baila

Take every tired latino pop cliché in the book, forge them together and you will have Baila baila in front of you. Like a tired fifth single off an old Enrique Iglesias album. Poor Alvaro Estrella who would really deserve better material.

Grade: 1/5

09. Clara Klingenström / Behöver inte dig idag

The opposite of Paul Rey: I like this a lot when I hear it in my headphones but the semi final performance left me a bit uneasy. Something about the way it was filmed didn't click with me, but the song and the voice has a raw nervous energy that is rare in a Swedish final. If there is a big surprise in the making, this could be it. And Sweden singing in Swedish at the ESC for the first time since 1998 would be very special.

Grade: 4/5

10. Eric Saade / Every Minute

Eric's thing was always to be some sort of likeable pop brat and while he did that well this new grown-up style suits him even better. Suddenly there is a frailty and vulnerability to his performance that is very becoming and this kind of minimalistic pop is very close to my heart. This is the sort of entry you get when you let people create freely instead of telling them what sort of songs they need to provide to get a spot on your show. My clear personal favourite a mile ahead of everything else in this final.

Grade: 5/5

11. Dotter / Little Tot

Dotter could have had this in the bag. "Little Tot" has way more personality than her entry of last year - so pleased she dropped the Sia soundalike ambition - and could have been a standout had the general standard been more like last year's. This is a solid entry and will further establish Dotter as a hitmaker but it seems unlikely she'll be given flowers and a trophy by the end of the show.

Grade: 3/5

12. Arvingarna / Tänker inte alls gå hem

SVT has established a tradition of ending the final with a feelgood entry that won't stand a chance in the voting but will leave everyone with a warm and cosy mood. That job is in very experienced hands as Arvingarna make the most of their schlager and although I'm glad to see them in the final I can't help but think to myself how it could have been Eva & Ewa closing this lineup instead and be a bit disappointed that never happened.

Grade: 3/5

What's my guess, then? Like seemingly everyone else, I think this will be a showdown between Eric Saade and Tusse and it all comes down to who the international jury likes better.

The international jury was once put in place to give Sweden a hint what would work in the ESC but with time it has become a watering hole for various friends of the Swedish delegation. The more fans and heads of delegation we have in the international jury, the less relevant it is. Let's see how it is composed and how it votes this year. If they have a runaway winner, they will override the will of the Swedish votes.

My guess is Tusse will win since he has the buzz as well as everyone's attention. I wish he also had a stronger song but maybe that's just me. I predict Tusse, hope for Eric Saade and secretly hope for a big surprise (perhaps in the shape of Clara Klingenström).

During the final you'll find me on Twitter as usual. Please feel free to say hello.

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Tobson predicts: Melodifestivalen 2018

The tour has reached its end - Melodifestivalen has arrived in Stockholm (or Solna to be more precise) and Sweden will find itself a song for Lisbon. If you read my previous posts on the semi finals, you will be aware that I have been less than thrilled with the overall quality this year, concerning the songs as well as the show itself.

The criticism this year has been deafening and the ratings have not been what they should be. Will the viewers come back for the final or will we have the lowest amount of people watching in years?

As I listened through the 12 finalists this morning I have to admit they are a better bunch than I would have remembered. The overall quality is fine and there is no entirely hopeless entry here. Not everything's my cup of tea but that is a very different thing indeed.

Had this been a national final in Slovenia or Spain it would have been sensational. Melodifestivalen is still the most solid national final around. But I think Sweden has lost its grip a little bit.

Sweden aims at being a super power at Eurovision. The clear aim every year is to win. After a few years of tremendous success, it feels like Sweden lost the lead. Other countries are pushing the contest in other directions - who would have thought Belgium would be one of the countries pushing the envelope? - and Sweden is no longer the clear big brother.

The Zeitgeist passed from the slightly generic but super effective songs into something else. Something touched by the fingers of the Sobral siblings, possibly. Most of the songs chosen for 2018 have personality and something of their own, something fresh, while Sweden is still in the same place as they were two years ago. The same radio friendly sound, the same preoccupation with staging over songwriting.

Maybe tonight's winner will still do well in Lisbon. A top ten is in no way out of reach. With a bit of luck the Swedish entry could fill a gap in the lineup and snatch another top five spot. But Eric, Loreen, Sanna, Måns and Frans all went in and showed everyone how it should be done. They didn't rely on luck. And that is a major shift.

Maybe SVT won a bit too much and got a bit too content with themselves and thought the audience would stay put regardless. Some quotes from the production suggest this could be the case. Maybe a real shakeup in the team could go some good for 2019?

But tonight, then? Who would be the best choice for Lisbon?

Jessica Andersson had been a good choice has the choice worked better live. A surprising lack of energy in the semi just underlined the impression of her being a budget version of Helene Fischer. Samir & Viktor has the most infectious jam going on but they have no interest in taking it abroad. Felix Sandman has momentum but would be perceived too much like last year's flavour come May.

John Lundvik, then? There is a buzz around him that can't be denied and he has a very inviting aura and a fantastic voice. But will the international jury go for something as traditional? They shouldn't.

Tobson's prediction:
For the second year running Sweden will go for a pop guy with a smooth song and stunning visuals. It is highly unusual that Sweden goes for two so similar packages on consecutive years, but Benjamin Ingrosso has a much better song than last year's entry. "Dance You Off" is also the song that feels most like an idea of its own and could possibly be a nod towards more creativity among songwriters next year.

And of course I will be on Twitter tonight. Join me there!
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UMK 2018: it all depends on Saara

This week I am completely ditching Sweden and Andra Chansen in order to focus on Estonia (I haven't had time to catch up there so no review coming up, unfortunately) and above all Finland. Since the three competing entries were revealed, there has been a certain amount of buzz around Suomi. Is it time for me to eat my words from when Saara Aalto was selected?

Seriously, folks. It is not. The songs lined up all have their qualities and are solid efforts so everything comes down to Saara Aalto herself in the end. And that is where my worries were in the first place.

The performance costumes - presented with much pomp and circumstance earlier this week - suggest all three performances could be pretty OTT and that is a concern of mine. What will we see tonight? Will there be huge show numbers that can't be recreated in Lisbon or are tonight's performances what would be shown on stage in May as well?

If there is too much madness going on show-wise, is that an attempt to highlight Saara or could she get lost in the middle of everything? Saara is in many ways a Finnish Linda Bengtzing who wants to do well so badly that she loses her cool every time it really matters.

If Saara can keep a lid on herself tonight - and even more importantly in Portugal later in spring - Finland could be a contender. It all comes down to whether the can deliver and actually be the performer she wants to be.

What about the songs, then?

1. Monsters
The first song revealed also turned out the be the strongest of the bunch. A contemporary pop number with a clear hook and possibly not too much space for Saara to go bonkers. Staying controlled is a key word in all three performances. My main objection is that it wouldn't have hurt had it been a bit heavier. Is it too late to remix it for Eurovision?

2. Domino
A very good song but also a relic from a time gone by. This is the perfect G:son/Ljunggren ballad that proved outdated already in 2012 when the fabulous "Quédate conmigo" somehow barely made it into the top ten with a similar sound and a similar high note climax. Here is also a big risk of Saara running away with herself and over-perform vocally like there was no tomorrow.

3. Queens
I had hoped the last song would be the real killer track but instead it is a surprisingly shattered effort that mainly sounds like something Britney Spears might have toyed with a few years ago. Not having any crystal clear artistic identity as yet, Saara should definitely refrain from straying into someone else's territory and run the risk of being labeled a copycat.

Prediction:
While "Domino" is perhaps the closest to what Saara really wants to be, "Monsters" would clearly be Finland's best shot at ESC success. I predict - and hope - that tonight's result will be the same as the running order. And more than anything, I hope Saara will keep herself composed and pull this off.

As per usual, I will also live tweet during the show. Feel free to follow and discuss and talk back at me.
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Finland 2018: Saara Aalto is the one

In a bit of a surprise move, Yle has decided to internally select Saara Aalto to represent Finland at the ESC in Lisbon in May. It was only partially a surprise - after three years of non-qualification and last year's very weak line-up in the national final - something had to be done.

I have been a big friend of this chosen concept for years already. As it has been hard to get big names to join in, why not have one big name do the job instead? Scrap the national final nobody wants to be a part of and find a star to send off to Eurovision.

The surprise here was more the fact that UMK 2018 seems to have been abandoned mid-season. There was already a call for songs and detailed information as how to send in entries. The call for entries opened and closed. What about the songs entered? Were they too few? Were the quality too low? Isn't it quite arrogant towards the people who actually bothered sending in their songs to Yle in the first place?

Saara Aalto was not a big surprise. People have been very fond of her - at the Yle and elsewhere - for years already and the buzz around her participation in the UK X Factor was enormous. She was the most googled person in Finland in 2016.

But is she a too obvious choice? She has a good voice and an impressive CV in many ways, but she is yet to have a commercial hit single. She hasn't released any material at all since her X Factor run and who remembers the runner-up of yesteryear anyway.

She also has an unfortunate track record of wanting too much. "No Fear" was a contender until a frantic and overloaded performance left the whole thing in ruins.

If there is somebody with a clear vision involved here, somebody knowing what a winning package could look like, then Finland could possibly go very far in Lisbon. I want to stay positive and believe the people in charge know what they are doing and that Saara can shine when needed.

What really should be done now is to drop the UMK brand. There is not a drop left of what UMK was originally intended to be and nothing in the 2018 selection process fits the description of previous editions. Retire the name and put the focus back onto Eurovision. No more blushing about it.

Melodifestivalen 2017: this is it!

This is it - the end of the 2017 Melodifestival season. We heard all 28 songs and saw all the performances and are left with twelve hopefuls that will battle it out for the ticket to Kyiv.

Melodifestivalen has worked itself into a good place with an exceptionally high general level of songs and performances, but maybe it came at the expense of some edge and some originality.

There was always Loreen, of course, but our final lineup is pretty void of surprises. Most of the songs are clearly better than most of the other songs selected for the ESC this year while none of them feels strong enough to win.

But then again - Sweden won twice since 2012 and maybe it is good for them to take a tiny step back this year and leave room for something else. And to come back next year with more quirk and more surprises.

What about tonight's entries, then? One thing is clear: if the international juries have a clear favourite, then they will decide the winner and could possibly fully run over the televote results.

01. Ace Wilder / Wild Child
Ace is my girl and she never lets me down - also tonight she is my personal favourite and the one I secretly hope for the juries to sprinkle their top points over. It seems to totally lack momentum, though, and being the cheerful opener is seldom a way to MF success these days.

02. Boris René / Her Kiss
The first of many songs impeccably put together in order to score a radio hit. This one is happy and inoffensive and would be absolutely nothing without Boris and his energetic presence.

03. Lisa Ajax / I Don't Give A
A sharp young performer like Lisa would really deserve better material than this. Despite the attempt of a climax by the end it never takes off. Not a contender.

04. Robin Bengtsson / I Can't Go On
Contrary to many others, I find this song too generic to suit Robin's personality. He just feels replaceable - like a visitor in his own entry. The song in itself is ok but far from the smash hit I had hoped for. A potential winner, nevertheless.

05. Jon Henrik Fjällgren & Aninia / En värld full av strider
Jon Henrik is very easy to like and this entry has its moments, but above all it would have needed to make its mind up what kind of entry it is. Is it a duet? Is one of them the guest star? If so - who is the guest and who is the star? Not coherent enough but not a bad song.

06. Anton Hagman / Kiss You Goodbye
This is where Loreen was supposed to come in. Instead we have a delightfully charming young man with a guitar. I can deal with that but Anton is here to gather experience, not to win.

07. Mariette / A Million Years
My second favourite to win, but it is not going to happen. Too polished and too chilled. Plus Mariette apparently sang badly yesterday when the juries were listening. But it is a beautiful number and a very good song.

08. The FO&O / Gotta Thing About You
A really solid album track / third single made it into the final and why not? The boys dance well and sing quite well - most of the time at least - and got a radio hit out of it. That will have to do.

09. Nano / Hold On
A brilliant contemporary soul/gospel-flavoured pop song that would have needed a stronger live performance to fully shine. Nano doesn't really have what it takes. A shame.

10. Wiktoria / As I Lay Me Down
She improved her entry from last year and is the big favourite to win. I have a feeling she will, but for me this song outstayed its welcome too soon. After three listenings it just felt hollow and empty. But then again - I never understood the thing about Fame back in the day either.

11. Benjamin Ingrosso / Good Lovin
Smooth and pleasant - another made-for-radio-effort. Despite good vocals and a good performance, this doesn't really seem like a contender at all but could be a surprise in the making.

12. Owe Thörnqvist / Boogieman Blues
The comedy break if you so wish. Owe is a true legend and should have won Melodifestivalen hands down back in his heyday. In 1959 or so. Will come nowhere near a victory but could end surprisingly high up in the televote. Brace yourselves.

So how will this end? This is what I think:
1) Wiktoria
2) Robin Bengtsson
3) Jon Henrik Fjällgren & Aninia

But if I got to choose freely, I'd send Mariette or Ace Wilder to Kyiv. They'd live the place up more than I fear Wiktoria's song will.

As per usual, I will live tweet during tonight's show. Feel free to follow and to talk back at me.
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Melodifestivalen 2017: andra chansen

My effort to blog about Melodifestivalen really didn't turn out too well this year - some travelling and then a heavy flu directed my energies elsewhere. And now we are already at Andra Chansen! A bit too late to pick up on the proceedings now, isn't it?

Nah. Not at all. It's a good chance at measuring some of the songs ahead of next week's final.

First duel:

The FO&O / Gotta Thing About You
Not the immediate pop smash one would have expected from a band desperate to have their big break but this one keeps growing and growing. The over choreographed performance is cute and a fair amount a radio play should be helping to.

De Vet Du / Road Trip
Pointless humour song without any humour. Truly basic in every way. But since it made it this far it must have something, even if this something totally eludes me. Out.

Second duel:

Axel Schylström / När ingen ser
Honestly - I can't make head nor tails of this song. I can't decide if it is a work of genius or simply annoying. That's a quality when it comes to standing out in a song contest. Axel is also most likeable and so enthusiastic about the whole thing.

Lisa Ajax / I Don't Give A
A pretty average mid-tempo pop number, completely ruined by the use of the f-word. It doesn't contribute anything, it's not funny, it's not clever. It just underlines that this team too thought their song wasn't interesting enough in its own right.

Third duel:

Boris René / Her Kiss
Happy and energetic. Sometimes that is all you need to be.

Dismissed / Hearts Align
For being a group working against stereotypes, Dismissed seem to rely a bit too much on people finding it shocking to see men in dresses. The actual song isn't bad but they would be better off focusing on being a band and to do less posing.

Fourth duel:

Anton Hagman / Kiss You Goodbye
Anton shouldn't stand a chance here, being a fresh YouTube talent up with a guitar up against a former winner with the most spectacular stage show of the year. However, he feels fresh and likeable and has a song that is easy to grasp and hold on to. This isn't over yet.

Loreen / Statements
It all looked so promising but when favourites fall, they often fall all the way to the ground. Loreen's song and performance stunned many but seem to have confused many others. Maybe enough people changed their minds for the better, but it feels like the momentum is gone.

So, who will make it to the final? My guess is it won't matter much, only shuffle the cards a bit. The winner is probably already there in the final lineup.

But I think The FO&O, Lisa Ajax, Boris René and Loreen will make it to the final. This is not necessarily what I want (I'd definitely have Axel over Lisa) but my prediction.

The highlight of Andra Chansen? Having the running order for the final revealed at the end. That's what I'm waiting for.

Eesti laul 2017: all eyes on Estonia

It is not more than fair to say that the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest lineup is far from impressive so far. We know half the songs and there are few things to enthuse audiences or to write home about. If Estonia play their cards right tonight, they could easily become one of the top contenders come May.

Twenty songs were whittled down to the final ten that will fight it out in tonight's show. They will be voted upon by the audience as well as the usually totally unpredictable expert jury. The three top placed songs will proceed into a super final where the viewers will have the final word on who is sent to Kyiv.

01. Liis Lemsalu / Running
A very good opening number that above all has a captivating verse and build-up only to leap into a disappointingly flat chorus.
Grade: 2/5 

02. Koit Toome & Laura / Verona
Like the electropop cousin of "Goodbye To Yesterday", this one has the same advantages and the same weaknesses - a bit more chemistry between the singers wouldn't harm - but as a song this is the best one in the running.
Grade: 4/5

03. Whogaux & Karl-Kristjan feat Maian / Have You Now
Musically talented and sophisticated but a bit too laid-back and a tad too forgettable to be a good choice for Kyiv.
Grade: 2/5

04. Lenna Kuurmaa / Slingshot
As always, this ex-Vanilla Ninja star brings in something good and totally reliable. Maybe she lost something in her switch to English but this is still a most solid entry.
Grade: 3/5

05. Daniel Levi / All I Need
Slick voice and slick production in what sounds like a sure-fire radio hit. I'd say it isn't direct enough to work in a song contest where you only have three minutes to impress the audience, but not a bad effort.
Grade: 2/5

06. Elina Born / In Or Out
A slightly stressed feeling and a bit of a risqué wardrobe could work against this one, but if Estonia looks past that there is a good and catchy song performed by a singer who only gets better and better. Should be a contender.
Grade: 3/5

07. Ivo Linna / Suur loterii 
Old-fashioned? You bet. But also well performed by a most beloved singer Estonia has cherished since the 1970's. This could be a surprise in the making but hardly an international winner.
Grade: 2/5

08. Rasmus Rändvee / This Love
The most temperamental rocker in the line-up that would at least kick Cyprus out the window with ease in Kyiv. An outsider but in no way chanceless.
Grade: 3/5

09. Ariadne / Feel Me Now
A well-written and convincing pop ditty that really would have needed a stronger performance. Young Ariadne is far too polite and insecure to break through the screens, lacking any kind of wow factor.
Grade: 2/5

10. Kerli / Spirit Animal
Estonia's own Krista Siegfrids has never been closer to grabbing the trophy for herself than she is this time. Catchy, quirky and very easily accessible.
Grade: 4/5

So - what will Estonia do? Predicting the jury's verdict - not to mention those famously unpredictable televoters - is like trying to predict what shape the season's first snowflake will have. But here's my shot at a top three:

3. Elina Born
Because she is one heck of a performer and deserves every bit of praise and success.

2. Koit & Laura
Because the presentation could be a bit too cold in the end

1. Kerli
Because it is her turn and she has a better starting position. But this could turn any which way still.

Secretly I hope for my top two to be reversed but any of these three could give Estonia a solid placing in Kyiv. And so could Rasmus and Lenna too.

Eesti laul begins at 18:30 CET and can be seen online here.

Melodifestivalen 2017, semi 2

On a first listen, I wasn't too impressed by the songs in the first semi but then many of them grew on me and at least three of them turned into contenders. So I wasn't alarmed when I felt the same about week two.

Problem is most of the songs failed to grow this time around. This week embodies the problem Melodifestivalen had last year where too many songs were well-produced and sounded slick enough but were also too safe and provoked little or no emotion in me what-so-ever.

This week is clearly weaker and it makes me wonder why SVT let the general level slide already by now. Back in the day, week three was usually the weaker one.

This time around there is just one song I feel really strongly about and it will have to battle it out with some nicely produced fillers. But it is by no means obvious that Sweden will vote the way the should. Here's my prediction for this week:

Out:

Allyawan / Vart har du vart
The big problem when big names with cred enters the ESC is that they have no idea what is needed to make an impression in the short time available. The songwriters are big names in Sweden but will not stand a chance tonight with this soporific mid-tempo piece of dullness.

Roger Pontare / Himmel och hav
Not a bad effort, only very dated and a relic from what Melodifestivalen used to be back in the day. Unless Sweden is caught by unstoppable nostalgia, Roger will make an early exit.

5th place:

Etzia / Up
Happy and instant but also distant and surprisingly cold for its genre. If Etzia can give it gas and the audience falls for the roller-skate dancers it can carry as far as to fifth place, otherwise this will swap places with Pontare.

Andra chansen:

Dismissed / Hearts Align
This band got really poor reviews earlier in the week but this is a pretty decent soft rocker, dressed up in dresses and a gender queer expression. The song sounds like a more inspired entry in a Finnish final and I mean that in a good way.

Benjamin Ingrosso / Good lovin'
I suppose this is what a lot of chart music sounds like today and I like contemporary sounds in the contest. But it needs to be far more engaging than this. Young mr Ingrosso is professional and likeable but is that enough to counterbalance the lack of passion here? My guess is it's not.

Final:

Lisa Ajax / I Don't Give A
I seriously don't think much of this. A very standard radio song that tries to make itself more interesting by a completely unnecessary use of the f-word. Just like Denmark 2014. But Lisa has a very active fan base and that will lift her into the final tonight.

Mariette / A Million Years
I was never a great fan of "Don't Stop Believing". There. I said it. But this year Mariette stepped up and entered the only song I care for this week. It sounds fantastic in its studio version and should knock Benjamin Ingrosso into Andra Chansen. But who knows what sort of mess the heart app voters  could unleash?

Just like last week, I will live tweet during the show before zapping over to Sanremo. Please keep my company there.
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Melodifestivalen 2017, semi 1

It's been a while. Honestly, I've been really caught up in blogging in Swedish over at Tobson och alla bidragen - why don't you go there to have a little look as well? - and I've been so slow wrapping my head around the fact there is a new season starting I even missed covering the Finnish final.

I realised I'd be unhappy with myself if I didn't write anything about Melodifestivalen, so here goes. Here are my thoughts about tonight's entries and my attempt at a prediction.

When I listened through the minute-long snippets earlier in the week, I felt like a really spoilt and ungrateful child: everyone had written so much about the exceptional quality and while I clearly heard high production values and some promising ideas, I didn't really warm to anything.

It's not you, Melodifestivalen, it's me. As soon as I listened some more and heard the almost full versions, things fell into place.

Out:

Charlotte Perrelli
I love Charlotte, so if she wants to make a toned-down little acoustic number about how lonely it can be being an icon that's fine by me. Nobody will vote for this, but she's still lovely to me.

De Vet Du
There must be a drop of justice left in this world. I know the state of things but you must be able to rely on something. Humour without humour in a song without a song. Not even kids can fall for this, can they? Be gone.

Fifth:

Dinah Nah
Personally I'm not terribly fond of this genre but it will probably make enough people nostalgic enough to keep it in the game beyond the first voting stage.

Andra Chansen:

Boris René
I loved Boris and his warm presence already last year and I still do. This song is pure sunshine but doesn't feel sharp enough to really capture the audience. A good opener and that's it.

Adrijana
The big exclamation mark of the week in my book. Cool and laid back and - if this debutant is not afraid of the cameras biting her - possibly a big surprise in the making. Possibly a contender for straight to final, despite its hopeless spot in the running order.

Final:

Ace Wilder 
Ace was my girl in 2014 and 2016 and I'd love to run with her for a third time. Clearly the song most tailor made for me in this heat. But Ace runs the risk of feeling like old news to the viewers and they could go for something else instead, despite the really catchy chorus.

Nano
Everybody loves a back story. Everybody loves a personality. Game over for everyone else - Nano is tonight's winner. Also a most contemporary song that could far in the international charts.

I will live tweet during tonight's show, please follow and discuss with me.
Follow @TobsonHelsinki

Melodifestivalen 2016: this is how the final ends

After six weeks of Melodifestival we have reached the end of the procedure, where the national final in the huge Friends Arena will select the lucky one who gets to defend Sweden on home ground in the very much smaller Globe Arena in May.

This has been the year of the radio-friendly, well-produced mid tempo track and it is of course a positive thing that the kind of music people actually listen to on radio found its way into the competition. Most of the entries are already hits in Sweden and of course that is a huge success for SVT.

It would perhaps have been more entertaining if the genre hadn't quite crushed all resistance like it did. The final line-up is really good but also a bit too streamlined. It feels like most of these performances were hatched from the same egg and there is nothing that stands out or feels shocking or upsetting to anyone.

The trend seems to be the same in this year's ESC. Loads of commercial, radio-friendly inoffensive pop of a kind I really like. But if the ESC final turns out to be as void of variation as the Melodifestivalen one, only longer, than I am not sure Europe will stay amused all the way through it.

The good part of the songs being pretty similar is that we could have had the most exciting voting ever. But in week four, one of the songs suddenly became more than just a radio hit - it grew into a phenomenon. If this particular one doesn't win, it will be the biggest surprise in many a good day.

But apart from victory, everything is possible and all the positions are up for grabs.

01. Panetoz / Håll om mig hårt
How to start a final with a bang? Put the energy burst known as Panetoz to open the whole thing. Joyful and plain adorable - I should usually feel reserved about this kind of thing but am totally in love with these guys - and probably without any real chance in the end.

02. Lisa Ajax / My Heart Wants Me Dead
Almost an icon for this year: pleasant, well-produced, well sung but not in possession of an awful lot of personality. Lisa does her best but most of the other songs are better and this won't carry far.

03. David Lindgren / We Are Your Tomorrow
The male equivalent of Lisa Ajax in many ways. Nothing is wrong here but some personality and originality would have been needed to break through.

04. SaRaha / Kizunguzungu
I admit I thought this wouldn't make it out of its semi, now it is one of the biggest hits of the season. I still think it is far from excellent but SaRaha's energy makes up for a lot of that. And it is also one of the few songs to really stand out musically in this final.

05. Oscar Zia / Human
At some point Oscar felt like a potential winner but has fallen back a bit in the predictions. Still a remarkably good-looking execution and if the boy improves his vocals this could be a tiny surprise in the making.

06. Ace Wilder / Don't Worry
What would Ukraine do? Ukraine would send in a song that is hardly even a song but a massive rhythm with a really clever hook in an excellent visual presentation. This would be my dream winner but Sweden is not Ukraine and this is not going to happen.

07. Robin Bengtsson / Constellation Prize
A lovely song performed by a lovely man. Genuinely happy this one made it all the way here but the competition is razor sharp in this very genre. Could end up surprisingly low tonight.

08. Molly Sandén / Youniverse
Most people thought this would be Molly's year - me included - and then the song just wasn't strong enough. Nice, pleasant, forgettable. It won't do in a year like this.

09. Boris René / Put Your Love On Me
If there is to be a big surprise tonight, please let it be this one. Musically also this one stands out more than most and feels explosive coming after two more laid-back songs.

10. Frans / If I Were Sorry
The winner. Only a very determined international jury could push Frans off his throne in this final. The way Frans has clicked with the Swedish audience is rare and if he doesn't win it would be the biggest surprise in this new era of Melodifestivalen.

11. Wictoria / Save Me
Very hard to predict how this one will do: all I hear and see is a pretty mediocre and repetitive song, performed by a good singer trapped in an underwhelming special effect that others have done better before.

12. Samir & Viktor / Bada nakna
My guess is that SVT feels rather confident that one of the entries has victory all wrapped up already and can allow the comic relief to close the running order. It could give these beach boys a better placing than most would have suspected and they do deserve some reward for being entertaining.

So how will this end? Frans will win. That is pretty clear. Most probably it will be quite a tight race between everyone else in the running which means the international jury could have the decisive vote in case they have clear favourites. I hope they will favour interesting stage numbers like Oscar and Ace but your guess is as good as mine.

Tobson predicts:
1) Frans
2) Oscar Zia
3) Ace Wilder

Sweden, Finland, Norway and everyone else: weekend update

I should of course have been blogging my happy little heart out after the Finnish national final where my winner - who I frankly didn't dare fully hope for whatever I may have written beforehand - stormed to the top of the scoreboard despite only placing third in the televote.

The semi final is always a struggle for Finland. It never feels safe. It never feels like we can relax until the blue cross on a white background pops out of an envelope and we can all breathe again. Let's be honest about that.

Out of the nine songs in the running of the UMK final, I am convinced Sandhja has the best chances of making it out of the semi. If she's a borderline qualifier, so be it. Saara Aalto's song and performance were just too messy for an ESC stage and Finland has a long history of getting brutally ignored when sending in beautiful ballads à la Mikael Saari.

Maybe it would have been nicer had the televote winner won the whole thing, but then again. If we learned anything at all last year it is that the televoters are not always right.

I'm confident Sandhja will make us all proud - with a bit of coaching - and whenever I feel in doubt I imagine her backing vocalists dancing behind me, bursting into their trademark "Yeah!".

Sweden had it's final semi. Now we heard all their songs and I can not pretend not to be disappointed by the overall standard. The final will be good with very radio friendly songs, most of which are fairly similar. Not sure that it is how to compose the perfect national final.

Everyone seems to have found a new favourite in Frans - the Swedish equivalent of ByeAlex - and I'm charmed too. But more by the guy than by the song. Hopefully it will grow on me.

Tobson's current top 3 in the final:
1) Ace Wilder / Don't Worry
2) Oscar Zia / Human
3) Robin Bengtsson / Constellation Prize

Honestly - I never listened carefully to the songs in the Norwegian final. I saw the press conference and thought I'd look into it and then I never did. The only song I heard - and loved - was Laika by the Hungry Hearts.

Honestly, part 2. I never thought Laika would win. I love it and it is very dear to me. The studio version is pure gold and even the slightly clunky live version is most likeable. But I never for a second thought Norway would actually select this.

What about the winner, then? It is nice. Pleasant. Well sung. Agnete was lovely already back in the day when she won MGP junior and still have her aura in tact. I am not friends with the tempo change in the chorus as yet but maybe that will be fine too with some more listenings?

As for the other national finals I can conclude that the Swedish schlager is not dead, as many feared it to be. It just moved to Moldova. Not sure it is a winner on an international scale but it is nice enough to possibly take Moldova back to the final. The Slovenian entry is another pleasant effort that is easy to like but perhaps harder to remember.

The real exclamation mark is instead the Latvian entry. Suddenly it is emerging as an early favourite to win the whole shebang in Stockholm in May, it is also a second consecutive triumph for the majestic Aminata who got a well-deserved 6th place in Vienna. Now she is back as a most original and impressive songwriter. Latvia is bound to do well again.

UMK 2016: a very tight race

It is easy to focus on the wrong things during a set of semi finals. This year's Finnish semis have been weird television to put it bluntly. There has been a lot of disorganised talking, a wild audience that sometimes seemed more or less out of control and - strangest of all - some fifteen minutes of analysis once the results were in and the climax had already passed.

Watching last night's UK final as well as the German equivalent on Thursday I came to realise that Finland still has surprisingly good material to work with. The final lineup is not bad and with a bit a work, several of these entries could work also in an international context.

What we lack is - unfortunately - that one song that would obviously have a chance of winning in Stockholm. Finland is also in its familiar tricky position of singing in the first half of the first semi, surrounded by countries that tend to do well every year. Tonight's task is to find the song that will get Finland out of the semi.

How to make sure that happens is the big topic of discussion. Out of the nine songs at hand at least four feel like hot favourites to win. And in a race as tight as this, there is always the risk of a split vote and a surprise winner emerging from the shadows.

01. Cristal Snow / Love Is Blind
Felt like a real contender at first but was let down by an underwhelming performance. Probably not helped by opening the show, Cristal will probably have to content himself with a more modest placing tonight.
Grade 3/5
Chances: modest

02. Stella Christine / Ain't Got Time For Boys
A laid-back song, pleasantly sung by a girl hiding behind her guitar. Not bad as such but hardly a successful way of getting out of that semi final in Stockholm.
Grade 1/5
Chances: none

03. Annica Milán & Kimmo Blom / Good Enough
A well written but very generic power ballad performed by a duet more preoccupied with looking into their stage prop mirrors the right way than singing with conviction.
Grade 2/5

Chances: modest

04. Eini / Draamaa

If Finland's own one-woman-Baccara can hit the notes a bit better and add a little bit more energy to her performance tonight, this could be the big surprise in the making. In the case that the big favourites split the votes between them and this is the song everyone can like at least a bit, then there could be plenty of draamaa before this show is over.

Grade 3/5

Chances: potential surprise winner

05. Barbe-Q-Barbies / Let Me Out

In what could hardly be described as a surprise move, Mr Lordi stated his support for this rock band to win the UMK final. They wouldn't be a bad pick either. Rock is still a beloved genre in the land of a thousand lakes and an energy pill like this could be what Finland needs.

Grade 3/5

Chances: potential winner

06. Tuuli Okkonen / Don't Wake Me Up

A pleasant ballad - a bit lacking in vocal perfection during the semi - perfectly placed to let the audience calm down a bit before bringing the three top favourites into the game.

Grade 2/5

Chances: none

07. Sandhja / Sing It Away

My personal favourite on the night - gotta love crazy backing vocalists like these - is also the biggest favourite on Spotify. It got streamed more times than any of the other entries so far. I cross my fingers that everyone else will feel as uplifted as I do by this pop gem.

Grade 4/5

Chances: likely winner

08. Saara Aalto / No Fear

This is the make or break-moment for Saara Aalto. Coming after the very relaxed and energetic Sandhja, the risk is enormous that this will feel forced, frantic and calculated. If Saara relaxes, focuses on the vocals and appears to be in control this package could turn out to be unstoppable tonight.

Grade 3/5

Chances: potential winner

09. Mikael Saari / On It Goes

I just can't decided whether this is the perfect place in the running order or the place that will ruin it all for Mikael Saari. He sings wonderfully but what will people ultimately make of the song? Is it irrelevant in a contest like this in 2016 or an oasis after all the pop entries?

Grade 3/5

Chances: likely winner

I believe Finland's best chances of making it to the final in Stockholm are Sandhja and Barbe-Q-Barbies while a more controlled Saara Aalto could be a successful gamble as well. As much as I enjoy Mikael Saari's vocals and presence, I feel the risk of him not qualifying as really big.

Since I feel this final is too close to call, I will just rank the entries after how I think they would do in Stockholm: 1. Sandhja, 2. Barbe-Q-Barbies, 3. Saara Aalto, 4. Mikael Saari, 5. Eini, 6. Cristal Snow, 7. Annica & Kimmo, 8. Tuuli, 9. Stella Christine.

For more info see the official UMK website. Tonight I will also live tweet during the final.

Finland & Sweden: second semi roundup

The second week of UMK reminded all the viewers that there are good and ambitious artists in Finland who can take to the stage like it was the most natural thing in the world and perform the life out of any old song there is.

Just a shame Robin was just an interval act and not actually taking part. I kept asking myself whether he would or not. What would an established pop starlet have to gain from being in UMK?

At least not being a newcomer in front of the camera seems to help. The thing all three qualifiers had in common was that they had sung on tv before and all managed to communicate some sort of more relaxed attitude towards performing. And that possibly convinced the viewers to vote for them.

Out of the entries in the running, Mikael Saari was miles ahead of the others vocally but had I been in charge I would clean up his act. The dancing and theatrics only detract from the real thing. Give the lad a microphone stand and let him work the cameras instead.

Tobson's current top three in the final:
1) Mikael Saari / On It Goes
2) Saara Aalto / No Fear
3) Eini / Draamaa

In Sweden on the other hand everything seemed to be going just according to plan. The low energy I detected in Gina Dirawi was long gone and her co-host/guest performer Charlotte Perrelli sparkled like there was no tomorrow.

The songs were surprisingly non-sparkling but just like in Finland one stood out by a mile and Isa felt like the natural qualifier. Until she only made it to Andra Chansen beat by a really average dance track and a special effect.

Isa not making it to the final as well as Krista Siegfrids getting left in fifth place in favour of Molly PH's rather bland album track were bad surprises and left a taste of disappointment after the show.

Tobson's current top three in the final:
1) Ace Wilder / Don't Worry
2) Robin Bengtsson / Constellation Prize
3) Wiktoria / Save Me

Sweden: Melodifestivalen, semi 2

New week, new short clips, new first impressions. Last week, my first impressions weren't exactly spot on when it came down to predicting any sort of result but that had more to do with me not believing in Sweden's ability to embrace a slick quality song. My bad.

This week I ask myself whether there is any point at all in listening to these short clips. Even after a second listening I couldn't hear anything that sounded really interesting. There was nothing that stood out in the way that I would long to hear the full three minutes of these songs.

So I listened a few more times and this is what I make of this week's line-up:

01. David Lindgren / We Are Your Tomorrow
Surprisingly similar in beat to Samir & Viktor's effort last week. I have never been a huge fan of David's entries in the past - I find him a bit too polite to make an impression - but this sounds like a decent chorus at least.

02. Viktor och Natten / 100 %
Viktor is sweet and so is the song in its own little way. This will be three pleasant minutes that not many people will remember by the end of the presentation.

03. Molly Pettersson Hammar / Hunger
Interesting how Molly can display so much personality outside of stage without bringing any of it with her into the song. It sounds slick and radio friendly but also fairly anonymous.

04. Isa / I Will Wait
All I get out of this clip is the feeling that a short snippet is nowhere near enough to do this justice. It needs its build-up, progression and the climax I am really expecting, having read everyone else's reviews.

05. Krista Siegfrids / Faller
Clearly the best energy out of all these clips which is hardly surprising given Krista's track record. Promising but doesn't this sound more like a verse than the chorus it is meant to be?

06. Patrik, Tommy & Uno / Håll mitt hjärta hårt
Three good voices but a pretty lean-sounding clip on the total. Like a Balkan ballad with no flute. And with no bite.

07. Wiktoria / Save Me
Good voice but this chorus sounds like an updated remake of any of the disco hits at any given moment of the late 1970's. Maybe it will unfold tonight but so far I had expected more.

Last week I felt far from blown away after hearing the short snippets and I feel the same way now. My problem last week was that only two of the songs really developed into personal favourites of mine (Ace & Robin). Now I hope that Isa and Krista will knock me out in the end.

Other thoughts: Will Wiktoria's high tech light show make her performance too static? Are the fans of Patrik, Tommy & Uno passionate enough to vote a lot? Will the charm of David Lindgren do the trick again? And will the average viewer even remember that Molly PH failed last year and would deserve some consolation this year?

Tobson predicts:
Final: Isa and Krista
Andra Chansen: David and Wiktoria
5th: Molly
Out: Patrik, Tommy & Uno and Viktor och Natten

After 14:00 CET the longer clips will be available at the official melodifestivalen website.

Finland: UMK, semi 2

The first week of UMK felt a bit chaotic, the second week will miss out on its star presenter who is busy cutting a career for herself in the Swedish final. So what is in store for us viewers this week?

There will be some nerve-wracking moments as we will find out if the better songs in the running will survive their live performances. Will the singers deliver vocally and will the stage presentations work in favour of the songs or against them?

Just like last week, I am unsure what the real running order will be so here are the songs presented in the same order as they come on the official UMK website.

Attention 2 / Ready For The Show
It starts out quite nicely, this little pop number. The verse sounds promising enough but then the chorus is too flat and the song lacks any kind of progress or development. Also neither the video clip nor the UMK press conference would suggest that this Finnish equivalent of Tomalchevy sisters would be ready for the big time.
Grade: 1/5

Cristal Snow / Love Is Blind
When an entry has as obvious an agenda as this one has, it really needs to be genuinely strong in order not to become tiresome preaching. This is a powerful song, slightly marred by some lines that seem to contain too many words. My big worry here is the vocal delivery - not so much Cristal's own but whether the backing singers will be powerful enough. Could easily aspire to a higher grade if everyone delivers on stage.
Grade: 3/5

Annica Milán & Kimmo Blom / Good Enough
A classic pop anthem of a kind that thrived in Melodifestivalen some ten years ago. It could be Pernilla Wahlgren and Jan Johansen performing this. It could be Crosstalk. Not my cup of tea really but good voices could lift it into the final.
Grade: 2/5

Rafaela Truda / Rise Up
Snappy production and a good voice are the good signs here. There is a chorus that is easy to retain and hold on to. The problem is that this entry and performance could rapidly find itself being all over the place. Rafaela will need a lot of authority to keep this together, if she does we could all be in for a surprise.
Grade: 3/5

Ylona / Blazing Fire
Maybe I'm just an old cynic but I have had it with young performers singing passionately about how wonderful it is to stand on stage and sing. I can hardly think of a less interesting subject for a song. Ylona does nothing wrong but it would take a close to superhuman force to set this number ablaze.
Grade: 1/5

Mikael Saari / On It Goes
Three years after his first attempt, Mikael Saari has grown from a boy into a rather adorable young man and has a magnificent voice and presence that I look very much forward to. Unfortunately his new song is trying a bit too hard and lacks some of the originality and freshness of his first entry.
Grade: 3/5

Tobson predicts:
Last week all qualifiers were female. This is the time where the boys strike back. My guess is that Mikael Saari and Cristal Snow are the obvious choices, probably joined by the Milán & Blom duet (even if I would personally would prefer Rafaela Truda).

This week's performers almost compete in different contests, though. If Attention 2 would come across as bubbly and adorable they could suddenly find themselves in the final while it's enough for Mikael Saari to slip on a single critical note to make his chances go out the window.

Austria selects for Stockholm

Tonight Austria will select their entry for Stockholm. Funnily they retain the same selection modus that gave them a big fat zero on home ground last year - the first time in the history of the contest that the host country fails to score.

But then again, everyone can have a bit of bad luck. Last year's Austrian selection was fun to follow. Interesting artists, quite good songs. It is better to evaluate the actual show rather than the ensuing ESC result.

However, few countries have had so much bad luck through Eurovision history as Austria has. When selecting internally, ORF often came up with odd choices that were not in line with what people wanted to vote for. And most of the years they organised national finals, they also failed to pick the best candidate on offer.

Conchita Wurst was the rare bulls eye that broke through to people all over the continent and spoke to large audiences everywhere. Not sure a similar pearl in the making is hiding in tonight's final - I only heard the songs very quickly some time ago so I can't say for sure - but hopefully there will be a good enough winner for Austria to get through to the final and keep the national interest that suddenly seems to be there alive.

Personally I keep my fingers crossed for the lovely Zoë who had an excellent song last year (and should have won then) and who hopefully will get her revenge this time around.



Zoë - Loin d'ici (Austria national final 2016)

Finland & Sweden: first semi roundup

That was it - in both Finland and Sweden the eurovision season started with a bang last night, and we have our first finalists in both countries. I watched Melodifestivalen live and then UMK delayed and here are my first impressions.

UMK seems to have maintained the ambition to be a more exciting and entertaining tv show it aspired to be last year. At least at first. Unfortunately, after a promising start the show fell apart a bit. Started lacking in tempo. Started lacking in contempt. Hopefully that was just a temporary glitch.

Another thing I was missing in this first semi was the strong determined voice of a producer. Someone who can tell people in advance when their ideas won't work. Mikko Herranen's failed hoverboard stunt must be one of the most cringeworthy moments on Finnish live television ever.

But also someone that could remind inexperienced singers where the cameras are and what they are good for and why you should throw them a look every now and then.

Having said this, the right songs qualified for the final even if all of them have work to do for the final. Saara Aalto must learn how to cool down and not come across as so frantic on tv. Eini needs to hit the notes better and Stella Christine really must get rid of that guitar she's hiding behind. But all in all, a promising start.

Tobson's current top 3 in the final:
1) Saara Aalto / No fear
2) Eini / Draamaa
3) Stella Christine / Ain't Got Time For Boys

Sweden kicked off their celebration year as the modern melodifestival with semi finals on tour turns 15 this year. With Gina Dirawi, Petra Mede and loads of nostalgia, nothing could go wrong here.

Or could it? The show was slick and entertaining - you can tell Edward af Sillén is back in charge - but sometimes it felt like the energy was a bit low. Was I expecting too much or did anyone else sense the same thing?

Also, the big Anna Book disqualification thing took a lot of space in the show. A bit too much, perhaps. Anna got to sing her entry outside of competition and is doing a whole lot better in the charts than she probably would have, had she not been disqualified. Let that be enough of a reward.

The general level of songs was OK but not overwhelming. It doesn't have to be in a first semi, the audience will enjoy themselves anyway. But next week I'd long for a slightly stronger selection.

The two songs that made it straight to Globen were clearly in a league of their own. And yet I thought Robin Bengtsson's entry would be too slick and elegant for Swedish voters. I haven't forgotten the shock non-qualification of Josef Johansson's "Hela natten" two years ago and was very happy to see that the general taste of the general public has improved since.

Ace Wilder is a temple of coolness. Perhaps there isn't much of a traditional chorus in her song, but I love how she makes it work anyway.

The only thing I would have changed? Mimi to Andra Chansen instead of Samir & Viktor. But I won't let that ruin the mood.

Tobson's current top 2 in the final:
1) Ace Wilder / Don't Worry
2) Robin Bengtsson / Constellation Prize

Spain organised a final - and I say yay

It's been almost a week since the Spanish final was held so maybe my reaction is a bit slow. But I have finally decided that the broadcast was a success and a good step to take.

I have understood that the national broadcaster RTVE is not exactly at the height of its glory right now. Seldom a ratings winner, seen by many as a mouthpiece for local politicians rather than an objective news provider, not seldom getting suspected of having some sort of agenda.

These are not my theories, these are things I picked up from here and there across the social media and other internet hangouts. But maybe they would need some quality flagship programming that could bring in viewers and help rebuild the brand.

Having a popular national final for Eurovision is not a bad weapon at all. And for a first step in that direction, the Spanish final was not bad at all. I'd just like to point out a few ways of making it even better for years to come.

Make it bigger.
In a record industry like the Spanish it couldn't be hard to find ten or twelve entries that were good enough. This way, you can have a more quick-paced show with a more intense tempo and make better use of the broadcast time.

Make it local.
There is loads of songwriting talent in Spain. You really don't need tired rewrites like "Victorious".

Make it better.
Use more time to rehearse. Help the artists out with choreographers and stylists. Try to make every entry look as good on-screen as is only possible. Performing on a top notch tv show with high ratings is something many singers will want to do.

As for the winner, I say it was the only possibility that made sense. "Say Yay!" is a happy, contemporary and catchy track, balancing on the fine line between being infectious and being terribly annoying. Which is not a bad thing if you want to have a hit single.

What it needs now is a complete makeover. It needs better backing vocalists, it needs better styling, it desperately needs a choreographer with an idea of what looks good on television. All of this without removing the strong personality of Barei.

Do this badly and we will be looking at a Spanish version of Ann Sophie. Do it well and we could be looking at a contender, possibly Spain's best chance of success since Beth.



Barei / Say Yay (Spain 2016 - studio version)

Finland: UMK, semi 1

2015 was a really good year for UMK. It really was. There was a huge boost concerning production values and content, the new presenting style and absence of more or less irrelevant "experts made for a much better tv show. The lineup was also an interesting mix of very different kinds of Finnish contemporary music.

Then there was the tiny drawback that the eventual winner represented very little of all this and ended last in its semi final in Vienna. You can't get everything right at once, I suppose.

Another problem is that very few of the songs managed to find commercial success of any kind after the contest. It would be better for a hit contest to actually produce hits, but this year's lineup seems even stronger. Maybe this is the year things turn for the better?

Like last year, it seems Yle won't reveal the running order until the broadcast starts so here are my reviews in the order the songs are presented on the official UMK website.

Saara Aalto / No Fear
Nobody wants this like Saara Aalto does. She really wants to break through and become a star and be loved by the masses. She was the runner-up to Paradise Oskar back in 2011 but this is clearly her best shot to date. Her song is bold and effective and sounds a bit as if Kate Bush had written the soundtrack to Disney's Frozen. Not the most instant song ever but most rewarding and not a bad gamble for Eurovision.
Grade: 4/5

Mikko Herranen / Evil Tone
Some sort of rock ballad. That's how I would describe it. I think. Every time I try to remember what it sounds like, it escapes me. That can never be a good sign.
Grade: 1/5

Stella Christine / Ain't Got Time For Boys
A good voice and a very pleasant style but another song that just isn't strong enough. It sounds good for as long as it goes on and then it fades, but if Stella Christine sings as well live as on the studio recording this could be a surprise in the making.
Grade: 2/5

Eini / Draamaa
Given Eini's omnipresence in Finnish showbiz since the late 1970's - where she landed a big hit with the local version of Baccara's Yes Sir, I Can Boogie - it is surprising this is only her second attempt to make it to the ESC. She found herself a more than decent contemporary pop schlager in a stylish arrangement and while the chorus could have been stronger it would be deeply unfair if she didn't make it into this week's top three.
Grade: 3/5

ClemSO / Thief
This former member of a Nigerian boy band has a very pleasant voice I'd love to hear more of. His entry is well produced but again lacking that final handle or push or surprise needed to stand out.
Grade: 2/5

Pää-Äijät / Samppanjataivas
Song-wise this one has it all: an infectious rhythm, a hit sound and a most effective hook. Personally I have had it up to here with this kind of male performer that is "weird" and "funny" and "crazy" but even I must admit this is a functioning package.
Grade: 3/5

Tobson predicts:
It is always hard predicting when the only thing you have to go on are the studio versions and video clips provided by Yle. Who will be able to pull their performance off once the cameras are on?

Having said this, I think the top trio of this semi final will be Saara Aalto, Eini and Pää-Äijät. Saara can sing, Eini is very experienced and Pää-Äijät's song sounds like a hit single.

However - if ClemSO or Stella Christine manage to burn through the screen and make their songs work, either one could potentially steal Eini's spot in the final. Which would really be a shame.

Sweden: Melodifestivalen, semi 1

A few years ago, I stopped listening to the (almost) full-length clips of the Melodifestivalen entries that appear on the SVT website and content myself with the 30-second snippets presented each Thursday.

It does make it harder to predict, but who said things should be easy in the first place?

Most of the songs this week are about to get eclipsed anyway as one of the entires got disqualified two days prior to the semi. Anna Book's "Himmel för två" had already been published online when entered for the 2014 Moldovan final and was found ineligible to compete now.

All songwriters entering Melodifestivalen must sign a contract where they guarantee that their songs comply with the rules. This team claim they had no idea the song was made official back then and maybe that is true. However, a new rule paragraph stating that no song can be entered into Melodifestivalen if it has been entered to (and rejected from) another country's final could possibly come in handy.

It was in no way a major favourite that was pulled out of the running, but its absence could very well upset the balance between the other songs. Not least since it will be performed on the show and get compared to the others, only having the audience sympathy on its side.

01. Samir & Viktor / Bada nakna
Their entry last year was no big favourite of mine and I don't think this one will be either. Of course it is instant, catchy, easy to grab on to and a hit in the making. To me it just sounds like Basshunter kept evolving in the shadows, waiting for a chance to destroy us all.

02. Pernilla Andersson / Mitt guld
Proper and clean-cut singer/songwriter-material in Swedish. Very pleasant but hardly the song that will have the audience reach for the voting app.

03. Mimi Werner / Ain't No Good
A brave attempt to bring in some country music that wouldn't sound as polished and polite as the genre usually does in MF. The intention is good but this sounded very messy in the short clip.

04. Albin & Mattias / Rik
Sounds like a song that would be a hit on Swedish radio. Unfortunately that is probably its biggest problem: it sounds more like a radio song than something that would grab the viewers during a Saturday night tv show.

05. Anna Book / Himmel för två - Disqualified
A pretty average and very old-fashioned schlager that went from underdog to many people's favourite. Will be performed during the show but not until all other songs were heard.

06. Robin Bengtsson / Constellation Prize
Another stylish, likeable and radio friendly song with a not too distant kinship with Måns Zelmerlöw's recent output. Could suffer badly from coming directly after song 04 with no bouncy schlager in between them.

07. Ace Wilder / Don't Worry
Ace is going for gold with a spectacular stage show and a song that is likely to open up more when you hear it in full. Most likely the hit of the week but it is impossible to tell from this short snippet.

I decided to believe everyone who says Ace Wilder is in a league of her own this week, not least because I adored her entry two years ago. Apart from that - and the sad fact Pernilla is likely to grab that last place - I have no idea how to guess. Nothing really punched me in the face so far, so to speak.

My guess is that the charm of Samir & Viktor will work again and that the unfortunate new running order will make it a whole lot harder for the two radio songs to make an impression.

Tobson predicts:
Final: Ace Wilder and Samir & Viktor
Andra chansen: Mimi Werner and Albin & Mattias
5th: Robin Bengtsson
Out: Pernilla Andersson

During Saturday afternoon, the longer clips will be available at the official SVT website.