It is not only in Sweden that has fallen in love with Måns Zelmerlöws latest single "Happyland". The song has now reached the first place on the German iTunes! "Happy Land" continues to climb up on the other major music charts.

Today's investments in Germany:

iTunes - Location No. 1 

Shazam - place No. 13 

Amazon - place No. 22 

Happyland is the fifth and last single of the album Chameleon and recently released the song's music video, which is a post-apocalyptic fiction. It is the film production POPE Productions together with Mans Zelmerlöw have created the scenes recorded from both Sweden and Iceland. 

"Happy Land" video credits: 

Director / Edit: Robin Olofsson POPE
Producer: Donald Österby, POPE
Director of Photography: Fredric Johansson, POPE
Director of Photography, Camera Operator: Simon Luatrup
Animation Studio - www.acecat.se VFX - Mark Rosen
VFX - Rickard Ersson
Junior VFX - Seth Brusewitz, POPE
Make-up: Bethel Bairu
Styling: Tina Rydergård
Colorist: Sander van Wijk, Media Monks
Sound Design: Philip Beach
Stunt: Hamza Sultana

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Eurovision Song Contest 2016 tonight was awarded the Golden Rose for best entertainment program. The prize was awarded at a gala in Berlin and among there to receive it was executive producer Martin Österdahl and TV host Måns Zelmerlöw.

- We are among the winners from all over Europe and honorary laureate John Cleese and have won Europe's oldest television price! It's absolutely magical, and a real reward. This award is for all who have worked to make Sweden and SVT a global leader when it comes to the Eurovision Song Contest, greets executive producer Martin Österdahl from Berlin. SVT's production of this year's Eurovision Song Contest was a huge success and was hailed by the media and the audience, both in Sweden and worldwide. The semi-finals and final were seen by over 200 million viewers and now production has thus won one of Europe's oldest and most prestigious television awards, Gold Rose (Rose d'Or). Other nominees in the category were the concert "Adele at the BBC" and German "Mordkomission Berlin". To produce the Eurovision Song Contest is a huge apparatus, with hundreds of people involved and tons of technology. Executive producers for the broadcasts were Martin Österdahl and Johan Bernhagen. Competition manager Christer Björkman, Sven Stojanovic as producer.

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Måns Zelmerlöw has kicked off his European tour with style and grace. We were able to catch his show at the famed London gay club, Heaven, and it was just the sort of show to satisfy old fans as well as bring on board plenty of new ones who were in attendance just as friends of Eurovision/Måns fans, the likes of which were not about to miss his first solo tour performance in London.

Similar to the set list of his Swedish "Heroes" tour, Zelmerlöw kicked off the show with the cinematic and chic "Someday." As we've written before, "Someday" is one of the stand-out tracks of the album, "Perfectly Damaged," and an ideal choice to rev up an already eager crowd.

The set list brought an eclectic mix of songs from all of Zelmerlöw's studio albums. From "Miss America," "Brother Oh Brother," "Impossible, "Children of the Sun," and "Run For Your Life," the full spectrum of his development as an artist throughout his career was on display. He even delivered some covers, such as "Shut Up and Dance," "Human, and "Sunday Bloody Sunday." It's more clear than ever that Zelmerlöw has found his stride as an artist and as a vocalist, as the covers were all stamped with his style, and his more classic hits were revamped with a rockier edge more in tune with his current sound.

As Zelmerlöw's songs off "Perfectly Damaged" have more of an electro-pop infusion, it begged the question of just how he would pull off performing so many songs from this album using just a live band and no backing track. But any skeptics were silenced upon hearing the quality of each live performance, as Zelmerlöw has surrounded himself with a team of musicians that are more than up to the task of delivering high-quality interpretations of the studio versions.

There was never any doubt that Zelmerlöw would perform his three most popular songs, all of which he competed in Melodifestivalen with. His older entries were revamped with such gusto, "Hope and Glory in particular," that it had us downright craving for these newer adaptations to be recorded and made available for purchase.

"Heroes" may have been the song many concert-goers were most craving to hear, but Zelmerlöw actually ended the night on a more intimate note, with a performance of "Barcelona Sessions" single, "Broken Parts." Perched on the end of the stage, Zelmerlöw simply sat and poured out a performance drenched in emotionality.

Zelmerlöw also took the opportunity during his show to promote his ZB foundation, which works to build schools in various African nations, and also spoke up to offer his support for Syrian refugees.

We were able to briefly meet Zelmerlöw before his show, and he offered up a few snippets about his artistry. In discussing his songwriting, he doesn't mind being a bit more forthcoming in drawing inspiration from his personal life as he is a firm believer that it makes for better songs. "Something About This Town," a song off of "Barcelona Sessions," was written about his hometown in Sweden, Lund. He still says that winning Eurovision was a more surreal experience than winning Melodifestivalen, and remains coy about whether or not he will be a host for Eurovision 2016. Only time will tell till the big announcements start rolling in. But until then, don't miss out on the opportunity to catch this show on any one of his European tour stops.

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Måns Zelmerlöw is making the most of his Eurovision win. While many a winner to come before him have quickly faded back into relative obscurity, Zelmerlöw is capitalising instead. Following a tour throughout Sweden that saw him perform in front of hundreds of thousands of people by the tour's completion, promotional trips to many other countries including Israel and China, the release of his follow-up single "Should've Gone Home" and its music video, he is now on the verge of beginning the European leg of his "Heroes" tour.

There are many big-name stops indicative of having 'made it' in Sweden, including summer shows like Allsång på Skansen (which Zelmerlöw hosted for several years during his solo-career hiatus), Lotta på Liseberg, and the Rix FM festival, all of which Zelmerlöw made appearances on this summer. Another stop of significance is Radiohuset, a 'radio house' in Stockholm's bougie Eastern neighbourhood where many artists perform mini-concerts that typically consist of a multi-track set list.

Zelmerlöw paid a visit to Radiohuset on 4 September 2015 and began his show with the ethereal, spiritually divine, "Kingdom In The Sky." The song clearly draws musical influence from Zelmerlöw's time spent in Africa doing charity work with his "Zelmerlöw & Björkman" foundation. Following this, Zelmerlöw unleashed the explosive "Someday" onto the audience. Audience members unfamiliar with Zelmerlöw's non-single tracks were still undeniably affected by it, a testament to the song's raw power.

After slowing things down with a stripped back, acoustic take on the sunny and summery "Live While We're Alive," Zelmerlöw spoke with the radio program's host and was entirely charming and charismatic. With humour and wit delivered in spades, there was no room for doubt as to why so many rumours are swirling about Zelmerlöw being a potential Eurovision host for 2016.

To close off the show, Zelmerlöw next performed his most recent single "Should've Gone Home," the music video of which was released early due to extensive streaming of the song on Spotfiy by his fans, (who have been affectionately dubbed "Månsters"). Naturally, the biggest crowd-pleaser was saved for last, as his rousing rendition of "Heroes" had the crowd on their feet (no easy feat to elicit amongst a Swedish audience).

Throughout the performance, Zelmerlöw made good use of the space on stage, and interacted with both his band and the audience. If the quality songs and spot-on vocals weren't enough for you, the other thing to appreciate about the performance is the way his expressive movements demonstrate his oneness with his songs. Having now developed his own artistic identity has enabled Zelmerlöw to better connect with the material he performs and thus makes for a more moving show. See it for yourself at one (or more) of the stops on his upcoming European tour. If you have yet to do so, check the dates here.

Watch Måns Zelmerlöw's Radiohuset show here:

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We should've known better than to doubt the unrelenting work ethic of Måns Zelmerlöw. After reading the ever-loving daylight out of the ghastly single cover and then the lyric video (though in our defence, that was when we thought that this was all we'd have as opposed to a proper music video), Zelmerlöw has delivered a solid visual narrative to his follow-up single, "Should've Gone Home."

While the lyrics spin a tale of a man regretting his foray into infidelity, the music video delivers a surprisingly eerie twist on what could have been an echo of songs already sung by others. Much of the video shows Zelmerlöw moving in reverse from his confrontation with his jilted lover back through his drunken shenanigans to his decision to go out for a night on the down. That, or he is moving at a normal pace while those that surround him, be it Swedes or raindrops, move in reverse. The eeriness climaxes with Zelmerlöw's sit-down with himself as his lover's voice delivers whispered words, still in reverse. If the video-makers had only upped the ante a bit more, we'd have had a full-fledged horror classic on our hands.

We always have to commend Swedish artists for getting a video out to go with their singles, as Swedish labels are rarely willing to cough up the budget to get one made. But if a 3rd-highest-points-ever Eurovision victory isn't enough to get you a music video, then what is? (Though we'll forever be waiting for a music video for "Heroes" ~ Darin took years to get one out for "Nobody Knows" so there's still room for hope, people).

Only time will tell as for what other singles (and hopefully more music videos) will be released from "Perfectly Damaged." Of course our greatest hope is that "Someday" will be one of the elite, chosen ones. Come on now, "Fire and Gasoline"? That video concept has all but written itself!

Check out the "Should've Gone Home" music video here:

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Måns Zelmerlöw Follows Up Eurovision Victory

With Glossy-Indie "Perfectly Damaged" Album

The third time was the charm for Måns Zelmerlöw in Sweden's Melodifestivalen contest, and he was able to live up to the hype surrounding his "Heroes" number by winning the Eurovision Song Contest with the third-highest points total of any song in the competition to date (Zelmerlöw received 365 points following the likes of Alexander Rybak with 387 points and fellow-Swede Loreen with 372 points). But in this day and age, it's not enough to simply win Eurovision, as a lack of follow-through would amount to a career that is essentially a one-hit wonder as far as wide-reaching traction goes. Thankfully for pop music fans, Måns Zelmerlöw is no mere one-hit wonder.

Zelmerlöw has released his latest studio album, "Perfectly Damaged," and true to what he stated to us back during Melodfestivalen, the album combines the mainstream style and production value of "Heroes" with the musical indie qualities and creative integrity of his previous studio album, "Barcelona Sessions." There isn't a single bad track to be seen in the 12-track line-up but we've selected a few of the stand-out songs that would make for the best singles on a wide scale. (Though we're still astounded that a real music video for "Heroes" has yet to be made).

"Live While We're Alive": Bright, summery, and brimming with warmth, this track is a feel-good hand-clapping, foot-stomper that can uplift the listeners and bestow a positive aura unto them.

"Let It Burn": Måns Zelmerlöw has truly found a comfortable balance with his musical evolution and this track is exemplary of that. While the verses maintain that singer-songwriter feel with strong lyrics and minimal synthetic influences, the chorus infuses EDM sounds and a more simple lyrical aprproach. This eclectic mix shows Måns Zelmerlöw's eclectic understanding of varying musical genres.

"Fade Away": With excellent momentum and percussion to propel the song forward, the song starts off slower and less flashy before exploding into one of the best damn choruses you'll see on this stellar Swed-pop album.

"Someday": While some may debate that none of the "Perfectly Damaged" tracks can out-do "Heroes," if there is one that can give it a run for its money, it's "Someday." With powerful lyrics that create downright cinematic imagery, a backing instrumental arrangement intricately woven together, a groovy break-down in the bridge, and genius hybridisation of electro pop and organic pop, this is the song that could make us curse the Swed-pop deities forever if it's not chosen to be a single. If you love yourself, treat yourself and put this track on a loop and let loose.

There's something for virtually everyone on this album, with a couple morose ballads and some additional mid-tempo tracks that are also solid if that's your preferred flavour of pop. The tracks also neatly fit together without sounding like twelve copies of just one song. This is by far one of the best Swed-pop albums we've seen in the last decade and is an excellent pre-cursor of what will hopefully be a brilliant pop journey and post-Eurovision career for Zelmerlöw.

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Catch Måns Zelmerlöw on the European leg of his tour:

22 September 2015 ~ Olympia Theatre, Dublin, Ireland

24 September 2015 ~ Heaven, London, UK

25 September 2015 ~ Paradiso, Amsterdam, Netherlands

26 September 2015 ~ Kesselhaus München, Munich, Germany
27 September 2015 ~ Ottakringer Brauerei, Vienna, Austria
29 September 2015 ~ Große Freiheit 36, Hamburg, Germany
30 September 2015 ~ Volkshaus, Zürich, Switzerland
02 October 2015 ~ E-werk Köln, Cologne, Germany
04 October 2015 ~ Capitol Offenbach, Offenbach, Germany
07 October 2015 ~ Fabrique, Milan, Italy
09 October 2015 ~ C-halle, Berlin, Germany
11 October 2015 ~ Lucerna Music Bar, Praque, Czech Republic
15 October 2015 ~ Logomo, Teatterisali, Turku, Finland
16 October 2015 ~ The Circus, Helsinki, Finland
26 October 2015 ~ VEGA, Copenhagen, Denmark
03 November 2015 ~ La Riviera, Madrid, Spain
04 November 2015 ~ Sala Razzmatazz 1, Barcelona, Spain

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When last we reported on the 2015 Rix FM festival, artists had been announced for the first five stops but fans were left clamouring for word on the final five stops, including the three largest cities in Sweden (Stockholm, Göteborg, Malmö). But after countless pleas from fans for word on the other stops and cryptic replies with no sign of an update in sight, Rix FM has finally posted updated rosters for their ten-stop tour set to travel across Sweden this August. So here's how those shows are looking now:

Aug 4 - Sundsvall

Venue: Stora Torget
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 19:00
Artist line-up: Danny Saucedo, Molly Sandén, Dinah Nah, Simon Erics, Ulf Nilsson, Ida LaFontaine, *Axel Wikner*

**Wikner is a new addition to the Sundsvall line-up relative to the first wave of announcements.**

Aug 6 - Eskilstuna

Venue: Strömsholmen
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 19:00
Artist line-up: Molly Sandén, Albin, Dinah Nah, Simon Erics, Ulf Nilsson, Anton Ewald

Aug 7 - Jönköping

Venue: Hovrättstorget
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 20:00
Artist line-up: Darin, Molly Sandén, ISA, Jakob Karlberg, Linus Svenning, Simon Erics, Ulf Nilsson

Aug 8 - Växjö

Venue - Stortorget
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 19:00
Artist line-up: Darin, ISA, Jakob Karlberg, Simon Erics, Linus Svenning, Smith & Thell, Ulf Nilsson

Aug 13 - Norrköping

Venue: Vasaparken
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 18:30
Artist line-up: Darin, Molly Sandén, Simon Erics, ISA, Marietta, Anton Ewald, Jakob Karlberg

Aug 15 - Malmö

Venue: Stortorget
Event opens - 12:00
Concert starts - 18:00
Artist line-up: Danny Saucedo, Molly Sandén, Jakob Karlberg, Dinah Nah, Simon Erics, Anton Ewald, Ida LaFontaine

Aug 16 - Göteborg

Venue: Götaplatsen
Event opens - 11:00
Concert starts - 16:00
Artist line-up: Måns Zelmerlöw, Molly Sandén, Jakob Karlberg, Albin, Dinah Nah, Madcon, Simon Erics, Sabina Ddumba, Loreen, Zara Larsson

Aug 21 - Linköping

Venue: Kungsträdgården
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 18:30
Artist line-up: Molly Sandén, Dinah Nah, ISA, Anton Ewald, Simon Erics, Ulf Nilsson, Smith & Thell

Aug 26 - Karlstad

Venue: Stora Torget
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 19:00
Artist line-up: Madcon, Simon Erics, Mariette, Anton Ewald, Loreen, Ida LaFontaine, Jakob Karlberg

Aug 30 - Stockholm

Venue: Kungsträdgården
Event opens - 12:00
Concert starts - 16:00
Artist line-up: Måns Zelmerlöw, Bebe Rexha, Olly Murs, Albin, Mr Probz, Danny Saucedo, Simon Erics, Sabina Ddumba

The artists that have previously been announced for the Rix FM tour but have yet to be listed for any of the stops are The Veronicas and Mr. "12 points from Sweden goes to..." himself, Guy Sebastian. What's the deal, Australia? When and where are you coming? Your fans are waiting...

Which artists are you most excited to see on the RixFM tour? Are you happy with this year's line-ups? Let us know!

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Following a suspense-ridden few weeks of daily announcements for artists to be taking part in the annual Rix FM festival, Rix FM finally announced the specific artists for its few stops of the summer. So here's how things are looking so far:

Aug 4 - Sundsvall

Venue: Stora Torget
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 19:00
Artist line-up: Danny Saucedo, Molly Sandén, Dinah Nah, Simon Erics, Ulf Nilsson, Ida LaFontaine

Aug 6 - Eskilstuna

Venue: Strömsholmen
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 19:00
Artist line-up: Molly Sandén, Albin, Dinah Nah, Simon Erics, Ulf Nilsson, Anton Ewald

Aug 7 - Jönköping

Venue: Hovrättstorget
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 20:00
Artist line-up: Darin, Molly Sandén, ISA, Jakob Karlberg, Linus Svenning, Simon Erics, Ulf Nilsson

Aug 8 - Växjö

Venue - Stortorget
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 19:00
Artist line-up: Darin, ISA, Jakob Karlberg, Simon Erics, Linus Svenning, Smith & Thell, Ulf Nilsson

Aug 13 - Norrköping

Venue: Vasaparken
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 18:30
Artist line-up: Darin, Molly Sandén, Simon Erics, ISA, Marietta, Anton Ewald, Jakob Karlberg

Aug 15 - Malmö

Venue: Stortorget
Event opens - 12:00
Concert starts - 18:00
Artist line-up: TBA

Aug 16 - Göteborg

Venue: Götaplatsen
Event opens - 11:00
Concert starts - 16:00
Artist line-up: TBA

Aug 21 - Linköping

Venue: Kungsträdgården
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 18:30
Artist line-up: TBA

Aug 26 - Karlstad

Venue: Stora Torget
Event opens - 14:00
Concert starts - 19:00
Artist line-up: TBA

Aug 30 - Stockholm

Venue: Kungsträdgården
Event opens - 12:00
Concert starts - 16:00
Artist line-up: TBA

Previously announced artists who have yet to be listed for any stops include: Loreen, Måns Zelmerlöw, Olly Murs, The Veronicas, Mr Probz, Norlie & KKV, and Sabina Ddumba.

Stay tuned for updated listings!

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The points have been added up and a new Eurovision winner has been crowned! Our MuseLed favourite (as evidenced by our Melodifestivalen coverage), Måns Zelmerlöw, has won the Eurovision trophy, shot to number 1 in numerous countries, and gained the 3rd highest point-total as a Eurovision winner to date!

Semi-final 1's greatest injustice was our dear Uzari and Maimuna of Belarus being left behind in a mere 12th place. Admittedly, they would have been better off re-creating the drama and energy of the music video by bringing the hour glass, wind machines, pyro, and smoke to the live performance. As such, we couldn't be completely surprised by their lack of qualifying to the finals, though we were no less disappointed, especially when the droopy, downtrodden "Wars for Nothing" and shockingly pitchy "I'm Alive" managed to make it through.

As for semi-final 2, which was disproportionately better than semi-final 1, there were more than 10 performances worthy of advancing to the finals so there was bound to be some upset. The greatest injustice was to Mélanie René, who came last in the semi-final with only 4 points in total (by comparison, Finland's PKN received 13 points). Vocally solid, visually strong in regards to wardrobe and staging, and with one of the more energetic power-ballads of this year, she definitely deserved better. Young Molly Sterling also gave a commendable performance and it's a pity that she couldn't have been one of the border-line qualifiers (as opposed to the vocally and melodically weak Monika/"In the Name of Love" or the incessantly repetitive and cheese-ridden "This Time"). The Czech Republic received their best placing to date, coming in 13th, and both Marta and Václav gave tremendous live vocal performances. We're hoping those two will pull a Valentina Monetta and come back next year with bigger and better songs (preferably something more up-tempo and energetic!)

But now that the confetti has settled, let's take a look at those finalists who shone brightest on stage in front of millions of viewers on the night of the grand finals!

11. Knez - "Adio" (Montenegro)

We can't stress enough the importance of being different amongst a jam-packed line-up. Despite the fact that this was another ballad, the melody was one of that "Balkan Ballad" flavour that appeals to many and it was also one of the few songs to not be performed in English! While many other ballads consisted of pretty women with their recycled wind-machines, Knez stayed entirely on tune, his backing vocalists also sounded excellent, and best of all, the song didn't wait till the last 30 seconds to do an entirely predictable kick-up. Instead, viewers were treated to an infectious and delightful little jig at the 2-minute mark that had us sitting up and shouting, "Teach us how to Adio, Knez!"

10. Bojana Stamenov - "Beauty Never Lies" (Serbia)

Many a non-ESC-fan viewer tunes in to Eurovision in order to see a camp spectacle that's high-energy and unlikely to be seen anywhere else in mainstream music. "Beauty Never Lies" brought just that, complete with a wardrobe change on the part of the back-up dancers and a dance-beat brought in at the 2-minute mark. But what made this number translate especially well was Bojana's powerhouse vocals and the genuine emotionality she brought to the message of the song. It was composed just for her and you could feel that she meant every word of what she was singing.

9. Elnur Hüseynov - "Hour of the Wolf" (Azerbaijan)

Elnur has spoken on record about how for him, the message of his song was about animal rights and wanting to save the wolves. How adorable is that?! No one can doubt his vocal ability, particularly when he leaps into those vocal gymnastics. Though we were a bit confused by the use of the back-up dancers and what exactly their interpretive routine was meant to be portraying, the woodsy background, strong song, and slightest touch of 'what?', had us feeling tickled by the charm of this number.

8. Il Volo - "Grande Amore" (Italy)

Though a bit old-fashioned, who can deny the Armani popera majesty of Il Volo's "Grande Amore"? It's nice to see a younger generation bringing a more classic style of music to the public and for it to be embraced so tremendously. The staging was relatively simple but decent enough and Il Volo can now revel in the fact that with the highest number of televotes received, they have a tremendous opportunity to carry on bringing their music back to the European market.

7. Maraaya - "Here for You" (Slovenia)

Oh Maraaya, you'll always have a special place in our hearts for this infectiously catchy pop-number. Perhaps one of the things we'd have liked more for the number is that the space on the stage be used more and the backing percussion be turned up louder but with the mad-air-violinist, Raay's infectious smile, and Marjetka's vocals delivering character, (also the wind machine! Drink!), it was still an excellent number.

6. Elina Born and Stig Rästa - "Goodbye to Yesterday" (Estonia)

Delivering a cinematic staging to more throughly deliver the song's narrative, "Goodbye to Yesterday" was right to earn a spot in the top 10. Both Elina and Stig were terrific actors as well, which was showcased even more so by the spot-on camera work. Stig's slightly disinterested demeanour coupled with Elina's steely-to-emotional looks made for a powerful performance. (Also Elina was hot hot hot! Behold a 1960's-era goddess on that stage!)

5. Nina Sublatti - "Warrior" (Georgia)

We wanted to rank this even higher but considering there were a couple slightly-pitchy moments (we're assuming she had trouble hearing the backing track with all those epic, pounding drums), we had to put this 5th. Putting that aside, this was truly the feminist anthem of the whole contest and Nina Sublatti rallied us all to battle against the patriarchy with her fierce wardrobe, intense staging, and relentless intensity. Smoke, flashing lights, and a raging storm with lighting and wings in her backdrop? Nina Sublatti delivered quality drama and theatricality like no other!

4. Loïc Nottet - "Rhythm Inside" (Belgium)

We're so pleased that so many of our top-ranked songs before the competition aired ended up delivering such quality performances live! Loïc's live vocals were just as good as the studio version and he brought his artistic-weirdo ways to Eurovision and we absolutely loved it! With the message of the song being that it was okay to be different, Loïc stayed true to his artistry as his staging, choreography, and crazy-eyed mouth covering made believers out of many as he ended up finishing fourth in the whole contest!

3. Nadav Guedj - "Golden Boy" (Israel)

Though Israel has had a rough go in Eurovision for the last few years, Nadav and his infectious cultural-fusion dance-pop and high energy won over fans and juries to give Israel it's best results since 2008. Unsurprisingly, the staging included flashing golden lights and Nadav's wardrobe included bright gold trainers. There was such enthusiasm to the performance and uncontrived joy that it was no wonder that this number placed in the top 10. Here's hoping for all the best for Nadav and his career. Release more quality tracks like this and keep the party going!

2. Guy Sebastian - "Tonight Again" (Australia)

Brace yourself for vocal slayage because Guy Sebastian is in the house! This may have been Australia's one-off participation in Eurovision but Guy Sebastian and his phenomenal team of backing vocalists put nearly everyone else in the whole contest to shame! On top of the magnificent vocals, there was funky choreography framed by some street lights, and more soul in a single number than the oh-so-vanilla Eurovision has had in 60 years of contests. Thank you Guy Sebastian (and back-up singers) for taking the stage and showing Europe just what it means to be a show-stopper!

1. Måns Zelmerlöw - "Heroes" (Sweden)

What can we even say about this perfection that we haven't said already? The third time truly was the charm for Måns Zelmerlöw after being robbed twice of the opportunity to compete in Eurovision. But were it not for those other missed connections, we might not have ever been graced with the pop-perfection that is "Heroes." As Måns told us back during Melodifestivalen, the story behind the song and staging is that everyone can be a hero to the children and inspire them to make a better world, and the animated stick-figure is a representation of his younger self when he was bullied, lost all his friends, only for the power of friendship to turn things around and bring everyone together once again. With the plucky Spaghetti-Western guitar, sweeping hook, killer chorus, never-miss-a-note vocals (except when you're too choked up by the fact that you just won Eurovision), and spot-on choreography interwoven with a 21st-century animation show, this is the number that is propelling Eurovision into the future, and Måns Zelmerlöw into a whole other level of stardom. Now that we've effectively waffled yet again about this magnificent number, we'll take a moment to plug the fact that Måns' new studio album, "Perfectly Damaged," will be released on June 5 and is available for pre-ordering. Congratulations Måns, and all of team #MZHeroes, on this truly deserved victory.

Honourable mention: Conchita Wurst - "Unstoppable" / "Firestorm" (Austria)

Despite the fact that host-country Austria walked away from the competition with a whopping zero points, Conchita Wurst was an utter star from the first semi-final all the way through the finals of this year's Eurovision. (Seriously, can we keep her on as the green-room correspondent next year in Sweden?) Queen Conchita took to the stage after the 27 finalists had performed to treat us all with a fabulous rendition of her latest single, "You are Unstoppable," and Euro-dance bop, "Firestorm."

Until next year, that about wraps up our coverage of Eurovision 2015. Stay tuned for further MuseLed (pop) music reviews and coverage!

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Hello, Museled readers! It's time for yet another round of reviewing Eurovision entries and this time around, we're reviewing those that will be competing in semifinal 2. As a reminder to you, our 10-point scoring system is on a curve so as to better communicate how the songs relatively stack up against one another. A low score is not necessarily an indication of the song being bad (many of the ballads have received lower scores because of the abundance of and therefore greater competitiveness for them to stand out in the pack). So let's get started!

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01) Lithuania ~ Monika Linkytė & Vaidas Baumila - "This Time"

Overly saccharine, "This Time" is a country-pop-influenced love duet that's repetitive on a melody that doesn't elicit any real emotions. The performance itself is rather grating, reads forced and disingenuous, and the number as a whole is too dull to stimulate any further commentary.

Museled score: 4.5/10

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02) Ireland ~ Molly Sterling - "Playing With Numbers"

Though it's unclear if a ballad of this style can stand out enough so early on in the night, "Playing With Numbers" is a moving song, beautifully sung by Molly Sterling. The lyrics are also some of the strongest of this whole year; Molly is a skilled lyricist and downright poetic with her imagery. With the production of the song maintaining the spotlight on Molly's voice and the piano she plays, it allows listeners to stay focused on the narrative and it's also contemporary enough to fit right in with the songs of other big singer/song-writers of today.

Museled score: 7.5/10

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03) San Marino ~ Michele Perniola & Anita Simoncini - "Chain of Lights"

Confusing from start to finish, "Chain of Lights" is a song that lacks direction or a clear identity. It falls short of dramatic impact, the instrumentation would've been better off expanded, and the sporadic chiming in the background cheapens the song's production value. Also, Anita's spoken response to Michele's call lacks believability to the point of being downright laughable.

Museled score: 2.5/10

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04) Montenegro ~ Knez - "Adio"

One of the few songs to not make the jump to English, "Adio" stays true to its roots from start to finish. There are a wider use of instruments use that allow it to have a sound unlike any other entries, or perhaps anything you're accustomed to hearing (depending on what part of the world you are from). There's enough melodically minor content to create an alluring quality much like that you'd hear in a tango. The song also stood out to us immediately due to the fact that it is a regional style of music. We welcome this expansion to our musical catalogue!

Museled score: 7/10

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05) Malta ~ Amber - "Warrior"

No, your eyes aren't deceiving you; there is more than one song in this year's Eurovision with a "Warrior" title. The melody and vocals are not bad, but the song lacks a bottom half, as the percussion is too light and there's no real bass or lower register present. Despite there being cellos visible in the music video, we can hardly hear them. They really should've turned up the volume for those or perhaps added some low brass. Without such, the song is unable to make a stronger impression.

Museled score: 5/10

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06) Norway ~ Mørland & Debrah Scarlett - "A Monster Like Me"

Though "A Monster Like Me" has a musical production that stays smaller for longer than it probably should for this competition, the melody is quite haunting in its beauty. If you remove Eurovision from the equation, we likely wouldn't be critical of the song but being that this is such a competitive lineup, it might have been wiser for the song to have its arrangement spruced up so as to build into something larger at an earlier stage instead of waiting till the last 30 seconds to jump up and make a bang. However, this is a song that could easily translate well across the bigger music markets though perhaps not as a typical "Top 40" hit but something you'd hear on episodes of all your favourite TV dramas. (This is a compliment, there have been many a song of this more sombre style that we've gotten hooked on after hearing them on a TV show).

Museled score: 6.5/10

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07) Portugal ~ Leonar Andrade - "Há um mar que nos separa"

We really weren't sure what to expect from "Há um mar sue nos separa" since it was one of the last songs we heard of the entire contest's line-up but we quite enjoy the contrast within the song's melodic arrangement from the darker edge of the verses to the more optimistic feel of the chorus. The electric guitar accentuations are a nice touch, too, and Leonar's voice transitions very well from the grittier parts of the song to the lovelier.

Museled score: 6.5/10

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08) Czech Republic ~ Marta Jandová & Václav Noid Bárta - "Hope Never Dies"

The styling of the video helps with the drama of the song but for us, the disconnect comes in the fact that instead of just being a good duet with a dark edge, "Hope Never Dies" strays a bit too far into the doom-and-gloom territory. (A more appropriate title would've been "Hope Is Dead"). The problem with this is that this puts us off wanting to listen to it more. If our greatest takeaway from the song is that it's bleak, this doesn't make us want to rally behind it. But the music video is at least styled to match the song, and we rather like the flute line at the end. The vocalists have great power in their voices and there's solid musical drama.

Museled score: 5/10

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09) Israel ~ Nadav Guedj - "Golden Boy"

What's that sound? Oh just that of Nadav Guedj (who is only sixteen, by the way!) dropping the mic all over that lacklustre first half of semifinal 2! The utter cheekiness of this boy starting off the song with a fake-out to trick first-time listeners into thinking they're going to have to sulk their way through another snooze-worthy ballad only to kick things up into high gear with a punchy, urban-influenced verse that would fit right in with all the similarly-flaired top 40 music of the noughties! It's sheer genius! If that weren't enough, the choruses are a cultural dance party to celebrate Nadav's origins, as he does the same pretentious name-dropping that many an artist has done before him, but in this case it's not to make himself look more travelled than he is, but to elevate his own city. Are you impressed yet? Well the chorus also has it's own "Golden Boy" dance that'll have you swinging your arms around and having the time of your life! This is the stand-out party track of the year's contest; there's literally the sound of drinks being poured in the song. The number is also highly self-aware, as the 3-minute/gotta-go sendoff shows that it's not taking itself too seriously. Humility is always a nice touch! Bravo, Nadav!

Museled score: 9/10

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10) Latvia ~ Aminata - "Love Injected"

We wanted to like this song more than we did, as it's quite brave and experimental in its production. Though we respect the bravery, the song's greatest fault is the Aminata's vocal over-exertion in the choruses. It's quite painful to listen to; it's like we can see the vocal nodes forming with each botched high note. The studio version irons more of that out but once the live version comes, we have to turn the volume down or just off altogether. Perhaps if she would just lower the key (a lot), things would be more bearable.

Museled score: 3.5/10

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11) Azerbaijan ~ Elnur Hüseynov - "Hour of the Wolf"

This is another one of the stronger ballads of this year's ballad-heavy lineup. The backing chorus elevates the scale and scope of the song to another level. There's again, good use of instrumentation, and the old-fashioned militant beating of the snare drum combined with Elnur's top-notch vocals further enhance the song's impact. The music video is entirely beneath the quality of the song itself but that's just nit-picking at an already solid song.

Museled score: 7.5/10

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12) Iceland ~ María Ólafs - "Unbroken"

An uplifting, (too-)sweet pop number, "Unbroken" has a lovely melody and good use of harp. The main reason this song doesn't resonate with us more is the borderline-extreme youthfulness of the song. From the higher-pitched vocals to the almost Disney-channel-esque quality of the song, it sounds more like the big hit of the soundtrack of a children's film than something that we'd look to listen to as an adult. It's also another top-heavy song, but we're less critical of the lack of lower register because it doesn't seem like that's what the production team was going for.

Museled score: 6/10

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13) Sweden ~ Måns Zelmerlöw - "Heroes"

If you've been paying attention at all to us here on Museled, then you will know that we've been praising Måns Zelmerlöw's "Heroes" since it was just a wee little powerhouse-in-the-making, fighting to beat out its Swedish competitors in Melodifestivalen. We even interviewed Måns after he made it to the finals (but had yet to win and shatter numerous records in the process). But for those of you newcomers, "Heroes" is the song with it all. The production is modern, nicely blends organic instrumentation with synthetic sounds, the lyrics are both poetic and meaningful as the message of the song is that we can all be heroes and in turn set a better example for the youth, and seriously solid hook is made all the better by Måns' phenomenal vocals. There's also the matter of the animation and projection-mapping which further catapult the number into the future. Don't blink or you just might miss Eurovision history in the making!

Museled score: 10/10

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14) Switzerland ~ Mélanie René - "Time to Shine"

"Time to Shine" has decent drama in its lyrics and Mélanie's vocals are undoubtedly excellent. The songs also has a decent cultural element with some of its instrumentation and percussion. Our main wish is that the arrangers of the song had put more work into the song's lower register as it would have enhanced the impact the song is aiming to make. But we rather enjoy that guitar riff, as few did drama better than the 1980s!

Museled score: 7/10

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15) Cyprus ~ John Karayiannis - "One Thing I Should Have Done"

A sweet albeit minimal ballad, "One Thing I Should Have Done" relies predominantly on acoustic guitar and occasional stringed-instrument accentuations to accompany John's sweet vocals and heartfelt lyrics. To John's credit, he's entirely believable as a storyteller. This could easily be heard in the brief, downtrodden chunk of a rom-com before the starring couple inevitably reconciles. Being that is on the more minimal side, it may very well struggle to leave a strong-enough impression on viewers to trigger voting support but all in all, it's a sweet song to listen to.

Museled score: 5.5/10

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16) Slovenia ~ Maraaya - "Here for You"

"Here for You" has been an entirely welcome surprise. A fantastic blending of a retro groove combined with all the contemporariness of a radio-hit, the track is the product of wife/husband-duo Marjetka and Raay (an artist/nickname), hence the artist name "Maraaya." Marjetka's vocals are sharp and distinct, and many liken it to those of Duffy. Raay is the producer on the track as he can be seen playing the keyboard and percussive hooks throughout the performance. The live performance also has an "air-violinist," which is hilariously over-the-top and nicely embodies the joy and energy evoked by the song itself. In regards to musical merits, this is undoubtedly a top-10 track at the very least in this year's contest.

Museled score: 8.5/10

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17) Poland ~ Monika Kuszyńska - "In the Name of Love"

The narrative of "In the Name of Love" is of course deeply personal and moving as singer Monika shares the story of the car accident that left her in a wheelchair. But the musical production of the song itself leaves something to be desired and the vocals lack energy. The way the song has been sung, it's as if there was a complete lack of effort and the same goes for the producers responsible for arranging the track. Though we appreciate that the pick-up happened sooner than the 2:30 mark, it simply isn't enough. Musically speaking, this is perhaps one of the most forgettable songs of the group, even more so than many of the songs scored lower than this.

Museled score: 3/10

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Stay tuned for our next Eurovision write-up that will review the songs that are automatic qualifiers to the finale!

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Here at Museled, we've been bringing you weekly coverage on the glorious spectacle that is Melodifestivalen. But now that the contest has finished, and we'll have yet another year to wait for more songs, staging, and all-around Swedish silliness, what better way to send off this year's show than count down our top 12 songs from this year's line-up! There were so many solid (mostly) pop numbers in this year's contest and though not all could make the cut, we thought it only fitting to give recognition to some of the stronger songs that may not have made it to Friends Arena, but have certainly earned a spot on our playlist. So let the countdown begin!

12. Kristin Amparo - "I See You"

Kristin may have gotten off to a rough start in the competition, as her surprisingly shaky vocals earned her a spot at Andra Chansen instead of the finals, but her second time out more than redeemed herself. Not only were her vocals better, there was more life in her overall performance and by the end, she had sent our hearts soaring. There is a wide range in "I See You," as Kristin's voice can masterfully swell in the bigger moments but also flow in a quieter falsetto. We're not as surprised that this song didn't do as well in the contest, but we're hoping Kristin will return to Melodifestivalen with a more uptempo song that she can drop her incredible voice all over and show everyone what she's made of.

11. Kalle Johansson - "För din skull" (For your sake)

Little Kalle Johansson may be only 18 years old but he left quite the impression on us. The boy makes solid feel-good pop music with a boy-next-door charm and his voice bears the utmost sincerity as it sings those sweet melodies. The fact that his songs are in Swedish only enhance the authenticity of his artistry and so long as you know the translation of the song title, Kalle can communicate the emotion of the song and tell you the story regardless of whether or not you understand Swedish. "För din skull" is unassuming in its charm and warmth. Kalle's live performance was decent, given how young and upcoming he is. But for our sake, we hope this is just the beginning for him.

10. Linus Svenning - "Forever Starts Today"

We were rightfully critical of Linus Svenning's live performance throughout the competition, as he let everyone and everything around him carry his dead weight. But make no mistake, "Forever Starts Today" is a good song. It's bright, uplifting, and has a well-executed Celtic influence. He also sounds good singing it, and once you remove his lack of stage presence from the experience, Linus will have you up and motivated and ready to take on the world.

9. Jon Henrik Fjällgren - "Jag är fri" (I am free)

Before this year's contest, we had never heard of "Joiking" before. A Joik is a traditional form of Sami song, and for those unfamiliar, Samis are an Indigenous group of people that are mostly found in regions of northern Europe. A Joik doesn't often have lyrics and can bear some similarities to chanting found in other Native cultures. It's all very fascinating and we'd highly recommend reading up more on the subject but as for "Jag är fri," there's an almost transcendent spirituality to the song and the weight of the inspiration that Jon Henrik offers to so many underrepresented people only magnifies the impact of his song. The live staging of the song was quite beautiful as well, as Jon Henrik had meticulously developed various pieces of imagery to illustrate cultural staples of his Sami upbringing, from the Northern lights, the Sami dancers, his traditional attire, and even the tree. The music video is also representative of Sami life, as Jon Henrik can be seen tending to his reindeers amongst other things.

8. Rickard Söderberg & Elize Ryd - "One By One"

Though Elize Ryd is often billed as a "metal" singer, due to the fact that she sings vocals for a metal band, we'll tell you straight out that this is false advertising. Her voice has all the loveliness you want in a pop singer but unlike many an established popstar, she can actually carry a tune. "One By One" paired her up with opera singer Rickard Söderberg and both are more than capable of making dramatic musical impact. The production of the song is good but it's the the beautiful blending of their voices that is at the forefront of why this song is so strong. The live version was most certainly worthy of a better result than 5th in their heat, as we love a well-used wind machine to add more flair to an already enjoyable song.

7. Magnus Carlsson - "Möt mig i Gamla Stan"

Shame on anyone who ever thought that schlager would stop being relevant. Thank goodness for Magnus Carlsson, who arrived on time to prove to everyone that there's always room in life for a bit more sparkle. Magnus looked dapper as ever in his sharp suit, and rightfully advanced straight to the finale from his heat. The music video is of course set in Gamla Stan, stirring feelings of sentimentality in us of partying at a gay club while watching Eurovision. (That's what we did the last time we were in Gamla Stan). "Möt mig i Gamla Stan" starts off with alluring come-hither verses before transitioning into a pleasant, cheery chorus that reminds you all of why schlager will never die.

If that wasn't enough to convince you of the power of schlager, check out this viral (in Sweden) hit of one of the official sign-language-signers getting his groove on and having the time of his life signing to this slice of schlager heaven.

6. Samir & Viktor - "Groupie"

We did not expect this song to grow on us as much as it did. We had initially felt let down that "Groupie" wasn't as clubby as Samir & Viktor's first single, "Success," but lo and behold, these two managed to win us over. If there's one thing we can say for certain is that these two improved enormously during their time competing, from the semi-finals, to Andra Chansen, all the way through the finals, which concluded with them in bed together. Literally. The energy and enthusiasm of these two is unmatched and there's something truly endearing about how much fun they have on stage together.

5. Midnight Boy - "Don't Say No"

We've almost always hated Melodifestivalen songs that are heavily influenced from a past decade, but Midnight Boy's passion and commitment to the magic of the 1980's is felt in the synth-heavy, magnificently camp "Don't Say No." Midnight Boy is precise in his development of a sound that combines all of the magical melodrama of the 1980's without feeling like a relic. It's sleek enough to fit in nicely amongst all your favourite 21st century club songs and another strength of Midnight Boy is that he places high importance on the visual element of his art, too. From the live performance to the music video, Midnight Boy has laid out his vision in a manner that only serves to strengthen his music. Don't you worry, Midnight Boy, we'll never say no to you. Keep delivering that sweet, 80's goodness!

~ Read our Museled interview with Midnight Boy here ~

4. Molly Pettersson Hammar - "I'll Be Fine"

By far, the biggest 'WTF moment' of this year's Melodifestivalen was the elimination of Molly Pettersson Hammar, as a technical glitch of the contest's app prevented her from making it past the first round of voting in her heat. "I'll Be Fine" is a punchy, up-tempo song that is ripe with attitude, soul, and Molly's vocals are fantastic. Molly herself is also brimming with personality and energy, which translates well on stage, so all the ingredients are in place for her to be the next big female powerhouse in Sweden so long as she manages her career right. "I'll Be Fine" is modern, well-arranged, and sounds much like something that an established UK diva would drop and become the breakup-anthem of the year. Your ex didn't treat you right? Doesn't matter because Molly's got your back, and you're gonna be fine.

3. Andreas Weise - "Bring Out The Fire"

Andreas Weise is one of the biggest breakout stars for us in this year's Melodifestivalen. From his vocal ability to his on-point showmanship, the groove of the song, and the good use of instrumentation, this ended up being one of our favourite songs of the whole contest. It was downright criminal that this didn't make it to Friends Arena because we are confident that Andreas Weise was one of the few artists that could work a crowd of that size. It's our understanding that much of Andreas' back catalogue is a bit more old-fashioned, but we're hoping that this hybridisation of big band music with a modern groove will be present in more of what he puts out next.

2. Dinah Nah - "Make Me (La La La)"

Dinah Nah is undoubtedly the Queen of this year's contest. "Make Me (La La La)" was thoroughly well-produced and while that break-down is already strong to begin with, it was magnified a thousand times over with the most epic shaky-cam action of the year and some decent choreography to boot. Dinah Nah has made it clear that she's not a dancer, but though some might not realise this because of how heavily produced the song is, she's actually a solid vocalist. Dinah Nah can reign supreme as the only act to give us a banger this year. It's the type of song that grabs hold of you and compels to unleash all your stresses by dancing it out. It can be a highly cathartic experience, so surrender yourself to Queen Dinah Nah and go on and La La La!

1. Måns Zelmerlöw - "Heroes"

Don't pretend you didn't know this was coming. All the (mostly international) fans that have been clamouring for Måns Zelmerlöw to make a big come-back have been vindicated for the years of unwavering support. "Heroes" is a highly current, radio-friendly song, with it's plucky-guitared verses, big sweeping chorus, and Måns' so-good-it'll-change-your-life vocals. Yet again, the Debs (Joy and Linnea Deb) are billed as composers on the break-out hit of the year. Last year it was Ace Wilder's "Busy Doin' Nothin'" but while that song was a delightfully clever statement on the attitude older generations have about younger ones, "Heroes" has a more inspirational message: that of being a better example to our children so as to bring about change in the world. If that all weren't enough for you, "Heroes" has the hands-down strongest visual staging we've ever seen. With projection mapping, animation, lighting, and Måns making grey the new black, it's a visual treat from start to finish. Following Måns' multi-record-breaking victory, "Heroes" quickly rose to the top of the Eurovision betting odds and we'll be (loudly) cheering it on when it competes in Vienna in May. So treat yourself, be a hero, and watch this Melodifestivalen masterpiece again and again.

~ Read our interview with Måns Zelmerlöw here ~

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Which songs were your favourite of this year? Let us know in the comments section below and stay tuned for our commentary on this year's Eurovision!

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Måns Zelmerlöw On Melodifestivalen, International Fans, And The Story Behind "Heroes"

By far, the most talked-about and anticipated act of Melodifestivalen 2015 has been Måns Zelmerlöw, who has competed two prior times; in 2007 with "Cara Mia" and 2009 with "Hope and Glory." No stranger to competition, Zelmerlöw got his musical start in Sweden in 2005 on Swedish Idol (the Swedish branch of the 'Idol' franchise). After appearing as one of the hosts of Melodifestivalen 2010, he spent the next few years hosting Sweden's long-standing sing-along show, "Allsång på Skansen," and most recently released the album "Barcelona Sessions."

Now, he has returned to Melodifestivalen with "Heroes," a song co-written by the same songwriters that gave us last year's triple-platinum smash hit, Ace Wilder's "Busy Doin' Nothin'," and the song has now skyrocketed to the top of the charts. We already gave praise to "Heroes" off the preliminary 30-second rehearsal clip but now that the song has been performed in full, it's entirely evident why this is the favourite amongst many. "Heroes" combines equal parts strong vocals, a sweeping hook on top of a song that's borderline cinematic in its scope, strong visuals that include a charming animated character and a light show, solid camera work, and Zelmerlöw's phenomenal stage presence.

Having now secured a place in the Melodifestivalen finals, Måns Zelmerlöw was kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to give us this interview.

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Museled: Hello Måns, thank you for taking time to speak with us here at Museled.com ~ We're thrilled to have you!

Måns Zelmerlöw: Nice talking to you too! :)

Museled: Congratulations on making it to the finals! Relative to your previous times competing, how has this year felt different for you thus far?

Måns Zelmerlöw: The response has been huge! I've never felt that before. People are loving the performance and the song, and for the first time ever, they're also people my own age!

Museled: It's been six years since you last competed in Melodifestivalen, during which you were the host of Swedish sing-along-show "Allsång på Skansen"; how did this job influence your artistic and performing development?

Måns Zelmerlöw: Of course I gained knowledge and stage experience but most of all, it was an important stepping stone. I needed to host some TV to realise that singing and performing is what I love the most.

Museled: How did you come to decide that this was the year you'd come back to Melodifestivalen?

Måns Zelmerlöw: I felt I needed a big comeback in music after four years hosting TV, and in Sweden, Melodifestivalen is huge and probably the one place where you can actually make waves in the music industry. I just needed the right song. When I heard "Heroes," I realised that was it!

Museled: Even when you weren't competing, you still often found ways to be a part of the contest, such as being a host or songwriter. What is it that you love about Melodifestivalen that has made you stick around?

Måns Zelmerlöw: I like the competition-part; always having dreamt of becoming a tennis pro, this is as close as I get! Haha!

Museled: Tell us about your experience of hearing "Heroes" for the first time, with its Spaghetti Western guitar and that sweeping hook.

Måns Zelmerlöw: I had actually decided on another song and went to my AnR to play it. He said, "Great, but listen to this one." He played me "Heroes" and I loved it straight away. The hooky guitars in the verse and the epic chorus. Also the message is beautiful, that we all can be heroes and that we have to be role models to our kids.

Museled: Many are saying "Heroes" has the strongest visual component the show has ever had. How did this animation and lighting set-up come to be part of the number, and can you talk us through the narrative being told with it all?

Måns Zelmerlöw: The creators behind the number are Fredrik Rydman and David Nordström. I came to them asking for a new effect, something that hadn't been seen on a Melodifestivalen-stage before. Fredrik showed [me] some clips of projection mapping and I loved it! After telling the guys some stories of my life, Fredrik liked one in particular. Back when I was 11-12 years old, I was bullied and lost all of my friends for a year and a half. But during a summer break, I started playing tennis with a new guy and we became friends. The next semester, he started in my class and he made my old friends come back to me. The number is about that, how I invite the lone stick man to sit next to me in the beginning, and how that makes him stronger and brings back his friends. They all come marching in at the end.

Museled: You've had quite the musical evolution from your first few albums and then most recently with "Barcelona Sessions"; is "Heroes" emblematic of the type of music we can expect to hear from you next?

Måns Zelmerlöw: Well not really, I would say that the next album will sound like a hybrid of the "Barcelona Sessions" and the "Heroes" sound.

Museled: A lot of musicians in Sweden seem to skip making music videos for the singles they release; will "Heroes" have a music video? Do you have an album ready to release?

Måns Zelmerlöw: We've already released a lyric video but we're hoping to be able to record a real video soon. [It's] probably a bit dependent on if I'm competing in Vienna or not. The album is half-ready, [and] looking to be released in October.

Museled: In regards to your relationship with the international fans, how has it been for you to receive such diverse support throughout your career? Any memorable stories?

Måns Zelmerlöw: I have the most amazing international fans! One of them actually took a flight from Mexico just to come to ONE "Allsång på Skansen" show! It's crazy, really. I mean, my music hasn't been released in that many countries over the years but even so, it feels like my most hardcore fans are foreign.

Museled: There's already rumblings that not only could you win Melodifestivalen, but that you could win Eurovision itself. How does that make you feel and what would those victories mean to you?

Måns Zelmerlöw: Winning Melodifestivalen has always been a dream of mine and representing Sweden in Eurovision would mean the world to me. I do think that "Heroes" would be a great song for Eurovision! But I try not to focus on winning too much; if there's one thing I know about Melodifestivalen, it's that you NEVER know what the outcome is gonna be.

Museled: Thank you very much, Måns, and we look forward to your performance at the finals!

Måns Zelmerlöw: Thank you!

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Find Måns Zelmerlöw on Facebook here and follow him on Twitter (@manszelmerlow) and Instagram (manszelmerlow).

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That's right, Museled readers! Another week, and another set of picks for the next round of Melodifestivalen. The semi-finals are over and now only Andra Chansen (the second chance round) remains till the big finale in Friends Arena. But before we give you our selections for these duels, let's go over what happened last week.

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After a semi-decent (for once) opening number, the strongest heat of these first four weeks kicked off. It was almost unfair how much quality was packed into one heat when you consider how many weak songs and numbers have been able to advance because of the low overall standard in their respective heat.

First up was Midnight Boy's "Don't Say No" and the song was everything we wanted it to be. It fully committed to its 1980's synth-fuelled dance beat and the visuals accompanied it perfectly. Midnight Boy was an excellent performer as well. It's an absolute crime that this came last place in this heat but thankfully, the song has been doing well on Swedish iTunes.

 ~~ Read our Museled interview with Midnight Boy here! ~~

Caroline Wennergren's "Black Swan" made it past the first round of voting but sadly couldn't nab that other spot in Andra Chansen, which is a shame as we'd really have loved to see her perform this song again. She had such allure in her demeanour and also looked absolutely stunning on stage. This song was truly unique stylistically compared to everything else in the competition, in a good way. Combine the musical Chicago, a soulful big band, with just a dash of Danny Elfman, and you'll have "Black Swan."

JTR's "Building It Up" was vocally and musically better than the rehearsal clip made it out to be, made sense since we knew they could sound better than that just by browsing other videos of them on YouTube. The number was decent but we absolutely hate the "rap" break. Seriously, just drop it, break it, kill it with fire. Overall, it's a nice enough song but admittedly, it does sound a lot like the same young boy-band-pop that's come out in the last few years. It's nothing groundbreaking but a pleasant enough listen. The fact that this advanced direct to the finale wasn't exactly surprising given the voting power of the teenage-girl demographic in Sweden, but we'd still have put it to Andra Chansen instead. For your listening pleasure, we recommending the acoustic version, as it strips the song down, better showcases the boys' vocal abilities, and also minimises the "rap" break misfire.

Hasse Andersson's "Guld och gröna skogar" is a bizarre song. There's not much more we can say about it because it really doesn't translate well outside of Swedish culture. We're not even talking about the fact that the lyrics are in Swedish, but stylistically, the song is nothing that we can wrap our heads around. Apparently he is quite famous in Sweden, hence his advancing to Andra Chansen, but this isn't something we will ever listen to after the contest wraps.

Dinah Nah's "Make Me (La La La)" was robbed out her rightful spot in the finals. Robbed, I tell you! (For those who didn't watch the show, the song only advanced to Andra Chansen). Some have criticised the song for not being more lyrically innovative but who cares! The song has strong production, she sang it well, she is absolutely the one in charge on stage, and that shaky-cam during the epic dance break is phenomenal. No other song is this year's competition is this punchy and it's a must-have for every good gym/work-out/pre-gaming playlist.

Annika Herlitz's "Ett andetag" isn't necessarily a bad song. Sure, it's basically trying to be Frozen 2.0 but Annika sounds lovely singing it. That being said, it feels a little old-fashioned to stand a chance in the current music scene and it certainly wouldn't have done well at Eurovision. But it's pretty enough that you can listen and feel pleasant from doing so.

Now onto the most important number of not just the night, but the whole damn contest. Måns Zelmerlöw's "Heroes" threw down the gauntlet like nobody's business. With production that is entirely modern, a sweeping hook, the absolute best visuals this show has ever seen (with animation and a light show to enhance the song's narrative), and Måns serving up the best vocals he's ever brought to the competition, this is the number to beat. He rightfully advanced to the finale and if this song doesn't win, it will make the no-points-from-Germany//2-point victory of Melodifestivalen 2014 look like spilled milk by comparison. We've been shamelessly promoting this song by sending it to our friends and acquaintances all over the globe and the reaction has been unanimously positive: "Wow!" "I love this!" "He sounds fantastic!" "These visuals are amazing!" "How much are flights to Sweden?"
Also, in case you didn't know, grey is now the new black; you can thank Måns Zelmerlöw for that.

Per usual, we did a video review of the show that you are welcome to watch; it also includes our reaction to watching Måns Zelmerlöw's "Heroes" for the first time. Don't judge us, or do. We're not bothered either way.

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Now onto our picks for Andra Chansen. First of all, we have to address the elephant in the room which is the fact that SVT's decision to use a "duels" format is a dreadful idea. Instead of just allowing the votes to speak for themselves, the duels format pits particular acts against one another and here is our big gripe about it: if you have two strong numbers competing against one another and then two weaker numbers competing against one another, those weaker numbers are getting an unjust advantage over the stronger ones.

But let's go through the terrible duel pairings and we'll give your our breakdown of the acts and our selection for who should (but might not necessarily will) go through.

Andreas Weise's "Bring Out the Fire" vs. Linus Svenning's "Forever Starts Today"

This is the pairing that has us most cross about this duel format. If all eight of these acts were evenly fighting against one another, these two would hopefully and probably both advance to the finale. But instead, they have to fight it out. Linus Svenning for some reason unbeknownst to me seems to be the favourite to win this duel and that makes us have to suppress the urge to rub our temples furiously. "Forever Starts Today" is a much better song than Linus' entry last year and he sounded okay singing it but his complete lack of stage presence and showmanship, as well as his horrendous styling, were so off-putting to us that we were actually shocked by how pleasant the studio version is to listen to when you remove his terribly weak visual element from the equation. All those back-up dancers with the drums are figuratively dragging his lifeless-self all over that stage to try to compensate but it's simply not enough.

Our Duel 1 pick: Andreas Weise's "Bring Out The Fire"

Andreas Weise's number is the total package. The song is contemporary, has a strong groove, and he sings it very well. He's also far more of a showman than we're used to seeing on the Melodifestivalen stage and his dancers are clearly feeding off of the energy he is dishing out on that stage. Regardless of whether this song advances, it's won us over to the point that Andreas Weise is now on our list of Swedish artists to keep professional tabs on. Hopefully he'll release an album or at least an EP with more songs like these and a music video that can further showcase his strong performing abilities.

Hasse Andersson's "Guld och gröna skogar" vs. Kristin Amparo's "I See You"

We've already given you our breakdown of Hasse Andersson's entirely questionable song so it shouldn't surprise you that…

Our Duel 2 Pick: Kristin Amparo's "I See You"

We're not as big a fan of Kristin's first performance of "I See you" as it did neither the song nor her beautiful voice justice. On top of that, her styling was incredibly unflattering which was upsetting to see considering that she's such a stunning woman that we think it a crime that someone clearly unqualified to handle her was allowed to give her such a dated hairstyle. (Just so we're clear, we're not saying that a woman's value should ever be about her looks, but for Melodifestivalen, we judge every aspect of the performance, including the styling, which includes the wardrobe, hair, and make-up ~ also, we're just as inclined to be harsh on the male contestants if they show up looking a mess. Case and point: Linus Svenning). So instead, we shall recommend to you the studio version of "I See You," as it's a perfect song to click on when feeling pensive and reflective.

Dolly Style's "Hello Hi" vs. Dinah Nah's "Make Me (La La La)"

Dolly Style are weeaboo trash, and it is deeply offensive to me that SVT continues to glorify such racist acts that make a mockery of and fetishise Japanese pop culture. As for "Hello Hi," it's such a horrendously bad song that I would choose living next to a construction site for five years over having to listen to this miserable excuse for music. Also, those girls can't dance to save their lives.

Our Duel 3 Pick: Dinah Nah's "Make Me (La La La)"

Thank you, Dinah Nah, for being the one act in this year's competition to make us want to turn up. We're obsessed with that shaky cam and the song doesn't just make us want to La La La; it makes us want to throw down on the dance floor, stomp, shake, and hair-flip till the sun comes up. And yes, her number's so good that we're putting it in our post twice.

Behrang Miri feat. Victor Crone's "Det rår vi inte för" vs. Samir & Viktor's "Groupie"

Initially, we were pleased to hear that Behrang Miri would be returning to the Melodifestivalen stage since his last song, "Jalla Dansa Sawa," was a fun melting pot of a dance song that we still listen to to this day. We're not going to put the official music video in because it's an English version of the song that lacks the same magic of the original. "Jalla Dansa Sawa" is a trilingual song that combines Swedish, French, and Arabic. This type of multicultural blending is so rarely seen in popular music, let alone celebrated, that it made the song's success all the more meaningful. Though "Jalla Dansa Sawa" was good enough that it should have been in the finals, "Det rår vi inte för" is more so underwhelming. Remember those songs from five years or so ago that combined musically grand choruses with impacting rap verses (like Tinie Tempah's "Written In The Stars")? hough "Jalla Dansa Sawa" was good enough that it should have been in the finals,  is basically a D-list version of that style. Instead, we'll recommend you listen to "Jalla Dansa Sawa" and dance your heart out to it.

Our Duel 4 Pick: Samir & Viktor's "Groupie"

We know that this song has been quite divisive amongst the Swedish public but it's actually been selling and streaming very well. It was even recently certified Gold. Now we won't deny that the live vocals for this number in the first performance were horrendous. But there was something so ridiculously entertaining about the number that we really enjoyed watching it. These two are all spastic energy, and watching them be chased through the venue by middle-aged cameramen while stoic Swedish audience members stood swaying awkwardly made it all the more hilarious. If you listen to the actual studio version, the song is pleasantly catchy but it's Samir & Viktor's ability to be entertaining that has us sold on this number needing to be victorious in this duel. Watch and don't be afraid to laugh. We certainly did.

***We feel compelled to take his opportunity to plug Samir & Viktor's first single, "Success," as it had a much stronger production and was all-around excellently trashy clubby music that we love to get it popping to.***

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Be sure to watch Melodifestivalen's Andra Chansen round on Saturday, March 7, on svtplay.se at 8PM Swedish time (11AM PST, 2PM EST) and tweet along using the #Melfest hashtag.

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