There was little doubt in anyone's mind that Molly Pettersson Hammar would return to Melodifestivalen after her controversial elimination in 2015 due to the Swedish public's unfamiliarity with the show's new app. While "I'll Be Fine" was a perfectly commendable debut to introduce the public to a post-Idol Molly, "Hunger" sees her fulfil her potential and then some.
"Hunger" is a soulful dance-pop track with a sleek and modern production, having been co-written by Molly herself along with Lisa Desmond and Melodifestivalen & Eurovision-winning composing team 'The Family', comprised of Joy Deb, Linnea Deb, and Anton Malmberg Hård af Segerstad. There's some excellent backing vocalists in the chorus to be the response to Molly's call, and her vocal delivery on the night was more confident in tune than her 2015 attempt. Though Molly has displayed a propensity for soulpop, this is a more revamped take on that style that puts Molly in a position to work well across several countries as opposed to just Sweden.
The staging and presentation is what elevates "Hunger" to an even higher standard. We've already seen that Molly can work some serious hand and arm movements. But she emerges as our very own 'girl on fire' as the number begins with Molly surrounded by pyrotechnics on her platform before moving into some killer clicking camera work and finally some sparkling explosions to climax the experience.
It's really quite shocking that this number was only an Andra Chansen qualifier and that SVT didn't bump this to be the semi-final 2 show-closer. But as Molly's reaction to the news of her AC qualification will show you, she's already had one victory and "Hunger" is a successful redemption story for her.
Molly Pettersson Hammar will next compete in the Andra Chansen round on SVT on 5 March.
If you don't live in a geo-restricted location, you can watch Molly's performance of "Hunger" here:
If you can't watch the performance, the song is still available for listening here:
David Lindgren last competed in Melodifestivalen with "Skyline" in 2013. The number was the best presented and performed in the entire final line-up, as it combined David's seasoned showmanship with groundbreaking camera work, lighting, and clever choreography. But now we see him return to the contest to deliver all of his strengths that make him such a strong competitor.
"We Are Your Tomorrow" is less hard-hitting of a song than "Shout It Out" and "Skyline" as the melody is less aggressive and the production is more subdued to reflect the song's message which subtly addresses ongoing current events. But when performed live, David's showmanship paired with the choreography, numerous lasers, and journey of the number all elevate it to the point that it was one of the strongest numbers of the semi-final. Sweden saw this clearly as they voted David Lindgren through direct to the finals for the third time, despite his only having been predicted to qualify to Andra Chansen.
With a background in musical theatre, David Lindgren displays great stamina when performing, as his voice never waivers even when the choreography kicks in. He performs to the people in the back of the arena just as much as those closer to him. He fully embodies the character of the songs he sings and "We Are Your Tomorrow" is no exception to this. He is far more polished in his performances than the male 20-something-year-old 'heartthrob' pop artists often seen in Melodifestivalen. Any newcomer viewer would never know that David had been on hiatus from making pop music for the past three years. David Lindgren is back and better than ever. Hopefully more of his own music, perhaps even an EP, will follow his run in the contest.
David Lindgren will next perform at the Melodifestivalen finals on SVT on Saturday, March 12.
Robin Bengtsson began his week in Melodifestivalen in the middle of the odds. Many believed he would qualify to Andra Chansen with the help of some carry-over recognition from his third-place finish on Swedish Idol back in 2008. When we met with Robin to speak about his Melodifestivalen entry, "Constellation Prize", and finally making it into the contest, he was soft-spoken, humble, but eager to get the opportunity to finally be on the Melodifestivalen stage.
Robin had previously submitted songs in for consideration on two occasions, but with the help of his manager suggesting that Robin be the one to sing "Constellation Prize" when it had yet to find a singer, finally things started to come together. He released a truly excellent EP entitled "Under My Skin" back in 2014 comprised of well-produced songs with a great groove, including "Fired" and "Sleep On It", under the artist name "B Robin".
Competition is not something that Robin is particularly interested in, as he is instead more concerned with showing Swedish and international viewers just how passionate he is about music and singing. "Constellation Prize" spins a somewhat elaborate narrative in which Robin's love interest is with someone new but Robin hopes to still be with her even if he's not her first choice ("Consolation Prize") and that perhaps their love is written in the stars ("Constellation"). Melodically and production-wise, the song isn't the most innovative but truly soars live due to Robin's superb vocals as well as his remarkable ability to emote the narrative and create a connection with viewers.
Much to Robin's surprise, he ended up not only placing in the top 4 on Saturday night, but qualified direct to the finals in Stockholm. With many more rounds of competition to take place, it's difficult to say how he will end up placing but if there's one thing that is clear, it's that Robin Bengtsson has now broken out in the way he had hoped to do. Hopefully an EP or album will soon follow his run in Melodifestivalen that will return back to the funkier soul-pop that was so well-executed on his EP but now he will have an even larger audience to enjoy the content.
Watch our sit-down, one-on-one interview with Robin Bengtsson here:
Also watch as we checked in with Robin after the first dress rehearsal:
Mimi Werner may have been put in the most competitive of this year's Melodifestivalen semi-finals, but regardless of her fifth place finish, she will be remembered. "Ain't No Good" is a cheeky pop song with country influences, much to the surprise of all who were expecting something lower impact along the lines of her debut single. But as Mimi has stated that this is the style of music more true to her artistry, we are expecting big things from her.
Her number had a full set of back-up dancers in dark, fitted outfits and rotating between country-ho-down choreography and rolling around in sawdust laid out on the stage. The song has energy, it's enormously catchy, and Mimi performs the character of the song's narrative to a tee. Even if country music isn't your thing, it's highly likely that "Ain't No Good" will end up on your portable devices. If we were the betting type, we would bet money on her having an all-access invitation to return in 2017. Semi-final 1 was a serious battle, and Mimi Werner threw some seriously impressive punches.
Be sure to check out our interview with Mimi Werner from the first day of rehearsals.
Also watch our interview with her after the first public dress rehearsal:
Watch Mimi Werner's performance of "Ain't No Good" here:
Samir and Viktor were arguably the biggest break-out stars of Melodifestivalen 2015, with their song "Groupie" being the second-most commercially successful song of the contest (after the winning "Heroes"). It also solidified that they were more than just a one-hit wonder after their first single, "Success". So it was little surprise that they'd return in 2016. This time, they have teamed up with Melodifestivalen veteran-composer, Fredrik Kempe.
Their 2016 song is called "Bada nakna" which translates to "Swim naked". On concept alone, it would be easy to dismiss a song about skinny dipping as having little competitive value. But in observing their rehearsals, we saw some serious work ethic from the pair. From singing and re-singing lines in-between takes, advising each other about remembering to breathe at the right moments, we sense that they're taking this more seriously than some might assume.
As for the staging and presentation, it truly lives up to the 'Samir & Viktor' brand. There's a team of singing-backup-dancers, and a break dancer deploying a head-spin during the song's first dance break, all the way to the end when the boys strip their tops off and splash around in the water designated just for some extra visual flair. It's all the fun you want and expect from a Samir & Viktor number, but all-in-all, things are more polished this time around.
There's a genuine chemistry between the two that has even been worked into the show, when Samir wraps an arm around a singing Viktor and flashes a smile to the camera during rehearsals. Though the two were heavy favourite to qualify direct to the finals, they ended up in Andra Chansen once again (the show's second-chance round). However, as this meant that their song would be made available for release to the public, it quickly shot to number one on iTunes, Spotify, and hit number one on the Swedish charts.
When the boys were approached by us to be interviewed, they were anxious and self-conscious about their English-speaking abilities. But with their high energy, big personalities, and sense of humour, they were joys to interview from start to finish, as they displayed great determination and effort to communicate in English.
Samir & Viktor will next compete in the Andra Chansen round taking place on March 5.
Be sure to check out our interview with Samir & Viktor from the first full day of rehearsals:
Also watch our interview with them from after the first public dress rehearsal:
If you do not live in a geo-restricted location, you can watch the semi-final performance of
"Bada Nakna" here:
Also watch the new acoustic version of "Bada Nakna" performed by Samir and Viktor with an assist from Apollo 5 and Fredrik Kempe:
Albin & Mattias have paved a career path for themselves through their collaborative efforts of Albin's lyrical compositions and Mattias' musical productions. With their Melodifestivalen entry "Rik" ("Rich"), listeners can enjoy the bright energetic charm of the melodic hook, which is made all the more convincing by their unmatched chemistry showcased in the live performance. There's also some excellent use of moving lights, making it all-in-all a worthwhile experience. The chemistry shared between these two is perhaps the best we've ever seen in Melodifestivalen, and they admit that it was "love at first sight".
Watch our exclusive interview with Albin and Mattias below, as they discuss the meaning of "Rik" (it's not about money), their bond, creative process, and so much more!
Ace Wilder's Pyramid-Climbing, Clone-Generating, Funky-Dance-Moves-Filled Number Breaks New Artistic Ground
It was only a matter of time before Ace Wilder made her return to Melodifestivalen after being narrowly robbed of a victory back in 2014. But regardless of a second-place finish, "Busy Doin' Nothin'" would go on to be certified triple-platinum and hit number one on the Swedish charts. Even the biggest Ace Wilder fans were anxious to see how she would follow up such an impressive debut. Little did they know the level of impact Ace was about to drop on the Scandinavium stage.
"Don't Worry" finds its origins from a foundation track put together by composer Beshad Ashani and then was worked on by the Eurovision-winning composing team "The Family", comprised of Joy Deb, Linnea Deb, and Anton Malmberg Hård af Segerstad, along with Ace Wilder herself. Wilder has already displayed her prestigious song-writing skills on the entirety of her back catalogue, including her "The Wild Card" EP. "Don't Worry" has a straightforward narrative about not letting the ups and downs of one's life get to oneself. But in a sea of songs all spouting tired old narratives of love and heartbreak, Ace Wilder brings an entirely unique and authentic flavour to Melodifestivalen.
Right from the start, listeners are treated to an immensely catchy piano groove that grows in size with the assist of brass instrumentation in the chorus. As Ace begins the number, we see her entirely confident as she sings with greatly improved vocals since 2014. She is encompassed in a large boxed pyramid set that would put Hollywood pop divas' tour staging to shame, particularly when the generations start up of multiple Ace Wilders displayed on every box. The number is even an upgrade relative to Måns Zelmerlöw's "Heroes" as the number carries on being formidable after the technology is removed when Ace emerges from the box to drop some fresh choreography with her squad of back-up dancers. It is worth noting that Ace's back-up dancers are so fierce in their performing that their star-power outdoes many of the other competing acts in this year's Melodifestivalen. This song and number are the complete package. "Don't Worry" will undoubtedly leave an impressive legacy in Melodifestivalen regardless of the results in the finals, and hopefully Ace Wilder will use this as a stepping stone to release more new music and embark on touring in and out of Sweden.
Be sure to watch our interviews with Ace Wilder from the first semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2016 here:
Also check out our interview with the co-writers of "Don't Worry":
The long-awaited press conference took place in Stockholm to announce the competing acts for Melodifestivalen 2016. Among them we find back-to-back returners, semi-recent returners, old school veterans of the contest, and some exciting debutants.
Semi-final 1 will take place at Scandinavium in Gothenburg on February 6.
The competing acts in their running order are:
Mimi Werner - "Ain't No Good" (Composed by Mimi Werner, Göran Werner, Marcus Svedin, Jason Saenz)
A newcomer to the contest and largely unknown in the Swed-pop scene, Mimi appears to have an affinity for country music. Here's hoping she can bring a bit more of a Shania energy but this song doesn't inspire much confidence for that.
Samir & Viktor - "Bada nakna" [Translation: "Swim naked"] ~ (Composed by Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Anderz Wrethov)
Though Samir & Viktor only came in 8th in the Melodifestivalen 2015 finals, "Groupie" went on to become the second most successful entry behind "Heroes," the Melodifestivalen (and eventual Eurovision) winner. They followed this up with "Saxofuckingfon", a single we reviewed along with a music video for it (that we also reviewed), and saw the song become an even bigger hit with over 10 million streams on Spotify. Carrying on an extensive tour throughout Sweden and stopping in a few other adjacent countries, it was little surprise that these two would return to Melodifestivalen. Will they bring a contest winning song? Doubtful. But if there's one thing we'd bet on, it's that it will be one hell of a party.
Robin Bengtsson - "Constellation Price" (Composed by Bobby Ljunggren, Henrik Wikström, Mark Hole, Martin Eriksson)
Robin was the third place finisher on Swedish Idol 2008 and despite working relatively consistently since then, has yet to make a truly significant impact in the Swed-pop scene particularly in comparison to other big-name Idol alumni. This is a bit of a shame, considering how brilliantly crafted his recent singles were ("Fired" and "I Don't Like To Wait"). But Melodifestivalen has made big names out of Idol contestants including Eurovision winners Loreen and Måns Zelmerlöw, so perhaps this could be just the platform for Robin to boost his status. He has already proved himself to be a capable artist; all that's needed is the exposure.
Ace Wilder - "Don't Worry" (Composed by Joy Deb, Linnea Deb, Anton Hård af Segerstad, Ace Wilder)
SVT have brought out the big guns. Ace Wilder is the name that has fallen through the lips of many a Melfest fan from all over the world. After coming 2nd in the closest final result the contest has ever seen, a mere two points behind the winner Sanna Nielsen, Ace was still able to boast greater commercial success for her entry "Busy Doin' Nothin'" (hitting no. 1 in Sweden, and going triple platinum) than the winning "Undo" (hitting no. 2 in Sweden and going Gold). She also released a masterfully crafted EP, "The Wild Card", that infused a wide array of musical genres into her signature Swed-pop-banger artistic style. As Swedish voting patterns will demonstrate, Swedes don't often go for "edgy", so it was incredible that she was able to do as well as she did last time. But without the element of surprise, fans will be left waiting on baited breath to see if her efforts will be rewarded.
Anna Book - "Himmel för två" [Translation: "Heaven for two"] ~ (Composed by Sven-Inge Sjöberg, Lennart Wastesson, Larry Forsberg, Camilla Läckberg)
Now here is a veteran-return few saw coming. Anna made her Melodifestivalen debut at the mere age of 15 back in 1986. She placed fifth, and returned in 1987 only to not place at all. She returned again in 2007 and did qualify to the final, but ended up placing 9th with a mere one point. Some big name veterans can return and place quite well but many also crash out.
Pernilla Andersson - "Mitt guld" [Translation: "My gold"] ~ (Composed by Pernilla Andersson, Fredrik Rönnqvist)
Pernilla previously competed in Melodifestivalen 2011 and didn't make it past Andra Chansen. Given her style of music, and propensity for lower energy and lower impact, along with the competitive calibre of this heat, we are skeptical as to whether she'll fair much better this time around.
Albin and Mattias are continuing their musical collaboration by bringing their talents to Melodifestivalen. They've released a few singles that are a bit slower, more emotionally and lyrically driven, which may not translate as well to the non-Swedish-speaking international viewers, but may not be as much of an issue to get votes from the Swedish public. We don't actually know if their goal is to go to Eurovision anyway, but we've not heard them release English-language music together so if they were to be a surprise winner, it would be interesting to see how they would proceed. Of course their biggest hit was "Din Soldat"; although Mattias did not do the vocals for the song, he did co-write it and has been known to sing it when touring with Albin since Kristin Amparo has her own career keeping her busy. Being that they are the closers of the show, they would be wise to have something a bit more uptempo, or at least with some sort of dramatic punch. This one has our curiosity particularly piqued!
Semi-final 2 will take place at Malmö Arena in Malmö on February 13.
The competing acts in their running order are:
Victor och Natten - "100%" (Composed by Dag Lundberg, Melker, Jesper Lundh)
Victor och Natten may be new to Melodifestivalen, but with catchy, contemporary songs already out like "Normal" and "Svartsjuk", we'd love to see them be the surprise hit of this semi if they bring something even bigger and better that builds on their unique and fresh style.
Krista Siegfrids - "Faller" [Translation: "Falling"] ~ (Composed by Krista Siegfrids, Gabriel Alares, Magnus Wallin, Gustaf Svenungsson)
Christ Siegfrids is a Finnish pop singer best known for representing Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013. But that number was more memorable for the upset it caused amongst homophobic viewers due to it being a statement in favour of equality for the LGBT community (the number even had Krista kiss one of her female back-up dancers). The song itself didn't actually place well in the finals; some would even say that she "bombed." Krista has maintained a steady career in Finland but Swedes by in large don't remember her, which begs the question of why SVT cared so much about getting her to participate in Melodifestivalen. But at the very least, this name has generated interest amongst avid Eurovision fans.
Molly Pettersson Hammar - "Hunger" (Composed by Joy Deb, Linnea Deb, Anton Hård af Segerstad, Molly Pettersson Hammar)
Now here is a quest for vengeance we've been rallying behind since the most controversial upset of Melodifestivalen 2015! Molly Pettersson Hammar is back to wrong the rights of Swedish voting and assert her dominance as the next big thing in Swed-pop. With her enormously vibrant personality to further make her stand out, and armed with some of the absolute best composers with which she co-wrote her entry, this will undoubtedly be one to watch.
Patrik Isaksson, Tommy Nilsson & Uno Svenningsson - "Håll mitt hjärta hårt" [Translation: "Hold my heart hard"] ~ (Composed by Patrik Isaksson, Tommy Nilsson, Uno Svenningsson)
We're trying not to shudder at this concept of old-male-music-veterans brought together for Melodifestivalen but the last time this concept was present at the contest, we saw a terribly naff song/number advance direct to the finals while the underrated classic Janet Leon's "Heartstrings" was left in fifth place in the heat. For shame, Sweden, for shame.
Isa - "I Will Wait" (Composed by Anton Hård af Segerstad, Joy Deb, Linnea Deb, Nikki Flores)
Another returning act from 2015 that's armed herself with the biggest, baddest composers in Swed-pop is ISA. She's dyed her hair back to brown and is apparently trying to pursue an urban direction in music. Right. But with those composers penning her song, it warrants our attention.
Wiktoria - "Save Me" (Composed by Jens Siverstedt, Lauren Dyson, Jonas Wallin)
Wiktoria is a completely unknown newcomer. But we love a surprise if it's good!
David Lindgren - "We are Your Tomorrow" (Composed by Anderz Wrethov, Sharon Vaughn, Gustav Efraimsson)
David Lindgren exploded onto the scene in Melodifestivalen 2012 as an entirely unknown artist and won everyone over with his showmanship, charisma, and of course the singing and dancing to a quality pop track. Having been away from the contest since 2013, many are eager to see what his return will bring. The word is that it will be a bit different from his previous entries, but hopefully it will be just as gripping to watch.
Semi-final 3 will take place at Himmelstalundshallen in Norrköping on February 20.
The competing acts in their running order are:
Oscar Zia - "Human" (Composed by Oscar Zia, Victor Thell, Maria Smith)
Oscar Zia's first go in Melodifestivalen was an outrageously outdated attempt to stir up sentimentality for the 1990s/early 2000s pop complete with Nsync's decades-old VMA staging. But even more shocking than the fact that there were people who actually considered this to be quality pop was the fact that Oscar's follow-up single, "Ballare Con Me", was one of the best Swed-pop songs of the year, though it received little attention due to poor marketing, or lack thereof.
SaRaha - "Kizunguzungu" [Translation: "Dizziness"] ~ (Composed by Anderz Wrethov, Sara "SaRaha" Larsson, Arash Labaf)
This concept rubs us entirely the wrong way. Cultural appropriation is not a good look, nor is it a respectful way to make your career.
After Dark - "Kom ut som en stjärna" [Translation: "Come out like a star"] ~ (Composed by Sven-Inge Sjöberg, Lennart Wastesson, Larry Forsberg, Lina Eriksson, Kent Olsson, Calle Kindbom)
Melodifestivalen is about to get a whole lot more fabulous! After Dark is a drag artist that has competed in Melodifestivalen twice before and though they've never made it to the finals, the numbers always make the contest more fun!
Lisa Ajax - "My Heart Wants Me Dead" (Composed by Linnea Deb, Joy Deb, Anton Hård af Segerstad)
The winner of Idol 2014 has kicked off her career with a surprisingly strong debut single (considering how many Idol contestants take a few years to find their artistic niche... or have still yet to find it). But with that dream team of composers (#TheFamilySwe) behind her song, and with a song title strong enough to generate hype, if we were the betting sort, our money would be on Lisa Ajax to advance from semi 3.
Boris René - "Put Your Love on Me" (Composed by Boris René, Tobias Lundgren, Tim Larsson)
Here we see a newcomer we'd love to see rise up in the ranks and have a shining moment. Perhaps it's the fact that his voice is lovely, or the fact that he's debuting with a song he co-wrote, or that warmth that seems to radiate from him, or just all of the above. Go on, Boris!
SMAILO - "Weight of the World" (Composed by Arvid Ångström, Dennis Babic, Oscar Berglund Juhola, Anton Göransson, Robin Danielsson)
Yes, these are the winners of the P4 Radio contest. Yes, the winner typically bombs out in the semi they're placed in. However, we want to give this one its fair chance. For one, last year's winning song, Kalle Johansson's "Den där dan" was truly excellent and even his Melodifestivalen entry, "För din skull" was decent. What's also worth noting was that SMAILO was not a typical winning act. The winning act in the traditional sense was the one voted through by the public like years prior. However, Christer Björkman (who was present that day as part of the jury - and yes, we would know because we were at the show to witness it firsthand) bypassed this decision with the jury to select this group instead to go to Melodifestivalen. This makes us wonder if he is trying to legitimise the Radio contest by picking an act that had a better chance of being moulded into something good. We're not about to go assuming that their entry will be ground-breaking, but we'd love to see it be something respectable. Why have just one great contest to follow if you can also get the contest for the contest up and running on a higher calibre too?
Swingfly feat. Helena Gutarra - "Weight of the World" (Composed by Jocke Åhlund, Andreas Kleerup)
Swingfly is best known for his 2011 Melodifestivalen entry, "Me and My Drum" which was by in a low-budget, straight-to-DDR track. But he's capable of bigger and better things so if he can come back with a higher quality track then his journey to the finals will be made that much easier.
Semi-final 4 will take place at Gavlerinken in Gävle on February 27.
The competing acts in their running order are:
Martin Stenmarck - "Du tar mig tillbaks" [Translation: "You take me back"] ~ (Composed by David Stenmarck)
Martin Stenmarck controversially won Melodifestivalen back in 2005 over Nanne Grönvall's "Håll om mig" despite the latter having significantly more votes in the public. He didn't fair very well at Eurovision either. But when he returned in 2014 with "När änglarna gar hem", he very much redeemed himself in regards to quality, though perhaps not with results, as he only made it as far as Andra Chansen. But perhaps he will be able to better those results in 2016.
Panetoz - "Håll om mig hårt" [Translation: "Hold me tight"] ~ (Composed by Jimmy Jansson, Karl-Ola Kjellholm, Jakke Erixson, Pa Modou Badjie, Njol Badjie, Nebeyu Baheru)
Melodifestivalen has consistently needed to diversify itself in regards to the acts that compete and in other forms of contemporary, commercially marketable music. Panetoz can not only bring a multicultural element to the contest, but they also offer lively and energetic performances. Though they still have yet to outdo their biggest hit, "Dansa Pausa", it would be interesting to see if they can improve upon their 9th place finish in Melodifestivalen 2014.
Frans - "If I Were Sorry" (Composed by Oscar Fogelström, Michael Saxell, Fredrik Andersson, Frans Jeppsson Wall)
Frans' claim to fame came nearly a decade ago via a viral music video about a song professing adoration for the famed Swedish footballer, Zlatan Ibrahimović. His music career since then hasn't had as much traction but Melodifestivalen could be his big break as a legitimate artist, depending on the quality of his entry.
Linda Bengtzing - "Killer Girl" (Composed by Mattias Kallenberger, Andreas Berlin, Linda Bengtzing, Dag Öhrlund)
Linda Bengtzing has competed in Melodifestivalen a grand total of five times in the last decade, and has made it to the finals each time... except for her most recent time. Could the tides be shifting for good on this Melodifestivalen veteran? Or is she set for a big comeback?
Dolly Style - "Rollercoaster" (Composed by Thomas G:son, Peter Boström, Alexandra Salomonsson)
This will be the fourth year in a row that SVT has allowed a blatant case of a stereotyped fetishisation of Japanese culture in yellowface to be paraded around the stage. We do not condone this, so we offer up an alternative video for you to watch and recommend that you consider the dehumanising effect yellowface in media has:
Eclipse - "Runaways" (Composed by Erik Mårtensson)
We have no idea why Swedish producers insist on putting rock and/or metal music into Melodifestivalen, particularly when very little of the rock that gets let in is any good. If they were going to let a band in, they should've buttered up the metal group Amaranthe to join instead, as their glossy brand of metal would've made for a much better fit with Melodifestivalen.
Molly Sandén - "Youniverse" (Composed by Molly Sandén, Danny Saucedo, John Alexis)
Molly Sandén has seen more career success since her last run in Melodifestivalen in 2012. Ironically, her strongest song released has been her least commercially successful of her latest wave of music. She will have high expectations to live up to but we'll see how she fairs come February.
Finally, Andra Chansen will take place at Halmstad Arena in Halmstad on March 5. The final will take place at Friends Arena in Stockholm on March 12.
Today, after much speculation and tightly-wound anticipation, SVT finally announced who would be hosting Melodifestivalen 2016. Though reports had surfaced some time ago that Gina Dirawi would be the host of the show, this only proved to be partially true.
Gina Dirawi
Though Gina Dirawi will indeed be present as host for all six weeks of Melodifestivalen 2016, she will have at least one co-host present with her for each of the shows. After hosting in both 2012 and 2013 to rave reviews, Gina will be joined in Göteborg for semi-final 1 by Petra Mede, who has previously single-handedly hosted the contest in 2009, the Eurovision Song Contest in 2013, as well as co-hosted the Eurovision Greatest Hits concert with Graham Norton in London earlier this year.
Petra Mede
Dirawi will host semi-final 2 in Malmö alongside Charlotte Perrelli, who has made appearances as a Melodifestivalen co-host in 2003 for one semi-final and again in 2004 for the entire contest's duration. Perrelli is more famously known for her Melodifestivalen victories in 1999 ("Tusen och en natt"/"Take Me to Your Heaven") and 2008 ("Hero"), the former of which resulted in a Eurovision victory, as well as an infamous return to the contest in 2012 ("The Girl") that saw her crash out in a mere 5th-place semi-final finish. But perhaps this return to the Melodifestivalen stage can be a cleansing of sorts.
Charlotte Perrelli
Semi-final 3 will take place in Norrköping, hosted by Dirawi and Henrik Schyffert, whose only experience with Melodifestivalen appears to be an interval bit back in 2005. Comedian, actor, and musician are among some of the titles listed for Schyffert but as Melodifestivalen has evolved quite a bit in the last decade, we will simply have to wait and see what he brings to his co-host position.
Henrik Schyffert
The Queen is back! Semi-final 4 in Gävle will see the triumphant return of Sarah Dawn Finer, whom fans have been clamouring for at every opportunity. As Dirawi and Finer have previously co-hosted together in 2012 and were immaculate from start to finish, there is little doubt that this semi will be the one to watch. We won't include any patronising 'what-ifs' about whether or not Sarah Dawn Finer's beloved character Lyndra Woodruff will be back. If it's not broken, it won't get fixed. There is no conceivable way she will be left out of the show.
Sarah Dawn Finer
This year's Andra Chansen (Second Chance) round will take place in Halmstad, where Dirawi will have not one but two co-hosts. (Musical) theatre veteran Peter Jöback, who previously competed in Melodifestivalen 2010 ("Hollow"), and Ola Salo, lead singer of glam-rock band The Ark who won Melodifestivalen 2007 ("The Worrying Kind") will both act as co-hosts.
Peter Jöback
Ola Salo
Finally, and perhaps most surprising of all, we reach the Melodifestivalen finale. A massive show in an equally massive venue, Friends Arena, will have Dirawi and even-younger talent William Spetz running the show. It's rather fitting that Dirawi should be the one to usher Spetz on board, as both have found their starts by blogging and posting videos on YouTube. Spetz is relatively unknown to international viewers, unless they're particularly avid consumers of Swedish media content. But the fact that Spetz has received the most daunting show of all makes us think that he has a great deal to offer. Spetz may very well be the perfect person to usher in a new age of Melodifestivalen. He has great potential to offer representation to a more diverse audience that has been sorely underrepresented throughout the show's run.
As far as Swedish pop goes (or "Swed-pop" for those familiar), it doesn't get much bigger than Melodifestivalen, Sweden's annual national selection contest for their Eurovision entry. Many non-Swedish fans of the Eurovision Song Contest tune in to Melodifestivalen, as it has developed a reputation for being ripe with new talent to discover. Indeed the contest is one of the greatest opportunities for Swedish talent to gain exposure to an international audience. Such was the case for Dinah Nah, who gave this year's contest it's only true pop banger, "Make Me (La La La)."
Long-time followers of Swed-pop will remember Dinah for being a part of the pop group Caramell, which had a successful run from 1998-2002. Between then and Dinah's return as a solo artist, she kept busy both in and out of her work in the music industry. Not only was she a back-up singer for the likes of Haddaway and Dr. Alban, she also became a licensed skin therapist and nurse, and gave birth to two children with her sambo (the Swedish word for a non-married long-term romantic partner).
We met up with Dinah at her record label in the southern neighbourhood of Stockholm and were able to sit down and discuss her experience in Melodifestivalen, her artistry, and the path she is paving for herself.
At first glance, Dinah Nah appears every bit the glamorous popstar, with bright pink hair and large gold hoop earrings to accentuate a stylish outfit. Her music videos that accompany her singles are often glossy and polished; a visual treat to enhance the overall effect of the dance-pop tracks that have quickly become her signature. Her artistry is expressed by more than just the sound that she has developed.
"I want to give the audience not only good music, but something nice to look at."
In an industry that has often perpetuated the stigma against women as they age, 35-year-old Dinah Nah is groundbreaking in many ways. She releases the type of singles likely to be heard at 2am in the hottest Euro-clubs, and remains disinclined to let the music industry's "age fascism" deter her from pursuing her career on her own terms.
"Age has nothing to do with talent. If you're good at what you're doing, what does it matter if you're five years old or eighty-five?"
While fans were shocked by Dinah Nah's last-place (in the finals) placement in Melodifestivalen 2015, Dinah looks back on the experience as a positive one, noting how it kick-started her solo career and allowed her greater opportunities to tour across Sweden and perform at larger shows including Allsång på Skansen.
"This year, I've actually grown not only as an artist but also as a person. I know more and more each day what I want with this, my career."
Melodifestivalen can be seen as an exemplification of Sweden's propensity for egalitarianism. As of 2015, its rules stipulated that at least 50% of the selected entries were to be written/co-written by female composers/lyricists. When asked about the atmosphere for women in the music industry, Dinah has nothing but the utmost praise to offer about Melodifestivalen's updated policy.
"It's a good thing that they did that because I think that women [have] to be recognised more in the music industry, not only as artists but as producers, as musicians playing instruments, because men are overrepresented in that area. They are, and that's not right. That has nothing to do with that there's more men that [have] talent. That's not the issue. The issue is that more women need to get into the industry and be able to show what they can do because there's a lot of talented women out there."
In addition to the original version of "Make Me (La La La)," Dinah released an acoustic version of the song, complete with a more stripped down music video of it.
"I wanted to catch a bigger audience. I wanted to show that I can also do a wider genre of music, because I love dance music and that's the kind of music that I want to do but I love all types of styles."
Though she currently has no plans to release a full album or an EP, this choice is a deliberate one. Dinah shares how she sees herself as more a 'singles' artist and thus will continue to work on putting out quality singles for the public to enjoy. Her follow-up single to "Make Me (La La La)" was another dance-pop number, entitled "Taste Your Love." Upon its release, some were quick to unleash salacious jokes about the title and meaning of the lyrics, but Dinah offers up an honest explanation of the song's message.
"I think that everybody has been at one point in their life, been in a relationship where you have a sort of 'love and hate' feeling towards that person that you're with. You love them so much but you argue and you fight a lot so you can't be together, and you break up and then you go back again, and it's like a back-and-forth thing. The song is really about that; about not being able to be together because you're maybe so different but you can't stay away from each other because the passion is so big. So 'Taste Your Love' is just that you want to feel the love, just right then and there. But maybe tomorrow you can back off again. [laughs]"
Dinah also drew inspiration from her love for U.S. TV series, "The Walking Dead" in choosing a darker, outdoor setting for the "Taste Your Love" music video. She decided against embracing the scarier imagery that the show is well known for due to the children that follow her music career.
Many Swedish pop-stars have shied away from collaborating with the other artists in the Swed-pop industry. It's not entirely clear why. But when the idea is posed to Dinah about a potential collaboration with fellow Swed-pop-banger-hitmaker Ace Wilder, she is fully receptive to it.
"I would definitely do a collaboration with Ace, definitely."
So what is next for Dinah Nah? The first thing on her hopeful to-do list is another go at Melodifestivalen. However, fans will have to wait another few months before the participating acts are announced. Though Dinah has currently only toured in Sweden, she is eager to get out into other countries to perform for international fans. She has nothing but kind words to send out to them.
"I would just love to say that I am so happy that you find me on Instagram and on Facebook and everything, and all of the comments that you write. I am so so happy. There is so much love. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, so much."
Watch the video of our full interview with Dinah Nah here:
Dinah Nah can be found on Facebook here, Twitter here, and Instagram here, as well as her official website here.
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