Meldoifestivalen Fever!

Oh yes. Today, SVT, the Swedish broadcaster, announced the 28 songs and names for next year’s Swedish national final, the Melodifestivalen, the biggest national final there is. To explain just how big this event is in Sweden, it is watched by 75% of the nation.

That’s the equivalent of a show in the UK having 45 million British viewers (wow)

And so, this event is dragged out over five weeks, with four semi-finals, a second-chance round, and then the Grand Final, which is actually turning into a mini Eurovision itself. A lot of Eurovision fans attend this event from all over, including a memorable moment when an Irish flag was seen flying during S-Club-7-like Alcazar’s performance in the 2003 Melodifestivalen Final. This was blamed by some fans as being the reason why Alcazar were not chosen, although nothing’s been proved. It doesn’t matter anyway, as half of Alcazar are having another go at representing Sweden this year. As are a lot of former Swedish Eurovision and Melodifestivalen stars.

Here is the list of the 28 participants for Melodifestivalen 2007, split into their four semi-finals. Just to let you know that there will actually be 32 songs altogether, not 28, as SVT add one ‘wild-card’ entry into each semi-final. The crazy Swedes. Those four songs will be announced soon. But in the meantime, here’s the rundown of the 28, with a note on the more familiar names…


Semi-Final 1 (3/2/07)
Andersson & Gibson – Anything But You
Addis Black Widow – Clubbin’
Sofia Berntson – Hypnotised
Tommy Nilsson – Jag Tror Pa Manniskan
Elin Lento – Money
Andreas Lundstedt – Move
Anna Book – Samba Sambero

The most established artist here is Tommy Nilsson, who came 4th for Sweden in 1989 with the anthemically marvellous En Dag. That said, Andreas Lundstedt is no stranger to Melodidfestivalen, trying to compete as a soloist twice in the 90s, and twice as a member of Alcazar in the 00s. He failed every time (loser). He did, however, represent Switzerland last year as part of Six4One, a group comprising of six singers from six nations to grab as many points as possible. They grabbed 30, none of which came from Sweden funnily enough. Maybe people just don’t like him.


Semi-Final 2 (10/2/07)
Lustans Lakejer – Allt Vi En Gang Trodde
Jimmy Jansson – Amanda
Svante Thuresson & Anne-Lie Ryde – Forsta Gangen
Jessica Andersson – Kom
Regina Lund – Rainbow Star
Malin Lindberg – Trying To Recall
Cosmo4 – What’s Your Name

Jimmy Jansson has entered Melodifestivalen three times, most recently in 2005 with the highly overrated Vi Kan Gunga, which came 6th in the Melodifestivalen grand final. Jessica Andersson has had more luck though, representing Sweden in Eurovision 2003 with the cheese-tastic Give Me Your Love as part of the duo Fame. Svante Thuresson has also represented Sweden before… in 1966. That year, Sweden finished 2nd (their best result ‘til Abba!) with Nygammal Vals, a song about a swineherd. I don’t know what Forsta Gangen translates as, but it best not be about pigs.


Semi-Final 3 (17/2/07)
Mans Zelmerlow – Cara Mia
MissMatch – Drop Dead
Sonja Alden – For Att Du Finns
Kapell Sheida – I Mina Drommar
Nanne Gronvall – Jag Maste Kyssa Dig
Magnus Carlsson – Live Forever
The Attic ft. Therese – The Arrival

Here, all eyes will be on Swedish superstar Nanne Gronvall, who enters the Melodifestivalen for an astonishing seventh time. Eighth if you count her attempt to enter for the UK in 2001 with the superb Men (it came last in our national final, no justice). It’s fair to say that, although the photograph doesn’t show it, Nanne Gronvall is utterly bonkers. She’ll don alien ears, sing in bizarre operatic styles and dress in period dress if she feels the need. It’s almost ironic that when she got picked to represent Sweden as part of the group One More Time in 1996, she sang the Enya-like ballad Den Vilda into 3rd place. Whether Jag Maste Kyssa Dig is a ballad or upbeat number, it’ll be one to watch for sure.

Elsewhere in Semi-Final 3, it’s nice to see Magnus Carlsson, the other bloke from Alcazar, have another go. This will be his seventh attempt to represent Sweden in eight years and, unlike Nanne, he’s never got through. Like Andreas Lundstedt, I fear that no-one likes him. Another performer to laugh at this year is Sonja Alden. Apart from entering Melodifestivalen last year, she was also a backing singer for Lithuania in 2005, where they finished last. In the semi final.


Semi-Final 4 (24/2/07)
Andreas Johnson – A Little Bit Of Love
Sarah Dawn Finer – I Remember Love
Verona – La Musica
After Dark – Ah, Nar Ni Tar Saken I Egna Hand Er
Caroline af Ugglas – Tror Pa Dig
Emil Azar – Vi Hade Nat
Sanna Nielsen – Vagar Du, Vagar Jag

Andreas Johnson was a big favourite to represent the Swedes last year with the Beatles-esque sing-a-long of Sing For Me, but only finished 3rd in the end. Sanna Nielsen is a big name in the Melodifestivalen, getting to the Melodifestivalen final three times, but scoring fewer points on each occasion. The act to watch in this semi-final though is After Dark, a transvestite duo who should have won the Swedish ticket to Eurovision in 2004, instead of Lena Philipsson and the drippy It Hurts. Hopefully there’ll be some justice this year.


Well, this is rather a long post, but the Swedish preselection is a long and lengthy process with lots of big names in it this year! And we’ve still got the wildcards to be announced… Carola isn’t out yet.

It all kicks off on 3rd February next year, and I, for one, can’t wait.