Tag: melodifestivalen

Melodifestivalen is the competition which chooses the Swedish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest.

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Melodifestivalen 2021 Deltävling #3

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Back in the days of 7-inch vinyl, there was always the B-side. There was the hit song on the A-side, and on the B-side there was, generally speaking, a song favoured by the artist, but never likely to be a hit record.

I often quite liked the B-sides. They were often good songs. In 1977, ABBA released an “alternative version” of their song, “Why Did It Have To Be Me” called, “Happy Hawaii” (described as an earlier version of the song), which was interesting to hear.… Read the rest “Melodifestivalen 2021 Deltävling #3”

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Melodifestivalen 2021 Deltävling #2

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As I watched the latest heat of Melodifestivalen, the Swedish finals for the Eurovision Song Contest, I couldn’t help but feel I’d heard the songs before.

“Rich” by Julia Alfrida sounded very similar to “Royals” by Lorde (it even contained the line “Do you want to be royal?”.

“The Silence” by Frida Green had a very “Moving On” by Sarah Dawn Finer vibe about it. Or, as one of the hosts described her, Sarah Fine Diner.… Read the rest “Melodifestivalen 2021 Deltävling #2”

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Melodifestivalen 2021 Deltävling #1

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If I had to choose one song or performance from the first heat of this year’s Swedish path to Eurovision (Melodifestivalen) to go straight through, it would be that of Lena Philipsson.

She has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest six times: four times as a performer (1986, 1987, 1988 and 2004) and twice as a songwriter.

Lena was co-host for the first heat of this year’s Melodifestivalen, where she performed a couple of her own songs, including her current single, the title of which translates, roughly, “You learn throughout your life”.… Read the rest “Melodifestivalen 2021 Deltävling #1”

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Sweden’s Second Best

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As we head towards this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, I’ve been keeping up to date with all of the different national finals.

Last weekend, Australia chose “Don’t Break Me” by Montaigne. “Fair enough”, I thought to myself, though I much preferred Casey Donovan’s song, which I thought was more anthemic, and had a stronger performance.

A couple of years ago, I absolutely loved, “Sounds Of Silence” by Dami Im, and thought she was “robbed” losing out to 1944, a wonderfully political and timely song about Ukraine independence, but was totally forgettable, musically.… Read the rest “Sweden’s Second Best”

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