STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – Good evening Europe, hello from Solna’s Friends Arena. Tonight 12 acts will fight really hard to get the ticket to represent Sweden in the 60th Eurovision Song Contest next May. The predictions by the bets and oikotimes’ poll say Måns will win the entire thing tonight but surely we never know the result until the public and the international juries have their final say. So let’s the show begin.
HASSE ANDERSSON
Last but definitely not least act. It’s typical Swedish and I know most international fans will laugh with this performance, song and singer. You will say “what’s the grandpa doing there”. I have to tell you WATCH OUT. He is extremely popular in Sweden, he has a big fan base and has big respect among Swedish people and media. Typical Swedish country music with descent vocal and happy country stage presentation. If an accident between jury and voting happens tonight, he could be the entrant for Vienna!
MARIETTE
This is the underdog tonight. Mariette, who proudly revealed her sexual preferences to the TV audience when participating in the Idol, gives an outstanding performance for her wonderful anatomic song. You cannot ignore this one. It is in the style of “Euphoria” but it somehow can become more powerful. The vocal performance is outstanding. The song style, the sound, the stage lights and the camera work create a magic around Mariette who is an adorable and huggable person. We love her no matter what happens tonight.
ERIC SAADE
This is simply amazing, especially inside the arena. Eric Saade is giving an outstanding performance and an even greater vocal performance: yes! Eric can actually sing! It is definitely a confident and adorable performance. Eric is a showman and proves it once again and we love him for that. Eric can really surprise us tonight with getting the ticket to Vienna. The platform feature which will be used also in Vienna in case he wins looks amazing and innovative. Overall the song could be a good “Arianna Grande” appealing song. Well done Eric!
MAGNUS CARLSSON
This is definitely a Melodifestivalen schlager song for the lovers of the music style. Magnus is singing once again a song that can really support but never gives him the chance to go to Eurovision either in a band or as solo. Shame! By the way he said to oikotimes.com that he will sing in English when and if he wins the contest tonight. I have the impression that he is kinda stressed in the opening of the song. The song is much more interesting inside the arena and not so impressive on TV. The dance act appears after the first chorus on stage which is definitely not helping him tonight. He is a great singer and a great guy but I don’t see him winning, unfortunately.
ISA
A club dance song which definitely can appeal in some European countries and definitely in most clubs this season. Isa is the younger artist this year and looks fresh enough to make her dream come true (although I cannot see winning not even by a chance). I am not sure the dance act is the right one for this act but still Isa is confident and gives a good performance on stage. Pyros are used for her performance and I think that when you perform such a powerful dance song you should dance a bit more.
LINUS SVENNING
Somehow I have the impression I am listening to another version of Måns song this time performed by Linus, am I wrong? Linus though has his own style and special voice. He was the runner up last year but I hardly see him winning this year. Still I believe that appearing after Måns is a mistake as the song style is exactly the same and somehow the tune as well. Flames are used on stage and the audience quite like it.
MÅNS ZELERLÖW
Excellent vocal performance and already the audience shout out for him. The arena dances all over this entry which definitely is a clear copy of David Guetta’s song released last year. The stage presentation is quite interesting and artistic. The applause for the Swedish hunk is simply amazing. This can bring the trophy back to Sweden in May if there is no issue with plagiarism issues of course.
JESSICA ANDERSSON
She is great and we love her since her 2003 Eurovision participation. Jessica gives a great vocal performance in her solo and static ballad. Gold dress and yellow lights around her. It might be too serious and I am not sure Sweden will risk to send one more ballad to Vienna this year. The performance is great though although the dress make her look a lot fatter than she actually is.
JON – HENRIK FJÄLLGREN
This song works perfectly on TV. It’s amazing and could actually surprise us all by winning. Inside the arena everyone seems indifferent. Some though have dressed in Sami costumes and attend the final. You know that Jon Henrik is not Sami but was adopted by a Sami family. Actually he is Colombian. The ethnic song that could make the difference but what worries me is that the singer is not actually singing or contributing much to the song as the back vocalists do all the job.
DINA NAH
This is the hit of the year for me. The song is simply amazing, you can dance all over the summer in all clubs across the world. I wouldn’t mind at all for Dina Nah to go to Vienna and smash the tele voting on 23/5. The vocals are good the energy and the dance act are simply amazing in combination with the camera work. Absolutely this year’s club song and gay anthem.
JTR
They begin their performance from inside the audience area and they enter the stage. Fully energetic and with great vocal performance they are looking amazing and they make people cheering and clapping all over their performance. I love the confetti all over the arena and trust me there are lots of kids (dozens of hundreds of them) coming here tonight for them. They even won the “mock” voting last night.
SAMIR & VIKTOR
The first act for the night which is quite impressive inside the arena rather than on TV. There are colourful boxes on stage and lots of dancers along with them. They look fresh, the sing very well and they can actually make people dance inside the arena. Descent even for Vienna if there is a surprise tonight. The are looking hunks by the way. I think it’s a great opening for the show anyway and somehow it reminds me the freshness and energy of Freaky Fortune’s Eurovision 2014 performance. (actually the end is exactly the same with the Greek performance last year in Copenhagen).
SHOW INTRO
The hosts Sanna and Robin enter the stage and perform along with Conchita the Final Countdown as they sing “the country seeks the new star for Vienna, the new winner”. Impressive opening act and the 28,000 spectators are going crazy with the performance. The opening act continues with Conchita performing the 2014 Eurovision winner entry “Rise like a Phoenix”
