An American at Eurovision

The 2019 Eurovision Song Contest starts in less than a week! It’s time to Get To Know Your Eurovision Entries! Let’s take a look at the contestants that will compete in the second semi-final. 

Armenia: “Walking Out,” Srbuk

Armenia has a stellar track record at Eurovision, but they suffered a minor slip-up last year when “Qami” failed to qualify. So this year, they’re back to their usual formula– a high octane song with a big chorus. Srbuk is starting off the show on Thursday, May 16th and her vocals are to die for (not mad at that key change!). Hopefully Armenia will bring it next week.  

Ireland: “22,” Sarah McTernan

Ireland, the country with the most wins in Eurovision history, had a great year last year. The sweet ballad by Ryan O'Shaughnessy gained worldwide attention thanks to its charming music video, which featured a gay couple. The Irish entry this year is a cute little pop song by Sarah McTernan. “22″ is bubbly and radio-ready.  

Moldova: “Stay,” Anna Odobescu

After putting on an amazing show two years in a row (Sunstroke Project finished third in 2017 and DoReDos came tenth last year), Moldova is sending a ballad that feels dated compared to the successes of the past few years. Plus, at the big show, “Stay” will feature sand art, which is something Ukraine did in 2011. 

Switzerland: “She Got Me,” Luca Hänni 

It’s been a rough couple of decades for Switzerland. Sure, they gave us the first ever Eurovision winner, Lys Assia. And a young Celine Dion represented the Swiss in 1988, which launched her international career. But they’ve had a lot of misfires recently, up until now. Luca Hänni is very successful in Switzerland and neighboring countries. He’s quite cute, and the song is a BOP. “She Got Me” is a big dance track with a latin twist. It’s fair to say that this song has the most personality of a Swiss entry since... well, ever. (Except for maybe this, which sadly, didn’t make it out of the national final.) With Luca representing them, Switzerland is looking at a top ten finish for the first time in a long, long time. 

Latvia: “That Night,” Carousel

Carousel is a Latvian band that brings us a quiet little song called “That Night.” It’s moody and pretty, but it will most likely suffer from following the high-energy Swiss entry. However, its simplicity could pay off, as it’s quite different from everything else in this semi-final. 

Romania: “On a Sunday,” Ester Peony

After a somewhat controversial win at the national final (she came first with the jury, but didn’t do that well with the public televote), Ester Peony will be representing Romania. “On a Sunday” is a little bluesy, a little goth. Romania is bringing the pyrotechnics to the Eurovision stage, which is a great thing– if they want to make the final, they’ll have to make this entry a bit more memorable. 

Denmark: “Love is Forever,” Leonora

In 2018, Denmark enjoyed a top ten finish with Rasmussen and his vikings. This year, the Danes are sending Leonora with the cutesy “Love is Forever.” It’s a sweet sentiment, but the song might be a little too saccharine. This is the first Danish entry to be multi-lingual; “Love is Forever” includes verses in Danish and English, but also French and German.

Sweden: “Too Late for Love,” John Lundvik

The Swedes are heavy hitters at Eurovision. They’ve got six wins under their belts, and they always send something polished. This year is no exception. John Lundvik made his Melodifestivalen (Sweden’s national selection show) debut in 2018 with a song that landed him in third place. So this year, he came back with an even bigger anthem and won. It’s a catchy tune, made better with his fabulous gospel backing singers. Fun fact, John was one of the co-writers for the British entry this year, “Bigger Than Us.” So he’ll be competing against himself (although it’s unlikely the UK will be able to topple Sweden). 

Austria: “Limits,” PÆNDA

Last May, we all watched with surprise as the Austrian contestant, César Sampson, was announced as the jury’s favorite, finishing in third place at the Grand Final. This year, Austria chose PÆNDA, born Gabriela Horn, to represent them at Eurovision. The blue-haired songstress brings us a pretty ballad called “Limits.” It’s a nice song, but as with so many others in this semi-final, we are left wanting more. 

Welcome back to Get To Know Your Eurovision Entries! Let’s continue with our analysis of the 2019 Eurovision songs. Next up, the remaining eight acts of the first semi-final. (If you’re curious about the others, check them out here.)

Belgium: “Wake Up,” Eliot

The last time Belgium did well at Eurovision was in 2017, with a young lady named Blanche. So this year, Belgium has teamed up the writer of that song, Pierre Doumoulin, with singer Eliot Vassamillet. Much like 2017′s “City Lights,” “Wake Up” is modern, moody, and cool.

Georgia: “Sul tsin iare,” Oto Nemsadze

Well, let’s be honest, this is a rough one. Georgia doesn’t have a great track record at Eurovision; they’ve haven’t made the final since 2016. Singer Oto Nemsadze sings with passion, but his vocal stylings are jarring. “Sul tsin iare”means “Keep On Going,” and while the performance is powerful, it lacks universal appeal.

Australia: “Zero Gravity,” Kate Miller-Heidke

After several years of internal selections, Australia decided to open things up this year and had their first ever national selection show, Eurovision– Australia Decides. Kate Miller-Heidke, a classically trained singer and actress, was declared the winner, and this is an entry you have to see to believe. The giant platform dress– yes, we’ve seen that all before (here, here, and here). But the dark creature behind her on a pogo stick? That’s supposed to be a physical representation of “depression.” Rehearsals in Tel Aviv have just started, and rumor has it the Australians are changing things up a bit for the big show. They promise something even bigger and better.

Iceland: "Hatrið mun sigra,“ Hatari

Only Iceland could give us a performance like this. They’re a techno-punk-metal-BDSM-anti-captialist group with an uplifting message behind their song: "Hatrið mun sigra” means “Hate Will Prevail.” An usual sentiment for Eurovision, until you realize Hatari are… 90% not serious. Let’s call them an art school project all grown up. You see, when they get out of the leather and latex, they really seem like pretty nice guys! If everyone in Israel’s in on the joke, then they’ll succeed at doing Silvia Night better than Silvia Night.

Of course "Hatrið mun sigra” has created quite a stir among fans. But this is the kind of absurdity that could win Eurovision (remember 2006?). Apparently in Iceland, some of their biggest fans are toddlers and grandmas– so it would seem they appeal to a wide audience. Iceland is the only Nordic country who’s never won Eurovision, but they’ve come second twice, first in 1999. And then again, in 2009. Maybe 2019 will be their lucky year.  

Estonia: “Storm,” Victor Crone

Estonia outsourced this year by selecting Victor Crone of Sweden to represent them at Eurovision. You may remember Victor from Melodifestivalen 2015. This time, he went to nearby Estonia, got himself a song co-written by Estonian superstar Stig Rästa, and won Eesti Laul. “Storm” is a country-twinged pop song, catchy, although a little generic.  

Portugal: “Telemóveis,” Conan Osiris

Portugal, true to form, is sending us something completely different. But this year, it’s quite captivating. Conan Osiris (real name: Tiago Miranda) is an ARTISTE, darling. “Telemóveis” is a song that combines elements of traditional Portugese fado music with Asian influences. It’s extremely experimental, and will definitely stand out. Which is a risk, but one that will probably pay off.

Greece: “Better Love,” Katerine Duska

After failing to qualify for the final last year with a Hellenic ballad, Greece is back to their normal form by sending a party song. Katerine Duska is a native Canadian, of Greek ancestry, and has a very Florence Welch vibe. “Better Love”is cool and current, and it’s likely the Greeks will give us a very polished performance.

San Marino: “Say Na Na Na,” Serhat

Serhat, who previously represented San Marino in 2016, had one of the surprise hits of that year with his song “I Didn’t Know.” He came 12th in his semi-final, so he just failed to make the final, but a star was born that day. He went on to record a disco duet of the song with Martha Wash(!), of The Weather Girls(!!), that popped up on the US dance charts. So it was inevitable that Serhat would return to Eurovision one day. “Say Na Na Na” continues with the disco theme. It’s one of the year’s most joyous, and also, most stupid, songs. Serhat was chosen to close out first semi-final, which means we can probably expect a high-energy, fabulous performance. San Marino has only made the final once in its decade of Eurovision participation, so hopefully Serhat will give us something spectacular once again.

This is part of an ongoing exploration of the 2019 Eurovision songs called Get To Know Your Eurovision Entries (GTKYEE, for short). There are 41 countries participating this year, and I’ve already examined the Big Six. Now let’s dive into the first nine songs of the first semi-final, who will start the whole show off on the evening of May 14.

Cyprus: “Replay,” Tamta

Last year, little Cyprus made a huge impression on Europe with the spectacular “Fuego” performed by Eleni Foureira. For a while there, it looked like we might be celebrating our first ever Cypriot win at Eurovision. So to match that success this year, Cyprus’ solution is to send essentially the same entry! A hot girl, a high-energy dance song, what could go wrong? While I don’t see this being quite the sensation that “Fuego” was, we will be more than happy to take Tamta’s “Replay.”

Montenegro: “Heaven,” D mol

D mol (“D minor”) is a vocal group from Montenegro that seems like it was created just for Eurovision. They’re all schoolmates, and the act was put together together last fall. For being such a young bunch, the harmony-driven “Heaven” is rather dated. Wholesome and cheesy; sure, it’s drivel, but it’s so much fun.

Finland: “Look Away,” Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman

Darude, yes, of “Sandstorm” fame, makes his Eurovision debut this year as the Finnish representative. It’s been 20 years since “Sandstorm” was released and became quite a worldwide phenomenon. “Look Away” is another electro-trance song, and Darude is joined onstage by singer Sebastian Rejman. After the disappointment of fan favorite Saara Aalto coming 25th in the final last year, maybe Darude’s big name will amass votes for Finland this time.

Poland: “Fire of Love (Pali się),” Tulia

Tulia is a Polish folk quartet made up of four young women. Rather than harmonizing, Tulia’s main musical style is to yell-sing over each other. It’s an old form of mountain singing called “white voice” that’s common in many parts of Eastern Europe. Clad in their traditional costumes, “Fire of Love” is a throwback celebration of Polish culture.

Slovenia: “Sebi,” Zala Kralj & Gašper Šantl

Slovenia’s representatives this year are the VERY CHILL duo Zala Kralj and Gašper Šantl. The real-life couple have a song, “Sebi” (translation: “Oneself”), that’s quite simple, intimate, and modern. This could have the ability to connect with a younger audience, especially since it’s so different from everything else. Or, it could flop!

Czech Republic: “Friend of a Friend,” Lake Malawi

Another act that could appeal to a younger crowd is the quirky indie band from Czech Republic, Lake Malawi. Their inspirations include Coldplay and Bon Iver (I know, ew), and their song, “Friend of a Friend,” is fun and fresh.

Hungary: "Az én apám,” Joci Pápai

Hungary’s Joci Pápai is back after taking a year off. He was last seen on the 2017 stage, where “Origo” finished eighth at the final. Such a good result for Hungary means Joci is heading to Eurovision again. “Az én apám” is another song with ethnic flair, but it’s going to be difficult to repeat the success of the oddly-catchy “Origo.”

Belarus: “Like It,” ZENA

16 year-old Zinaida Kupriyanovich (ZENA, for short) comes to us from Belarus with a high-energy little pop song. She’s a singer and dancer (she choreographed this number herself!) who’s also the youngest performer at Eurovision this year. “Like It” might be a little repetitive, but I still… LIKE IT.

Serbia: “Kruna,” Nevena Božović

Serbia’s Nevena Božović is a familiar face at Eurovision. She represented Serbia at Junior Eurovision in 2007, went to Eurovision with girl group Moje 3 in 2013, and now she’s back this year as a solo artist. Her ballad, “Kruna,” is lovely, though a little low energy. Hopefully third time’s a charm for Nevena!

Eurovision 2019 is only a few weeks away, so it’s time to get to know our entries better! Let’s start with our automatic qualifiers, the “Big Six,” which includes our host country, Israel, and the larger European nations that contribute more financially to the Contest. The Big Six don’t have to duke it out in the semi-finals, they go straight to the final. This is an obvious advantage, but sometimes it can also act as a disservice to the performer: they lose stage time and repetition with the audience. How will the Big Six fare this year? We’ll find out when we see them in the Grand Final on May 18th. 

Israel: “Home,” Kobi Marimi

Kobi Marimi won the reality show, Rising Star, in February and earned his place to represent Israel at Eurovision. He’s an actor and singer with a fitting ballad called “Home.” Kobi has a powerful voice, and the song has theatrical flair. 

United Kingdom: “Bigger Than Us,” Michael Rice

Michael Rice will be representing the UK this year after participating in Eurovision: You Decide. He’s a young performer, with a good voice, and a captivating little song penned by none other than Sweden’s Eurovision entrant, John Lundvik. Yes, “Bigger Than Us” was co-written by John, and it does bare a striking resemblance to his own Eurovision entry, “Too Late For Love.” (Of course, John kept the better song for himself.) Even though it’s a catchy tune, truthfully, Europeans aren’t inclined to vote for the UK. Especially with all the Brexit nonsense they’ve had to deal with lately. 

Germany: “Sister,” S!sters

It’s a duo called S!sters, singing a song called “Sister,” but Carlotta Truman and Laurita Spinelli aren’t actually related. These two girls were paired together by the German broadcaster, NDR, for the German selection show. And guess who wrote the song? Laurell Barker, who also worked on the British entry with John Lundvik. Lots of incestuous relations this year! I can’t imagine these two girls scream-singing at each other will do well on the Eurovision stage. But after the surprise of last year’s entry making the top 5, anything can happen.

France: “Roi,” Bilal Hassani

While doing press tours promoting the French entry, Bilal Hassani is a hard one to miss. He’s a gender-queer Moroccan singer who is known for sporting various wigs around town, and who learned English by watching RuPaul’s Drag Race. Appropriately, the song, “Roi,” is about celebrating yourself, and it won the French televote by a landslide. Shantay, you stay, Bilal!

Spain: “La venda,” Miki

This year, Spain is sending a lively party song, one that will no doubt be a crowd pleaser at Eurovision. “La venda” is fun and upbeat, and Miki is a charming performer. 

Italy: “Soldi,” Mahmood

After six weeks, Melodifestivalen came to a conclusion on Saturday as Sweden chose their Eurovision representative. John Lundvik, who was the favorite going into the final, smashed the competition with 181 points. He received a perfect score from the international jury, and, not surprisingly, also won the Swedish public vote. 

The final scores for the final were:

John Lundvik– 181 points

Bishara– 107

Hanna Ferm and Liamoo– 107

Jon Henrik Fjällgren– 74

Mohombi– 74

Nano– 64

Wiktoria– 64

Arvingarna– 64

Lisa Ajax– 62

Anna Bergendahl– 56

Lina Hedlund– 40

Malou Prytz– 35

Though the winner was quite clear to those of us who watched, the show was an exciting one due to the special guest stars and interval acts. Last year’s Melodifestivalen winner, Benjamin Ingrosso, opened the show with his friend (and 2018′s runner-up) Felix Sandman. 

Dana International, the Israeli performer who won Eurovision in 1998, premiered a duet with Charlotte Perrelli, who won for Sweden in 1999. And Lynda Woodruff was back! A favorite among diehard Eurovision fans, Lynda is a satirical character performed by MelFest host, Sarah Dawn Finer. She’s a silly British woman who works for the EBU and (ironically) knows very little about Eurovision.

On Saturday, the Andra Chansen, or “Second Chance,” round of Melodifestivalen took place in the city of Nyköping. The participants were organized into four match-ups, and half of the entries moved forward to the final. 

Duel 1: Andreas Johnson vs. Anna Bergendahl

Former MelFest winner and Eurovision flop, Anna Bergendahl, found her redemption this weekend. “Ashes to Ashes” is a fun little ditty, much more memorable than Andreas Johnson’s “Army of Us.” 

Duel 2: Vlad Reiser vs. Nano

No surprises here, Nano, who’s had several hits in Sweden, advanced over the basically unknown Vlad Reiser. Although "Chasing Rivers” is not really Nano’s best work, which is probably why he was sent to Andra Chansen in the first place. 

Duel 3: Martin Stenmarck vs. Lisa Ajax

Martin Stenmarck had a good song on his hands with “Låt skiten brinna,” but it was really no match for our girl Lisa Ajax. “Torn” is a show-stopper ballad, and we’re so glad it’s in the final. Lisa seemed excited too. 

Duel 4: Rebecka Karlsson vs. Arvingarna

In what was probably the most difficult match-up of the night, you had a young newcomer with a heartfelt song, and some old pros with a dated (but fun!) dansband performance. Two very different entries, but every MelFest final needs a little dansband, so Arvingarna took this one.  

Longtime Melodifestivalen producer Christer Björkman was on hand to announce the winners of Andra Chansen. As the finalists were revealed, the running order for the show next week began to take shape. 

“Norrsken (Goeksegh),” Jon Henrik Fjällgren

“Torn,” Lisa Ajax

“Hello,” Mohombi

“Victorious,” Lina Hedlund

“On My Own,” Bishara

“Ashes to Ashes,” Anna Bergendahl

“Chasing Rivers,” Nano

“Hold You,” Hanna Ferm and Liamoo

“I Do Me,” Malou Prytz

“Too Late For Love,” John Lundvik

“Not With Me,” Wiktoria

“I Do,” Arvingarna 

Or, Drama in Ukraine, Part 896

Last Saturday, Ukrainians chose Hanna Korsun (better known as Maruv) as the winner of Vidbir, and therefore their Eurovision representative for 2019. But the trouble started there. During deliberations for the national final, judge Jamala, winner of Eurovision 2016, asked Maruv if she believed Crimea was rightfully part of Ukraine. (A little background for you– Crimea is an embattled region in Southern Ukraine that is currently occupied by Russian forces. Jamala’s family is from this area, and they were forcibly deported by Stalin during the 1940s, which led to a genocide of the Tatar people. This was the subject of Jamala’s winning song.)

Though Maruv answered yes to Jamala’s question, leaders of the country began to question her loyalty. This is because sadly, Ukraine’s issues with Russia have only gotten worse in the last few years. Since 2014, when Russia illegally invaded Crimea and annexed it, over 10,000 Ukrainians have died. Maruv, being a Ukrainian artist, has ties with Russian musicians and has performed in Russia. This is not all that scandalous– artists have to make connections and tour in order to make a living. And though it’s complicated, Russia and Ukraine are intrinsically tied together through culture, families, and business. But it’s a deeply tense situation, so Ukrainian leaders decided to draw up a contract restricting Maruv. On Monday, she refused to sign, seeing it as a major violation of her freedom of expression as an artist. She was forced to withdraw as the Ukrainian representative for Eurovision, and the second and third place acts declined to take her place. So today, without a song to represent them, Ukraine announced it would withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest.

The fourth and final MelFest semi-final took place on Saturday, which means we now have all the songs in the running to represent Sweden at Eurovision! 

Hosts Eric Saade and Sarah Dawn Finer recorded a duet together and decided that Melodifestivalen would be the perfect place to debut it. “Ljuset” (“Light”) is a pretty ballad about the ways that Melodifestivalen brings light to Sweden during the winter. 

Who Made it to the Final: John Lundvik and Bishara

John Lundvik came to Melodifestivalen for the first time last year and made a huge impression on viewers. He finished third in the 2018 final, so naturally, he’s back this year with another strong contender. Coincidentally, he’s also written the song the UK chose for their Eurovision entry; so if John wins in Sweden, he’ll be competing against himself in Tel Aviv. (But don’t worry, the UK is really no competition for Sweden.)

Youngin’ Bishara Morad is new to MelFest, and he has quite a following on Youtube. That helped him on Saturday, as he took one of the top spots with his song, “On My Own.” He’s a great singer, but the song subject matter seemed a little advanced for a 16 year-old boy. Give him a few years to mature, and he’ll be a regular Melodifestivalen staple in no time. 

What Was Sent to Andra Chansen: Lisa Ajax and Arvingarna

Lisa Ajax came back for her third MelFest and gosh, we are happy to see her! Who can forget her ICONIC 2017 performance? Her entry this year, “Torn,” is a ballad that was (allegedly) originally offered to Queen Loreen. Lisa does it justice. Now, do we wish there was a key change? A beat drop? Some casual f-bombs being thrown around at a family show? Sure. But we’re getting Artist Lisa™ in 2019, and she’s showing off her skills. 

Back in 1993, Arvingarna won Melodifestivalen and went to Eurovision for Sweden. They’re a dansband group– a Scandinavian band that plays poppy rock music, originating in the 1970s (think of them as like the original boyband). On Saturday, “I Do” was a refreshing surprise. The choreography was tight, the song is fun! These old guys still have it. They’ll join Lisa Ajax and six others in the Andra Chansen round next week. 

Who Was ROBBED: Pagan Fury

Hard rock doesn’t often fare very well at Melodifestivalen, but Pagan Fury gave us a performance we will never forget. "Stormbringer” has hints of Lordi, a touch of Ruslana– Pagan Fury could have quite possibly won Eurovision! It’s this kind of ridiculous, over-the-top stuff that makes the contest so fun. But, sadly, Pagan Fury finished in last place this week. Be careful, Sweden, frontwoman Arven Latour doesn’t seem like the kind of lady you’d want to cross. 

Next week is the second chance round, Andra Chansen! And duels have been set for the show. 

Andreas Johnson vs. Anna Bergendahl

Vlad Reiser vs. Nano

Martin Stenmarck vs. Lisa Ajax

The third semi-final of Melodifestivalen took place on Saturday, and it was a wonderful show. We were treated to seven great songs– it felt like the good old days! No time to waste, let’s get straight to the entries. 

Who Made it to the Final: Jon Henrik Fjällgren and Lina Hedlund

If you’re not familiar with Jon Henrik Fjällgren, here’s his deal: born in Colombia, adopted by a Swedish Sami family, grew up herding reindeer and singing traditional Sami songs, called “joik.” This is his third Melodifestivalen, and Swedes love him. Every year, he’s gone straight to the final, finishing in second place in 2015 and third place in 2017. His latest effort, “Norrsken,” is as wholesome as it is fucking epic– you’ve got a key change!!! and singing to a reindeer and spinning in FIRE! This could be Jon Henrik’s year to win it all. 

Another familiar face at Melodifestivalen is Lina Hedlund, although this is her first time in a while performing solo. She’s one third of the extremely important pop schlager group Alcazar, who have had many, many MelFest appearances. Well, Lina is back with “Victorious,” a pop SPECTACLE of monumental proportions. Lina’s voice shines in this song, and it’s the diva performance we needed in this competition. Luckily, Sweden thought so too.

Who Was Sent to Andra Chansen: Rebecka Karlsson and Martin Stenmarck

MelFest newcomer Rebecka Karlsson comes to us from Talang (Sweden’s Got Talent) and Idol 2016 with a big song called “Who I Am.” The presentation, let’s be honest, is a little dull, but the song itself is so catchy we can forgive Rebecka for the ribbon dancer. We’ll see her again at Andra Chansen, and fingers crossed they work on the staging.    

Like his sister-in-law, Lina Hedlund (he’s married to her sister), Martin Stenmarck’s done Melodifestivalen several times before, winning in 2005 and bringing this mess song to Eurovision. He’s a confident performer and “Låt skiten brinna” (translation: ”Let the Shit Burn”) is his best effort in a while.

Who Was ROBBED: Everyone else! 

The remaining three acts had fabulous songs and performances, but sadly, there’s just not enough room in the final for everybody. The Lovers of Valdaro won the P4 Nästa competition (an online contest to find new talent) last summer, securing their place in MelFest. “Somebody Wants” was a good showing, but they just couldn’t compete with some of the big names in the contest this week. Hopefully we’ll see them again. 

Omar Rudberg, formerly of FO&O, went solo this week, hoping to do better than his old bandmate, Oscar Enestad. Well, he did, but only slightly: he came sixth for the week, and not seventh. These poor boybanders! Why has Sweden forsaken them? "Om om och om igen” (translation: “If If and If Again”) is a little raggaeton bop, and we hope Omar find his way onto some summer playlists in a few months.

And last but not least, Holly, Molly, and Polly, a.k.a. Dolly Style, performed this weekend and placed fifth. Dolly Style, if you don’t know, is made up of three “dolls” who live in a “dollhouse” together, and their target audience is small children and gay men. “Habibi” is their third time at MelFest, their previous attempts include "Roller Coaster” and the quintessential “Hello Hi.”  Now, don’t look too closely at the “dolls,” the line-up has changed so much over the years, they’re actually on their fourth Polly (the purple one, duh). Dolly Style placed fifth this week, and won’t be continuing on. Even though "Habibi” has hit the Swedish charts at #5 (the highest of any MelFest song yet). So it seems Swedes will listen to this from the privacy of their earbuds but not vote for it?! I’m outraged too. 

Melodifestivalen continued this weekend, taking place in the city of Malmö. Hosts Sarah Dawn Finer and Marika Carlsson started the show off with a rap battle, which apparently is a thing in Sweden, contrary to popular belief. 

Seven new songs were presented, and four moved onward in the competition. 

Who Made it to the Final: Malou Prytz and Hanna Ferm & Liamoo

15 year-old Malou Prytz came out of nowhere to take one of the top spots this week. And it was well-deserved. "I Do Me” is a real bop, and Malou couldn’t be cuter. She looked like a baby Zara Larsson at Saturday’s show, and her performance popped thanks to her earnestness. This will be one to look forward to at the Final next month.  

Swedish Idol 2016 winner Liamoo (a.k.a. Liam Cacatian Thomassen) teamed up with Idol 2017 runner-up Hanna Ferm for this highly-anticipated duet. You’ll remember Liamoo from last year’s MelFest; his song, “Last Breath,” came sixth in the final. This year’s attempt, “Hold You,” is even better. It’s essentially an old-fashioned love song, but in the hands of these young singers, it feels modern and fresh. It’s likely “Hold You” would do quite well at Eurovision. 

Who Was Sent to Andra Chansen: Andreas Johnson and Vlad Reiser

These guys were sent to Andra Chansen. 

Moving on.

Who was ROBBED: Margaret and Oscar Enestad

Margaret (who’s actually from Poland) has had several break-out hits in Sweden over the last few years. She’s a pop princess who made her MelFest debut last year and finished seventh at the final. For her return, she came with “Tempo,” a fun little number with that characteristically-Margaret calypso sound. Maybe it was the green screen, maybe it was the dress, (it could just be because she’s not actually Swedish?) but viewers didn’t fall in love with this entry. She finished in fifth place, and won’t be moving on in the competition. 

In 2018, we saw Felix Sandman of beloved boyband FO&O go solo with a big boy song, and the move really worked for him– he came second in the contest and it launched a whole new career for him. This year, his former bandmates, Oscar Enestad and Omar Rudberg (Miss Omar will be performing next week), will try to repeat the same success by debuting their solo efforts. 

For Oscar Enestad, this one had a lot riding on it. See, for several years now, 21-year old Oscar has been in a controversial relationship with a much older woman, Cecilia Dahlbom, age 50. And not shockingly, his parents had a difficult time accepting his new girlfriend. So he wrote “I Love It” for MelFest and gave us the best song of the night. The staging, the rose petals, black nails and a silken shirt– the DRAMA of young love! Unfortunately, Sweden wasn’t having any of it. The shock of the night was when this former boybander finished in last place. More people voted for 86-year old Jan Malmsjö than Oscar. The good news though, is that "I Love It” entered the Spotify charts at #16, the highest of any MelFest songs from this week. Also, word is that Oscar’s parents are finally okay with his relationship. Love wins! 

Melodifestivalen, the six-week musical spectacular that selects Sweden’s Eurovision entry, began this weekend in Göthenburg. As countries all over Europe are in the process of finding their next Eurovision entry, Sweden’s MelFest sets the bar for putting on an amazing show and giving the stage to some of the country’s most talented artists. 

For 2019, the emceeing duties are being shared by four hosts: Sarah Dawn Finer, an actress and singer who’s no stranger to the Melodifestivalen stage; comedians, Marika Carlsson and Kodjo Akolor; and Eric Saade, who won MelFest in 2011 and represented Sweden at Eurovision. The highlight of the evening was a fabulous mash-up of the winning songs from Israel (who, I remind you, will be hosting Eurovision in May). 

Onto the entries of the week, seven songs competed for four slots to move forward in the competition. 

Who Made it to the Final: Wiktoria and Mohombi

This is Wiktoria’s third Melodifestivalen, and the third time she was sent directly to the final. It’s no secret, Sweden loves this girl. The ballad, “Not With Me,” showcases her strong vocals, and the raining effect made a lovely stage picture. 

Mohombi, the Congolese-Swedish singer who had several big hits in the early 2010s, gave us an up-beat track called “Hello.” What really stood out though, was the staging of this song. Singing in front of a mirrored screen, Mohombi interacted with projected drawings. Hmmm, haven’t we seen this before? 

Who Was Sent to Andra Chansen: Anna Bergendahl and Nano

Anna and Nano didn’t make it direct to the final, but they scored enough points to compete in the second chance round, Andra Chansen. This is Nano Omar’s second MelFest; his 2017 song “Hold On” almost won the contest. But “Chasing Rivers” isn’t quite as strong as his first entry. It kind of feels like the same song, doesn’t it? Same tempo, same rise and fall of the music. Even the staging is similar– although this one features his son, William, dressed as a young version of the singer. Nano has a great voice, but I think we all expected something a bit more spectacular the second time around. 

When we last saw Anna Bergendahl, it was 2010, we were in Oslo, and she had just become the first (and only) Swedish artist to not qualify for the final at Eurovision. Poor Anna, it was a dark, hopeless time in Swedish history, one that we will never mention again. But with a fitting song, “Ashes to Ashes,” and a wig from The Charlotte Perrelli Collection for Swedish QVC*, Anna returned to the MelFest stage, ready to redeem herself. The staging– quite elaborate. The song– catchy! Even though it was one of the the strongest entries of the night, the Swedish public isn’t quite sure they can trust Anna yet, so they sent her to Andra Chansen. Not a bad outcome for her big return though. 

Who Was ROBBED: Zeana feat. Anis don Demina

Zeana, a former Swedish Idol contestant, and Anis don Demina, who was featured in Samir & Viktor’s latest summer hit, teamed up to bring us “Mina bränder.” It was a breath of fresh air, situated between two ballads in the line-up. Full of energy, hair extensions, and shouting, this track has already clocked in at #12 on the Swedish charts– the highest of any of the songs that premiered on Saturday. So why didn’t it make it through? This is perfect Andra Chansen fodder right here. My guess? Too many big names in this heat. “Mina bränder” (translation: “My Fire”) came fifth in the show on Saturday. 

Melodifestivalen will continue next Saturday in the city of Malmö!

Live from Stockholm this morning, SVT (Sweden’s national television station) held their annual press conference to announce the artists that will compete in Melodifestivalen early next year. 28 musical acts will perform on the televised program, and after six weeks, one will be selected to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest.

Why should we care about this? Well, for one reason, Sweden is one of the world’s leading exporters of pop music. They’ve given us ABBA, Robyn, Zara Larsson, Tove Lo, not to mention all the songs Denniz Pop and Max Martin have written for the biggest pop stars of our time. 

And Melodifestivalen is the most watched show in Sweden, usually garnering views from around half of the country’s population. Among Eurovision fans and followers, MelFest is considered the gold standard for national selection shows. The songs are high-quality, the presentation is tight, and it’s entertaining– even if you don’t speak Swedish. 

For those of us who brave cold, dark, never-ending winters, Melodifestivalen is a bright light that brings a little joy to our chilly Saturdays. We get to look forward to 28 new songs, and some of them seem very promising. So, without further ado, here is the line-up for 2019′s Melodifestivalen:

Heat 1- February 2nd: 

“Ashes to Ashes,” Anna Bergendahl 

“Chasing Rivers,” Nano 

“Hello,” Mohombi 

“Mina bränder,” Zeana feat. Anis Don Demina 

“Mina fyra årstider,” Arja Saijonmaa 

“No Drama,” High15 

“Not With Me,” Wiktoria 

Heat 2- February 9th:

“Army of Us,” Andreas Johnson 

“Hold You,” Hanna Ferm & LIAMOO 

“I Do Me,” Malou Prytz 

“I Love It,” Oscar Enestad 

“Leva livet,” Jan Malmsjö 

“Nakna i regnet,” Vlad Reiser 

“Tempo,” Margaret 

Heat 3- February 16th: 

“Habibi,” Dolly Style

“Låt skiten brinna,” Martin Stenmarck 

“Norrsken,” Jon Henrik Fjällgren 

“Om igen,” Omar 

“Somebody Wants,” The Lovers of Valdaro 

“Victorious,” Lina Hedlund 

“Who I Am,” Rebecka Karlsson 

Heat 4- February 23rd: 

“I Do,” Arvingarna 

“Känner dig,” Anton Hagman

“Kärleken finns kvar,” Ann-Louise Hanson

“On My Own,” Bishara 

“Stormbringer,” Pagan Fury 

“Too Late For Love,” John Lundvik 

“Torn,” Lisa Ajax

Lots of big names returning to the contest, and many new ones to get excited about too. Every semi-final will be anchored by a fierce female performer, which is exciting given that a man has won the past four years. This will be the third Melodifestivalen for both Wiktoria and Lisa Ajax. And Polish sensation, Margaret, returns for her second MelFest.

It will be fun to see the current iteration of Dolly Style (a highly ridiculous girlgroup that has been plagued over the years by singers joining and leaving the ensemble). And another girlgroup to look forward to is newcomers High15 with a song aptly named “No Drama.” 

Two more solo acts have been birthed out of FO&O (a boyband that competed in 2017): Oscar Enestad and Omar. They’re following in their bandmate’s footsteps; last year, Felix Sandman finished second. Will they be as successful? Lina Hedlund of Alcazar will also strike out on her own, going solo with “Victorious.” 

And Anna Bergendahl has come out of hiding after eight years. In 2010, she won Melodifestivalen and became the only Swedish entry to not make the final at Eurovision. Only. Ever. In 58 years of participation. Poor girl. With a song appropriately called “Ashes to Ashes,” let’s hope she redeems herself in 2019. 

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by some friends at Cards Against Humanity. I spoke to Neil and Colleen with The Good News Podcast about why I love Eurovision so much.  

In the first episode, I explain the basics of the Eurovision Song Contest. In the second half, I go a little deeper into some of my favorites, and what makes Eurovision so special to me. 

The 2018 Eurovision Song Contest starts in just a few hours in Lisbon, Portugal! There are 43 acts this year, and we’ve reviewed almost all of them. Finally, the countries that– geographically– don’t necessarily fit in with any of the others.

The Netherlands: “Outlaw in ‘Em,” Waylon

Willem Bijkerk, whom you may remember from 2014’s The Common Linnets (they finished in second place, by the way), has gone solo as Waylon– named after his idol, Waylon Jennings. “Out in ‘Em,” as you may have guessed, is a country western song. This Dutch singer is even putting on a Southern (American) accent when doing interviews. Country western is a tough one to pull off at Eurovision, so it’s unlikely he’ll do as well as he did back in 2014.

Greece: “Oniro mou,“ Yianna Terzi

“Oniro you” (translation: “My Dream”) is performed by Greek singer Yianna Terzi. Greece is often known for their ethnic entries; they always find a way to fit in some culture in their Eurovision songs. 

Belgium: “A Matter of Time,” Sennek

Blanche did very well last year, coming in fourth place for Belgium. So it’s only natural to send Blanche 2.0 this year. Sennek (real name: Laura Groeseneken) was announced the Belgian representative with a moody, bluesy song that feels like a Bond theme.

San Marino: “Who We Are,” Jessika feat. Jenifer Brening

You got to give it to San Marino. They’ve participated in the Contest eight times, and have only qualified once. Some would say, you just don’t really get it, San Marino. Some would say, you need choreography for a Eurovision entry. Some would say, you can’t just rip off the hook from “Heroes,” and expect no one to notice. But none of that gets San Marino down. And so this year, we have two girls, Jessika (from Malta) and Jenifer (from Germany), singing a song that’s loosely about bullying. And they are joined by two tiny robots onstage.

Israel: “Toy,” Netta

This group of Eurovision contestants are from island nations. Australia, though geographically not part of Europe, has a extensive history of watching and celebrating the Contest, so they were included for the first time in 2015. The others have been participating for much longer; Ireland, with seven trophies, holds the record for most Eurovision wins.

Malta: “Taboo,” Christabelle

Christabelle Borg has tried repeatedly to represent Malta at Eurovision. She finally has her chance this year with “Taboo.” It’s a song about breaking the stigma of mental illness, and it’s written by Sweden’s Thomas G:son, best known for “Euphoria.” Though it’s a great track, sometimes Maltese entries can miss the mark. Hopefully Christabelle will be more successful. 

Ireland: “Together,” Ryan O’Shaughnessy

Ireland, as I mentioned above, has the most Eurovision wins to date. But while they dominated the 1980s and 1990s, they’ve struggled a bit in recent times. Ryan O’Shaughnessy might be able to win back some votes with his contemporary love song, “Together.” The music video has gotten a fair amount of attention, and really is quite charming, featuring a male couple dancing in the streets of Dublin. Due to their popularity, the dancers will join Ryan onstage in Lisbon. 

Australia: “We Got Love,” Jessica Mauboy

Eurovision audiences were first introduced to Jessica in 2014, when she performed as the interval act in Copenhagen. I always knew we’d see her again! She is representing Australia with the fun (yet perhaps a bit generic) dance song, “We Got Love.” Australia’s done very well in their four years of participation, and we should expect Jessica to continue that trend. 

Cyprus: “Fuego,” Eleni Foureira

Most of the Balkan countries were formerly part of Yugoslavia. The region is now peaceful, but it’s important to remember that this area was ravaged by war in recent history (1991-1999). Perhaps because of this, at Eurovision, these countries are often characterized by ethnic, passionate ballads, and strong voting alliances. The Balkan nations stick together. The key, though, is finding a song that not only your neighbors will love, but also the rest of Europe. 

FYR Macedonia: “Lost and Found,” Eye Cue

In the last ten years, FYR Macedonia has only qualified for the final once. Which is really too bad, because they’ve sent some good songs. “Lost and Found” is an interesting entry, because it’s several different music genres mashed up in one. You’ve got some reggae vibes, some rock, followed by a great poppy chorus. While it doesn’t quite make sense together, it actually might just be unique enough to stand out. 

Montenegro: “Inje,” Vanja Radovanović

Among his influences, Vanja Radovanović counts Eurovision stars, Zeljko Joksimovic and Knez. “Inje” (translation: “Frost”) would fit in perfectly with those other entries. It’s a true Balkan ballad, dramatic and forlorn. 

Croatia: “Crazy,” Franka

Though she’s only 25, Franka Batelić has been performing in her native Croatia for several years. “Crazy” is a sultry number, and Franka is seriously stunning. She’s perfect, she’s beautiful, she looks like Linda Evangelista. 

Serbia: “Nova deca," Sanja Ilić & Balkanika

Balkanika was formed in 1998 to preserve and rejuvenate ancient medieval Serbian music. And the song is definitely dated, you could say that. But it’s reminiscent of only a few years ago, when this Balkan sound was very popular at the Contest. And no one does it better than Serbia. “Nova deca” (translation: “New Generation”) may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I bet it’ll get quite a few votes from Serbia’s neighbors. 

Albania: “Mall,” Eugent Bushpepa

Albania was the very first to give us their Eurovision entry, all the way back in December of last year. “Mall” (which means “Yearning”) is a folky rock ballad, and Eugent Bushpepa is a big star in the Balkan region. You can watch it here. 

Bulgaria: “Bones,” Equinox

The three Baltic nations are known for their long, drawn-out selection processes. Their national selection shows usually last several weeks, ensuring that the absolute best representative rises to the top. The trouble, though, is that the audience is often overwhelmed with choices, too many songs, and when the contest ends, they’re left with something that’s actually quite mundane. 

Latvia: “Funny Girl,” Laura Rizzotto

Brazilian-Latvian singer Laura Rizzotto was raised in Brazil and the USA, and studied music in Boston and Los Angeles. She’s a strong singer, but the bluesy jazz song, “Funny Girl,” is missing something. Aside from the bright spots of Aminata and Justs, Latvia has struggled at Eurovision for the last decade or so. Laura may not fare any better.  

Lithuania: “When We’re Old,” Ieva Zasimauskaitė

Lithuania is the only Baltic country without a Eurovision victory (Estonia won in 2001, Latvia in 2002). Sadly, the sweet love song, “When We’re Old,” won’t bring them a win this year either. It’s too quiet, too delicate. Ieva is performing in between two favorites this year– Czech Republic’s Mikolas Josef and Israel’s Netta– and it’s likely this song will be lost. 

Estonia: “La Forza,” Elina Nechayeva