#dansband

*dansband is a music style in sweden (which also has spread to the rest of the nordics). it is a live band, that plays music at dance events, in a very. particular style. was a phenomena before the days of djs. still exist though.

here is some album covers

text translation:

Leif Bloms

“the return of the Leif Bloms”

have you forgotten

so and so (torneå)

text translation

a half open door

well, the band really. showcase. that

text translation

i can’t read it sorry, to many bad design choices. leafs in the way and bad colour choices. help

text translation:

“hello, hello, suger top”

they scare me. the colours... the collars... fright!

pictures via this excellent swedish blog, which shows different strange nordic record covers through the ages

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

Jag är ju sjukligt förtjust i dansbandens försök att göra svenska versioner av stora engelska hits. Missa för allt i världen inte Ingmar Nordströms passionerade cover på “Flashdance (What a Feeling)” på svenska “Vilken känsla (Flashdance)”.

Tryck play ovan och känn danstrycket öka! :p