Melodifestivalen Review It starts saturday in Malmo. with Yohio!

   

2014 promises to be a fantastic Melodifestivalen season and as Sweden has been hiden by a blanket of mid winter. The Spring party sounds and lights of Melodifestivalen are just around the corner for Sweden.
Last year produced & proved to be a wonderful year for the underdogs as two males singers who survived the second chance round in 2013.
Just went on to produce one of Melo biggest summer hits with Anton Ewald's 'Begging' it was almost une 'Cara Mia'  (Måns Zelmerlöw, 2007) - moment.
Then the historical winner Robin Stjernberg with 'You' never before has a second chance qualifier  gone on on to win Melodifestivalen 2013.
This for me shows how important it is for Sweden to make the right selections for each semi-final
so a potencial ESC winner does not get lost in the whole she-bang.
So just what will happen in 2014 starting in Malmo, where Eurovision 2013 left off, we have Yohio to kick of all the procedings in Semi  Final 1. I am so excited already..

Having heard all 8 tracks minute-clips, I think Helena Paparizou will do well but not convinced she will get an easy ride to the final or be part of Second Chance round. 'Survivor' is not a bad track, but certainly no winner. My three favourites are Elisa Lindstrom's 'Casanova' it's set to be one of the big 2014 Back-to-schlager tunes, and one of the songs you know will get regular repeats when the Melo 2014 CD arrives. As will Alvaro Estrella's electro song 'Bedroom' sounding almost like George Michael's nephew on this hit, I hope Alvaro makes second chance at least.Then there is some kempe magic with a swedish tune called 'Broder' we think Linus Svenning should bring in a heap of votes and likely to gain a Grand Final placing.
This first round promises some interesting tunes for starters, even if the two big names Helena & Yohio don't have the strongest of tunes this year... That's ok when you have Linus and Elisa as well as Ellen Lindstrom with 'Songbird', she is almost delivering the same 'Birds' theme produced in ESC 2013 by Netherlands classic song by Anouk. Watch out for this song also.

  In 2014 it looks set to be the year Le schlager came-back, fingers crossed.

It's the number one song in Heaven.. it's Lili & Susie 'Would you be mine'

well actually it has just shot to pole number 1 position in the swedish singles charts.
  Last time they showed us Heaven,
    This new single is looking to be just the biggest selling Lili & Susie track they have ever come up with (to date)

  now Girls Question, what bout next year Melodifestivalen 2015?

Meanwhile, Vaidas Baumila in Lithuania sounds rather great?

Hold on, another hunk-alert  this time- over in Lithuania, introducting Vaidas (who does not own a raincoat, but that's ok)
 They have a 'Lithuanian idol' style National Final where they choose the artist
 before the song, it looks very simular to the way Germany found Lena in 2010 via the 'Unser song for Oslo' national competition. So this is not a new concept by far, however the artists competing have to sing a previous Eurovision song to present themselves and go onto the final.

We think Vaidas Baumila just actually nailed his own version of Italy's Marco Mengoni's 'Lessenziale'
given a simular rather excellent song for Copenhagen. Preferably without this time, a mention of any left or right feet or shoes... Lituania could have a very good change in Copenhagen.

Finally Belarus, have got it Right with some 'Cheesecake'

Belarus in Eurovision, way back in 2007 when Koldun sang 'Work Your Magic' Belarus had it's greatest success at Eurovision in 6th place in the final, since then and over the past 11 years. I think Belarus have struggled to get it right, and many songs from the likes of Angelica Argurbash (2005) Ruslan (2008) + the amazing Petr Efimo  and 2012's Litesound tune all deserved something better than a semi-final placing in Eurovision Song Contest.

Finally enter TEO ... (or real name- Yuriy Vaschuk!)  who actually sang in the Belarus National final back in 2009 and even wrote last year's entry 'Rhythm of Love' by Alyona that was a lot better than the song actuallly sent to Malmo last year by along shot. So please Belarus you got it right, stay with this one - for a smooth ride into the final in Copenhagen 2014.

ESC Question- Has there ever been a song in Eurovision about any item of food, before?
a contest first or not. We give a big thumbs up to TEO.

 Anyhow give me a slice anyday.. any cream with that?

Armenia have spoken Aram For Copenhagen 2014!

Armenia just recently picked the artist they will send to Copenhagen and the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 his name is Aram - and with a couple of state-side minor hits up his sleeve already he looks like a excellent choice. we like the electro-pop track 'Shine'

It's one of Aram's previous hits from June 2013,  the actual Armenian- song for Copenhagen will be revealled later on..

In the meantime Aram have 5 months to grow his eye brows....