Melodifestivalen update after Norrkoping, Semi Final 3

                              I found the third semi final of Melodifestivalen 2016 alot better than the first two, in fact all the songs I found worthy of at least a second chance placing. Boris Rene & Lisa Ajax had most impressive tunes. Another favourite was Smailo, what a great dance track with 'Weight Of The World'. Then came After Dark who could have won any prize for the song's amazing staging and for being so schlagger-tastic. Yet this Melodifestivalen season proved again that schlager is not what the swedes want to see in the Grand Final!!
                             Although it's still early to call it,  I think Oscar Zia's performance of Human' had winner signs all over it. The staging perhapes could be abit better, what most impressed me was the song. 'Human' On my second hearing I really got it, and I had that rare this is 'the one' feeling. Of course this year's favourite from Molly Sanden has'nt been seen yet. I think Human' as a song could win the international jury hearts, while the televote could possibly be more in Molly's favour.
                           Lets wait and see....next weekend.

Jamala for Ukraine is going to Stockholm 2016. We are glad...

Jamala, she made a small impression on Eurovision back in 2011 with her track 'Smile' the track had the ingredients for a great Eurovision entry. Yet Jamala finished 2nd, then withdrawn from a second Ukrainian Grant Final to choose a new song back in 2011. Finally the song 'Angel' was choosen it's hard to believe that was 5 years ago,
Now Jamala is back and this time she won the Ukrianan National Final with her self penned '1944' it's a very powerful song about the journey taken by her grandmother when they were deported along with 250,000 Crimean Tatar people in 1944.
This song has created a real stir on social media,  as people think it may hold a policital statement, that is against the ESC rules. I like the song alot its diffent, yet funky and '1944' has great potencial to do very well in Stockholm. In fact Ruslana judging in the Ukraine National Final said Jamala could take the prize in ESC Stockholm. I think Ruslana could be right, and Jamala has the talent and image to pull off a win. So have we seen and hear a Eurovision winner already? There is still alot more songs and entries  to be chosen at this early stage. I do think Ukraine will fast become a favourite for 2016.

The best report of the whole Jamala rise and her song is best reported here at ESCDaily, a most interesting article.
http://www.escdaily.com/editorial-crimea-fights-back-through-music/

Meanwhile, over in Norway we found something completely different- Laika= the spacedog

'Hungry Hearts' is the group that will be part of Norsk Melodi Grand Prix, in the past Norway have always gone for somewhat serious almost traditional Eurovision entries, so this is really left field for MGP. There is something very caughty about the tune, I even think it could work well in Stockholm 2016, it all depends how this song 'Laika' is presented by a nine piece performance art group.
 I cannot wait to find out.

Bye Bye Krista, As she's leaves Melodifestivalen semi 2 in Malmo- sad face : (

        Krista Siegfrids she came, she (and still) concequed Melodifestivalen with her bubbly diva fun personality and amazing presentation of her song 'Faller' (Falling)

       For me Krista was the highlight of the night, as well as the fabulous Charlotte Perrelli who added a lot of more schlager magic to the second semi final. Then Charlotte even popped up in Denmarks Melodi Grand Prix final for a short interview during their interval, what a schlager trooper Charlotte is.
       As for the the songs, the only one that excites me was David Lindgren 'We Are Your Tomorrow'
and the best of the Second Chance round was Isa with  'I will Wait' her power pop- ballad
I felt certain Krista was worthy of at least a second chance placing, lets hope there is some more extra schlager-magic and sparkle due for the next Melodifestivalen semi final.

Melodifestivalen Swedish Chart action for Week: 12 Feb 2016

During Melodifestivalen season it's always good to see how the singles charts looks as the Melodifestivalen songs are released. As is traditional the grand final Melodifestivalen entries do not normally get a release until nearer to the time of the Melodifestivalen Grand Final.
So in the Top 10 we can see popular 'Bada Nakna' -Samir & Viktor who held top place in the i-tunes chart for so long after their Melodifestivalen 1st semi performance last weekend.
Will they hit the No:1 slot next week?
In fact this early release of Bada Nakna' could work out in their favour as the track should be getting lots of radio AirPlay and help Samir & Victor into the Final via the second chance round. They certainly have a huge summer hit on their hands two years running now.

Meanwhile the fellow 'second chance' round entry Albin & Mattrias "Rik" (Rich) is a new entry at No: 32, and should rise more with next week, just stay schlagertuned for more action....

                          Tack Samir & Viktor's facebook

1	2			Zayn Pillowtalk			Syco Music/rca Records / Sony Music SME	USRC11600069	2
2	1			Alan Walker Faded			Mer Musikk / Sony Music SME	NOG841549010	10
3				Samir & Viktor Bada nakna			Wm Sweden / Warner WMS	SEPQA1600011	1
4	3			Jonas Blue feat. Dakota Fast Car			Jonas Blue Music/universal Music / Universal UNI	GBUM71507621	8
5	4			Justin Bieber Love Yourself			Def Jam Recordings / Universal UNI	USUM71516761	13
6	5			G-Eazy X Bebe Rexha Me, Myself & I			Rca Records / Sony Music SME	USRC11502210	7
7	7			Otto Knows feat. Lindsey Stirling & Alex Aris Dying For You			Disconap Ab/wm Sweden / Warner WMS	SE4OX1500118	4
8	6			Major Lazer feat. Nyla & Fuse ODG Light It Up (Remix)			Warner Music Group / Warner WMS	QMUY41500014	13
9	10			Mike Posner I Took A Pill In Ibiza			Island / Universal UNI	USUM71509342	18
10	8			Justin Bieber Sorry			Def Jam Recordings / Universal UNI	USUM71516760	16

Many Thanks to: Sverige Topplistan site hitparad.se

All eyes will be on Denmark for the Melodi Grand Prix 2016- This weekend

Denmark have an amazing track record at Eurovision Song Contest, as well as they always seem to follow a Swedish win, with a win of their own on swedish soil. However the recent stripped down Melodi Grand Prix in 2015 failed to produce a song to take Denmark to the final with Anti- Social Media. If like me you through it's just not the same without Denmark at the grand final party, you'll be hoping for a return to form

We have got some great songs this year, my two favourites are: Anja Nissen with 'Never Alone' that has been wrote by former Eurovision winner Emile De Forest. Anja is a Sydneysider from a danish family as well as a winner of The Voice Australia. Anja has already voiced  how she would feel uncomfortable if in direct competion with Delta Goodrem. However if she wins MGP that is a strong possibly this will be her fate. Bracelet are the best song in the MGP for me and with the right performance on the night I hope we will see them in Stockholm, being made up of two swedes and one dane Globen will be second home to them anyhow.

As always you can never really know what might happen in Denmark's final and another outsider to watch is 'Blue Horizon' by Sophia Nohr, that could do well.

Austria has chosen Zoe for Stockholm, with a song completely in french!

Austria had a marathon 'Wer Singt Fur Osterreich'National final featuring 10 songs, plus a super final and two star judges with Conchitta & american Jule Frost (songwriter of Satellite in 2010) although a long process. I liked they way they presented the artists. The staging was very good, but lacked originality with a couple of songs, it was really a case of...did you not know that has been done before at ESC recently.

My own favourite was Sankil Jones, who had a different voice and a song called 'One More Sound' his performance was great. Only the song just lacked a little something, next year maybe?

The winner Zoe, was lucky second time around as just last year she came 3rd with a 1920's style 'Quel Filou' in the Austrian final. Last year Zoe sung in mainly english, although she writes and sings fully in french. So for this year she made the switch to full french with great success- Zoe won the ticket to Stockholm with her new track 'Loin d'ici'. It's interesting how the jury panel complained that french - may hold her back at Eurovision! One jury member even asked why she was not singing in german instead.

Thankfully the austrian public votes went almost totally differently from the jury votes on the night. It's worth noting Zoe's has a full french album released 'Debut' available on i-tunes. I have one firm favourite for Stockholm 2016 with "Loin d'ici"

Last year's third placed 'Quel Filou' by Zoe.

Melodifestivalen Semi Final 1: Goteburg : Ace & Robin all the way

The first show of the Melodifestivalen season kicked off in Goteburg, and what a wonderful show it was,  full of great music and the wonderful presenter Petra Mede. How could it go wrong?
Well we had the schlager tragedy (que Bee Gees) when Anna Book's song was disqualified just a head of Melodifestivalen week one. We still got to see Anna Book's schlager magic during the show and after the first round of voting, personally I loved the song, but I am not convinced "Himmel for Tva' would have made it out of the Second Chance round to be in the final in the end !

Melodifestivalen started how the Final in 2015 started with Samir & Viktor and 'Bada Nakna'- I luv this track,  it seems perhapes better than 'Groupie' and another swedish chart hit. You could see Viktor's real disapointment with not going direct to the Grand Final. I think this track will get through Second Change round without a problem. 'Bada Nakna' is already No: 1 on the swedish i-tunes chart, just above Mimi Werner's 'Ain't No Good' & "Rik" Albin & Mattias. "Rik" I did not rate too highly on the night, in fact Mimi Werner's song I through would be a better second changer. Ever popular singer Mattias carried the track and the public votes, I was asking myself is Sweden ready for a Samir & Viktor mark#2? Not just yet!

Then came Robin Bengtsson, who has been away from the swedish music scene for a short-while, but what a comeback track, I like 'Constellation Prize' a lot. Already I can see Robin Bengtsson as being one of the best songs of 2016. At this early stage I will place Robin Top 3 or Top 5. This track is very fresh and new, with a hint of One Direction-esque to it. Go Robin Go.

The big question in Goteberg was will Ace Wilder get a ticket direct to Friends Arena? Yes you can & she did, although 'Busy Doin Nothing'  was a mega hit for Ace Wilder. I was not a great fan of the song, it was caughty but too gimmicky if you asked me. So with 'Don't Worry' Ace has come up with a far better song and dropped the gimmicks and wham bam,  she will be back in the charts with this new single. I can also see those International juries of the Melodifestivalen Final liking Ace as well as Robin.

So great tunes already in the final, I cannot wait to see more next weekend.