Melodifestivalen snippets, #4

I just want to point out that I deliberately didn't read the comments on the matter made by Miss Posh yet. You see, that is how professionals work. They don't compare before, they compare after. Take note of that.

60 seconds of each song is on display on SVT:s website and it really feels too little. It is so hard to make heads or tails of the songs, and you can't tell what will build and what will crumble to dust before the third minute is over.

But here goes. Here are my opinions:

NIKLAS STRÖMSTEDT - För många ord om kärlek
Something is very familiar here, some sounds from the 60's, and a very sympathetic approach. Niklas was a very big name some 15 years ago, and maybe this song can shake some life into his career and put him back into the radio playlists. But I would be most surprised if it was enough to give him a decent placing in this heat.

CALAISA - If I Could
Many people will love this, I mean absolute go to pieces over this. But I don't think there will be too many of them, and personally I don't experience anything to go wild about here. Some pleasant country pop, yes. But there is already pleasant country pop aplenty in the world. I don't see this as the song to make a big difference.

DANIEL MITSOGIANNIS - Pame
Whenever Velvet sings something like this, it will end in fifth place, and when Andreas Lundstedt does something similar it ends sixth. This ought to appeal to people, but again I just hear an energetic little dance tune like many others. Could score quite well, but in no way a winner.

LINDA BENGTZING - Hur svårt kan det va'?
The Grace Kelly-factor is so high it stands in my way and blocks the sun - it is heavily inspired both musically and lyrically and a bit too much for my liking. But the rest of the world won't bother. And the televotes will fall like raindrops over Linda. The first real contender of the night, probably.

NORDMAN - I lågornas sken
This is no way made for me. Medieval oompa-schlager-rock complete with the burning of a witch on-stage. I was never a fan of Sarek either, so I know this could very well be a winning recipy also in 2008. I just don't want it to be. And Nordman's way of singing, that felt really new and exciting in 1994, is just making my poor ears tired these days.

SIBEL - That is where I'll go
I really warmed to Sibel when she was in Idol (the same year as Måns, Ola, Danny, Agnes and quite a few others), so I know the girl can deliver. I also like the production of the song a lot, and Swedes often like powerful vocal chords in combination with good lung capacity. But there is already a Sanna there. The ballad factor could tip Sibel over, but she should make top three tonight anyway.

FRONDA - Ingen mår så bra som jag
This was the one that gave me flashbacks from Die Prinzen (but their song was a very minor hit in Sweden, so I guess it is just a co-incidence) and it does bring me into a good mood. If Frida could go far, so could Fronda. But hopefully not as far. Happy bagatelles have a tendency of annoying me as soon as they reach too high up in the ranking.

CHARLOTTE PERRELLI - Hero
After the fiascos of Carola and Patrik Isaksson, some journalists already take pride in predicting a failure also for Charlotte. She wasn't that good at rehearsals, they write. I believe Charlotte to be a true professional, who will blow the others away when the competition starts for real. I would need to hear more to judge the song, but it does sound very promising. I love Charlotte, and I think the rest of Sweden will, too.

My prediction:

Final
Charlotte Perrelli
Linda Bengtzing

Andra Chansen
Sibel
Nordman

5. Daniel Mitsogiannis
6. Niklas Strömstedt
7. Calaisa
8. Fronda

Maybe I would like to change places of Niklas and Nordman, if the sell-by-date for witch-burning has passed, which I sincerely hope it has. I won't see MF until tomorrow, as I will be at the Finnish final in Kulttuuritalo tonight, but there will be comments. And after tonight, it is time to start analysing Andra Chansen too...