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escvision · 8 months ago

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My Melodifestivalen 2024 final top 12, much love from Finland ✌🏻

12. Jay Smith — Back to My Roots (it’s not… bad, country music just isn’t my taste and i was kind of shocked it made it to the final at all. here’s what my sibling said after this song qualified: ”what? why? even gunilla was better than this country song!”

11. Lisa Ajax — Awful Liar (her voice is good. i don’t really have anything to say about this one, that’s how boring i think it is.)

10. Cazzi Opeia — Give My Heart a Break (i don’t know what it is about this one that straight up annoys me lol is it the song? the singer? the outfits and the colours? her mouth?? everything??? the chorus does get stuck in your head easily)

9. Annika Wickihalder — Light (i like her voice and i quite like the song too, but i don't think it's winner material. but! i do enjoy it)

8. Jacqline — Effortless (jacqline is what sells this song and performance, she does make it look effortless. there’s nothing wrong with the song per se, but if jacqline wasn't the one singing it, i don't think it would deserve to be in the final.)

7. Dotter — It’s Not Easy to Write a Love Song (i really enjoy her voice and she’s gorgeous. the melody isn't super memorable and i don’t think the performance and the staging help. she keeps spinning bare foot on the piano and it looks kinda awkward. but all in all it’s really good. if sweden were to send this one i think they’d do well!)

6. Danny Saucedo — Happy That You Found Me (i actually first thought that this was quite forgettable but i take that back now. this is the type of music sweden does well and it shows, this would be a great winner! he’s got a great voice and the melody is very pleasant. the staging could be improved, though, and the outfit is quite ugly lol)

5. Marcus & Martinus — Unforgettable (i’m 90% sure the twins are going to win this year and they honestly wouldn’t be a bad choice even though there are acts that i prefer more. it’s clear that the boys are professionals. the song is somewhere between good and ok for me. i am in the minority here but i actually do not like the staging, it’s messy, there’s too much going on, too many lights and the dancers make the stage look crowded in a bad way. their outfits look a bit cheep too. otherwise, they did a great job. it’s clear the budjet is big)

4. Maria Sur — When I’m Gone (i didn’t care for her song at all last year, not to mention her vocals were totally off, so i was really pleasantly surprised when i heard her new song! it got stuck in my head instantly and the staging looks impressive. wow!)

3. Smash Into Pieces — Heroes are Calling (it’s too bad they competed with six feet under last year because it would most likely be my winner this year. anyway, this one is very similar to six feet under, just not as good or catchy. that being said, it’s still really good and i would love for sweden to send this one!!)

2. Liamoo — Dragon (i love it when there’s a lot of fire. i think this is the whole package, the song is memorable and the staging is great. i know he won’t win or anything but personally i love it! it's been on repeat.)

1. Medina — Que Sera (this song makes me sooo happy when i listen to it!! really hypes the crowd up like yes, i am here for a good time! anyway, sweden would never actually send anything like this which is a shame, but i really hope they place in the top 3, good luck medina!)

oh and one last thing: Fröken Snusk (and Gunilla) should have qualified

#gunilla for jokes and laughs and good time. fröken snusk for the same reasons except that i actually do love her song it is so much fun and #makes me happy #melodifestivalen #mello #melfest #but yeah overall sweden always delivers quality acts #everyone in my top 7 deserves to go to eurovision #buuuut ... it should be medina #if any of my top 3 win i’ll be super happy #not gonna happen but a girl can dream #esc24 #melodifestivalen 24

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whats-another-song-contest · 8 months ago

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Guys, gals, and nb pals, behold with great astonishment, as I hereby present:

My Mello Grand Final Top 12 🎈💃🎉

12. Awful Liar - Lisa Ajax Unfortunately this is a song I've heard a thousand times before, and I didn't particularly enjoy it then either. Nowhere near Torn from 2019, which I think is by far her best entry. Still love that song.

11. It's Not Easy to Write a Love Song - Dotter Same as with number 12, heard it before and wasn't a fan. Dotter has had very interesting entries in the past, and by contrast this feels like filler.

10. Dragon - LIAMOO Promising start, builds really nicely into the pre-chorus, but when the break hits and it kills the whole vibe. It just feels hollow. This should have been the demo, and then they could have let it stew a little bit until they figured out what they wanted this song to actually be.

9. Happy that you found me - Danny Saucedo There's nothing wrong with this as such, it just lacks a certain oumph. I have nothing against it, but then I don't have anything for it either. It's here, and I'm fine with that. This, along with Lisa, Dotter, and Smash, feel like entries whose main purpose is to include their artists' starpower in the running. Speaking of which...

10. Heroes Are Calling - Smash Into Pieces I like rock, which is why mello rock disappoints me. I listened to some of the band's other music, and both their entries so far have sounded like actual songs of theirs, only that have been very neatly combed and buttoned up. There's no rock-ish tooth to them. I want to hear the wolf, not the Irish wolfhound.

7. Que sera - Medina Now we're getting somewhere. I'm into happy, gut-punchy music at the moment, so in theory this should fit like a glove. I like it, but again: a bit too tame. It is a very competent song and performance, but the ebbs and flow of it are not creative enough to captivate me.

6. Give My Heart A Break - Cazzi Opeia From hereon out I really like every song. This is just a lot of fun. I find the staccato is a little annoying, but otherwise I have nothing against this. 3 minutes of escaping reality for a child's imagination. Count me in!

5. Light - Annika Wickihalder What. A. Voice! And it blends so masterfully with the arrangement of the song too. This is just a little slice of perfection. The only reason it isn't higher is that it is a little too mello-mainstream ala the bottom of this ranking, but this is mello done well enough to warrant a 5th place!

4. When I'm gone - Maria Sur The staccato in this is so much more pleasing to my ears than the one in no. 6. I love the drama, I love the build, and I love how confident Maria is performing it on stage. I wouldn't be disappointed if it won (thought I know it won't).

3. Back To My Roots - Jay Smith I said it last week and I'll say it again: I'm an unashamed Smith & Thell fan, and this is right up my street. This feels, for lack of a better expression, like a Song. I love the way the performance makes it feel like the music is done live as well. There is a complete musicality here that I am completely in love with.

2. Unforgettable - Marcus & Martinus Take the drama of no. 4 and turn it up a little more, and you get this. Masterfully executed song, and very stylish performance. This feels like a complete package that knows how to play to the performers' strengths. The only downside is the abrupt ending that promises yet another lift, but that it never delivers on. (And it will be very funny when two Norwegians win mello in the year that esc is hosted in Malmö.)

1. Effortless - Jacqline The other songs are good, but this is my favourite. Not because I think it's necessarily the best in an "objective" sense, but because it speaks particularly to something that I really like. The strong beat, and the way the sound production dances around her pitch perfect vocal (especially at the start of the chorus) really gets me. The cocky attitude, particularly in the entrance and exit, also help elevate (hehe) this entry to another level. It's effortless! I don't expect it to win, but it has my vote none the less.

#wow this got long #I haven't proofread this so hopefully it makes sense 😅#nuuuuu kör viiiii!!!#schlager nerding #melfest #melodifestivalen

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the-lampman · 8 months ago

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Annika Wickihalder? Mer som Annika Wicki-pedia! HA HA HA!

#melodifestivalen #melodifestivalen 2024 #mello #mello 2024

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mirai-desu · 8 months ago

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And soon I'll be happy with drowning in the rain: An Ode to the Amazing Songs We Lost in the Eurovision National Final Season 2024

YouTube Playlist Here

Disclaimer: I do not believe that a certain country should be allowed to participate in ESC due to the genocide that they are engaging in. Here are resources to help the people of Palestine 🇵🇸

National final season always means that we lose some fantastic songs that won’t ever get to grace to the big ESC stage, but I can memorialize all the other tracks I love here. This list contains the songs that got away, as well as some of the guilty pleasures, and songs I simply enjoy listening to, from the NF season of 2024.

Note that this is my personal taste, so I might be missing something you jive with. Songs are arranged by flow, not in a ranking. Some videos I likely will have to replace with another upload at some point. I went with studio recordings to be consistent (barring the bonus track).

This playlist is in no way meant to put down the actual winners.

Playlists for past years: 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023

Tracklist below:

Krick – “Drowning In The Rain“ (Luxembourg Song Contest 🇱🇺 )

Dotter – “It’s Not Easy to Write You a Love Song” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Annalisa – “Sinceramente” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

Bodine Monet – “Tears Like Rain” (Das Deutsche Finale 2024 – Germany 🇩🇪 )

KEiiNO – “Damdiggida” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Elly – “The Angel's Share” (ESCz - Czechia 🇨🇿 )

Cecilia – “FOMO” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Angy Fernández – “Sé quién soy” (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

MIIA – “Green Lights” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

No Maka ft. Ana Maria – “Aceitar” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Leona – “Undream You” (Das Deutsche Finale 2024 – Germany 🇩🇪 )

Hristina – “Bedem” (Pesma za Evroviziju 24 - Serbia 🇷🇸 )

Olimpia Smajlaj – “Asaj” (Festivali i Këngës 62 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Ryan Hili – “Karma” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Damir Kedžo – “Voljena Ženo“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

CeaseTone – “FLOW” (Söngvakeppnin - Iceland 🇮🇸 )

Margaret Berger – “Oblivion” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Erica-Cody – “Love Me Like I Do” (Eurosong 2024 - Ireland 🇮🇪 )

Annika Wickihalder – “Light” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Lynsay Pace – “Fireproof” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Sigga Ózk – “Into The Atmosphere” (Söngvakeppnin - Iceland 🇮🇸 )

Anet Vaikmaa – “Serotoniin” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

MYDY – “Red Flag Parade” (ESCz - Czechia 🇨🇿 )

AVÉI – “Mine (Supernova - Latvia 🇱🇻 )

MARCELA – “Gasoline“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Maria Sur – “When I’m Gone” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

ANKA – «Палала» “Palala” (Vidbir - Ukraine 🇺🇦 )

Dominic Cini – “Bewsa” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Dellacruz – “BESO EN LA MAÑANA” (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Besa Krasniqi – “Esenciale” (Festivali i Këngës 62 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

AISTAY – “YOU” (Eurovizija.lt – Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Emma – “Apnea” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

YONNA – “I Don't Know About You” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Lenny – “Good Enough” (ESCz - Czechia 🇨🇿 )

Eliana Gomez Blanco – “There’s Only Flowers” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Melodajn Mancaku – “Nuk jemi ne” (Festivali i Këngës 62 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

LEFT. – “Volto a Ti” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

eugen – “tišine“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Tiri Gjoci – “Në ëndërr” (Festivali i Këngës 61 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Ryk – “Oh Boy” (Das Deutsche Finale 2024 – Germany 🇩🇪 )

Stivi Ushe – “Askush si ty” (Festivali i Këngës 61 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Nathan – “Ghost” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Diodato – “Ti muovi” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

Eldis Arrnjeti – “Një kujtim” (Festivali i Këngës 61 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Miguel Bonello – “Better Off Alone” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Traffic – “Wunderbar” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Sofia Coll – “HERE TO STAY” (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Clara – “Diamanti grezzi” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

Filip Baloš – “Duga je noć” (Pesma za Evroviziju 24 - Serbia 🇷🇸 )

SHÉPA – “SUPERNOVA” (Vidbir - Ukraine 🇺🇦 )

Baltos Varnos – “In The Night” (Eurovizija.lt – Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Ingrid Jasmin – “Eya” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Valleria – “RULE (Rai Di Ri Di)” (Etapa Naţională - Moldova 🇲🇩 )

Antsud – “Vetevaim” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

YAGODY – “Tsunamia” (Vidbir - Ukraine 🇺🇦 )

ERBA' – “Sirena” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

AILSHA – “GO TOBANN” (Eurosong 2024 - Ireland 🇮🇪 )

KRYLATA – “Queen” (Vidbir - Ukraine 🇺🇦 )

Farida – “Heartache” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

INGA – “No Dog On A Leash” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Antoine Wend – “Say No More” (Eurovizija.lt – Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Ingmar – “Dreaming” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

CHAiLD – “Hold On“ (Luxembourg Song Contest 🇱🇺 )

Fredrik Halland – “Stranded” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Daniel Levi – “Over The Moon” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Janus Wiberg – “I Need Your Love” (Dansk Melodi Grand Prix - Demark 🇩🇰 )

st. Pedro - Dos Extraños (Cuarteto de Cuerda) (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Vidar Villa – “MER“ (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Elisa Lindström – “Forever Yours” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Maria Christina – “Moving On” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Laura Põldvere – “Here's Where I Draw the Line” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Mantra – “Me vas a ver” (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Silver Jusilo – “Lately” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

SANTI FRANCESI – “l’amore in bocca” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

Roger Padrós – “El temps” (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Nemanja Radošević – “Jutra bez tebe” (Pesma za Evroviziju 24 - Serbia 🇷🇸 )

Kleansa Susaj – “Pikturë” (Festivali i Këngës 62 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Nena – “Teorias da Conspiração” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

ANITA – “Downfall” (Söngvakeppnin - Iceland 🇮🇸 )

Danny Saucedo – “Happy That You Found Me” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Jorge González – “Caliente” (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Zejna – “Najbolja” (Pesma za Evroviziju 24 - Serbia 🇷🇸 )

MÉLOVIN – “DREAMER” (Vidbir - Ukraine 🇺🇦 )

Alekss Silvers – “For the Show” (Supernova - Latvia 🇱🇻 )

Mahmood – “Tuta gold” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

Bashar Murad – “Wild West” (Söngvakeppnin - Iceland 🇮🇸 )

Lérica – “Astronauta” (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Annprincess – “Save Me” (Melodi Grand Prix - Norway 🇳🇴 )

Marlena – “Amor de verano” (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Eden Baja – “Ajër” (Festivali i Këngës 62 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Bojana x David – “No No No” (Pesma za Evroviziju 24 - Serbia 🇷🇸 )

Quique Niza – “Prisionero” (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Ewert and The Two Dragons – “Hold Me Now” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Yoly Saa – “No se me olvida” (Benidorm Fest - Spain 🇪🇸 )

Irma Lepuri – “Me prit” (Festivali i Këngës 62 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Patrīcija Spale – “Heaven's Raining Down on Me” (Supernova - Latvia 🇱🇻 )

Monika Marija – “Unlove you starting tommorow” (Eurovizija.lt – Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Oxygyn – “Cloudmaker” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Agnė Buškevičiūtė – “Puppeteer” (Eurovizija.lt – Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Haley Azzopardi – “Tell Me That It’s Over” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Lisa Ajax – “Awful Liar” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Mr.Rain – “Due altalene” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

Saša Lozar – “Ne Plačem Zbog Nje“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Christian Arding – “Bellus” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Il Volo – “Capolavoro” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

Kyle George – “Arrows” (MESC 2024 - Malta 🇲🇹 )

Denis Midone – “Back to Me” (Etapa Naţională - Moldova 🇲🇩 )

Petras – “Run” (Eurovizija.lt – Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Adam Woods – “Supernatural” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Festina Mejzini – “Melos” (Festivali i Këngës 62 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Sara Siipola – “Paskana” (UMK: Uuden Musiikin Kilpailuun - Finland 🇫🇮 )

BigMama – “La rabbia non ti basta” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

Jasmina Hako – “Ti” (Festivali i Këngës 62 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

The Kolors – “Un ragazzo una ragazza” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

One Last Time – “Devil in the Detail” (Luxembourg Song Contest 🇱🇺 )

Smash Into Pieces – “Heroes Are Calling” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Cyan Kicks – “Dancing With Demons” (UMK: Uuden Musiikin Kilpailuun - Finland 🇫🇮 )

Erina & The Elementals – “Jetën n’Skaj” (Festivali i Këngës 61 - Albania 🇦🇱 )

Žalvarinis – “Gaudė Vėjai” (Eurovizija.lt – Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Vēstulēs – “kur?” (Supernova - Latvia 🇱🇻 )

Nele-Liis Vaiksoo – “Käte ümber jää” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Maninni – “Spettacolare” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

Clara Klingenström – “Aldrig mer” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

MAIAA – “Break away” (Söngvakeppnin - Iceland 🇮🇸 )

Uudo Sepp & Sarah Murray – “Still Love” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

Rita Rocha – “Pontos Finais” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Ricchi e Poveri – “Ma non tutta la vita” (Festival di Sanremo - Italy 🇮🇹 )

Reghina Alexandrina – “Contrasens” (Etapa Naţională - Moldova 🇲🇩 )

Cazzi Opeia – “Give My Heart a Break” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

AISTÈ – “We Will Rule the World” (Eurovizija.lt – Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Cătălina Solomac – “Fever” (Etapa Naţională - Moldova 🇲🇩 )

Marie Reim – “Naiv” (Das Deutsche Finale 2024 – Germany 🇩🇪 )

Natalie Balmix – “Dijamanti“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Jacqline – “Effortless” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Queens of Roses – “Walk Through Fire” (Eurovizija.lt – Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

BOOOM! – “Dance Like This” (Una Voce per San Marino - San Marino 🇸🇲 )

The Roop – “Simple Joy” (Eurovizija.lt – Lithuania 🇱🇹 )

Max Mutzke – “Forever Strong” (Das Deutsche Finale 2024 – Germany 🇩🇪 )

Boris Štok – “Can We Talk“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

La Rua – “Governo del cuore” (Una Voce per San Marino - San Marino 🇸🇲 )

Kim Cesarion – “Take My Breath Away” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Alen Đuras – “A Tamburitza Lullaby“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

MELA – “Água” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Valeria Pasha – “Anti-Princess” (Etapa Naţională - Moldova 🇲🇩 )

Noelle – “Baby Baby“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Blankiflúr – “Love you” (Söngvakeppnin - Iceland 🇮🇸 )

Lana Mandarić – “More“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Peter Põder – “Korra veel” (Eesti Laul - Estonia 🇪🇪 )

LIAMOO – “Dragon” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Nadia – “Sudari” (Pesma za Evroviziju 24 - Serbia 🇷🇸 )

James Night – “Nebo Plače“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Heiðrún Anna - Þjakaður af ást” (Söngvakeppnin - Iceland 🇮🇸 )

Agnese Rakovska – “AI” (Supernova - Latvia 🇱🇻 )

Kida – “Invincibile” (Una Voce per San Marino - San Marino 🇸🇲 )

Lu Dedić – “Plavi Leptir“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

Mila Dores – “Afia a Língua” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Zorja – “Lik u ogledalu” (Pesma za Evroviziju 24 - Serbia 🇷🇸 )

Jalisse – “Il paradiso è qui” (Una Voce per San Marino - San Marino 🇸🇲 )

Martina Vrbos – “Da me voliš” (Pesma za Evroviziju 24 - Serbia 🇷🇸 )

FILIPA – “You Can’t Hide” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Džordži – “Luna Park” (Pesma za Evroviziju 24 - Serbia 🇷🇸 )

Albin Tingwall – “Done Getting Over You” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Rita Onofre – “Criatura” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Vatra – “Slatke suze gorka ljubav“ (Dora - Croatia 🇭🇷 )

João Borsch – “… Pelas Costuras” (Festival da Canção - Portugal 🇵🇹 )

Dušan Kurtić – “Zbog tebe živim” (Pesma za Evroviziju 24 - Serbia 🇷🇸 )

Medina – “Que Sera” (Melodifestivalen - Sweden 🇸🇪 )

Bonus Track: Björnzone – “Still The One” (Live @ Melodifestivalen Final 🇸🇪 ) (skip to 2:30 for the song only)

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popblank · 8 months ago

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Melodifestivalen – my pre-final ranking for 2024, which leans heavily on previous live performances:

Cazzi Opeia, "Give My Heart A Break"

Dotter, "It's Not Easy To Write A Love Song"

Jacqline, "Effortless"

Lisa Ajax, "Awful Liar"

Annika Wickihalder, "Light"

Marcus & Martinus, "Unforgettable"

Liamoo, "Dragon"

Maria Sur, "Love Me When I'm Gone"

Jay Smith, "Back to My Roots"

Medina, "Que sera"

Danny Saucedo, "Happy That You Found Me"

Smash Into Pieces, "Heroes Are Calling"

Thoughts below:

Cazzi Opeia, "Give My Heart a Break" Of all of the competitors, she seemed the most comfortable with her song and performance. I like her style of quirky upbeat pop.

Dotter, "It's Not Easy To Write A Love Song" I like Dotter's song more than I initially thought, but it took a few listens to get there. So far Dotter's Melfest songs have had some clear central idea that isn't just "love love peace peace" and have not relied on lyrical clichés. Her performance was pretty good all things considered but hopefully she's healthy for the final.

Jacqline, "Effortless" Cool bass line; very good vocal; pretty good dancing. Just needs a slight bump in energy in the 2nd half of the song. In her initial performance there is a very slight mistake toward the end when I think she comes in a measure early, which may have rattled her a bit.

Annika Wickihalder, "Light" Rewatched this and she is really selling the song as much as she can. My favorite detail is that she is taking full advantage of her dress's hanging sleeves and swings her arms around at every opportunity. Her winner's reprise was highly enjoyable because of her delight and shock, especially when she paused singing mid-song for a slightly hysterical laugh.

Lisa Ajax, "Awful Liar" Song is very direct, a familiar theme, a couple of clunky lines. Staging is pretty static, just some large "stones" on the stage with the moon as a backdrop. Dancers are dynamic and interesting but draw focus from Lisa. All of the individual parts of the staging are a bit haphazard but her performance is what makes it work.

Marcus & Martinus, "Unforgettable" I don't find the song interesting; I thought it might have been better than last year's, but after listening to "Air" again this song sounds very similar but is not better. Interestingly I think "Unforgettable" as a performance would be better with a solo lead singer. Their twin-ness doesn't really bring anything to it and is arguably distracting. Staging is pretty impressive though.

Liamoo, "Dragon" Liamoo as Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender, a "fire/higher" rhyme, and lots and lots of pyro. Good vocal performance (but upon hearing the mic feed only version, maybe that's due to the backing singer), though the song has little momentum. Relies strongly on his stage presence and the pyro.

Maria Sur, "When I'm Gone" I am surprised this ended up so low in my ranking (using a spreadsheet with weighted categories) because she looks like she's actually having a good time and is performing with attitude. It is probably because her song this year is pretty standard dance pop as this competition goes. At least it is 1) much better than her song from last year, and 2) very different in style. If I were just ranking based on gut feeling I'd put this at #6.

Jay Smith, "Back to My Roots" He was put in a strange position when he won out over Fröken Snusk, but his performance was good. The song is solid though not a standout for its genre and the staging was pretty basic.

Medina, "Que sera" It's a feel-good party song and they are really likable, but that's about all I am getting from this.

Danny Saucedo, "Happy that You Found Me" My least favorite of his solo Melfest entries. Staging was a tad literal (though not quite as literal as "Back to My Roots") when it was clearly aiming for more.

Smash into Pieces, "Heroes Are Calling" "Heroes are Calling" is kind of disappointing to me. It lacks the energy and dynamism of "Six Feet Under" and feels like it needs something else building to it, but we don't get any of that so I have no emotional investment in it. I think the feeling they were going for was "resolve" and "determination" but it ends up more like "relentless slog."

A confession: the song I have listened to most from this year's competition is "I Won't Shake (La La Gunilla)". So take that for what it's worth.

#melodifestivalen #melodifestivalen 2024

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silvaradragontear · 8 months ago

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Annika Wickihalder & her powerballad is pretty good, not sure if it will be good enough for Eurovision and if it does get that far it will look like we are doing a Malta.

#melodifestivalen #melfest #melodifestivalen 2024 #annika wickihalder

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stella-rose91 · 8 months ago

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5)Annika Wickihalder-Light.

Annika sang very powerful, but she need to change the outfit, this dress make her look a little elder, sorry to say that. But her voice is very impressive. I give 6 points from 10. The perfomance:

youtube

#Annika Wickihalder #Melodifestivalen #Sweden #Sverige #2024 #Youtube

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imsorryimlate · 8 months ago

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här är min officiella mello rankning

top 3:

lisa ajax

jay smith

smash into pieces

andra bidrag jag gillar som gärna får vinna:

jacqline

cazzi opeia

helt okej:

medina

dotter

ingen åsikt:

maria sur

annika wickihalder

jag gör uppror om de vinner/dödsstraff:

danny saucedo

marcus & martinus

liamoo

reblogga gärna med era rankningar!! 🫶🏼

#melodifestivalen

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eurovision-del · 8 months ago

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We’re approaching the final national final weekend, with only two more countries left to pick their Eurovision entries – Portugal and Sweden. I’ll take another look at the Portugal finalists later, but here’s my ranking of the acts in contention to be the host entry:

Smash Into Pieces – Heroes Are Calling

Marcus & Martinus – Unforgettable

Medina – Que sera

Cazzi Opeia – Give My Heart a Break

Annika Wickihalder – Light

Maria Sur – When I’m Gone

Lisa Ajax – Awful Liar

Jacqline – Effortless

Dotter – It’s Not Easy to Write a Love Song

Danny Saucedo – Happy That You Found Me

Jay Smith – Back to My Roots

LIAMOO – Dragon

Honestly, I’m not particularly impressed. I never quite gel with Melfest, the particular type of pop it favours isn’t really my thing, and it takes something really special to cut through and connect with me. With all the other national finals happening, I didn’t watch any of the heats live, but I did catch up with all the competing songs, and actually there was quite a bit that I enjoyed. I’m really sad Clara Klingenström didn’t qualify, Aldrig mer isn’t quite as good as Behöver inte dig idag to my ears, but I still really enjoyed it. I also (perhaps unsurprisingly given my tastes) really enjoyed Circus X – I think it’s a better rock song than Heroes are Calling, and has a far clearer identity too. The creepy circus thing may have been done before, and I wish they’d done something a little more inventive than a straight up IT reference with the red balloon in the opening, but they put their own spin on the concept and I had a great time with it. And the ending was absolutely fantastic - those final few bars where it completely rocks out is one of my favourite moments of the entire national final season this year!

Looking at the actual finalists, Smash Into Pieces are sort of my winners by default. I was very positive about them last year, and Heroes Are Calling is more of the same. It doesn’t hit as hard as Six Feet Under did, but I’m always going to enjoy a heavy guitar riff and a strong beat as long as there’s nothing notably bad in the song, so I have a good time listening to it.

There was also one other entry that I found myself really liking, and that’s Unforgettable. Part of it was down to the staging – Sweden do always deliver there, every single one of these finalists have great stagings and strong semi performances – but I especially liked this one with the walls close them in then expand out as the song progresses, and the general 90s matrix style of it all is great visually, and fits in with the electronic influences in the song, even if it’s not got much to do with anything lyrically. But a big part of it is the song itself, I found it the most memorable of all the finalists. The little rising sequence of notes that makes up the main hook builds tension really well and creates a cooler sound that their brighter voices bounce off really nicely. I especially like the final chorus, the production there sounds almost Daft Punk influenced, and I really enjoy how it keeps the tension ramping up to the very last note.

Because of this, Marcus & Martinus are definitely my pick to win tomorrow night. I’d also be very excited if Smash Into Pieces did by some chance end up representing Sweden, but I don't think it's likely. We know Sweden will put on a great show in Malmö, and no matter what they pick they’ll bring an exciting stage show and strong performance – nothing here feels enough for a second victory in a row to me, but they should have no trouble climbing the scoreboard. Sweden will almost certainly take their performance straight from Melfest to Eurovision with no chances as usual, especially since they’re hosting. The only downside to the production value of their national final being so high is that there’s nowhere for it to go.

#eurovision #esc2024 #nf ranking #sweden

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