Tonight saw the first stage in the selection process that will lead up to the final of Melodifestivalen 2015 where Sweden will select its representative at the 60th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. The first finalists are Eric Saade and Jessica Andersson.
The first out of five heats that are leading up to the final were held
tonight in Scandinavium arena in Gothenburg. Two songs goes straight to the final while the
third and fourth placed songs are getting a place in the fifth heat.
The songs:
1. Molly Pettersson Hammar
– I’ll be fine (Music & Lyrics: Molly Pettersson Hammar, Lisa Desmond, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren, Gavin Jones)
Molly is a former participant of Idol 2011 and also former girlfriend of the winner of Melodifestivalen 2013 Robin Stjernberg. Molly is wearing a red dress and she is performing a powerful modern mid-tempo song which has a message about moving on from a broken relationship and be strong.
2. Daniel Gildenlöw – Pappa (Music & Lyrics: Daniel Gildenlöw)
Daniel was seen on the stage in Melodifestivalen 2010 as a singer of the group Pain of Salvation where they performed the song Road Salt. This is a low-voiced ballad where we get a point of view from a childs life with a father that is never there and a mother with drinking problems. Daniel is alone on the stage during the performance, dressed in black jeans and a back t-shirt. The message in the song is strong but will it be strong enough to make people vote for it?
3. Elize Ryd och Rickard Söderberg – One by one (Music & Lyrics:Elize Ryd, Jimmy Jansson, Karl-Ola Kjellholm, Sharon Vaughn)
Elize from the metal band Amaranthe joins the opera singer Rickard Sjöberg in this musical-inspired song. Elize is wearing a beige dress and Rickard a black coat. A powerful refrain and the strength of the singers voices is surely going to help the duo to achieve a good result.
4. Dolly Style – Hello Hi (Music & Lyrics: Emma Nors, Palle Hammarlund, Jimmy Jansson)
The three girl group Dolly Style makes a striking impression with their colourful outfits and hair (wigs). The song has a repetitive but memorable hook that leads the thoughts to the swedish model Victoria Sivlerstedt’s song Hello Hey from the late 90’s. To succeed tonight the group will have to depend on that the younger audience is watching and voting this night.
5. Behrang Miri feat. Victor Crone – Det rår vi inte för (Music & Lyrics:Behrang Miri, Albin Johnsén, Måns Zelmerlöw, Tony Nilsson)
Behrang who participated in MF in 2013 is now back and brings with him the singer Victor Crone on stage. They perform a rap/soul song where Behrang is doing the rap parts and Victor sings the refrain. The song has a modern touch which could attract votes from the younger audience.
6. Jessica Andersson
– Can’t hurt me now (Music & Lyrics: Aleena Gibson, Fredrik Thomander)
Jessia, who formed the duo Fame with Magnus Bäcklund and won Melodifestivalen 2003 and came 5th in the Eurovision Song Contest with Give Me Your Love, is making her sixth appareance in the competition. Like the last time, in 2010, she is doing it with a ballad. She wears a golden dress and behind her are two giant columns in yellow. The song feels too ordinary to be in the absolute top.
7. Eric Saade – Sting (Music & Lyrics: Sam Arash Fahmi, Fredrik Kempe, Hamed "K-one" Pirouzpanah, David Kreuger)
Eric Saade, placed third in Melodifestivalen 2010 with Manboy and winner of Melodifestivalen 2011 and came 3rd at the Eurovision Song Contest with Popular, is back for the third time and is once again a hot favourite to win the whole competition. The songwriting team is the same that wrote last years winner Undo with the only difference being that Sam Arash Fahmi has been added to the team. The song is a modern and fast dance song. The number is visually effective and nice. Eric’s clothes are all in white and he is accompanied on stage by six dancers in a number that includes a big platform which raises Eric and two of the dancers up in the air at the end of the song.
The show:
The program starts with a quick look back at the last years edition of Melodifestivalen and Eurovision Song Contest. Then we move on to Scandinavium arena where the hostess Sanna Nielsen is performing her song Undo. However the lyrics are now in swedish and have been altered into more humoristic ones. She is during the song joined by the host Robin Paulsson.
After the seven performances it’s time for Sanna Nielsen to take the stage and sing a song in how all her dreams have come true. Once again she is joined by Robin during the performance. After the performance we are taken to the green room where the fictive character Filippa Bark talks to the performers.
After having the first results with the top five songs going through to the second round of voting we are seeing a pre-recorded sketch which involves Sanna, Robin, Christer Björkman and last years hosts Marie Sernehot and Rickard Olsson.
The result:
Five songs went through from the first round of voting:
Song 3: One By One by Elize & Rickard Söderberg
Song 4: Hello Hi’ll by Dolly Style
Song 5: Det rår vi inte för by Behrang Miri feat. Victor Crone
Song 6: Can’t Hurt Me Now by Jessica Andersson
Song 7: Sting by Eric Saade
After the second round of voting ended the first finalist to be announced
was Eric Saade. The second finalist was Jessica Andersson. Dolly Style and Behrang Miri feat. Victor Crone were 3rd and 4th and goes to Andra chansen (the second chance heat)
The rest of the results:
5. One By One by Elize & Rickard Söderberg
6. I’ll Be Fine by Molly Pettersson Hammar
7. Pappa by Daniel Gildenlöw
(Note: who came 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th is not revealed until after the final in March).
