One of the most anticipated events of the forthcoming Eurovision season got underway today, when Swedish broadcaster SVT held a press conference, revealing the first sixteen contenders who will vy for a place in the final of Melodifestivalen 2014. The line up featured some familiar names for many, alongside some relatively unknown artists.
One of the most anticipated events of the forthcoming Eurovision season got underway today, when Swedish broadcaster SVT held a press conference, revelaing the first sixteen contenders who will vy for a place in the final of Melodifestivalen 2014. The line up featured some familiar names for many, alongside some relatively unknown artists.
The popularity of Melodifestivalen shows no sign of waning in Sweden, with a bumper crop of 2,628 submitted entries. With so many entries in the running, it was inevitable that some familiar names would appear both as artists and composers. The first two heats will be brought to us from this year’s host city Malmö and Linköping on the 1st and 8th of February respectively. Malmö’s heat contains two of the biggest names thus far revealed in this year’s line up : Yohio, who came runner up in this year’s contest is looking to go one better but he will be facing some stiff competition in the form of former winner Helena Paparizou, who we all remember competed both for Greece as part of Antique with Die For You in 2001, and won the contest for Greece in 2005 with My Number One. Mr. Las Vegas himself, Martin Stenmarck, who represented Sweden in 2005 is also back for another attempt at lifting the crown and much to the joy of many, Sanna Nielsen is back after a two year hiatus, hoping to make it all the way to Copenhagen.
The composers feature some well known and established names, such as the unstoppable Fredrik Kempe, who has had no fewer than three entries battle it out for Sweden previously: Hero (2008), La Voix (2009) and Popular (2011). The succesful team of Bobby Ljunggren and Ingela "Pling" Forsman is back too, remember their third placed entry Se På Mej by Jan Johansen back in 1995? Between them they have been the brains behind other fan favourites such as Bra Vibrationer (1985), Kärleken Är (1998), Evighet (2006) and Hero (2008) and so are naturally a force to be reckoned with. The most prolific songwriter this year is without doubt the man behind Loreen’s Euphoria, Thomas G:son who should never be underestimated.
The complete line up of artists for the first two heats in Malmö and Linköping is as follows:
Malmö, 1st. February:
Aleo – Mahan Moin (T & M: Mahan Moin, Anderz Wrethov)
Bedroom – Alvaro Estrella (T & M: Jakke Erixson, Jon Bordon, Lauren Francis, Kristofer Östergren)
Bröder – Linus Svenning (T & M: Fredrik Kempe)
Bygdens son – Sylvester Schlegel (T & M: Sylvester Schlegel)
Casanova – Elisa Lindström (T & M: Ingela ”Pling” Forsman, Bobby Ljunggren, Jimmy Jansson)
Songbird – Ellen Benediktson (T & M: Sharon Vaughn, Johan Fransson, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren)
Survivor – Helena Paparizou (T & M: Bobby Ljunggren, Henrik Wikström, Karl-Ola Kjellholm, Sharon Vaughn)
To the End – YOHIO (T & M: Andreas Johnson, Johan Lyander, Peter Kvint, YOHIO)
Linköping, 8th of February:
Efter solsken – Panetoz (T & M: Johan Hirvi, Mats Lie Skåre, Nebeyu Baheru, Njol Badjie, Pa Modou Badjie)
Glow – Manda (T & M: Joy Deb, Linnéa Deb, Melanie Wehbe, Charlie Mason)
I Am Somebody – Pink Pistols (T & M: Joakim Törnqvist, Nestor Geli, Per Ivar Hed, Susie Päivärinta, Tord Bäckström)
Love Trigger – JEM (T & M: Thomas G:son, Peter Boström, Julimar ”J-Son” Santos)
När änglarna går hem – Martin Stenmarck (T & M: Andreas Öhrn, Alexander Bard, Martin Stenmarck, Peter Boström)
Set Yourself Free – Little Great Things (T & M: Charlie Grönvall, Cristoffer Wernqvist, Felix Grönvall, Adam Dahlström)
Hallelujah – The Refreshments (T & M: Joakim Arnell)
Undo – Sanna Nielsen (T & M: Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One” Pirouzpanah)
The names of the next sixteen hopefuls will be presented at another press conference scheduled for Thursday, the 28th of February. What can be said about the names presented so far? A varied line up of both acts and songwriters which should provide many thrills, but first and foremost some great music and entertainment. This is shaping up to be one of the strongest editions of Melodifestivalen in a long, long time.
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