WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 17/2/18 on SVT (link at the bottom of the page below)

WHERE: Malmo

Melodifestivalen couldn’t be more split along gender lines with four male acts in the final and four female soloists in Andra Chansen – but we’re hopeful one of Dotter or Jessica Andersson will be going straight to the Friends Arena in Stockholm this weekend.

• Read on for reasons including our Saturday night predictions for each of the songs

1.  MARTIN ALMGREN A Bitter Lullaby PREDICTION: andra chansen

Former Swedish Idol goes country. The first show opener this season not to progress further? 2nd in Friday night’s audience vote and so we’re upgrading our expectations of this.

2. BARBI ESCOBAR Stark PREDICTION: 7th

The Swedish language songs don’t tend to do so well in Melodifestivalen and here’s an example of a style of music we love (uptempo dance) which would work better for us in a tongue we understand.

3. MONCHO Cuba Libre PREDICTION: 6th

Baffling that this in the same heat as the similar styled entry from Mendez which will surely steal all its thunder. Lots of fun and continuing the Latin theme bossed last week by Margaret’s In My Cabana which is our favourite MF song so far.

4. JESSICA ANDERSSON Party Voice PREDICTION: andra chansen

We were primed for this to be uptempo and it doesn’t quite bang as much as we want it to. Sounds a bit Hung Up by Madonna towards the end of the clip. Why is Sweden voting only men to the final? Needs to change this week.

5. KALLE MORAEUS and ORSA SPELMAN Min Drom PREDICTION: 5th

We weren’t fans of their previous MF entry but this one sounds like it has a glorious key change within to lift it ahead of the pack.

6. DOTTER Cry PREDICTION: final

We’re reminded of Bjork’s Oh So Quiet by the 1-minute clip. This is quietly devastating heartbreaking pop that stands out a mile in the in-your-face hoopla that is Melodifestivalen. The first woman to make the 2018 final?

7. MENDEZ Everyday PREDICTION: final

We’ve never been too impressed by Mendez’s live singing abilities and that’s the only thing we can see impeding the road to Stockholm for this absolute Latino pop juggernaut. Underwhelming vocal rehearsal clip above.

• Pictures via Facebook courtesy SVT Melodifestivalen. Clips via YouTube courtesy SVT. Melodifestivalen tickets
• The 2m 30s clips of these songs are available here from 1pm UK time Saturday. We’ll be refreshing our predictions ahead of the 7pm heat here.
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