WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 2/3/19 on SVT (link at the bottom of the page below)
WHERE: Nyköping
Anna Bergendahl (pictured) is Melodifestivalen’s least successful winner and so her appearance in Andra Chansen seems inevitable but will her redemption be realised by making it through to the 9 March final in Stockholm?
- Read on for reasons including how we’re calling the 4 Andra Chansen duels this year
This year’s winner will be Sweden’s 59th entry and if they win the country will tie with Ireland as Eurovision’s most successful nation.
DUEL 1:
Andreas Johnson Army Of Us (Andreas Johnson, Jimmy Jansson, Sara Ryan, Andreas ‘Stone’ Johansson, Sebastian Thott)
OR
Anna Bergendahl Ashes To Ashes (Thomas G:son, Bobby Ljunggren, Erik Bernholm, Anna Bergendahl)
VERDICT: Anna Bergendahl was unlucky to be in a very competitive opening heat and, while Ashes to Ashes is unlikely to be victorious on 9 March, we do think it’s uplifting enough to see off Army Of Us. Johnson is perhaps unusual in being an international success with some credibility who is happy to return to MF year after year and, while we’re enjoying this new single, it’s no Glorious or even A Little Bit Of Love.
DUEL 2:
Vlad Reiser Nakna i regnet (Naked In The Rain) (Lukas Nathansson, John Hårleman, Vladislav Meletjenkov, Chris Enberg)
OR
Nano Chasing Rivers (Lise Cabble, Linnea Deb, Joy Deb, Thomas G:son)
VERDICT: We’re returning to the fine opening heat again to elect Nano whose new single is neither as instant or as anthemic as 2017 runner-up Hold On but it’s certainly Hozier-like and reminiscent of its Melodifestivalen forerunner. Co-author Cabble co-wrote the 2013 winner for Denmark Only Teardrops as well as that country’s fabulous entry this year. We enjoyed Reiser’s effort more than we were expecting and have no doubt he’ll return to enjoy greater success in future years.
DUEL 3:
Martin Stenmarck Låt skiten brinn (Let The Shit Burn) (Uno Svenningsson, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren)
OR
Lisa Ajax Torn (Isa Molin)
The final 2 duels both feature former contest winners and we’re plumping for the moving ballad by Lisa Ajax in this 1. Torn is a better song than her performance we’d venture and that’s why we think Wiktoria has the song to beat 9 March. Stenmarck may have reunited with members of the team behind Las Vegas‘ 2005 triumph but we think he’s lucky to have made it this far.
DUEL 4:
Rebecka Karlsson Who I Am (Rebecka Karlsson, Anderz Wrethov, Henric Pierroff)
OR
Arvingarna I Do (Nanne Grönvall, Mikael Karlsson, Casper Jarnebrink, Thomas “Plec” Johansson)
VERDICT: We couldn’t help but be reminded by the latest incarnation of Take That with the charming performance by Arvingarna in the fascinating final heat of this year’s contest even if the song sounded like old school Tom Jones speeded up. Karlsson’s song is better but we weren’t especially charmed by her performance and, while we think this is the toughest duel to predict, we suspect Sweden will agree with us.
monstagigz 