WHEN?: Saturday 26 February 2022 7pm UK/8pm CET Update: Covid means all shows will now be from Stockholm

WHERE DO I WATCH? SVT Play

The 2 big hitters in this final heat appear to be serving up songs slightly different to those they are best known for from the clips and so this might be a result that surprises.

• Read on for reasons including who we think will go to next week’s Andra Chansen as well as who is DTF

Show opener Anna Bergendahl Higher Power (Anna Bergendahl, Thomas G:son, Bobby Ljunggren, Erik Bernholm) PREDICTION: Direkt till finallen

Bergendahl (pictured above) is Sweden’s least successful Eurovision entrant, failing to make the final in 2010, and her successful return to Melodifestivalen – finishing 10th with Ashes To Ashes in 2019 and 3rd with Kingdom Come a year later – has been a genuine thrill. However, this appears not to be quite as full-on pop as her 2 previous entires. The same writing team is behind Higher Power as Kingdom Come and Ashes To Ashes but the sound appears more anthemic than previously. Could this be the 1 to win it again for her?

2. Lillasyster ‘Til Our Days Are Over (Jimmy Jansson, Palle Hammarlund, Ian-Paolo Lira, Martin Westerstrand) PREDICTION: 5th

Timely return for these rockers after Måneskin’s Eurovision win last year made the genre cool again. 2021 entry Pretender went on to be a big hit but bowed out in Andra Chansen. Growling vocals and rock are often going to be underappreciated at this blog and this might make AC again.

3. Malin Christin Synd om dig (Sorry for you) (Jonathan Lavotha, Oliver Heinänen, Malin Christin) PREDICTION: 6th

Wiktoria’s sister with Steps and Eurovision 2021 (Malta) co-writing credits. Christin gives us a delicate piano ballad in her native tongue which has bags of potential but perhaps her chance to shine will come in later years? 

4. Tenori La stella (The star) (Dan Sundquist, Kristian Lagerström, Marcos Ubeda, Bobby Ljunggren, Sarah Börjesson Wassberg) PREDICTION: Andra Chansen

Also a tough one to call. There’s not been a huge amount of fun and camp in this year’s Melodifestivalen and this could be the song to provide it. There’s also an Italian twist and, given the destination of this year’s Eurovision, that might also sit well with the public.

LISTEN TO ONE-MINUTE CLIPS OF THESE SONGS

5. Medina In i dimman (Into the fog) (Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt, Sami Rekik, Dino Medanhodzic, Ali Jammali) PREDICTION: Andra Chansen

This selection has had a fair share of promising uptempo dance songs and this is another, complete with horn, that could well find favour.

6. Angelino The End (Angelino Markenhorn, Julie Aagaard, Melanie Wehbe, Thomas Stengaard) PREDICTION: 7th

Always difficult to judge a ballad via a 60-second clip and so this proves. We predicted 7th for Cornelia Jakobs from this running order position in Heat 1 and how wrong we were then.

7. Klara Hammarström Run To The Hills (Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt, Julie Aagaard, Anderz Wrethov, Klara Hammarström) PREDICTION: Direkt till finallen

Hammarström debuted in MF with Nobody in 2020 when she finished 5th in her heat. Last year she made the finalen via Andra Chansen finishing 6th with Beat Of Broken Hearts. Often the final song in the running order is a gentle nudge to pick it but we’re not so sure here. Hammarström can certainly perform live yet this is more uptempo than we were expecting.

• Picture via YouTube courtesy SVT MelodifestivalenHave you heard any of these songs or seen any of these shows? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
• Heat 1 preview Heat 2 preview Heat 3 preview Heat 4 preview Heat 1 predictions Heat 2 predictions Heat 3 predictions
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