By Neil Durham

WHEN?: 7pm UK time 10 February 2024

WHERE?: Scandinavium, Gothenberg WHERE DO I WATCH?: SVT Play

This week’s half a dozen new entries include 4 by artists who are making their Melodifestivalen debuts.

• Read on for reasons including C-Joe, Engmanns Kapel, Dear Sara & Fröken Snusk

5. LIAMOO Dragon (Anderz Wrethov, Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt, Julie “Kill J” Aagaard, Liam Cacatian Thomassen)

LIAMOO (main picture) has made the finalen in each of his previous 3 appearances finishing 6th and 3rd previously in 2018 and 2019, the latter as part of a duet with Hanna Ferm. Two years ago he was 4th and we said: ‘We think this is a no-nonsense hit performed with panache. There has been some criticism of the lack of staging and we would expect an attempt to rectify this in the final.’

This year he once again co-writes with Tattoo genius Jimmy ‘Joker’ Thörnfeldt who has credits on 5 other entries in the 2024 competition including Maria Sur’s in this heat.

4. C-Joe Ahumma (Charles Koroma, Diana Kambugu, Michael Didriksson, Palle Hammarlund, Tony Malm, Twice Ice)

From Sierra Leone, C-Joe – or Charles Joe Koroma – is a singer, songwriter and performer who makes his Melodifestivalen debut. We’re expecting reggae dancehall, Afrobeats and R&B. Co-writer Hammarlund last featured in MF 2022 on Faith Kakembo’s Freedom and Lillasyster’s ‘Til Our Days Are Over.

2. Engmanns Kapell Norrland (Larry Forsberg, Lennart Wastesson, Sven-Inge Sjöberg)

This group from Hälsingland includes singer/guitarist Pär Engman, bassist Dedde Malmqvist, guitarist Jocke Blomgren, violinist Görgen Antonsson, keyboardist Pelle Larsson and drummer Peppe Lindholm. the band has been together for 30 years and makes its MF debut with a song penned by writers familiar with the schlager genre.

3. Dear Sara The Silence After You (Benjamin Rosenbohm, Jonas Thander, Marcus Winther-John, Sara Nutti)

Sara Nutti, 27, competed in X Factor Sweden in 2012. Her Facebook page includes links to debut EP I’m Not That Sad and her cover of the Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Californication. Scandipop said of single Do Better: ‘A dreamy and uplifting pop tune that’s actually endearingly sweet, despite its quite acerbic lyrics!’

6. Fröken Snusk Unga & fria (Young and free) (Fröken Snusk, Sara Ryan)

Epadunk is the electronic music style we’re expecting from an artist whose identity remains masked by a pink or purple balaclava on stage.

1. Maria Sur When I’m Gone (Anderz Wrethov, Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt, Julie “Kill J” Aagaard, Maria Sur)

Ukranian refugee Sur finished 9th last year after winning her heat. We said then: ‘There has been a lot of criticism of Melodifestivalen’s use of a songwriting stable to pen entries to order and here’s an example of where it works rather well. Ukranian refugee Sur’s song of defiance can’t help but move the heart although we were a little put off by the thin vocal which we think could be improved. Likely to strike a chord with viewers if it makes it to Liverpool however.’

• Keep an eye on monstagigz.com during January as we’ll be previewing 2024’s 30 entries. Heat 1 preview Heat 3 preview Heat 4 preview Heat 5 preview Heat 1 predictions Heat 2 predictions Heat 3 predictions Heat 4 predictions Heat 5 predictions Finalen predictions
• During February this site will predict how each heat will go on the Friday after we’ve heard the songs before the Saturday events.
• In March we’ll forecast how the finalen will go and how each of the 12 qualifiers would do in May in Malmö at Eurovision.
• Picture via Facebook courtesy LIAMOO, Melodifestivalen and SVT
• Have you heard any of these songs or seen any of these shows? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
• Enjoyed this review? Follow monstagigz on Twitter @NeilDurham, email neildurham3@gmail.com and check us out on Instagram and Facebook