By Neil Durham

WHEN?: Saturday 15 February 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: ABB Arena, Västerås

Will it be 4th time lucky for a girl band with a rotating membership to rival the UK’s own Sugababes?

• Read on for reasons including Dolly Style, Malou Prytz and Annika Wickihalder

4. Dolly Style Yihaa (Caroline Aronsson, David Lindgren Zacharias, Herman Gardarfve, Melanie Wehbe, Mikaela Samuelsson, Patrik Jean)

Dolly Style have competed 3 times previously at MF never making it further than the Andra Chansen round. Hello Hi! went out at that stage in 2015.

A year later Rollercoaster performed similarly. We said of it: ‘We loved last year’s entry Hello! Hi! and Rollercoaster is co-written by Eurovision winner Thomas G:son and it’s as uptempo, fun and ever so slightly bonkers as one would wish it to be. It’s our big favourite this week with Linda second but we think it might struggle. Fab-U-Lous in its fuller form. Will need all the help it can get to progress though. ‘We’re on a Rollercoaster …’

In 2019 Habibi didn’t progress from its heat and we said of it: ‘Dolly Style may have had more line-up changes than the Sugababes but the act, style and songs remain very much the same with an emphasis on 60s fashion goes Hello Kitty singing pop belters. Habibi seems a little more understated than the 2 hook-laden pop gems that saw them reach AC twice. We suspect Sweden may tire of them a little tonight.’

2. Malou Prytz 24K Gold (Anderz Wrethov, Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt, Julie “Kill J” Aagaard, Malou Prytz)

This is Prytz’ 4th MF appearance and she’ll be looking to turn around a run that has seen diminishing returns since I Do Me made the finalen finishing 12th in 2019. We said of it: ‘Very Katy Perry and failing to stand out for us even in what was a disappointing Heat 2. We suspect Malou may return to MF in later years with something stronger and likely to do better.’

A year later Ballerina made 2nd chance and we said of it: ‘Prytz was a surprise finalist for us last year and we’re preferring the more melodic, almost clockwork-like beat of this entry from three familiar MF writers. She’s like a young Sia.’

She returned in 2022 with Bananas which couldn’t make it out of its heat: ‘It’s like Ace Wilder never left us. Contest openers rarely win but seem instead designed to display the ambition and spectacle to come. Co-written by perennial bridesmaid Ace Wilder (2nd in 2014, 3rd in 2016, 7th in 2017). Prytz has MF history making the 2019 finalen finishing 12th with I Do Me. This is her 3rd MF attempt. Great contest opener. B-A-N-A-N-A-S!’

6. Annika Wickihalder Life Again (Annika Wickihalder, Herman Gardarfve, Patrik Jean)

Wikihalder finished 8th last year and we said of Light: ‘Wickihalder’s gospel-type number was rather nervously performed which rather counted against it for us. We would have chosen the schlager joy of Elisa Lindstrom’s Forever Yours and Scarlet’s Circus X whose song boasts the most thrilling climax to a song we’ve heard all Eurovision season.’

5. Angelino Teardrops (Jimmy ‘Joker’ Thörnfeldt, Joy Deb, Linnea Deb, Tusse Chiza)

Angelino failed to progress from their heat in 2022 with The End and we said: ‘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.’

3. Björn Holmgren Rädda mig (Save me) (Björn Holmgren, David Lindgren Zacharias, Jens Hult)

Swedish singer who found fame via Tik Tok and topped the chart with his debut single Ut med allt (Out with everything) in 2022.

1. Greczula Believe Me (Amanda Nordelius, John Russel, Kristofer Greczula)

Kristofer Greczula started out as a vocalist in the rock group Damn Delicious.

• Keep an eye on monstagigz.com during January as we’ll be previewing 2025’s 30 entries.
• During February this site will predict how each heat will go on the Friday after we’ve heard the songs before the Saturday events. Heat 1 preview Heat 2 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
• In March we’ll forecast how the finalen will go and how each of the 12 qualifiers would do in May in Basle at Eurovision.
• Picture via Facebook courtesy John Lundvik, 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