By Aline Mahrud

WHEN?: Saturday 8 February 2025 7pm UK time

WHERE?: Scandinavium, Gothenburg

Melodifestivalen showed its strength in depth last week with a 1st heat strong on musical diversity and there is much that is different to again appreciate here in this 2nd outing.

• Read on for reasons including Kaliffa, Eric Segerstedt & Schlagerz

1. Nomi Tales Funniest Thing (Adam Breitholtz, Herman Gardarfve, Jacob Lundahl, Nomi Bontegard, Simon Weidersjö) PREDICTION: 6th

Tinkly piano provides an ethereal opening to an understated and pretty entry which builds in its 60-second snippet. Bontegard is a singer/songwriter who also studied game development at Futuregames in Stockholm.

2. Schlagerz Don Juan (Anna Engh, Mikael Karlsson) PREDICTION: 5th

We love chugging old school schlager and this is channelling ABBA‘s 1974 winner Waterloo. It’s the sort of song that’s been relegated to comedy MF intervals in the show’s recent past and so it will be very interesting to see how it performs in competition. Engh’s backing vocals have been heard on music by Celine Dion, Victoria Beckham and Dannii Minogue. Karlsson specializes in dramatic music for dance, ballet, opera, theater and for singers, and writes concert music for orchestras.

3. Eric Segerstedt Show Me What Love Is (Erik Segerstedt, Mattias Andréasson, Pontus Söderman) PREDICTION: 3rd

Runner-up in Idol 2006, Segerstedt joined with 2 other Idol contestants – 2006’s Danny Saucedo and 2007’s Mattias Andréasson – to form EMD which finished 3rd in 2009’s MF with Baby Goodbye. He returned 4 years later performing Hello Goodbye with Tone Damli which went out in the Andra Chansen. This is solid and unspectacular.

LISTEN to the 60-second snippets of the songs at the SVT site

4. Klara Hammarström On And On And On (Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy Jansson, Klara Hammarström, Moa ‘Cazzi Opeia’ Carlebecker, Peter Boström, Thomas G:son) PREDICTION: Finalen

Definitely the favourite to win this heat. Nice build into a memorable chorus. We predict this will earn Hammarström’s best ever MF result. Hammarström has participated in 3 MFs. In 2020 Nobody failed to advance. We said of it: ‘Klara’s sounding very Dua Lipa to these ears and that’s always a good thing. One to watch.’ A year later Beat Of Broken Hearts finished 6th and we said of it: ‘It’s the only Fredrik Kempe song in the finalen yet 1 of 2 K/Claras. Performed and staged well but reminding us a little too much of a song from hit film The Greatest Showman to be 1 of our favourites.’ A year later she finished 6th again with Run To The Hills and we said: ‘We were just a little unmoved by it in its live incarnation. There was 1 point where we felt the vocal was very off although generally it is well performed. Hammarström’s look in particular is very striking and superhero. The running order’s just been revealed and she’s both the show opener and number 1 on Spotify in Sweden currently. Too early for the win?’

5. Fredrik Lundman The Heart Of A Swedish Cowboy (Erik Bernholm, Maja Francis, Thomas G:son) PREDICTION: 4th

Country is a very of the moment sound and this is a fine example of its genre that we expect to push Segerstedt for the second chance spot. Co-writer Francis has worked with First Aid Kit and Lundman, appropriately, is a country music artist.

6. Kaliffa Salute (Anderz Wrethov, Jakob ‘Big Brain’ Malmlöf, Jimmy ‘Joker’ Thörnfeldt, Kaliffa Karlsson,
Robert Skowronski) PREDICTION: Finalen

Last week’s heat started with a party song that failed to live up to its expectations. We expect this more authentic closer to do rather better. Reminiscent of the sports anthems Medina would often bring. Swedish musician who spends their time between home and the Gambia. Member of ska group Hoffmaestro.

• 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 Klara Hammarstrom, 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