WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
OUT: now
Henderson co-wrote this with James Arthur, the eventual winner of the 2012 series of The X Factor on which they both appeared, and at the time of writing it is at number 1 on the iTunes charts.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
OUT: now
Stellar electropop duos like Pet Shop Boys, Soft Cell and Erasure were all the rage in the 80s but seem far less so now although that could all change with the emergence of this Danish pair.
WHEN?: Saturday 13 February 2021
WHERE?: Annexet, Stockholm
Sweden seems to be embracing the nostalgic and fun songs this year ahead of the ballads which might work in the favour of Eurovision and Melodifestivalen winner Charlotte Perrelli who returns here with a song we’re expecting to be both uptempo and reminding of her experience as well as vitality.
WHEN?: Saturday 20 February 2021
WHERE?: H3 Arena, Fornebu, Oslo
HOW TO WATCH?: NRK link
Sweden’s Melodifestivalen may be the average Eurovision fan’s favourite national pre-selection show but the quality on display in Norway’s 2021 Melodi Grand Prix means it is fast following in the must-see footsteps of its rival.
* Read on for reasons including who we think will win and how each song would do at Eurovision
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
OUT: now
Spain’s 2021 Eurovision Song Contest entrant Blas Cantó is no stranger to singing competitions.
WHEN?: Saturday 13 February 2021
WHERE?: Annexet, Stockholm
Before last weekend you would have to go back 14 years to the last time that 2 Swedish language songs went direkt til finalen and so read on for our predictions for Heat 2’s return of Dotter and fate of the 2 songs in Swedish.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
OUT: now
Saturday was a kalla natt for Jessica Andersson who was eliminated from Heat 1 of Melodifestivalen with the anthemic Horizon but the good news is the performance is available to watch (read article below) and the single for download.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
OUT: now
Sweden may have beaten Norway at the last Eurovision – John Lundvik 5th to KEiiNO’s 6th in 2019 – but the quality of Norwegian’s selection show Melodi Grand Prix means it’s hot on the heels of greatest show on earth Melodifestivalen.
WHEN?: Saturday 6 February 2021
WHERE?: Annexet, Stockholm
Last year’s winners The Mamas were the 1st of 28 Melodifestivalen entries in what was a topsy-turvy year that was the 1st since 1956 without a Eurovision Song Contest.
Spraggan won our gig of the year monsta in 2020 and we said then: ‘Her warmth and empathy really shine bright in the guitar-based, folk-influenced material that she writes and performs.’ Her 6th album Choices is released 26/2/21 and includes Sober, a song of the month for us in November. Tickets were on sale for an April tour which has now been cancelled because of Covid-19 but you can watch that gig of the year. Details
