Sweden: Melodifestivalen Semi Final 1 Preview

Following the song and rehearsal snippets, it’s time to give a brief preview on the runners and riders in the first of Melfest’s four semi finals. Who is through direkt, who will go to Andra Chansen, and who is going home?

1. Kadiatou- ‘One Touch’ Kadiatou opens the whole event and in all honesty she was one of the artists I had highest hopes for with a few recognisable names behind her. All in all though this is a lazy effort and rehearsal footage is underwhelming here. Being a newcomer to Melodifestivalen is rarely a help with the merry go round of names always on display in Sweden and this semi is a good example of that. Not going Direkt, but has some Andra Chansen hopes.

2. Lillasyter- ‘Pretender’ Here for variety alone rather than to be competitive, this should be really be odds on for last place, being unlikely to do well in any particular demographic.

3. Jessica Anderson- ‘Horizon’ One of many of Melfest’s “resident artists”, Jessica brings much the same style of schlager again. Should at least be looking at Andra Chansen.

4. Paul Rey- ‘The Missing Piece’ Looks quite dull in rehearsals with the snippet suggesting this would be a bit better. Andra Chansen is as good as it’s going to get for Paul.

5. Arvingarna- ‘Tinker Inte Alls Ga Hem’ There’s a few of these every year at Melfest: that light hearted song that can score well in a dull semi but is never going to do anything in the final. May just have enough to go Direkt.

6. Nathalie Brydolf- ‘Fingerprints’ One of the better ones for me but not a competitive melodifestivalen song unfortunately, and up against too much with the way the app vote breaks down.

7. Danny Saucedo- ‘Dandi Dansa’ Seems to be improving throughout rehearsals and is rightly the favourite for the semi. Expectations were too high for Danny, as mentioned in my lineup impressions, but he’s still a big name in the pimp slot with a bit of a fun song. It’s not going to be a Loreen implosion by any stretch and I rate the chances of him heading to Andra Chansen as very low.

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It is a weak semi (by melodifestivalen standards overall) and I can’t see any of these entries doing much damage in the final, particularly when the international juries are introduced. For me, Danny goes Direkt as the semi winner with odds above 1.5 for qualification a steal. Arvingarna should follow in second. Jessica Anderson heads to Andra Chansen with the last place going to either Paul Rey or Kadiatou. Nathalie should avoid the wooden spoon.

Semi Prediction:

1. Danny Saucedo

2. Arvingarna

3. Jessica Andersson

4. Paul Rey

5. Kadiatou

6. Nathalie Brydolf

7. Lillasyster
   

Feel free to leave your predictions in the comments below.