Melodifestivalen: Round 1

Last Saturday marked the beginning of Melodifestivalen in Sweden. The event was held in Malmö, which was host city to Eurovision in 2013. Swedish comedians, Nour El Refai and Anders Jansson, have the duty of hosting the festival.

The line-up:
1. "To The End," YOHIO
2. "Aleo," Mahan Moin
3. "Bröder," Linus Svenning
4. "Casanova," Elisa Lindström
5. "Bedroom," Alvaro Estrella
6. "Songbird," Ellen Benediktson
7. "Bygdens Son," Sylvester Schlegel
8. "Survivor," Helena Paparizou


The Great: Helena Paparizou and Alvaro Estrella

(A note about the videos: songs that are still in the competition are not allowed to be released yet. I will work to find viable sources for the performances, but SVT is actively having them taken down.)

Helena Paparizou, who we all know won Eurovision in 2005 for Greece, was back. Some critics alleged that Helena's star-power is fading, and that her performance was lacking the energy she had a few years ago. But I think it's a fantastic song, perfect for a woman in her 30s. The performance was deliberate and strong (she held the stage by herself, without the help of backup dancers), and her voice sounded amazing. Helena qualified for Andra Chansen (the "another chance," or wildcard, round). The Swedish people would be foolish not to send Helena to the Melodifestivalen final. Watch her performance here.

Alvaro Estrella participated in last year's Eurovision as a backup singer for Azerbaijan's Farid Mammadov (who came in second place). He was given his own chance to compete with the song, "Bedroom." Unfortunately, Alvaro failed to qualify and was eliminated after the first round of voting. Am I suprised? Not really. This song is a little too racy (and silly) to do well at Eurovision. But it is fun, fluffy pop music. And it's already #1 on Swedish iTunes.

The Good: YOHIO

YOHIO is the onstage persona of Kevin Johio Lucas Rein Eires, who usually resembles an androgynous Japanese anime character. He came in second place at last year's Melodifestivalen, and the Swedish public just loves him. Especially teen girls, which is very interesting. "To The End" is a great follow-up for YOHIO, and he was sent directly to the Melodifestivalen final. He has a good chance to go to Eurovision for Sweden. Watch his performance here.

The Worst: Linus Svenning

I guess there is nothing really wrong with Linus Svenning's entry. It's a touching song about brothers, and it appeals to a very specific demographic in Sweden. But I hate it. This man has no charisma, no stage presence. He is wearing a damn t-shirt to perform at Melodifestivalen. Linus was sent to Andra Chansen, where he will compete again for a chance in the final. Watch his performance here.

Ellen Benediktson was the other contestant who qualified directly for the finals. Her entry, "Songbird," was a pretty ballad. However, the last time Sweden sent a nice ballad to Eurovision, they failed to make it out of the semi-finals (for the first time in thirty years). I like Ellen, though, and her rise to fame is an interesting story. She was the rehearsal stand-in for singers at Eurovision last year, where she was discovered and personally invited to compete in Sweden's own selection process.

Melodifestivalen will continue next Saturday. Good luck to all of the contestants!