Sweden SWEDEN 2023 - Loreen - Tattoo

[ESC United Mod Team]

 

[alca]

So far have rehearsed the first 4 contestants so I will comment only on them.

Tone Sekelius - Rhythm of the show
I still can't decide if I like Tone's song better than last year's. They are very different. Apparently the presentation is much better this year. She has dancers and she participates quite a bit in the choreography. Of course, vocally she's a bit unstable because of that. She didn't sound that good, especially towards the end. There is the bridge which is slow and she could take some breaths there but it didn't work out for her. In the vocal part I have a reservation because the material given to us by SVT is the third rehearsal they are doing so there is a certain fatigue. On the other hand, when someone is good, they can sing a song 30 times in a row and they will get it right every time. Anyway. The show is interesting with the dancers. I like their (and Tone's) outfits and there's a lot of fire effects.

Loulou LaMotte - Inga sorger
I'm a bit biased here because I love Loulou. The song is more for the radio here in Sweden and not for Eurovision. And I don't think it helps that it's in Swedish. I mean we see what happens every year with the Swedish songs. Loulou is alone on stage and throughout the song she is static. The performance is mainly based on lighting and fans (Carola fans! lol). Vocally she is very good but I didn't expect anything else. Anyway, I enjoy listening to the song, but I see it making to AC at best, and that's only because of Loulou herself. The aura she gives off wins you over immediately (as it did with Mamas in 2020).
PS: Please spell her last name correctly. It's LaMotte. Yes with capital M. She said that herself.

Rejhan - Haunted
The kid has a voice, although his expressions don't look good on camera. I don't go crazy with the song. I'm bored of such ballads. The point is that something like this can touch the Swedes. It is very difficult to predict an outcome here. It can go from DTF to elimination. For some reason I see it as either DTF or elimination. No second chance. But of course, you never know. They've set it up nicely though. Atmospheric with a dancer behind Rejahn who appears every now and then as a shadow because of the lighting. I imagine it has something to do with the line "Cause no matter where I go, I'm still running from your ghost" so we see her as a "ghost".

Elov & Beny - Raggen går
Stupid song. Especially if we look at the lyrics. Road trip type, they met a girl, and bla bla bla. Yhey also eat some hotdogs towards the end, among the audience and that's it. I also doubt they even sing a single word to the chorus. It's like they totally lip sync. No no, I have nothing to say. Hopefully it will stay in the heat.

They are on a break now. The last 3 will rehearse in about 2 hours.

 

[FabiESC]

01 Jon Henrik Fjällgren, Arc North feat. Adam Woods - Where You Are (Sávežan) 10/10
02 Tone Sekelius - Rhythm Of My Show 9/10
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03 Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos - Länge leve livet 8/10
04 Elov & Beny - Raggen går 8/10
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05 Loulou LaMotte - Inga sorger 5/10
06 Rejhan - Haunted 5/10
07 Victor Crone - Diamonds 4/10

For my taste, i think this is really good start, love that Jon Henrik snippet and Tone's Song is amazing, but not so good as last year. Eva & Ewa and Elov & Beny are really entertaining songs, i really like both songs.


My Prediction

Final: Jon Henrik Fjällgren, Arc North feat. Adam Woods
Final: Tone Sekelius
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AC: Victor Crone
AC: Loulou LaMotte
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5th: Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roo
6th: Rejhan
7th: Elov & Beny

 

[Mainshow]

Actually, I don´t know what to say.... the concept of Melodifestivalen is still successful (Swedish ratings, Eurovision fandom, amazing results at Eurovision) but heat 1 is basically the epitome of why I stopped being excited about - I´m not a jealous Eurovision fan speaking - I think that they deserve their good results at Eurovision (apart from being slightly overrated by juries such as in 2011, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2019) but this heat has NOTHING new, progressive or amazing to offer.

"inga soger" sounds interesting and feels quite genuine to me (based on that snippet) but the other two entries in Swedish are abysmal - Why do the producers of Melodifestivalen not value their own language - they promoting it as a tool to be silly only. Surely, this is neither representative of the Swedish local music scene nor is that formular going to be a success at Eurovision since none of these entires are competitive.... so WHY are they part of Melodifestivalen EVERY SINGLE YEAR?

I read the comments on "Diamonds" by Victor Crone; pressing likes because his music is indeed so effing generic but honestly, that song is still better than other entries in this semi. It´s generic as hell and his voice is neither interesting nor distinctive enough (and I still hate it that "Storm" was part of Eurovision history) but at least, it´s not turning this heat into some sort of mockery (yet).

The only snippet I truly liked: "Where You Are". There are parts which sound pretty basic EDM and slightly dated, imo (There´s a reson why a few fans compare it to Avicii/Swedish House Mafia - some parts of the arrangement sound like they would be coming from the early 2010´s, imo) but Fjällgren saves the song and strangely, the chorus was able to sell the whole song and I deeply wish for to finally send him to Eurovision - showing a different side - even if it´s about to happen in a very "limited scope" because of the basic and slightly dated EDM-song.

I have no words to describe Tone´s song.. but didn´t the tropical EDM-pop sound already die like 3-5 years ago?

I wanted to write that I was "disappointed" by that selection of songs but that would be a lie because Melodifestivalen has become that predictable and stale a few years ago - and even though most performances will be entertaining, for sure, I´m still shocked....

Anyway, I will probably watch the final since Sweden usually ends up having a few contenders in the final (even though I basically just loved "Hold Me Closer" in last year´s final) but watching the heats feels like watching the qualification rounds of Lithuania (and they are more progressive in sound these years, imo).

01 Jon Henrik Fjällgren, Arc North feat. Adam Woods - Where You Are (Sávežan) 8/10
02 Rejhan - Haunted 6/10
03 Loulou LaMotte - Inga sorger 5/10
04 Victor Crone - Diamonds 4/10
05 Tone Sekelius - Rhythm Of My Show 3/10
07 Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos - Länge leve livet 0/10
07 Elov & Beny - Raggen går 0/10

 

[Mrm]

After 60 sec audio snippets, I rank the 1st heat:

1. Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos - "Länge leve livet" 10/10 - super witty, great as expected, I love swing in it and their vocals.. ..

2. Rejhan - "Haunted" 10/10 oooo really haunted this is the most positive surprised of the heat, Flow is really good, building of the composition, vocal tone, if live will be good this will be amazing!
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3. Jon Henrik Fjällgren, Arc North feat. Adam Woods - "Where You Are (Sávežan)" 10/10 - at first I didnt give 10, but after second listen it is very very interesting, reminds me of Avicii a bit, I think joik and electro dance vibe will blend very well In the performance...

4. Loulou LaMotte – "Inga sorger" 8/10 - this is a bit disapointing, it should be 10/10 based on her mesmerizing vocals, but it is a grower, already after second listen I liked it more. She will slay live, that is MAMA in the end..
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5. Victor Crone - "Diamonds" 6/10 - seems better than his previous attempts

6. Elov & Beny - "Raggen går" 5/10 - not bad, but naaaaah, not for me

7. Tone Sekelius - "Rhythm of My Show" 5/10 - disapointing, should be better...

 

[LoveHate]

I don't know though, this doesn't sound anything like it though. It makes me remind of a former Melfest song, but can't come up with which yet though. But overall, I just feel a bit meh...but I am probably not the group that this song is meant for.

At least I thought it sounded a bit similar to ”Vem e som oss”, so maybe that’s the one you’re thinking of. ”Vem e som oss” is of course far superior, but one part was like an Aliexpress copy of that song.

 

[MopManMoss]

tones song just sounds like an Aidan song

 

[simori95]

I mean … i am usually pretty basic, at Times even a YAAAS QUEEEEN but no, there is really nothing to get excited over here

 

[Sammy]

I'm not impressed by the first round here. The only song that I found somehow entertaining was "Rhythm of my show", so that's the one I'm hoping to got DTF.
Victor Crone sings again the same song as always. Didn't check it in detail, but I think he might have changed some words or melody-parts here and there.
I'm rather disappointed with Jon Henrik Fjällgren as I expected a lot from him, but this one didn't click with me. Hopefully that changes once I hear the full version.
The two old ladies are sure fun to watch as they have a lot of energy, but I wouldn't miss it in the final.
Then there is the older version of Sami and Viktor. Well... maybe if I'm very drunk, I can enjoy this, but otherwise...
The melancholic guy might have a chance to win me over with a good staging if I remember the song by then.
And the remaining lady - not a bad song, not a good one either.

 

[Fluke]

Tone - Not super song, but i imagine it being very visual and with very stylish coreography. I find the song a bit devoid of character, unlike her previous entry which really felt like it was written for her. Probably works for a DTF even if it is a bit cold and generic.

Loulou LaMotte - Just silly pop, i expected a ballad, and for some reason that's how most described it. Guaranteedly out, unfortunately.

Rejhan - Joker. With a good performance he could go from zero to hero and get little girls to vote their fingers off, but he might just fail completely. Song is a cliche-filled mess of previous MF entries and recent radio hits, but it's gonna come down to his voice and stage presence. AC or even a DTF is possible.

Elov & Beny - Actually disappointed despite low expectations, i expected more humor, this is just silly and annoying happy-party-pop with no point whatsoever. The production is amateurish and generic, and i doubt this will really appeal to enough voters to make AC, unless it somehow makes more sense in the full version with staging.

Victor Crone - Zzzzzzz. Just too bland to stand out in any way, if he actually gets to AC it's undeserved, hopefully he's out.

Eva & Efva - Kinda wanted to like this, but the production is soooo cheap and amateurish, synthetic psuedo-jazz-cabaret act with awfully fake "instruments". If they really deliver the fun and warmth they intended, they could make AC though, don't count it out.

Jon Henrik - Very likely DTF. The other singer seems a bit bland in the preview, but i can imagine the joik part being really stylish and awesome looking on stage, and what doesn't work so much in the audio preview will make sense in the full version with staging. Don't think he's winning this time either, but another well deserved DTF, sure. Could possibly fall behind only if Rejhan and Tone do super well.

 

[alca]

All photos are taken by Alma Bengtsson/SVT

 

[Looren]

Based on snippet I love Haunted and Tone, also really liked the boys band

 

[Realest]

Rehearsal-Clips..

Melodifestivalen: Smygtitta på bidragen – 1. Se Tone Sekelius framföra Rhythm Of My Show inför Mellon

Få en förhandstitt på när Tone Sekelius framför låten Rhythm Of My Show på en repetition inför Melodifestivalens första deltävling.

www.svtplay.se

 

[MopManMoss]

I love that ridiculous zoom in Eva & Ewa's snippet

 

[Gera11]

Each year, Melodifestivalen and its lineup is getting staler and staler, this heat perfectly encapsulates that sentiment. The usual MF artists entering something very similar to their previous attempts, nothing ever changes. I get it for someone like Jon Henrik trying something that worked before, but Victor Crone? Girl you already flopped with this kind of song at Eurovision. None of these songs will have a chance in the MF final tbh.​

01 DTF Jon Henrik Fjällgren, Arc North feat. Adam Woods – "Where You Are (Sávežan)"
02 DTF Tone Sekelius – "Rhythm of My Show"
03 AC Rejhan – "Haunted"
04 AC Victor Crone – "Diamonds"
05 FLOP Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos – "Länge leve livet"
06 FLOP Loulou LaMotte – "Inga sorger"
07 FLOP Elov & Beny – "Raggen går"

 

[empo21]

After seeing the rehearsal clips I have two things to say:

1. I can see an Eva Ewwa NQ

2. To whoever made the comparison between Rithym of my Show and SloMo, I can finally hear it. Theyre basically using the same structure with just a little bit of Mellonaise as seasoning.

 

[Realest]

but Victor Crone? Girl you already flopped with this kind of song at Eurovision. r"​

He wiped the Floor with Tons of Fanfavourtes especially in the Semi and qualified despite all the Hate he was getting. His 20th Place + 4th Place in the Semi must be seen as a huge Success therefore.

 

[Looren]

Lol I wouldn't say he wiped the floor but yeah I don't think it was a flop tbh

 

[Gera11]

He wiped the Floor with Tons of Fanfavourtes especially in the Semi and qualified despite all the Hate he was getting. His 20th Place + 4th Place in the Semi must be seen as a huge Success therefore.

That big drop to 20th in the final makes it a flop imo. It's quite strange how some countries went from 12p to 0 from semi to final though.

 

[MooseShoes]

Bland, bland, bland. And there we were, thinking that lessons might have been learnt after Cornelia's success last year.

On another note, it looks like SVT finally broke Jon Henrik Fjällgren.

Anyway, who's looking forward to seeing Victor Crone knock out Loreen in Andra Chansen or whatever it's called now?

 

[A-lister]

Bland, bland, bland. And there we were, thinking that lessons might have been learnt after Cornelia's success last year.

Lol SVT learning lessons? Never!

I knew it would be the same sh*t in repeat, it's like watching Groundhog Day; overrated movie about repeating the same thing over and over...