Melodifestivalen Deltävling 1

Samir och Viktor  at the Melodifestivalen, and
getting ready for Sergelstorg.

This is part of the Radio Free Järbo Guide to Melodifestivalen for Americans, Other Non-Nordics, and  Curious (Yellow and Blue) Swedes.  Watch for the complete guide soon.

 Not familiar with the Swedish "Melodifestivalen"?  It is their selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest.  Like the Swedish winter, even though there may be moments you enjoy, it is hard to get through, and seemingly endless.  But Swedes endure it because, like the winter, when it is over, it is time for Spring.

Where the songs are available online, we have linked them in the song title below.  For the winners, they are no longer online so, you'll just need to wait to see them again in the final.  Sorry.  

Wow!  SVT can produce a good show.  The number Allt är Eurovisions fel ("It's all Eurovision's Fault," a parody on the effect hosting Eurovision is having on SVT's budget) was hilarious.  It is too bad the acts between the performances weren't the actual entires.    Much déja vu all over again from last year.  Has it really been that long?

1.  Samir och Viktor
"Bada Nakna" (Skinny dipping)
Last year, they sang about taking a groupie in English.  This year they are singing in Swedish about skinny dipping in the fountains of Sergelstorg in Stockholm (which is about as private as Herald Square or the Bethesda Fountain in New York).   While the shirtlessness made for a happy ending, even that, all of their infectious energy, and the thought of them, well, swimming nude couldn't save a basically dumb song.
Radio Free Järbo's vote:  Second Chance
Actual Placement:  Second Chance

2.  Pernilla Anderssson
"Mitt Guld"  (My Gold)
We enjoyed this beautiful song, sung with heart and a beautiful voice by Ms. Andersson, a singer's singer.  But we knew it wouldn't go far.  Ballads tend not to do well in Melodifestivalen, which is too bad, because Swedes write good lyrics when they write seriously in Swedish.  Tack, Pernilla!
Radio Free Järbo's vote:  To the Final
Actual Placement: Sent her home  (We knew it but are no less disappointed.)

3.  Mimi Werner
"Ain't No Good"
Not quite country, not quite rock, this was an upbeat, well constructed song, delivered exactly right for the kind of song it was. While it was more than "no good," it wasn't great.   We thought it deserved to go further in the competition.
Radio Free Järbo's vote:  Second Chance
Actual Placement: Sent her home.

4.  Ablin och Mattias
"Rik"  (Rich)
This song about being rich was melody poor and lacking in meaningfulness.  Our advice?  If you are going to rap, then rap.  If you are going to sing, then sing. 
Radio Free Järbo's vote:  Send them home to find a better song.
Actual Placement: Second Chance.

5.  Anna Book
"Himmel för två" (Heaven for Two)
She was disqualified before the competition because the tune had been used before for a Moldovan  song several years ago, in violation of the official rules.  Too bad.  It was kind of good.

 6.  Robin Bengtsson
"Constellation Prize"
The tune was catchy enough and the words were adequate so that the song was basically fun to listen to.  We liked it. 
Radio Free Järbo's vote:  To the Final
Actual Placement:To the Final

7.  Ace Wilder
"Don't Worry"
If Sweden sends this train wreck of a song to Eurovision, it will have plenty to worry about.  Basically, it has no tune, few words, and requires little if any talent to sing it, which suits Ms. Wilder quite well--she's not up to a challenge.  The staging was terrific, which was a good thing; it gave the audience something to concentrate on other than this banal song, which was equally bad as her last year's entry "Busy Doing Nothing."
Radio Free Järbo's vote:  Send her home (and never ask her back)
Actual Placement: To the Final