Sweden: The general rehearsal of the Second Melodifestivalen 2023 Heat! (Live)

It’s a typical modern pop Swedish song, with a few 70s/80s elements. She’s vocally impeccable as usual, she begins the song alone on stage standing on a staircase prop. Later, two dancers join her but then they become four in total. The staircase moves away, and a large W shows up behind her.

Next up on stage, it’s debutant Eden and her song “Comfortable”.

As a song, it gives me Samira Manners vibes from her participation last year with “I Want to Be Loved”, which of course I consider less powerful and interesting than Samira’s song. A ballad with an acoustic style Eden’s vocals have improved massively, compared to how she sounded like at her rehearsals yesterday.

Initially on stage sitting on a stool with a guitarist also sitting next to her and then a small orchestra appears in the background consisting of three violins and a bass, in a minimalistic (but not so much in a good way) staging where not much is happening. Not that the song makes you even think that anything wow would happen during this performance.

Third performance of the show is another debutant, Uje Brandelius, with his song “Grytan”.

By no means is that a bad song, but since we’re talking about potential Eurovision contestants, I personally got bored within the first ten seconds. The song is not interesting, there’s no peak at any point, it’s totally flat.

Regarding its staging, the only interesting feature of it, are the colors of the Swedish flag that dominate the props and the clothes of the people on stage. Three ladies who are his backing vocalists, join him too, perhaps that’s the only highlight of this participation, their perfect harmonies.

Fourth for their rehearsal, here Panetoz come with their song “On my Way”, their third participation in the Swedish national final, seven entire years after their last participation, which was back in 2016.

The title makes you think that you will listen to a full English song, but it’s not. It is entirely in Swedish with a few English words and phrases here and there. They’re quite good vocally, I must admit!

The party vibes are also here, I see similarities in style with Medina but also with this year’s Elov & Beny. The setting is quite summery, if only we could sunbathe right now, the background on the LED screen makes you time-travel somewhere in July 2023!

Two female dancers join Panetoz and they altogether start a party on stage. It’s a very joyful and uplifting song, which makes you wanna dance to its beat even if you don’t understand exactly what the lyrics say! I had foreseen that their song would have a crowd-effect and here it is. I can see it happening! Maybe they will qualify to the semi-finals. Let’s see what happens tomorrow!

Photo: SVT/Alma Bengtsson

The duo Tennessee Tears debuts at Melodifestivalen with their song “Now I Know”, and they’re the fifth performance of the Second Heat show.

They give me “Calm After the Storm” by the Dutch country rock duo The Common Linnets that placed 2^nd at Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen. They are vocally great; they’ve also fixed some issues that they had with their harmonies in yesterday’s rehearsals!

Next up on stage, the highly anticipated Ukrainian contestant Maria Sur, debuting with her song “Never Give Up”.

Maria got widely known in Sweden after she participated in a concert helping raise money for Ukraine, then she got signed off by Warner Sweden and everything after that is history. The song is a mid-tempo power ballad, one could say that it is not that modern as it reminds me a bit of the ballads of the 10s, but I can totally understand why the voting viewers could potentially like this. Maria has a big voice and, unlike her surname which in Swedish means sour/mad/angry she is very very sweet! At some points, though, she kind of lost it, maybe she’s anxious? In-ear problems? Tomorrow they will all be gone! Bow WOW! What a song ending! She gave it all!

Last rehearsal for this heat of the week, the Linköping sweetheart Theoz, with his (Swedish once more) song “Mer av dig”. Last year somewhere around mid-March, in the interview we’ve done together, he was not sure if he would ever participate in Melodifestivalen again. This year we already see him in his hometown, Linköping, competing for a second year in a row!

As for his song, it’s a happy and uplifting Swedish pop song entirely in Swedish, Theoz distinctive style and I’m sure his fans in Sweden will absolutely love this. Vocally he is improved compared to his performance yesterday at the camera rehearsals.

Regarding the staging, he initially appears to be alone but eventually the in-house Melodifestivalen dancers and his choreographer (who almost always takes part in his performances) join him up on stage, we see lots of Theoz signature moves here. It’s all about lights and camerawork and the LED backdrop plays a colourful mosaic pallete. And fireworks. And an eye wink. As this is a family rehearsal too, we could hear there are many of his fans in the arena going crazy over him. Now, will he qualify to the final show? I can see a direct-to-the-finals contestant here. For Theoz, Linköping is home, after all!

Oh, I almost forgot. We have one more key change. Nice! Ear-candy! Nu kör vi Theoz!

Photo: SVT/Alma Bengtsson

The first voting round

The virtual direct qualifiers to the finals are: Eden – Comfortable and Maria Sur – Never Give Up!