The general rehearsal of the 4th Heat of Melodifestivalen 2024 has just started. We are happy to be watching it live, at Stiga Sports Arena in Eskilstuna, Sweden. We will be covering this rehearsal, describing in detail what is happening during the show, for you to follow the entire process.
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We will keep you up to date with all the latest information and images off this semi-final rehearsal, allowing you to get a glimpse of what you will get to see tomorrow February 24, at 20:00 CET, when you watch the actual show of the heat, on SVT and SVT Play.
The experts
New in Melodifestivalen this year is the participation of a couple of really knowledgeable music and Mello-experts – radio and TV profile Tina Mehrafzoon and Mello-oracle Ronny Larsson. During both the races and the final, they analyze the evening’s line-up and give their opinion on how they are doing.
The show
Carina Berg is the host of all the shows of the tour this year! With the next show of the contest on Saturday February the 24th, Melodifestivalen will take place in Eskilstuna, then Karlstad follows and finally the final show in Stockholm on the 9th of March.
It opens with Kent‘s song “Gravitation” performed by Oscar Gustafsson. It’s Björn Gustafsson‘s brother. Kent is from Eskilstuna, so it’s a nice tribute. Carina is now at the arena and everything is ready to begin! It’s time to face the music!
After the intro, Carina presents this show’s contestants!
The numbers
- “Done Getting Over You” – Albin Tingwall
Reminds me of Bengtsson‘s “Innocent Love” also if you mix Aha’s “Take on me“. Albin is massively improved compared to his past rehearsals. He is joined by two of the in-house dancers on stage and the LED screen shows his silhouette dancing in multiple colours. I like it but doesn’t sound special to me. At some point it sounds like two separate songs, but gets back on track. First key change of the week. Might do well, if Lia Larsson doesn’t hit the notes.
Photo:Stina Stjernkvist/SVT
She is much better to what I’ve seen up to now. First epadunk song I like, but still Lia seems to be just there on stage not doing much. Vocally not good, not bad. Fireworks bang hard in the small arena. Also on the LED screen we can see a human sketch that reminds me of Måns 2015 staging, just grown up. Nice staging, they’ve put a lot of work on that and it is obvious. This might remain in the competition, but I am somewhere in the middle.
Photo:Stina Stjernkvist/SVT
- “It’s Not Easy to Write a Love Song” – Dotter
I insist that even though it is a nice song, it is not what I would expect to see this year from Dotter. She starts lying on a grand piano, her moves ring a bell, her being barefoot too. Loreen 2023. The clothes she was wearing as well. Now she is wearing a different top which is black, trying not to look so much like Loreen last year. Nice song (not as nice as “Bulletproof“) and nice vocals, even though she had to be on vocal rest for the entire day today, she is suffering from a massive cold. Overall a nice song, staging, appearance, definitely qualifying to the finals directly. I don’t see it winning though. Let’s see.
Photo:Stina Stjernkvist/SVT
“Circus X” looks nothing like we are used to in Mello. The two girls hiding their identities like skulls, sing with perfect vocals in a scary staging on a dark, pop, fun, dance song. Four dancers dressed like unidentified creepy black creatures. This might be the surprise of the week. I could definitely see it as a theme song of a horror movie or series. This is the press favourite btw.
Photo:Stina Stjernkvist/SVT
- “En sång om sommaren” – Lasse Stefanz
I will avoid commenting bad on this act. Christer Eriksson is the oldest entrant of this year’s Melodifestivalen, he is 71 years old. Dansbandmusik done the best way possible. I still don’t like it, but I have to admit that it looks good. Wild west theme here as well and I have to say I very much prefer it than the staging of Gunilla. Vocally they are great, they do what they can do best, but I don’t think they will qualify tomorrow.
Photo:Stina Stjernkvist/SVT
- “Happy That You Found Me” – Danny Saucedo
Danny had to cut down on his staging but it still looks impressive. We have seen Danny dance, joined by dancers, sing in Swedish. This year he opted for being alone on stage and we will see how this goes. He holds back on his vocals. On stage there are arches and a large tilted arch prop with stairs right in the middle, which has led strips and lights on it, moves upright then moves back and drops. LED works on the floor, smoke, sun projections and in the second chorus the projections are a bit psychedelic. I still don’t understand what the staging is for, but I like the song and I try to enjoy it. He wrote it for his newborn child. DTF in my opinion even though I am a bit underwhelmed by the whole package. Let’s see.
Photo:Stina Stjernkvist/SVT
These were the six numbers of this week, a recap follows to show the voting numbers for the contestants of the heat.
The Intervals
After Danny steps off the stage, comedian Sofia Dalén comes into her character hockey coach Börje and interrupts Carina Berg.
Then it is Hall of Fame time. The sisters Mia, Ackie and Clara Kempff stepped as Chattanooga cockily into Swedish pop history in 1982. Dressed in cool blazers and a nice attitude, they sang their “Hallå hela pressen” to a fourth place in the Melodifestivalen and blew in a fresh pop wind in the festival. The song became a national scourge with its apt lyrics about a lost flirtation and that the trio belongs in the Melodifestivalen Hall of Fame is a given. They are not in the dress rehearsal, we will get to see them tomorrow night.
I don’t understand why Carina and Björn both speak partly in English. It is fun though.
The virtual Direct Qualifiers
First voting round virtual winner: “30 km/h” – Lia Larsson
Second voting round virtual winner: “Circus X” – SCARLET
Those who virtually remain at the contest
Second voting round virtual 2nd place: “En sång om sommaren” – Lasse Stefanz
Second voting round virtual 3rd place: “Done Getting Over You” – Albin Tingwall
Second voting round results
Age-band 3-9 years old virtual winner: “It’s Not Easy to Write a Love Song” – Dotter
Age-band 10-15 years old virtual winner: “En sång om sommaren” – Lasse Stefanz
Age-band 16-29 years old virtual winner: “Circus X” – SCARLET
Age-band 30-44 years old virtual winner: “Circus X” – SCARLET
Age-band 45-59 years old virtual winner: “Happy That You Found Me” – Danny Saucedo
Age-band 60-74 years old virtual winner: “Circus X” – SCARLET
Age-band 75+ years old virtual winner: “Happy That You Found Me” – Danny Saucedo
Televoting virtual winner:“Happy That You Found Me” – Danny Saucedo
What I think will happen:
Dotter and Danny will be the two finalists. Then SCARLET and Lia will stay in the competition.
What I want to happen:
Danny and SCARLET will be the two finalists. Then Dotter and Lia will stay in the competition.
The schedule for the six shows of the Melodifestivalen 2024 tour
Heat 1: Saturday 3 February 2024, Malmö Arena, MalmöHeat 2: Saturday 10 February 2024, Scandinavium, GöteborgHeat 3: Saturday 17 February 2024, Vida Arena, Växjö- Heat 4: Saturday 24 February 2024, Stiga Sports Arena, Eskilstuna
- Heat 5: Saturday 2 March 2024, Löfbergs Arena, Karlstad
- Final: Saturday 9 March 2024, Friends Arena, Stockholm – Solna
Which two of today’s competing artists do you think will be the direct qualifiers to the finals, on the 9th of March?
Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun, for all the latest developments regarding Melodifestivalen 2024 and the Swedish entry for Eurovision 2024!
Source: SVT
Photos: Stina Stjernkvist / SVT
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