We are live from Friends Arena for the final Thursday rehearsals of Melodifestivalen 2016. All twelve finalists will perform on the stage, in groups of four, giving us a first preview of the running order for the final on Saturday. Panetoz, Lisa Ajax, David Lindgren, SaRaha, Oscar Zia, Ace Wilder, Robin Bengtsson, Molly Sandén, Boris René, Frans, Wiktoria and Samir & Viktor are all performing for the chance to represent Sweden on home turf in May.
Melodifestivalen 2016 Final: Stockholm
Melodi 1: Panetoz with “Håll om mig hårt”
Angus: “Håll om mig hårt” is a song that really comes to life in a huge arena! Panetoz’s choreography is on point and despite a few early vocal problems this is going to open the final with a bang. With eleven songs to come afterwards though, it is difficult to escape the feeling that Panetoz’s initial burst of energy will have fizzled out by the time phonelines open.
Tobias: They make you want to stand up and dance for 3 minutes. Panetoz are delivering a great show for sure. Their energy is filling the whole arena. I love how they have worked on their dance skills. The performance looks good live and on the TV screen.
Read the full lyrics to “Håll om mig hårt” here.
Melodi 2: Lisa Ajax with “My Heart Wants Me Dead”
Angus: The fact Lisa is an Idol alum is clear from her A-class performance. She nails her camera angles, commands the camera’s attention and really belts out her vocal (which was evidenced by her warm up which the assembled rehearsals crowd could all hear!). This is a debut to be proud of, but a little too lightweight to stand up to the big favourites.
Tobias: Lisa is on point today! What a vocal range this 17 year old girl has. Her voice is strong and she nails the camera angles. The six dancers behind her are all synchronised. Overall a great first rehearsal for Lisa.
Song number 2, Lisa Ajax – My Heart Wants Me Dead #Melodifestivalen #rehearsal #Stockholm
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Read the full lyrics to “My Heart Wants Me Dead” here.
Melodi 3: David Lindgren with “We Are Your Tomorrow”
Angus: “We Are Your Tomorrow” reads cheesy, but comes across as uber cool when combined with the laser lights show. The only veritable dance banger in this year’s lineup, it takes you to clubland and no doubt will have Friends Arena bouncing on Saturday. I’d knock back David’s cocktail of cheese, lasers and dance any day.
Tobias: David has improved his performance and brought more lasers on to the stage and it looks amazing! At the end of the performance you will see an explosion of green and blue lasers. The performance is great and looks good on TV.
Read the full lyrics to “We Are Your Tomorrow” here.
Melodi 4: SaRaha with “Kizunguzungu”
Hear her say #kizunguzungu y’all — its @saraha_music #melfest2016 #melfest #mello
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Angus: She may be rocking a more laid back look for rehearsals, but SaRaha is bringing her A-game to the performance on stage today! We might not all be going “waka waka” but we are all going “basi simama”. “Kizunguzungu” is catchy and colourful and that might be enough to push SaRaha towards the top of the leader board on Saturday.
Tobias: If you liked Panetoz you will love this tooa! SaRha with “Kizunguzungu” is color, energy and African vibes. It just makes your body and soul happy. The performance looks great on stage and SaRaha will slay on Saturday.
Read the full lyrics of “Kizunguzungu” here.
Melodi 5: Oscar Zia with “Human”
Angus: “Human” has only improved in rehearsals today, with a few new well chosen camera angles really starting to elevate the song as a contender. Oscar’s vocal has improved immeasurably since the Semi-Final. With the perfect storm he has brewing on stage I have one thing to say: let it rain.
Tobias: Oscar´s performance is really powerful and minimalistic! But watching it live is not the same thing as watching it on TV. What makes his song and performance powerful is all the fast camera sequences but you can’t see that live.
Read the full lyrics for “Human” here.
Melodi 6: Ace Wilder with “Don’t Worry”
Angus: Yaaaaaaaaas! Ace gone wild. “Don’t Worry” simply dazzles on the huge stage of Friends and the innovative staging is still a knock out. She is perfectly in sync with the projections and her troupe of highly trained backing dancers, and instantly has you moving. This is a total change of pace from “Human” and that contrast is totally to Ace’s benefit. BAM.
Tobias: The TV team had some technical issues which delayed Ace’s performance by about 20 minutes while they got her special effects perfect. Ace has made some changes compered to semi-final one,the main one being a new pink background to the six cubes. It works well and I guess she wants to do something new and fresh to stand out from her first performance. Let’s wait until Saturday and see if the pink cubes can bring her the victory.
Oooooh ooooooh don’t worry! @acewilder is on the scene #Mello #Melfest #melfest2016
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Read the full lyrics for “Don’t Worry” here.
Melodi 7: Robin Bengtsson with “Constellation Prize”
Angus: If this lifts me up any higher into the stratosphere I might develop altitude sickness. “Constellation Prize” has huge power in the arena and an awful lot going for it in its staging. The minute Robin stares into that camera you get lost in his eyes and I only hope people don’t get so lost that they forget to tap that app.
Tobias: I just have one thing to say: wow! The performance is simple yet powerful. In semifinal one it was obvious to the viewers that he didn´t play the harmonica but this time he is better synchronised. The staging and the lightning looks beautiful and I think Robin will be in the top two on Saturday.
Read the full lyrics for “Constellation Prize” here.
Melodi 8: Molly Sandén with “Youniverse”
Angus: Molly KILLED it in her rehearsal today. “Youniverse” absolutely shone on stage, and some minor changes in lighting rigs, camera angles and most importantly costume has given this life. No doubt Molly is still totally in the race and the rest of the finalists better watch their backs.
Tobias: This song grows more and more every time I hear it. Watching it live is so much better than TV. Molly has also changed dress since last time (much improved!) and she also got rid of that black thing around her throat. Today´s rehearsal proves Molly is still in the race.
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Read the full lyrics of “Youniverse” here.
Melodi 9: Boris René with “Put Your Love On Me”
Angus: Boris René is a real burst of life in an otherwise super serious second half. He was rocking a brand new suit for tonight’s rehearsal and delivering his signature moves. Unfortunately surrounded by all the favourites, “Put Your Love On Me” feels a little outclassed and the staging now feels a little awkward. Boris is full of energy though, so don’t count him out yet.
Tobias: Sweden´s very own Guy Sebastian is here and this time Boris have changed his suite from red to white. He looks fierce! Boris still delivers that energy on stage and you want to dance to this.
Read the full lyrics of “Put Your Love On Me” here.
Melodi 10: Frans with “If I Were Sorry”
Angus: Frans was dropping big Bieber vibes in his rehearsal. He was debating the merits of wearing a snapback or letting his hair hang loose and mostly focused on delivering a minimalist, and magnetic stage presence. He arrived with the swagger of a winner, and undoubtedly is the hot favourite for Saturday night. He missed a couple of the big notes, letting the backing vocal carry the rehearsal, but like most of tonight’s finalists he’s probably working to save his vocal for the real deal on Saturday.
Tobias: I still don’t get the hype about Frans? I mean it’s an OK song but boring staging. However, he looks more comfortable on stage today than in semi-final four. His voice is not that good today, but I don’t think he is putting in 100% in vocal effort tonight either. Frans will be dressing up for the final. We saw him offered options, including a shirt and grey dress trousers on stage.
On stage in a snapback @fransbyfrans is keeping it simple #ifiweresorry #mello #melfest
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Read the full lyrics for “If I Were Sorry” here.
Melodi 11: Wiktoria with “Save Me”
Angus: As someone who really wasn’t convinced by Wiktoria before arriving in Stockholm, her rehearsal has completely changed my opinion and set her up as a definite contender for the big win on Saturday night. The song may not be my personal favourite, but the staging is immaculate and Wiktoria never misses a note. Homegirl got skills.
Read the full lyrics for “Save Me” here.
Melodi 12: Samir & Viktor with “Bada Nakna”
Angus: So Samir & Viktor aren’t singers and despite significant vocal improvements probably never will be. That doesn’t stop “Bada Nakna” being hella good fun to watch, dance to and enjoy for three minutes. There’s less audience interaction this year, but that’s because the boys are too busy bringing a bigger package to the stage.
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Read the full “Bada Nakna” lyrics here.
@pnr8555
Like Moldovan singer last year didn’t took his shirt off too… or TONS of semi-naked dancers in every third act each year. No way EBU will ban nudity, unless it’s full frontal or female nipples. However, S&V, if they win, will probably have to change ‘Fuck off’ into ‘Sod off’ or something similar.
I hope jury knows that Eurovision is not “The Voice”.
WOW. Now frans wears a beanie! This makes the performance so not mundane and awkward now, it was never like that! Ugh. I swear, if he gets to Eurovision with that song I am literally starting a change.org petition.
If Samir and Viktor won, EBU should prevent them from taking anything off when comes to ESC stage.
Just wondering if take their pants off not make’em win, i hope someone from gay porn agent would took them off
I wonder why odds predict Sweden will win again? They have a great line-up, but statistically speaking, the host entry hasn’t won since 1994.
Seriously? Samir & Viktor take their pants off as well? How cheap.
Anja Nissen is out, Alexey Gross is out, so Samir & Viktor are last hope for ESC 2016.
You are obsessed with Samir and viktor! People are delusions and all this yet you support this rubbish MGR? 😉
Wiwi Team, in the interview with Ace Wilder you said that her song “Stupid” was on the series “Girls”. You may also want to know that another song of hers, “Riot”, was played right at the beginning of episode 11 of the first season of “Telenovela”, the new show with Eva Longoria.
My top 3
1. Robin
2. Oscar
3. Ace
I think.. I’m not sure hahah xD the only thing that I know is that Robin is definitely my absolute favorite <3
I worry about Oscar’s nerves..
Top 5
1 Ace
2 Robin
3 SaRaha
4 Molly
5 Wiktoria
My TOP 5
1.Wiktoria
2.Robin
3.Ace
4.Oscar
5.David
….
10.Molly
11.Lisa
12.Saraha
But I think TOP 5 will be
1.Frans
2.Molly
3.Robin
4.Samir & Viktor
5.Wiktoria
Only strong entries can bear this stage, but there will be not strong entries!!!
Also stage in Stockholm will be very difficult, so this will be extremely negative massacre. The people’s choice should be between the best entries, but the best entries are out in national selections.
Frans or Oscar for the win and I’ll be VERY happy. Won’t be too disappointed if Wiktoria wins too. Will be ok with the win of Molly and will understand why jury might go for Ace. If anyone else wins instead of the ones I mentioned above – I will be seriously worried about sanity of this world.
Samir & Viktor also are good, but they will not go to Stockholm, because Swedes have delusions.
Alexey Gross with “Flame” should be clear winner of ESC 2016, but he is out.
Eurovision Song Contest is ruined. Last year I complained about Aminata, but this year everyone will be weaker than her “Love Injected”. There is no hope!!!
RATING: Panetoz – Håll Om Mig Hårt 6/10 Lisa Ajax – My Heart Wants Me Dead 6/10 David Lindgren – We Are Your Tomorrow 5/10 SaRaha – Kizunguzungu 7/10 Oscar Zia – Human 6/10 Ace Wilder – Don’t Worry 6/10 Robin Bengtsson – Constellation Prize 7/10 Molly Sanden – Youniverse 6/10 Boris René – Put Your Love on Me 7/10 Frans – If I were Sorry 8/10 Wiktoria – Save Me 6/10 Samir & Viktor – Bada Nakna 10/10 PREDICTION: Jury vote Frans 60 43 103 Samir & Viktor 55 4 59 Robin Bengtsson 50 4 54 Wiktoria 45 4… Read more »
I’ll miss Molly PH and Isa in final 🙁
I’m rooting for Wiktoria and Lisa