Second Runner-Up: Sweden’s Robin Bengtsson

The Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music professionals — continues to look at the songs competing in the grand final of Sweden’s Melodifestivalen 2017. Next we listen to Robin Bengtsson and his song “I Can’t Go On”. Did he make us stop in our tracks? Read on to find out!

Robin Bengtsson – “I Can’t Go On”

Watch the performance on YouTube

About Robin Bengtsson

Idol 2008 alum Robin made his Melfest debut in 2016, with the song “Constellation Prize”, which placed fifth overall. Robin’s song has been written 2013 Melfest winner Robin Stjernberg.

Wiwi Jury reviews “I Can’t Go On”

Antranig: “I Can’t Go On” is kinda sleazy, more than a little dirty and absolutely amazing. Gone is good guy Robin with his cheesy “Constellation Prize” puns. He’s not the good guy trying to impress you, he’s the guy shamelessly trying to get in your pants and I’m OK with that. The production is slick, the instrumentation adds the right mood and this is a very solid package that would do well for Sweden.

Score: 8.5/10

Chris: Ugh. I feel dirty every single time I’ve watched this performance. The entire thing comes off as sleazy from start to finish and I absolutely cannot stand it. I did not come to Melodifestivalen to see framed crotch shots by Sleazy McSleazeface and his creepy army. Genuinely, this song makes me uncomfortable and that’s perhaps a worse sin than anything else in any other national final.

Score: 2/10

Anthony: I adored “Constellation Prize” last year, and Robin Bengtsson has gone straight into Justin Timberlake “Can’t Stop the Feeling” mode with “I Can’t Go On”. He really has upped his game in terms of production and nailed his performance with his quartet. I just loved the fact Robin brilliantly managed to recreate a classic Berocca TV advert on a grand scale.

Score: 8.5/10

Jason: Am I the only one creeped out by this? “Constellation Prize” was amazing last year, but “I Can’t Go On” just seems so tacky, and kind of predatory. The performance, although slick and professional, makes my skin crawl. It would probably do very well at Eurovision, but it’s not for me.

Score: 5/10

Mikhail: I like Robin’s attitude. He is walking there with such a confidence — like he owns that arena. The song is polished, it has a good arrangement, it makes you move. Is it something outstanding? No. However, it is current, it is upbeat and it is enjoyable to listen to. While I do like it, I do not love it, which means that it is a filler, though a good one.

Score: 7.5/10

William: I despite this genre of music — it feels cheesy and schmaltzy and gets irritating very quickly. But Robin does a good job embodying the endless cool this song requires to make it palatable. My personal highlights include him pretending to grab his crotch and his fancy footwork on the treadmill — he’s just schooled Sakis Rouvas and Barei in one fierce pivot. As for the song? It’s still a bit meh.

Score: 5.5/10

Robyn: I love how sleazy this is and yet he owns it and it works. Robin and his menswear quartet bring a slick confidence to the stage which perfectly suits the funk of “I Can’t Go On”. And yes, the effing F-word is in there, but no doubt it will be altered Basim-style should it go to Eurovision. I’d love this to go to Kyiv, both for the song and because it would raise the bar for Eurovision staging.

Score: 8.5/10

Ron: “I Can’t Go On” feels like one of the best songs/performances this year. Robin is proving us once again that he has more than just amazing eyes – he can sing and he can move. The song is well produced and so well directed for TV. And while the choreography is complicated, Robin makes it look effortless. I really enjoyed this performance, including the behind-the-scenes tour. When he sings “With just one look you make me shiver” and “I can’t go on when you look this f*cking beautiful” that’s also what I feel when I watch Robin on stage.

Score: 9/10

Our jury for Melodifestivalen 2017 contains 28 jurors, but we only have room for eight reviews. The remaining scores are listed below.

Angus: 9/10

Antony: 7/10

Bernardo: 7.5/10

Dayana: 7.5/10

Deban: 6.5/10

Edd: 9/10

Erdi: 10/10

Forrest: 5.5/10

Jordi: 9/10

Josh: 8/10

Jovana: 8/10

Luis: 8/10

Natalie: 6.5/10

Patrick: 7/10

Rezo: 10/10

Sami: 9/10

Sinan: 7/10

Steinunn: 6/10

Tobias: 7/10

Zakaria: 7/10

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before calculating the average score, the highest and lowest scores are dropped. This is to remove outliers and reduce potential bias. We have removed a low of 2 and a high of 10.

Wiwi Jury Verdict: 7.58/10

See our list of Melodifestivalen 2017 rankings here

Read more Melodifestivalen news here

22 Comments
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Yong
6 years ago

Unquestionably believe that which you said. Your favorite justification appeared to be on the net the easiest thing to be aware of. I say to you, I certainly get annoyed while people think about worries that they plainly do not know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will probably be back to get more. Thanks

Jonas
Jonas
7 years ago

I love this song. I love Robin.

Potential winner.

As I Lay me down 2 get laid
As I Lay me down 2 get laid
7 years ago

Much better than that tacky Taylor Swift-wannabe Wiktoria.

AngieP
AngieP
7 years ago

This song has grown on me! I really like it! The staging, the vocals, the up-tempo sound, the whole performance is wonderfull!
I don’t think it’ll win, though.

ImpressiveInstants
ImpressiveInstants
7 years ago

My empty bookshelf has more personality than him.

Héctor
Héctor
7 years ago

From a weak Melodifestivalen line up, Robin Bengsston is among my favourites. The song is nothing special, but the performance really lifts it up! 8/10

Melescg
Melescg
7 years ago

I think that this is a top 3 this year in melodifestivalen and i will be very happy if he wins. He has a very good voice, a very good song and a very good perfomance. My opinion is that Sweden could win eurovision with “I can’t go on” which is more into the contest than “As I lay me down” or “A million years”.

cheesecake
cheesecake
7 years ago

The song is perfection and the staging is pure gold.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
7 years ago

Great performance, not bad song.
Top five in Melfest but not a winner. Still, much better song than last year for him.

(J)ESC Fanatic
(J)ESC Fanatic
7 years ago

Quite overrated. It’s not bad, but too ordinary.

Nickc
Nickc
7 years ago

Love this! My absolute number one in mellow this year. Reminds me of blurry lines from robin thicke.

Soy
Soy
7 years ago

Hate it with all my heart. Cheesy and clichè at best. He’s none other than a generic male pop singer with good looks. ¯\_(?)_/¯
He won’t win, that’s for sure.

Colin
Colin
7 years ago

Performance is excellent, but I cannot say the same about the song. Unfortunately, several better songs have been eliminated in the semis or in Andra Chansen.

#Finalen
#Finalen
7 years ago

Most underrated finalist. He has a great voice, charisma and talent. The song is freaking catchy. It’s up-tempo. It has unique performance, which is entertaining. This is the real Robin. Last year, i thought he wasn’t as confident with his song as he is now with “I Can’t Go On”: His eyes makes me wanna go ooh-ohh.

JEBO
JEBO
7 years ago

song is great, he just has no charisma he looks so bored

ben005
ben005
7 years ago

Loving this song and his performance. Would love to see him in Kiev.

Kris
Kris
7 years ago

In the beginning of the performance why does he evert his lips everytime he sings…..it looks really bad to me as if his mandibular nerve has been anesthetised …..d’oh!!

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

Y’all focused on the performance but it’s not like the song itself is something special. It sounds like a cheap video game theme with annoying swearing splashed on it. Keep it.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
7 years ago

Awful song. I agree with Chris.

Milla
Milla
7 years ago

I totally looove the performance! 😀 And he won’t sing the f-word. It is changed to “frickin'”. Better.

Hi
Hi
7 years ago

I hate this song. And his eyes are so cold and scary.