Today the Wiwi Jury – our in-house panel of music unprofessionals – checked out Melodifestivalen veteran Magnus Carlsson’s entry ‘Möt mig i Gamla stan’ (Meet Me in Old Town). They say with age comes wisdom, so is Magnus Carlsson’s song improved for all his experience or is he just past his expiration date? Read on to find out what we thought!
Magnus Carlsson with “Möt mig i Gamla stan”
Robyn: There’s always room in Melfest for a big disco number, and Magnus delivers this with skill. But yet I’m not quite feeling it. It’s an emotional love song, yet Magnus’ delivery is a bit too smooth and showbiz. And why is he dressed like a business manager who forgot to tuck his shirt in?
Score: 6/10
Deban: “Möt mig i Gamla stan” sits comfortably in it’s familiar Melodifestivalen territory. Magnus Carlsson is perky, well-plucked and bubbling with fizz. Like a true Alcastar, he knows how to throw down a good show. I like the song here in MF, but don’t love it enough to want it to advance to Eurovision.
Score: 6/10
William: The opening verses are breathy and cheap, and remind me of a regrettable night in a Gothenburg disco in my youth. But then we hit the chorus and Magnus takes us on a schlager-tastic ride. I don’t want to get out of the car! Yes, he’s sung this exact same song at Melfest at least three times, but I don’t care. I’m movin’ and I’m groovin’ — so much so that I can overlook his ill-fitting trousers and generous use of male make-up.
Score: 9/10
Bogdan: He looks younger than he is, thanks to Botox, but he sounds older, thanks to this dated track. Tip: if you want to appear younger, Magnus, you need to bring it like the young’uns (look at Eric Saade’s performance). Also, I understand that this is Melodifestivalen, but did we reeeeally need an Alcazar number, even sans Alcazar? I haven’t been a fan of 80s style schlager since the 80s, so let’s move on please. It’s 2015, for crying out loud.
Score: 2/10
Angus: This isn’t disco, this is disc-NO. Hold up ‘Möt mig i Gamla stan’ against the rest of the competition and it is embarrassing how much of a relic it sounds. Magnus might have tried to camouflage the song’s age behind seemingly modern verses and choreography but there’s no getting way from that archaic chorus. I am all for retro but the main selling point of that is it gives a pleasant flashback. There’s nothing pleasant about this.
Score: 1.5/10
Billy: Melodifestivalen wouldn’t be the same without schlager songs. And this is a powerful one. At some point, it springs to my mind a christmas jingle song, or many classic Eurovision beats thrown around. I mean, it’s too old. But one thing is sure: Magnus can dance, and sing. The song could be helped if lyrics were in English.
Score: 2/10
Padraig: Schlager is an increasingly neglected genre, but when done properly it can be simply amazing – just look at Alcazar last year. Alas, Magnus hasn’t followed the lead of his former bandmates, and instead of amaze we get out of date. This could have come straight from the 1985 contest. And what’s with the outfit? A performance like this calls for glitter and lots of it. The feel good factor helps redeem it slightly, but not enough to make it a real contender.
Score: 1.5/10
Ron: Magnus is 40 but still going strong (and looking great), he knows the job on stage and nails it. The song is a typical Magnus song, it’s fun, I like it but it’s not a big wow. I really like the fact a song in Swedish is in the final, hoping for more. The song is special to me since Gamla Stan is the place that i always stay in when I go to Melodifestivalen in Stockholm. I think he’s lucky to get to the final, but he’s not going too high in the final.
Score: 7/10
Sami: I like the verses, but the chorus sounds very dated and it’s very typical Swedish Schlager. The show is great and Mangus sings well, but I don’t think this song has enough to win Melodifestivalen this year.
Score: 6/10
Denise: Hmm… of all the artists that got directly through to the finals, it’s the worst one but that doesn’t mean it’s a bad song. The chorus is really strong and really fun, but there’s too much schlager for me. He knows how to dance, sing and play with the camera… just waiting for a better song.
Score: 6/10
Wiwi Jury Average: 4.7/10
He’ll get 3rd or 4th in the final. I just know it!
I don’t like it, the chorus sounds so unoriginal.
It’s always been interesting to see how people who have done nothing creative ever come to piss on someone’s effort. Like here, for example. I understand one can dislike a song, but I think credit should be given to the obvious effort that’s been invested by the artist. It’s very easy to be bitchy and cynical, but no – it does not necessarily makes you funny.
I love this, I am sorry. His voice is really good and I love that he chose swedish instead of english.
Everything else in this year’s Melodifestivalen sounds pretentious and trite by comparison.
I was in Malmo when this went through and judging by the reaction there (everyone in the stalls standing and cheering) this could do well, but I don’t think it will win, especially not with Jon Henrik, Mariette and Mans in there
**Möt Mig I Gamla Stan** {Meet Me in Old Town} The famous Master boss of Vision mister G:Son {Euphoria! / Invincible! <3} has penned this song 4 the record.. 🙂 I don't like it but this kind of pop schlager is loved by the Swedes and i won't be surprised if it does really great especially on televoting of course in the upcoming Melodifestivalen Finallen…But i don't think that it could be hot favorite 4 the victory…But you never know what can happen…I don't count this out 100% 4 the win though..Plus if they change it to english it would… Read more »
This entry is worse version of Martin Stenmarck – Las Vegas.
This is my favorite in MelFest…
This has zero chances of winning but I still have the slight fear in the back of my mind of what if it actually does win and how embarrassed I’d be to be Swedish if it did. 0/10