Preparations for the first semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2021 are well underway ahead of Saturday’s show. And now, we’ve been given our first glimpse of the stage performances that each of the seven acts will bring, following the release of rehearsal clips.

Earlier today, Swedish broadcaster SVT released one-minute audio snippets of all the songs competing in semi-final one. But, any Melfest or Eurovision knows that the visual elements can be a deal breaker when it comes to a contestant’s chances of succeeding or flopping.

Throughout today, each of Kadiatou, Lillasyster, Jessica Andersson, Paul Rey, Arvingarna, Nathalie Brydolf and Danny Saucedo have undertaken a full rehearsal on this year’s Melodifestivalen stage. Short 30-second segments of the rehearsal recordings have been released as the latest teaser of what fans can expect from each act on Saturday evening.

Melodifestivalen 2021: Semi-final 1 rehearsal clips

Click on the song titles to watch the rehearsal clips:

Full performances will be broadcast live on Saturday night from 20:00 CET on SVT1 and SVT Play. The recordings of the performances that don’t earn one of the top two places of the semi-final (i.e. those going to Andra Chansen and those that do not qualify at all) will be uploaded to YouTube shortly afterwards.

The performance videos of the two songs that are heading direkt till final will not be uploaded to digital channels until after the fourth semi-final has taken place.

What do you think of these Melodifesitvalen 2021 semi-final 1 rehearsal clips? Which performance are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!

Read more Melodifestivalen news here

Photo credits: Stina Stjernkvist, SVT

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Jenny
Jenny
3 years ago

Cant wait to hear The Missing Piece in full..

GiornoGiovanna
GiornoGiovanna
3 years ago

My prediction: DTF: Paul Rey and Nathalie Brydolf AC: Danny Saucedo and Kadiatou Danny is basically this year’s Felix Sandman: Being the favorite to win Melfest before revealing his song, but ending up disappointing. Paul Rey is this year’s Robin Bengtsson. The most people of the YouTube community don’t like the song, but qualifies as DTF anyways. Nathalie is this year’s The Mamas based solely on qualifying chances to the finale. The Mamas obviously have a different genre and unlike the The Mamas, Nathalie won’t win Melfest. Also, Nathalie’s staging seems rather similar to the staging of The Mamas in… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by GiornoGiovanna
MTD
MTD
3 years ago

The other day, when they presented the stage, many fans around here were mesmerized about it.

Seeing these clips – what’s so special about the stage? Hahaha

I can’t at how the mediocrity of Sweden is praised every single year. Songs included.

sucof
sucof
3 years ago
Reply to  MTD

Soon, somewhere in europe
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Last edited 3 years ago by sucof
Viggz
Viggz
3 years ago

Kadiatou and Nathalie in my opinion! Fun fact: Both these womens participated in Idol same year, in Swedish Idol 2018, Kadiatou came 2nd and Nathalie came in 6th place.

Belle
Belle
3 years ago

Still like Kadiatou and Nathalie most!

Ricky Gervais
3 years ago

I think between the studio snippets and these clips, Arvingarna was the most stellar. Neither elevated nor brought the song down.

Some of these… eek… Not that I’m complaining, but it seems like a difference between cotton and polyester. Totally two sides of the coin in between live and studio versions.

Jake
Jake
3 years ago

Kadiatou needs new wardrobe choices STAT…it is so incredibly distracting…and Danny’s tie-dyed track suit is also ‘direkt till final’ of crimes against fashion…I think Danny and Paul will follow previous patterns of young male pop stars moving to the final…unless Arvingarna can pull enough of the middle age/older vote with those slick moves, but they would be better suited if they had been in semi 3 or 4 for Sweden to allow a oldie act through

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago

Surprisingly, I think I like Danny’s song more than the actual performance by the looks of it. I expected a bit more of an expensive-looking production, but this is just ok.
Compared to the snippets, the biggest improvement has probably been Jessica. She could go DTF if her whole performance is this competent. Lillasyster look alright here too, however, they’re the only act I don’t think have a real chance of qualifying. Everyone else looks in the running in what should be a fairly open heat after Danny.

Charli Cheer Up
Charli Cheer Up
3 years ago

Danny Saucedo wow what a comeback!! a direct qualifier for sure! it may not be on par with Amazing and In The Club but it does leave some room for improvement plus generating buzz. He might pull a back-to-back Melfest participation and eventually win on the next attempt like what Saade, Lundvik and The Mamas have done.

Last edited 3 years ago by Charli Cheer Up
Christian
Christian
3 years ago

I mean this semi is full of “fillers” the songs in this semi is put here for a reason to get a wider final with acts that are good but not winning material. I really like kadiatous song tbh but non of these songs will win melo they are wayyyyyyy to forgettable but I like one touch as a radio track

Rob
Rob
3 years ago

When i heard the snippets i was impressed the most by danny.. but i really did not like the rehearsal.. such a weak semi final! So after the rehearsals, the best for me is nathalie..

Better for Dotter <3

Meow
Meow
3 years ago

Nathalie and Kadiatou for the win!

Miguel
Miguel
3 years ago

What does it mean DOA?

Thomas Sturley
3 years ago
Reply to  Miguel

Dead on Arrival

zheng
zheng
3 years ago

Nathalie is the best!

Lills
Lills
3 years ago

As a swede… I’m not really into any of the songs or performance in this semi? I know I have to wait until saturday to see everything but now… Nope. Will still vote for Nathalie tho. But I’m happy anyway because if Dotter is good there is less competition for her! LOL! But I don’t even dare to have any hope for her, I’ll be so sad if her song/stage is bad…

Denis
Denis
3 years ago

Honestly, why are people complaining? The first semi is always the weakest, this year no exception. That said for weak songs they are pretty good. I say this; they are all equal for me. No one is bad but no one stands out either. They all lack the wow-factor. I can’t really speculate who will go to final or AC since they all can. I am however certain Danny will be DF because of name alone, and being Danny..

Last edited 3 years ago by Denis
Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  Denis

The winner came from the first semi-final last year…

Denis
Denis
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

And it won’t come from semi 1 this year. Mama also had the best song in the weak semi 1 last year..

Meow
Meow
3 years ago
Reply to  Denis

The weakest semi is always the 3rd

Anni
Anni
3 years ago
Reply to  Meow

True! It is usually always the 3rd semi that are the weakest somehow haha

Albert
Albert
3 years ago
Reply to  Denis

For me the weakest always it’s the third semifinal xd

Jake
Jake
3 years ago
Reply to  Denis

Semi 1 is not typically the weakest–in fact, it’s usually front loaded with ‘names’ to get people excited…and 4 of the songs from last year’s semi 1 made it to the finals and The Mamas won from semi 1…Benjamin Ingrosso also won from closing out semi 1…this semi has 4 previous finalists and all others only has 2

Kenny03
Kenny03
3 years ago

Hiya all! Lovely for Mello to be here again. Last year I thought felix in semi 1 would easily be DTF but instead went through AC. Maybe the same fate could be there for Danny (don’t hold me to it though)! I can’t say I love any of them yet, but looking forward to Saturdays show 🙂

ESC8
ESC8
3 years ago

In terms of staging the winner for me is Lillasyster. In terms of song per se I prefer Kadiatou’s and Brydolf’s but when it comes to the staging I don’t think that they will end up that high. It is a shame because I really like Kadiatou’s song and it has potential. For now I’ll just keep my fingers crossed for an andra chansen. Danny is probably one of the direkt till finals but he does not have either the song or the staging to stand out. I think that Lillasyster can pull a direkt till final, besides Ralf did… Read more »

Pasadena
Pasadena
3 years ago
Reply to  ESC8

Are you referring to Ralf Gyllenhammar? He is in Mustasch, not Lillasyster.

ESC8
ESC8
3 years ago
Reply to  Pasadena

You’re right! My bad! I mixed it up in my head

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago
Reply to  ESC8

Jessica Andersson missed the final on her first two attempts, on the third she got there through andra chansen, on the fourth and fifth she was direkt to the final. We’ll find out how her sixth goes in two days.

ESC8
ESC8
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

You’re right!

Jess
Jess
3 years ago

Paul Rey is Amazing. Danny Saucedo is such a disappointment, after 2 consecutive #2 in both 2011 and 2012…The others are average, nothing outstanding… Typically for Sweden

Dent
Dent
3 years ago

Sweden is an expert at staging and presentation, but quirky visuals won’t save these bland songs. Hopefully other semifinals will have more to offer.

Dimitris
Dimitris
3 years ago

While I think this semi is so hard to predict, after watching the rehearsals here is my prediction; DTF 1.Dandi Dansa – Danny has a lot of fans in Sweden and the song is not that bad, but definitely the worst of his Mello appearances. 2.Fingerprints – It’s the best song in the semi so far(based on the 1 minute snippets), however it might become a ‘sandwich’ between Arvingarna and Danny and go to Andra Chansen or even get DQ. Andra Chansen 3.Tänker inte alls gå hem – If this doesn’t make it I will be surprised…It’s Swedish as hell… Read more »

Jeff USA
Jeff USA
3 years ago

I don’t like being that negative person but none of these songs do anything for me. None of them are bad but none of them are good. They are kinda just there and average but nonetheless I wish all of them the best!!!

Reverb
Reverb
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeff USA

So magnanimous

harvey
harvey
3 years ago
Reply to  Jeff USA

Agree 100%

Alo
Alo
3 years ago

The level of the songs here is so low..
I didn’t like anything.
I hope it won’t continue as it now for the next semifinals.

Zara
Zara
3 years ago

Kadiatou, Danny and Arvingarna were the best! Hopefully it’ll be Danny and Kadiatou/Arvingarna DTF and Paul Rey to AC.

Jessica was very boring but I didn’t expect anything else.

Last edited 3 years ago by Zara
Lolek
Lolek
3 years ago

Nathalie’s song and staging works quite well imo!

I also have to say it again but I’m really getting good ‘vibes’ from Jessica’s song. At the very least I hope she can get to AC.

Ashton Schier
Ashton Schier
3 years ago

Nathalie has the only good staging here. In my ideal world, she and Kadiatou would go DTF.

MaelleForFra
MaelleForFra
3 years ago

Nathalie could, just maybe, finish quite high up in mello. Is it going to win? Maybe, who knows.