The Wiwi Jury reveals their favourites in the grand final of Sweden’s Melodifestivalen 2021

It’s the last national final of the 2021 season and tonight Sweden will decide which act it will send to Eurovision 2021. But who should get that ticket to Rotterdam? The Wiwi Jury — our in-house panel of music unprofessionals — have listened to the 12 grand final acts of Melodifestivalen 2021 and ranked our favourites. Read on to see which ones we liked!

Lauren

1. Dotter – “Little Tot”

Johanna “Dotter” Jansson, you have done it again. My now three-time Melodifestivalen favourite is back in the game, and I have to hope she’s in it to win it this time, because I might not be able to bear the heartbreak again. “Little Tot” is contemporary, it is honest, it is catchy – it’s a winner. As opposed to last year’s “Bulletproof”, it doesn’t scream ‘Eurovision winner’ for me. But Melfest winner? Clearly. By now, Dotter is to Melfest what Željko Joksimovič is to Eurovision: she’s such an icon, she gave us such masterpieces, and it feels like surely she’s won at least once or twice before. And it’s about time she does.

2. Clara Klingenström – “Behöver inte dig idag”
3. Paul Rey – “The Missing Piece”
4. Anton Ewald – “New Religion”
5. Eric Saade – “Every Minute”

Antranig

1. Dotter – “Little Tot”

The Swedes have clearly mastered the art of social distancing because they’ve left a lot of space between Dotter and her competition. “Little Tot” reminds me a lot of Loreen’s “Statements” with an underlying darkness, a very memorable hook and a message which transcends time itself. Musically, lyrically and visually, “Little Tot” is on par with “Cry” and “Bulletproof” but the importance and relevance of its message sets it apart as Dotter’s best Melfest attempt. We don’t often get do-overs in life but Sweden have been given a second chance to make Dotterdam a reality.

2. The Mamas – “In the Middle”
3. Paul Rey – “The Missing Piece”
4. Charlotte Perrelli – “Still Young”
5. Klara Hammarström – “Beat of Broken Hearts”

Jacob

1. Clara Klingenström – “Behöver inte dig idag”

“Behöver inte dig idag” is kind of magical. It’s such a simple song; nothing fancy or special effects, just a girl singing a song, and she does so perfectly. She reminds me a bit of Lisa Loeb from the early ’90s. It feels honest and pure. If Clara does pull off a shock win — and I think she can (I can see the international jury liking this) — I really hope they keep it in Swedish. Have a feeling the magic will disappear if translated.

2. Eric Saade – “Every Minute”
3. Alvaro Estrella – “Baila Baila”
4. Tusse – “Voices”
5. The Mamas – “In the Middle”

Luis

1. Dotter – “Little Tot”

“Little Tot” is perhaps the most excellent pop song of the whole 2021 season. Dotter only needs a few lights to create a wonderful performance out of this entry, slightly darker than what we’ve heard from her but still uplifting. In the past few years the Swedes have delivered pop perfection to Eurovision, and this is another great taste of it. It may not be a winner, but it’s the straightest way to the top five.

2. Eric Saade – “Every Minute”
3. Danny Saucedo – “Dandi dansa”
4. Clara Klingenström – “Behöver inte dig idag”
5. The Mamas – “In the Middle”

Oliver

1. The Mamas – “In The Middle”

It’s not as immediately catchy as “Move”, but “In The Middle” is still fabulous. The Mamas capitalise on the popularity of uplifting power ballads — a smart move, given the chart success of such anthems from The Greatest Showman soundtrack. And on stage, their group synergy is stronger than ever. Ash, Loulou and Dinah complement each other brilliantly, and all of The Mamas get their own moment in the spotlight to show off their killer vocals. Other than the “Bigger Than Us”-style inward-facing staging moment towards the end of the song, there’s little to fault here. And that outfit change is such a moment. Morally, The Mamas deserve the win.

2. Anton Ewald – “New Religion”
3. Danny Saucedo – “Dandi dansa”
4. Tusse – “Voices”
5. Charlotte Perrelli – “Still Young”

Natalie

1. Dotter – “Little Tot”

If Bulletproof was Dotter’s ’80s era song, then this is her at her modern, relevant, most powerful self. First off, the outfit and stage presence are phenomenal. And this song has so much more depth and emotion. Its pulsating bass notes and dancey chorus add potency to a cutting message. There’s a heck of a lot of competition in Mello this year, but as far as I’m concerned it’s still Dotterdam all the way.

2. Clara Klingenström – “Behöver inte dig idag”
3. Tusse – “Voices”
4. The Mamas – “In the Middle”
5. Danny Saucedo – “Dandi dansa”

Pablo

1. Dotter – “Little Tot”

Dotter has done it again for me! While not as immediate as “Bulletproof” was last year, “Little Tot” is a brilliant addition to the “Dottertoire”. Mixing top-notch Swedish production and an interesting story conveyed in its lyrics, this is the only song that truly feels like a complete package in this lineup: a high-quality song, a stellar performance, great staging and a spectacular live. “Little Tot” would showcase Sweden at its best.

2. Eric Saade – “Every Minute”
3. Anton Ewald – “New Religion”
4. Danny Saucedo – “Dandi dansa”
5. Charlotte Perrelli – “Still Young”

Robyn

1. Clara Klingenström – “Behöver inte dig idag”

This song continues to enchant me. There’s a lot to be said for Clara, who can rock up to the stage and deliver a really captivating performance with just her guitar, no fancy staging concepts needed. “Behöver inte dig idag” brings a positive and uplifting message, a helping hand out of a darker situation. While the lyrics are in Swedish, the music supports the theme meaning that those who don’t speak the language can still get the general feeling of the song. This song is a well-deserved finalist and I hope it does well on the night!

2. Arvingarna – “Tänker inte alls gå hem”
3. Danny Saucedo – “Dandi dansa”
4. The Mamas – “In the Middle”
5. Tusse – “Voices”

Ron

1. Dotter – “Little Tot”

This performance is so special and effective especially because Dotter is the one leading it. This is a real modern anthem full of power. It’s powerful both as a song with its important message and as a performance on stage. In the darkness, Dotter is showing us the light and she shines so brightly with this song. Her voice is so unique and special that it must get to Eurovision, so maybe Dotterdam is the right timing for it? If not, she must be back and get to Eurovision, she is a very special artist that should get worldwide attention.

2. Tusse – “Voices”
3. Eric Saade – “Every Minute”
4. Clara Klingenström – “Behöver inte dig idag”
5. Paul Rey – “The Missing Piece”

What do you think? What are your favourites in the Melodifestivalen 2021 grand final? Who do you think will make it to Rotterdam? Tell us your thoughts below!

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