The number of televotes for a Melodifestivalen semi final went through the roof this Saturday as the Swedish public sent Sanna Nielsen and Rongedal through to the final, destroying the previous record number of semi final votes.
A total of 752,537 votes were cast, more than 150,000 more than in last week's Gothenburg semi final. The number smashed the previous record by almost 100,000. It had been set in the 2006 Gothenburg semi final when 653,991 votes were cast.
The number of votes cast will add further intregue to the event, after many pundits said that the Carola / Andreas Johnson song missed out on a place in the final after fan apathy reduced their numbers. The argument is that their fans assumed they would qualify, so did not vote. The number of votes cast shows that this may not be the case.
Carola took part in the Gothenburg semi final in 2006, topping the televote and helping to set the record for the number of votes cast in a semi final. That record was broken during her participation this year, but at least two acts won more audience support.
Both Sanna Nielsen and Rongedals scored more votes than the Carola and Andreas Johnson duet,One Love and the Swedish media are calling the result a passing of the schlager crown from Carola to Sanna.
The result has turned what was expected to be a two-horse race between One love and Charlotte Perrelli's Hero into an all out open fight with all bets off. Names such as BWO, Charlotte Perrelli and Linda Bengtzing will know they can take nothing for granted this year.
