Eight song are in the 2008 Melodifestivalen final, another eight songs will fight their way through to the second 'second chance knock-out' show for the two last places in final at Globen on 15th March. Last year, SVT introduced a new scheme for the second chance round, and it's success means the same format will happen again this saturday. Let the battles begin.
In Melodifestivalen 2006 there were four semi finals and one final with Lena Philipsson as the host. But Andra chanson, second chance round didn’t get a s of it's own -it was just a part of an ordinary Sunday television show.
In 2007, when Kristian Luuk was the host for the first time, SVT changed it so Andra chanson was like an ordinary semi final, but with songs battle against each other. This was a success, so the theme continues this year. Host Kristian Luuks sidekicks Björn Gustafssonand Nour El-Refai will not be in this show. Two songs from every semi final are now in the game to get to the final in Stockholm.
THE SECOND CHANCE SEMI FINALS:
- E-Type & The Poodles – Line of Fire Vs Sibel – That's Where I'll Go
Rock/dancepop Vs Ballad.
E-Type was a wild card back in 2004 with the song Paradise. He ended up in the final at 5th place. The song was a typical e-type song in eurodance style. The song was alsoa hit outside the contest.
The Poodles had their Melodifestival debut in 2006 with Night of passion, a rockpop song that flirted with the 80s. They came fourth place that year. This year they decided to enter the contest together. The results were a Poodles kind of song with some E-type elements to it. In Gothenburg they were favorites, but got a ticket to Kiruna and Andra chanson.
Sibel entered the Idol contest in 2004 and performed Mariah Careys classic hit Vision of love. But she didn’t get so far in the contest. She tried again in 2005 and she came third in Idol, after Sebastian Karlsson (MF 2007 final) and Agnes Carlsson. After Idol it has been quiet around the artist, til she was ready for Melodifestivalen with a powerful ballad.
- Ola – Love in Stereo Vs Caracola – Smiling in Love
Pop Vs Pop
Just as Sibel, Ola Svensson was in the tv show Idol. He only made it to 8th place, but got a record deal anyway. His debut single Rain came out in 2006 and was number one on the Swedish single sales chart. Last year he got a big hit with the song Nathalie in Sweden and his second album also included number one hit S.O.S. This year he entered Melodifestivalen with a uplifting pop song with influences from 80s pop like John Farnham.
Caracola got together in 2005 when they performed on the Melodifestivalen tour, before the television broadcast as the warm-up act for the audience. They have had a few hits on the single charts top 10, like Överallt, Sommarnatt and Glömmer bort mig. This year they performed a sunny pop song in Melodifestivalen, that may be their big break.
- Johnson & Häggkvist – One Love Vs Nordman – I lågornas sken
Melodifestivalen king and queen Vs the witch burners
Carola has won Melodifestivalen three times out of four and Eurovision Song Contest in 1991. She took 3rd place in 1983 and 5th place in 2006. She has been host and special performer in Melodifestivalen. Andreas has been in the contest twicebefore, 2nd place with A little bit of love last year, and 3rd place with Sing for me in 2006. With that strong record, this team was seen by many in the media and the public,as the obviouswinners of this year's contest. But as perhaps the biggestof many surprises this year they didn’t go straight the final. Carola is the artist that gets most headlines in the tabloids,many of them not so positive. The song is much more Andreas Johnson style then Carolas classic schlager pop. In some way it reminds a bit of U2 and Mary J Bliges duet with U2.
Nordman has a big break through back in 1994 with the singles Förlist and Vandraren. Ethno pop style was very popular that year. But in 1998 they split up. In 2005 they made a comeback in Melodifestivalen with the song Ödet var min väg. They came 9th place in the final. This year theyare back with another typical Nordman sounding song, and in the stage performance they even has witches burning.
- Thérèse Andersson – When You Need Me Vs Suzzie Tapper – Visst finns mirakel
Opera Vs ballad
Thérèse Andersson has done musicals like Rent, Grease and Saturday night fever. She has been in Melodifestivalen, but then as a member of Pay-TV with the songs Trendy Discotheque and Refrain Refrain. This time she mix both musical sides of her, opera and dance beats.
In the 1980s Suzzie Tapper was the leadsinger in the group Suzzies Orkester. They had some good years with hits like Dansar I månens sken. Suzzie had a song in Melodifestivalen 2002 called Ge mig mitt hjärta tillbaka, the song was performed by Jakob Stadell. She choose not to performed it self, because she just got the diagnosis that she had Parkinsons disease. But this year she took the step and entered Melodifestivalen with the ballad Visst finns mirakel. It´s a slow song, typical for artist like Eva Dahlgren.
Waiting for the winners in the final:
Christer Sjögren – I Love Europe
Amy Diamond – Thank You
Sanna Nielsen – Empty Room
Rongedal – Just a Minute
BWO – Lay Your Love on Me
Frida feat. Headline – Upp o. Hoppa
Linda Bengtzing – Hur svårt kan det va?
Charlotte Perrelli – Hero
