Sweden: First Melodifestivalen rehearsals

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by Stella Floras February 5, 2009 4:46 pm 72 views

Rehearsals for Sweden's Melodifestivalen 2009 are now underway. The acts participating in this week's first semi final in Gothenburg are each going through their first technical rehearsals. Below, you can read a report about the day. It will be updated after each act has performed.

Song 1 Nina Soderquist – Tick Tock

Nina rocked the Scandinavium to life with a whole new look and attitude. The woman that has spent the last year performing in stage musicals turned in a strong and acomplished rock chick performance with good vocals and four tough backing dancers giving energy and power to the performance. Theperformance has journalists at the arena thinking that this song is emerging as a potential dark horse to win the competition.

Song 2 Jonathan Fagerlund – Welcome to my life

Jonathan is emerging as a solo artist and provides a youthful style akin to Busted and McFly. Accompanied on stage by young female musicians, he performs the song steadily with good harmonies from female backing singers.

Song 3 Shirley Clamp – Med Hjartat fyllt av ljus

Shirley Clamp returns to Melodifestivalen with a strong ballad. She performs the song alone on stage with special effects coming from the video screens and lighting in the arena. Her voice sounds better than ever as she show's off what she describes as the newer, more mature sound that she is now working for. Her entry is memorable for its simplicity in presentation and complexity in vocal performance. Shirley Clamp looks like she has the entry to beat in this semi final.

Song 4 Scotts – Jag tror pa oss

Scotts make a quick return to television competition after taking second place in the popular Swedish Dancebandkampen competition. The band perform their danceband/soft rock song making full use of the stage and all are playing instruments whilst singing. The performance is well polished and the rehearsal runs smoothly.

Song 5 Emilia – You're my world

Emilia returns to the music scene with a soft pop entry that looks and sounds catchy. Her performance is strong, with movement around the stage culminating in her standing on top of a black grand piano. This is Emilia's first time entering Melodifestivalen and she fits well into the programme.

Song 6 Alcazar – Stay the night

Alcazar try their luck at Melodifestivalen for the third time with two third places to their credit already. The new look Alcazar have a strong disco-pop entry and their traditional well choreographed performance looks good on camera. Stay the night is a bouncy song with plenty of beat and they will be looking to progress to the final once again with this entry.

Song 7 – Caroline af Ugglas – Snalla snalla

Caroline af Ugglasrejoins the competition with a strong understated song and impressive acting on camera. The third entry of the eight to be performed in Swedish, this song haunts and taunts, with good effect and it is memorable. More in the style of Tracy Chapman, this songmay surprise a few people.

Song 8 – Marie Serbeholt – Disconnect Me

Marie serneholt, former lead sing of A-Teens and recently a successful solo artist, is the first Melodifestivalen wild card this year. She has a power pop song and for the first time, we can see the power of the Melodifestivalen rule change allowing up to eight people on stage. Marie is flanked by two female backing singers that join the dance group of four male modern dance specialists to create a powerful movement on the stage.

Other Nordic national selection CDs:

stay tuned to esctoday.com for video interviews with Alcazar, Shirley Clamp, Nina Soderquist and Jonathan Fagerlund later this evening.

Stella Floras

Thanks to Johnny Logan and Hold me now I fell in love with the Eurovision Song Contest, a love that's been going strong ever since with undiminished passion. My first memories date back to 1977 and the lyrics of Rock bottom, Dschinghis Khan and A ba ni bi are still engraved in my brain.

I joined esctoday.com in 2006 as a junior editor after being invited by Barry Viniker, I soon became Senior Editor and during the 2007 contest in Helsinki I was appointed Head of Communications. Today I hold the post of Head of Human Resources and I am proud to be working with the best editorial team in the world.

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