Yes, as soon as one heat finishes, another one is just around the corner. With any luck, and judging by the improved pedigree of the field in this heat, we ought to get a bit of a better set of songs this week. In the hopes of kicking off this thread with a bit more energy than last week, here's a brief runthrough of what's going to be in the mix in Sweden's second city;

 

Song 1: Samir & Viktor – Shuffla

 

I've tried my best to resist giving in to Samir and (strong 8) Viktor since Mello 2015 but even I will have to admit that they've delivered banger after banger in their time and, whilst I'm no fortune teller, I get the feeling they're not about to have a complete change of image and go with an accoustic folk ballad. This will likely get the show started in a good way but, whilst they are your perfect definition of an "app voter" act, Samir & Viktor have yet to qualify for a final directly. Will it be third time lucky or are we likely to see these two in the most predictable Andra Chansen face off ever with Sigrid from Heat 1 (Samir's actual IRL girlfriend)?

 

Song 2: Ida Redig - Allting som vi sa

 

Ida is a name that might be familiar to you if you're au fait with the Swedish indie-pop scene (i.e. the stuff that's not quite poppy enough for the eurogays but she may well be on a few of your BJSC potentials lists). Despite her not really having anything in her repetoire, she's described her Melfest debut as a big uptempo song you can clap along to (so I guess she knows her market at least here!). After John Lundvik qualified direkt from this spot, 2nd place in the running order needn't necessarily be means to write this one off.

 

Song 3: Jonas Gardell – Det Finns En Väg

 

Just remember, while this inevitable piece of shite is on your screens, that Alcazar were denied a place in Melodifestivalen this year, in favour of someone so confident that he'll lose this heat that he's already booked a holiday during the week of rehearsals for the next round. Boo Christer you whore!

 

Song 4: Margaret - In My Cabana

 

Now we come to the "wildcard" of this week's pack. Margaret initially found notoriety within eurovision circles in 2016 when her killer track "Cool Me Down" - potential ESC winner some said - was cruelly shunned by the Poles in favour of Michal Szpak. Not one to sleep on a potential hit however, Margaret's label pushed the boat out and actually made Cool Me Down a top 40 hit in Sweden. Since then she seems to be sticking it out in Sweden, releasing more material in the interim before finally winding up here, in the running to represent a different country to her own!

 

The same team from Cool Me Down are back together (Linnea Deb, Anderz Wrethov and Arash Labaf) and she's described it as a "sexy" and "cocky" song so she'll likely have some top shelf material here but two big questions still remain around Margaret. Firstly, part of the reason why Cool Me Down didn't have the energy to win in Poland in 2016 is that Margaret is a bit of a weak performer and even ramped up backing vocals may not be able to cover up her vocal limitations. Secondly, you have to ask yourself if Sweden are going to vote for a foreign singer who will likely have to communicate in English during the show (and even then she'd best be described as passable rather than fluent). I don't think we'll know the answers to these questions until the moment of truth but that'll certainly be one of the stories of this week. Win or lose, all I think Margaret wants out of this is a hit in Sweden, so as long as she gets that, I think she'll wake up happy on Sunday morning.

 

Song 5: Stiko Per Larsson – Titta Vi Flyger

 

The annual P4 Nästa (a radio competition for independent artists with the prize of a spot in Melfest the following year) competition winner slot is here. The usual rule here is that even the good ones struggle to get much better than 5th place so don't go pinning too many hopes on this one (pfft, this is BuzzJack, as if that was the case anyway!)

 

Song 6: Mimi Werner - Songburning

 

You may remember Mimi and her Hoedown Throwdown Schlager Pop number from 2016's opening heat. She's basically confirmed that this will be the same genre AND same tempo as last time so we'll be in for a treat following whatever #realmusic is coming before her. After narrowly missing out on Andra Chansen in 2016, has she got it in her to do the unthinkable and improve on her result from the previous time she competed (which for a non qualifier is a rare thing)?

 

Song 7: LIAMOO - Last Breath

 

Closing out Heat 2 will be Winner of Swedish Idol 2016 and one of the two artists who are leading the pre-show betting (LIAMOO and Mariette seem to be neck and neck at present, which invariably means something else is going to win!) LIAMOO. Given there's a lot of high energy numbers in this heat, what's being described as more of a midtempo-ballad is going to stand out at the end of the show. What's impossible to know yet at this stage is if he's got the winner but that's all part of the fun!

 

The schedule for the week:

 

Wednesday: The Press get their first plays of the weeks songs, their reviews will appearing on social media after 18:00 CET

Thursday: 1 minute clips of the studio versions and 30 second clips of the stage rehearsals will be uploaded

Friday: Dress Rehearsal for the final show, the "genrep" poll of audience members from the rehearsal crowd gets released, giving us a first clue as to what's going to be popular with the Swedish Public

Saturday: 14:00 CET - 2:30 studio versions of all the songs uploaded on SVT's website

20:00 CET - The show!

A great write-up Lex! :D

 

There's a lot more to interest me pre-heat this time around so I'm hoping for a drastic step up in quality!

I am also hoping for a much better heat than last week. It's looking like it could be that way though, Samir & Victor are normally pretty solid in producing something fun, Ida Redig and Margaret have been known to have enjoyable pop songs before and I did love a bit of Mimi Werner the last time she was here.

 

Plus I may well be receptive to the 'rest of Buzzjack: absolute shite' that looks like it's sitting in slots 3 and 5. So only LIAMOO who I think that I'll dislike prior to hearing anything and he could even be more of a Linus Svenning.

So this seems to be the opinions of the press:

 

S&V - "essential Samir & Viktor"

Ida - elements of Veronica Maggio, Håkan Hellström and Oskar Linnros

Jonas - actually playing with a straight bat rather than it being a joke

Margaret - Camila Cabelo (big surprize!) meets Rhianna and Zara Larsson

Stiko-Per - accordion reggae (yes, accordion reggae)

Mimi - not quite as jolly as Ain't No Good but some are saying a better song

LIAMOO - radio friendily hip-hop, rap verses with a melodic chorus

Looking much better than last week, hopefully anyway! Liamoo, Mimi, Margaret and Ida should all be decent, I just hope Margaret doesn't do a Kamferdrops.

Ida - elements of Veronica Maggio, Håkan Hellström and Oskar Linnros

 

it's like a swedish holy trinity. f*** YES *.*

Brilliant Write Up <3. Thank you.

I just want Samir & Viktor and Mimi to go DTF. Thanks.

Well this year isn't going to go down as vintage is it.

 

Margaret sounding the best from the clips for me, just unsure how the Swedes will treat her in a competition to represent them.

 

After Margaret well it's Samir & Viktor who after a couple of dodgy singles have returned with a full on bop *.*

 

Mimi and Ida have potential once I've seen/heard the full thing. Stiko's song isn't too bad saying it's the wildcard entry.

 

LIAMOO has really disappointed me :(

Margaret's sounds a bop but I'm so waiting for it to come 5th :/

 

Liamoo sounds very average, very 2010 1 week number 1 that bombs down the charts after :lol:

I reckon:

 

DTF: LIAMOO, Mimi

AC: Samir & Viktor, Margaret

5th: Ida

6th: Jonas

7th: Stiko Per

 

Mimi's the revelation of this heat, that sounds like the makings of a really anthemic chorus.

LIAMOO actually sounds decent, coming from someone who got interested in the charts in 2010 that's understandable, really nice to hear that sort of sound again.

 

Stiko sounds really lovely, I'm quite impressed with that! And Samir & Victor sound like they're delivering again *.*

 

Margaret sounds like the sort of stuff that a still-extant Aquafina would be entering to BJSC even now. Not all that bad, perhaps better than Cool Me Down - although it's worth saying I don't hold that in quite as high regard as most people here do.

 

Yeah, this heat sounds pretty good, as long as Jonas is in 7th, and he probably will be I'd guess, all good here. And even his song sounds vaguely... hymnal.

Shuffla *.*

Rehearsal clips (featuring one comically out of place steadycam man)

 

The heat closer has, once again, the most impressive visuals.

I reckon:

 

DTF: LIAMOO, Mimi

 

So Generous *.*

I don't know if Mimi really has what it takes. I loved Ain't No Good. This is completely different, but almost similar at the same time.

I can't help but think she's going to place 5th.

I think LIAMOO, S&V, Margaret & potentially Ida have her beat.

Here for Samir & Viktor as per usual, nothing changes x

I hope Mimi can make AC this time because it's her clip that has me perking up the most

Genrep:

 

1. Samir & Viktor - 309 (39 %)

2. LIAMOO - 176 (22 %)

3. Margaret - 99 (13 %)

4. Mimi Werner - 88 (11 %)

5. Ida Redig - 74 (9 %)

6. Jonas Gardell - 39 (5 %)

7. Stiko Per Larsson - 7 (1 %)

vagicide in full swing

YAS Samir & Viktor DTF for the first time please <3.

 

Their song genuinely does sound the best by far for me, though not up to the 10/10 standards of Bada Nakna.

2:30 clips are out, actually really into ‘Last Breath’ - as Iz said it’s the sort of thing a rent-a-rapper feat. emerging RnB singer would have had a smash hit with in about 2011