Melodifestivalen 2021: Anton Ewald, Patrik Jean & Dotter Take The Stage! Our Thoughts [Snippets/Rehearsals]

With returning big hitters Anton Ewald and Dotter, and exciting debuting talent such as Patrik Jean, Julia Alfrida and Frida Green, Melodifestivalen’s second semi-final is shaping up to be one of the most exciting of the contest. Snippets of the tracks have now been released as well as rehearsal stills, ahead of footage tomorrow. We’ve gathered our thoughts on all the upcoming performances and shared these below.

You can tune into Melodifestivalen on Saturday 13th of February at 20.00 CET.

You can watch the rehearsal clips here:

1. New Religion – Anton Ewald
2. Rich – Julia Alfrida
3. 90-talet – WAHL feat. SAMI
4. The Silence – Frida Green
5. Rena rama ding dong – Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos
6. Tears Run Dry – Patrik Jean
7. Little Tot – Dotter

Photo credits courtesy of SVT.

1. Anton Ewald – New Religion

One of our most hyped returns to Melfest is that of Anton Ewald who previously competed with tracks Begging and Natural in 2013 and 2014. Now seven years Anton returns with New Religion – a moody urban pop anthem with an infectious bassline and percussion, paired with sultry vocals. We are expecting some fantastic choreography to go with this too. Anton has been working incredibly hard on this, so we have no doubt he is going to bring a show and a half. You can read our interview with Anton here.

2. Julia Alfrida- Rich

There’s a real Lorde flavour about Julia Alfrida’s Rich, an impressive contemporary pop track that sees Julia sing “We could be rich like that,
We could be rich like that, They can take our money, Thеy can have it all, ya, ya,” against simmering, sometimes buoyant minimalist production.

3. WAHL feat. SAMI – 90-talet

This one isn’t really for us, but adds a little bit of variety to the pop-centric tracks tonight. This slice of Swedish hip-hop aims to pay homage to the 90s and it does so with its attitude, however, by the chorus there is a slight eighties flavour as racking synths come into play. It will have its fans, we’re sure!

4. Frida Green – The Silence

2020 favourite Anna Bergendahl co-writes this track from Frida Green, a soulful mid-tempo ballad that sees Frida sing “In the silence there’s a guidance, When you can’t take no more (When you can’t take no more),
A whisper in the wind, it’s calling, In the silence dust make diamonds,” against rousing production. Expect dramatic staging if the stills above are an accurate depiction of the performance.

5. Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos – Rena rama ding dong

Eva Rydberg returns to the Melodifestivalen stage after appearing in 1977 with the track Charlie Chaplin, she’s brought friend and first-time Melfester Ewa Roos alongside the track Rena rama ding dong. This is nostalgic and comic, we wouldn’t rule this out and can see it being a hit with Swedes of a certain age who like a bit of camp.

6. Patrik Jean – Tears Run Dry

We really can’t wait to see Patrik’s performance with the one minute snippet showcasing an immaculate emotional pop banger. This paired with progressive, floral-adorned staging, it looks as if Patrik is certain to produce a really special Melfest moment. “We’re gonna dance ’til our tears run dry,
Wanna forget for a little while, Maybe we’re bad at goodbye or just in denial, We’re gonna dance ’til our tears run dry,” Patrik sings in the chorus before earworming electronic production kicks in. Check out our interview with Patrik here.

7. Dotter – Little Tot

Another high profile return after Dotter’s much-adored 2020 performance of Bulletproof. We actually think Little Tot is a lot more interesting sonically, playing with thumping electropop sounds and soaring pop vocals. This is a real anthemic pop anthem that we are sure will do well.

For our thoughts on the semi-final one tracks, check here.