Melodifestivalen 2021 Semi-final 4: Eric Saade And The Mamas Take The Stage! Our Thoughts [Snippets/Rehearsals]

It is mad to think that we are already on the fourth and final group of semi-finals before the second chance or Andra Chansen round of Melodifestivalen. That means by the end of Saturday we will have heard all of Sweden’s potential Eurovision entries and have 28 new impeccable pop delights to adorn our streaming accounts with (well 27 and a Mustasch track).

This week we have a stacked line-up. Swedish pop sensation Eric Saade! 2020 victors The Mamas! Alcazar queen Tess Merkel! Rising pop talent Efraim Leo! This is a hard one to call, but perhaps our run-down of the tracks will prepare you.

You can tune into semi-final four on February 27th at 20.00CET on SVT. International viewers can watch on the SVT website. You can hear the snippets here.

Tess Merkel – Good Life

Tess has her sights aimed towards the dancefloor in this synth-filled dancepop delight. Whilst this is sonically a bit slinkier than Alcazar’s output, it is still definitely a track that fans of the band will enjoy. With completely positive vibes, highly-charged synths, and hopeful lyrics “I’m gonna sing a prayer, Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, I’m gonna take you there, I feel love, I feel love, I feel love, Talking about the good life”. There is also a spoken word moments where Tess asks“Do you wanna live your life? Put your hands up to the sky, Love, live, and dance,” YES Tess! We love this.

Watch our interview with the lovely Tess here.

Lovad – Allting är precis likadant

Lovad follows with Allting är precis likadant (Everything is Exactly the Same) a dramatic Swedish language ballad. With simple piano allowing Lovad’s vocal strength to soar and share the song’s story, Allting är precis likadant is an impressive entry. We do wonder however if this may be overshadowed by the big-hitters of the night like The Mamas and Eric.

Efraim Leo – Best of Me

We knew Efraim was going to deliver and he does just that with Best Of Me where he sings “Hate to think, you do better now, Use to be the one you care about, Can’t help but help myself cause, You got the best of me,” on the track’s rousing pop chorus. Efraim sells every word of the track, shining against the tracks up-tempo percussion and heavy pop production. This could do very well on the night.

Watch our interview with the charming Efraim here.

The Mamas – In the Middle

The beautiful voices of The Mamas have a poignant quality when set against the simple, rousing piano melody of the opening of In the Middle. As the track progresses and the harmonies begin, fuller production and a clapping rhythm on the track make this a real earworm that stays with listeners. In the Middle is sonically different to Move in that it feels a little more emotional and grounded, but there are no doubts that this vibrant and inspirational track will be a success.

We had a great time interviewing The Mamas, you can watch this here.

Sannex- All Inclusive

Dansband Sannex present All Inclusive, a Swedish language party track that presents Summer vibes and a warm message that may be a hit with more traditional viewers. It is a well-intentioned song, but do we want this to be representing Sweden in Eurovision 2021? Not massively.

Clara Klingenström – Behöver inte dig idag

Do Not Need You Today is the English translation for Clara Klingenström’s Swedish language entry Behöver inte dig idag. Clara sounds wonderful with a subtle huskiness in her tone which makes it distinctive and very listenable. Rousing production and a message about independence and moving on add to the strengths of this entry.

Eric Saade – Every Minute

This is a refreshing new direction for Eric and a welcome return to English language for the performer. Sultry vocals paired with a catchy chorus with infectious vocoder effects make this a dark, sexy urban dance anthem. Eastern style chanting effects add a global flavour to the track helping it further stand as an original piece of Eric’s discography. It feels very him and is an impressive new progression. Hopefully this marks the start of a new English language chapter for the singer.