ESC Etc.

Melodifestivalen 2024 – Heat 1

LINEUP

ARTIST	SONG
Adam Woods	Supernatural
Elisa Lindström	Forever Yours
Lisa Ajax	Awful Liar
Melina Borglowe	Min melodi
Samir & Viktor	Hela världen väntar
Smash Into Pieces	Heroes Are Calling

This is a stacked line-up. There’s a lot of buzz about Smash Into Pieces, who came in third last year and generally do a very commercial and appealing brand of rock-tinged pop, and that makes me think they’ll get the pimp slot here. Adam Woods, Samir & Viktor, and Lisa Ajax are all retuning Mello finalists, and Elisa will be entering for the third time, even though she’s still looking to qualify out of her heat (and really, she should just revive the Swedish House Wives with Linda Bengtzing and Timoteij’s Cecilia Kallin). It’s always hard to call such a competitive heat, but my gut is telling me Smash Into Pieces and Samir & Viktor straight to the final and Adam Woods and Lisa Ajax up for a Second Chance slot.

Melodifestivalen 2024 – Heat 2

LINEUP

ARTIST	SONG
C-Joe	Ahumma
Dear Sara	The Silence After You
Engmans Kapell	Norrland
Fröken Snusk	Unga & fria
Liamoo	Dragon
Maria Sur	When I’m Gone

This heat is so chaotic – expect no two songs here to even remotely sound alike. Liamoo and Maria Sur are former finalists, but everyone else is making their debut, although some of them are fairly established acts already. With Liamoo in particular, it very mich feels as though there is some unfinished business – his worst result out of three previous participations is a 6th place in the final – and I think he will be closing the show. I’m actually going to guess Liamoo and Fröken Snusk direct to final, with Dear Sara (who makes the most delightful, dreamy electropop) and Maria Sur (who, uh…does not) getting into Second Chance.

Melodifestivalen 2024 – Heat 3

LINEUP

ARTIST	SONG
Cazzi Opeia	Give My Heart A Break
Clara Klingenström	Aldrig mer
Gunilla Persson	I Won’t Shake (La La Gunilla)
Jacqline	Effortless
Kim Cesarion	Take My Breath Away
Klaudy	För dig

Cazzi and Clara alone make this a must-watch heat for me. Cazzi is a former finalist and one of the ESC-winning writers of Tattoo, and Clara came in 5th place in 2021 with one of my favorite Mello songs of all time (she is actually my 2nd most streamed artist on Spotify in 2023). Kim Cesarion is also a notable debut – he charted across Europe in 2013 with Undressed – and Gunilla is probably bringing an epic disaster bop. I’m going to go ahead and guess Clara and Kim (who will probably get the pimp slot here) get through to the final, and Cazzi and Klaudy will duke it out in Second Chance.

Melodifestivalen 2024 – Heat 4

LINEUP

ARTIST	SONG
Albin Tingwall	Done Getting Over You
Danny Saucedo	Happy That You Found Me
Dotter	It’s Not Easy to Write a Love Song
Lasse Stefanz	En sång om sommaren
Lia Larsson	30 km/h
Scarlet	Circus X

Two huge names here obviously. Danny will be participating for the fourth time (as a solo act, that is) and he has a sterling record, coming in second place in 2011 behind Eric Saade (and he should have won, really) and again in 2012 when he lost to Loreen’s Euphoria after famously turning it down (hehehehe). Dotter will also be making her fourth appearance, and her loss by one single point in 2020 still stings a bit. They should easily advance straight to the final, which then leaves the field open to everyone else to try and get a Second Chance slot. My guess is, it will be Lia Larsson and Scarlet (who are to my knowledge the first nu-metal act ever to enter Mello).

Melodifestivalen 2024 – Heat 5

LINEUP

ARTIST	SONG
Annika Wickihalder	Light
Chelsea Muco	Controlla
Elecktra	Banne maj
Jay Smith	Back To My Roots
Marcus & Martinus	Unforgettable
Medina	Que Sera

This heat follows with a similar setup – two big acts with winner potential returning after a third place finish in 2022 (Medina) and a runner-up placement in 2023 (Marcus & Martinus). I’m particularly excited about Medina, who combine hip hop with Arabic influences/cues and are also the two most adorable bears, whereas Unforgettable strikes me as a somewhat generic track title. Regardless – they should both easily advance. I’m assuming Elecktra of Drag Race Sverige fame and Jay Smith (who won Swedish Idol in 2010) will get a Second Chance slot, but it’s very hard to call.