We have now arrived at the third final, a semi-final that many in Norway were looking forward to with some anticipation because  Norwegian Marcus and Martinus were participating in it. Would the Swedes welcome these “foreign workers”?

Melody 1 – Paul Rey 

There is a lot of energy in this song, but exactly that kind of energy I find more annoying and fussy than life-giving. Karen sings well enough, the slightly rusty part of her voice suits the song, a song where there is far too little going on for me to fully join the journey, the song doesn’t seem to go anywhere. He had a cool jacket then, let’s give a small plus point for that.

 

Melody 2 – Casanovas 

We never miss at least one dance band song in this competition and that’s perfectly fine. Those who sing in such bands are very often good vocalists and this is no exception. The song itself is probably a bit more rock-wise compared to what such songs are like, and it probably works in its own way. However, the song itself is very predictable and something you feel you’ve heard before, unfortunately.

Melody 3 – Melanie Wehbe 

We calm down a bit and that can be nice. This is actually a nice song and it is delivered with just the right amount of fervor that fits the song. It is sung well and the song has the melancholic elements that make me like such songs. However, I am disturbed by the artist smiling a little too much in a song that I find a little inappropriate, but I don’t let it drag me down.

 

Melody 4 – Nordman 

This group has been around a few times now and they deliver exactly the kind of song you can expect from them. You might call it a bit of pop-up folk music. The vocalist’s slightly hoarse and rusty voice fits perfectly, but there is something in the performance that gives me the feeling that they didn’t really want to be there. Too bad, they have a cool song.

 

Melody 5 – Laurell 

Yes, this was colorful in any case and it was nice after four rather dark issues. The song itself was good enough without me taking it off in any way. Vocally, it becomes a bit tiring to listen to later in the song, the lady doesn’t seem to have enough breath to hold out for three minutes. Even with one of the most colorful performances of all time in Mello, this fails to capture me, plain and simple.

Melodi 6 – Ida-Lova 

Not a good start to a performance when the first notes are quite shaky vocally, but fortunately it picks up a bit, but as with ski jumping, if you come out crooked from the edge of the jump, it rarely results in victory. I think the artist is not quite able to deliver this song which is not bad at all, it spoils a little too much for me. Imagine what a better artist could make of this song?

Melodi 7 – Marcus & Martinus 

It was in the fuse box provided. What a lovely number and what a performance of such a song. The MGP nationalist in me is a little upset, but right must be right, Swedish TV asked first and then they participate there. Yes, vocally they can improve a few small notches, but when the overall impression is so good, I see it as minor picking in this context.

As expected, our Norwegian friends Marcus and Martinus traveled straight to the final, on that voyage they were joined by Paul Rey.

The last-chance bus was filled up by Melanie Wehbe and Nordmann, the latter bus is now going to visit Malmö next weekend to get the last passengers there, one of those standing at that stop is none other than Loreen.