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Musical Interlude: Melodifestivalen

May 18th isn’t a public holiday in Sweden, but perhaps it ought to be. Sweden is a country that takes the Eurovision Song Contest very seriously. And indeed, last year, who won? Sweden! Much celebration all over the country!

In order to get the song which will represent Sweden in Eurovision, there’s the thing called Melodifestivalen. It used to be just the one contest, with ten or twelve songs competing, and the winner represented us in Europe a month or so later. In recent years, they’ve done it in stages, with multiple heats and then a big finale.

Today’s musical interlude was the entertainment in the interval (where the votes are counted), from Melodifestivalen in 2000. The show was hosted by a number of legendary contestants, and in the interval, they got together and did a spectacular medley of a number of classic songs which were in Melodifestivalen in previous years – some you might even recognise, because they made it all the way to Eurovision!

As far as my family was concerned, the medley was the best thing that had happened to Melodifestivalen in years … Just a shame it wasn’t one of the contestants! 😉

The Eurovision Song Contest finale this year is on 18 May, live from Malmö in southern Sweden. Not that I’m excited or anything. After all, I’m Swedish …

Traxy

An easily distracted and over-excited introvert who never learns to go to bed at a reasonable time. Enjoys traveling (when there's not a plague on), and taking photos of European architecture. Cares for cats, good coffee and Boardwalk Empire. A child of her time, she did media studies in school and still can't decide what she wants to be when she grows up.

2 thoughts on “Musical Interlude: Melodifestivalen

  1. I was watching the Swedish selection, at least the final, and I must say the whole semi-finals and a lucky-losers or second chance or whatever, it feels just too much hassle, just like in Norway this year (watched 3 shows out of 4 there). At the same time, like you said, Sweden takes it very seriously. Well, we are no better – 2 semis and a final.
    The Swedish final selection was a little bit too into-the same-genre -songs, and one of them won…

    1. I believe Sweden’s milking the concept for all it’s worth, because they can – there’s an audience willing to watch and vote. Here in the UK, it’s completely the opposite. All of a sudden, it’s “we’re sending Bonnie Tyler this year, and here’s the song”. Where’s the fun in that? I hope she’ll do better than Engelbert Humperdinck did last year, though … The song’s alright. 🙂

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