Review: “Melodifestivalen 2024” Final (Sweden)

Doron Lahav

2 years ago

During the 5 live shows of “Melodifestivalen 2024”, 30 artists performed their songs live. 12 of them made it to the final.
In this post, I will review the 12 songs in the final:

#1. Maria Sur – When I’m Gone

It is an electro dance club pop song.
The song starts with a short instrumental part, composed of piano playing.
The first verse has a dramatic vibe. Maria sings it with a mid-low tone of voice and confidently. The melody is still based on the piano playing which resonates in the background.
The first pre-chorus is built on a faster and growing beat.
The chorus continues in the same line. The first part is based on a uniform beat. Thereafter, she sings more powerfully and lengthens some of the words. The tempo is faster, and we are getting a string-sampled melody.
The second verse is similar to the first one, but it goes in a more electronic direction. The melody is based on synth and keyboards, but we can also hear drum beat.
The second pre-chorus is similar to the first one.
The second chorus is based on 2 different beats combined together: One of them is an electro dance beat, while the other sounds more like trans music. She sings the second part with some manners.
The bridge is quite short and repeats on the first part of the chorus.
The last chorus starts almost unplugged, while we can still hear the cyclic electro string beat. As the chorus continues, she sings more powerfully and with longer and higher notes, while she is accompanied by backing vocals.
Overall, Maria Sur exceeded my expectations. The song is pretty catchy and progresses in the right way. It builds up slowly and safely, but it is bold enough to stick to your mind. I loved the combination of synth elements and piano playing. The laser show adds a lot. Well done!

#2. Jay Smith – Back To My Roots

It is a country soft rock song.
The song starts with acoustic guitar stringing,
Jay opens the first verse with a half raspy voice. The melody is based on slow drum playing and guitar playing. The verse is based on 2 equal halves. However, in the second half we can hear some backing vocals.
The first pre-chorus is based on a simpler production, where the guitar playing is the main element.
The first chorus is based on a more smokey vocals. The melody is based on drums, bass and guitar playing. His voice is crystal clear.
Thereafter, we are getting a short instrumental part based on guitars playing. The second verse is quite similar to the first one. The melody is based on bass and guitar playing.
The second pre-chorus is more acoustic and quite short.
The second chorus suggests a quite uniform structure based on a chill guitar playing.
The bridge follows, and it is unplugged. Jay is accompanied by a female backing vocalist. The melody is based on a soft drum and bass. Jay leads us to an additional chorus while roaring.
An additional chorus follows, with richer backing vocals and familiar string elements.
The general style is of an American country song, performed by a vocalist who sounds like the Nickelback lead singer.
Overall, there are no surprises here, as the song progresses quite predictably and safely. Jay is a great vocalist, but I am not sure the song is bold enough.

#3. Lisa Ajax – Awful Liar

It is a pop ballad.
The song opens with the keyboard playing, and then Lisa joins in with singing. The flow of the first verse is very specific. Towards the end, she uses some vocal trilling. The production of the first verse is quite minimalistic.
The first pre-chorus is a bit faster. She sings more emotionally, and we can hear some backing vocals. Towards the end, it becomes a bit intense, but vocal wisely she uses softer sound.
The chorus is more catchy. The melody is based on keyboards playing, and for some reason sounds more classic. There are some effects over her singing.
The second verse is based on acoustic guitar playingץ
The second pre-chorus features piano playing and additional elements which wrap it in an orchestral dimension. This part ends with a long note and vibrato.
The second chorus is based on acoustic guitar and piano playing. She sings this powerfully.
The bridge is faster, and there’s a rich use of backing vocals. This part is based on guitar and drums. Vocal wise, she sings this in a lower tone of voice.
An additional chorus follows, and this time she sings it even powerfully. The melody is based on keyboards, guitar and string elements. Lisa uses falsetto in her singing. The main phrase of the song repeats several times until the song ends.
Overall, it is a radio-friendly pop ballad. I feel like the pre-chorus and the chorus are bolder and more interesting. The staging concept is on point, even though I would like to see more bravery on the LED effects. Sometimes, she pushes a bit with the singing, but overall it is a nice effort. Having said this, I am not sure it is competitive enough.

#4. Smash Into Pieces – Heroes Are Calling

It is a soft rock song.
The song starts with an electronic keyboard, drums and bass playing. The first verse is performed in a quite low tone of voice. Energy is limited and the emphasis is on the drums and bass. The first line of each sub-part is performed with longer musical boxes.
The pre-chorus is pretty short and towards its end, a beat starts to build up.
The chorus is kicking, and vocally it is more powerful. The melody is based on guitar and bass riffs, with dense drum beats.
Post-chorus repeats the same phrase “Heroes are calling” and the song develops into a more electronic sound.
The second verse is shorter, but the structure is similar to the first one. The melody is based on electronic keyboards. Pre-chorus follows.
The second chorus features some backing vocals, while the lead singer uses his smokey voice. The melody is diminated by the bass and electric guitar.
The second post-chorus is based on a more electronic sound, but we can still hear the bass guitar pumping. The bridge comes after and is mainly instrumental.
The final chorus starts with minimal production, and the singing is more like whispering. It continues into the regular path, with stronger and pushing singing and the bass and drums.
The song features computer games themed music which is typical of Smash Into Pieces music.
Their presence on the stage is iconic as always. However, I felt like they brought more of the same from their music repertoire. The singing was sometimes off-tune.
I like the idea of not getting another polished pop song, but it feels like it wasn’t cooked right.

#5.Cazzi Opeia – Give My Heart a Break

It is a symphonic pop song, with influences from the 1990’s music.
The song opens with a short instrumental part, composed of a combination of different string elements.
The first verse relies on these string elements and keyboard playing. She sings easily, and towards the end of some of the line she uses a higher tone of voice.
The first pre-chorus suggests a change in the atmosphere, as it becomes less positive and more dramatic. The melody is based on deeper chords of piano and probably cello.
The first chorus immediately follows. The first part relies on the same pattern as the first pre-chorus. Later on, the joyful string and piano sound is brought back and Cazzi uses the special humming/singing, performed in a higher tone of voice.
The second verse is performed in a slightly lower tone of voice, and it is relatively short. The melody is quite similar to the one in the first verse.
A second chorus follows, relying on an uplifting production, and the string elements. The post chorus goes in a similar line, but the sound is more synth oriented.
The bridge is based on piano playing, and the atmosphere is somehow more “serious”.
The last chorus is also based on a gentle beat, synth elements and the keyboards playing.
Something in the composition reminds me of “Go West” by the Pet Shop Boys.
The song stands up in this line-up, as it suggests a different kind of sound. Cazzi is an artist that always puts a smile on your face, thanks to her contagious energy.
Positive energy and uplifting vibes contribute here, but I am not sure it will be for everyone’s taste.

#6. Annika Wickihalder – Light

It is a pop-soul mid-tempo ballad, with gospel influences.
The song starts with a choir singing and humming.
The first verse is based on a tender guitar stringing and percussion elements. Her voice is the main element in this part. She sings accurately with some vibrato, The melody in this part is quite uniform and by this create a very specific framing.
The first pre-chorus relies on the same elements, but we can also hear the beginning of drum playing and more continuous guitar playing. Singing wisely, she keeps her voice laid back.
The chorus is more pompous. She sings more powerfully and with longer and higher notes. The melody is smoother and also based on keyboards playing. There are some backing vocals that function as choir singing,
The second verse is quite short. The tempo is a bit higher (compared to the first verse). The melody is based on a slow drum beat and soft electric guitar chords. The second pre-chorus follows and continues in the same line.
The second chorus is more energetic and lets her express her vocal range in a bold way. The choir singing adds another dimension to the composition.
The post-chorus is based on pre-recorded backing vocals and some vocal decorations. It ends like the chorused, even lyrical, wisely.
The bridge is based on keyboards and guitar playing, the production is more modest, she sings in a lower and warm voice.
The final chorus is even more powerful and it starts with modulation. She sings it with more soul elements and with higher and longer notes. The song ends with a choir singing.
It becomes crystal clear that Annika’s voice is the gold here, as she suggests a unique color of voice. The song builds up gradually, and I find the production sophisticated.
The disadvantage might arise from the fact that pop-souk-gospel songs are usually underestimated by the public. However, I really appreciate this one.

#7. Marcus and Martinus – Unforgettable

It is a synth pop – dance club song.
The song starts with an instrumental part composed of synth sound.
Marcus opens the first verse, the melody is based on simple chords and fading synth elements (those from the intro).
In the first pre-chorus, the synth sound is bolder. This time, Martinus is the one to sing and he has a higher pitch. The beat is gradually built and this is the point where the song goes into a more electronic direction.
The first chorus starts more laid back. The beat is more sparse, and the melody is also based on electronic keyboards. Each one of them sings different lines of this part. The production creates drama with some unexpected pauses. The hook is based on faster electronic keyboards playing and trumpet based loop.
The post-chorus continues is the same line and repeats on the same phrase “She is unforgettable”.
The second verse is pretty short. Martinus is the one to sing it. The melody is based on synth elements.
Marcus sings the 2nd pre-chorus. The rate is higher, and this part is quite energetic. The synth elements are combined with the electronic beat.
The second chorus continues in the same way, and once again we are getting a great and long hook.
The outro starts with a robotic sound that sounds like metallic processing. They sing this part together, and it progresses as the electronic beat takes over.
There’s something very modern and even fashionable about this song. However, I felt like it is too cooked or even “over transgenic”. The melody is catchy, and the production is polished. I still think they need to improve their pronunciation.
As it looks like at the moment, this might be a contender to end up high in the “Melodifestivalen 2024” scoreboard. Will it be enough to win the selection?

#8. Dotter – It is Not Easy To Write a Love Song

It is a love ballad.
The song starts with piano playing, and Dotter enters with her unique voice and vibrato singing. She sings the first verse in mid tone of voice. The chords are quite basic.
The first pre-chorus is a bit faster, as it compresses more words on the same kind of melody. Dotter rephrases some of the words, the piano playing becomes bolder. Towards the end, she lengthens some of the words and uses a higher tone of voice.
The chorus has a cinematic quality. The melody is based on piano playing, as well as some orchestral elements. The arrangement of this part is twisted, and therefore requires advanced vocal techniques. This is the part which I find the most emotional and sincere in this wonderful song.
The second verse starts with piano playing, but later on, it combines mid-slow percussion/drum beat. She sings this part in a lower tone of voice. The production is more dreamy and reminds me of music from the 1990’s.
Thereafter we get an additional pre-chorus with piano playing.
The second chorus follows, and she is supported by backing vocals. The melody is based on piano playing and some orchestral elements. The post- chorus follows and it is built with secondary voice, in this way we are getting a kind of dialogue of low and high tone of voice.
The bridge is more laid back, and we can mainly hear the piano playing and fragile singing. The song ends with one final chorus and post-chorus, where she sings more powerfully.
I feel like Dotter came from a more mature and even braver place with this kind of song. Her unique vocal and emotional stamp can still be recognized.

#9. Medina – Que Sera

It is an ethnic pop combined with hip-hop
The song starts with fading pre-recorded backing vocals.
The first verse is based on acoustic guitar and oriental wind instrument. Sam-E is the one to open the song, he sings with wide open mouth and sometimes sounds too shouty.
The pre-chorus is more festive, and we can hear both of them singing. Sam-E keeps on singing too loudly, while Ali sings a kind of hip-hop. The production is based on a uniform ethnic beat.
The chorus is more hymnish and involves more languages. They sing it together, and are supported by backing vocals. The melody is based on drums and beats.
The second verse is mainly performed in Swedish and Spanish. Ali will be the one to perform it in a hoarse voice. Along this part, his singing accelerates and goes more into the hip-hop direction.
Both of them sing the 2nd pre-chorus together. The melody is based on a danceable beat and drums.
The second chors come in and mainly repeat the phrase “Que sera, sera”. They are accompanied by massive backing vocals which creates the atmosphere of singing crowd.
The outro is based on the same backing vocals from the into. Thereafter, we get the instrumental part which is more of trap/urban pop. This part is based on massive drums playing, as well as some wind and synth elements.
The song is finalized with a kind of modulation over the chorus. They sing it powerfully.
The song reminds me of the Latin-pop influenced songs we can find in “Melodifestivalen” each year, and usually we get them from Alvaro Estrella.
Overall, I am not impressed with this one. I find it repetitive from time to time, and not that original. In addition, the singing was sometimes off or all over the place. I don’t see the relation of Sweden to lyrics in French or Spanish. And please don’t let me talk about the cliche of the worn message: “Que sera, sera”.

#10. Liamoo – Dragon

It is a dark pop mid-tempo song.
The song starts with a keyboard playing. This melody continues to appear in the first verse, where Liamoo sings emotionally with a semi-husky voice with a mid-low tone of voice. The first verse is quite short.
The first pre-chorus relies on more lyrics, and the singing is “denser”. The melody is still based on a cyclic keyboard loop.
The first chorus starts powerfully with energetic vocals. The production puts the main light on Liamoo’s voice. He ends some of the lines in almost falsetto singing.
The first post-chorus is based on drums and bass, while we can hear backing vocals of higher tone of voice. This part is mainly based on “Not my enemy” phrase.
The second verse is based on the keyboards playing once again, and this is the place where the emotions are better conveyed. The second pre-chorus follows, where the singing is faster.
The second chorus comes after and this time suggests a more electronic sound. He sings with vibrato, while lenghening some of the words. This time, the backing vocals are playing a main role.
The outro is based on symphnic elements and fading singing. Thereafter, we are getting the bridge which starts with mininal production. Liammo continues with a more fragile singing of the chorus.
I must say this song is a grower for me. I wasn’t a big fan of it at first, but I learned to appreciate the way it progresses and the interesting contrast between the different parts. It is still defined as pop, but there is something more mature about it.
The biggest advantage for me is the lyrics here – “I found my dragon” which sounds a bit forced and childish.

#11. Jacqline Moss – Effortless

It is a dance pop song, with 1990’s music influences.
The song starts with a synth beat. The first verse is based on keyboards playing, drum and bass and percussion beat. She sings with some soul elements.
The first pre-chorus is based on faster singing and the beat goes faster as well. This part also includes some backing vocals.
The chorus is based on 1980’s dance beat, combined with electronic keyboards and drum beat. The word “effortless” repeats several times. In some cases, her singing is off tune.
The second verse is quite similar to the first one, and the melody is based on keyboards playing, drum and bass.
2nd pre-chorus is performed in a lower tone of voice.
I am a bit disappointed with the composition here, as the singer seems to be not the best choice to perform this song. She struggled vocally from time to time. Jacqline is supported by backing vocals with a higher tone of voice.
The second chorus is catchy and based on the 1980’s dance pop sound, It is followed by an outro which is mainly instrumental and also contains some humming.
The bridge starts with keyboard playing and backing vocals, and we get another chorus where she fails to reach the right notes.
I feel like many people are captivated by the the smooth staging and fashioned performance, but we are also here for music quality and vocal quality.

#12. Danny Saucedo – Happy That You Found Me

It is a mid-tempo pop song.
The song starts with keyboards and guitar playing. Danny starts singing with a mid-tone warm voice. The melody is quite uniform. In the second half, we can hear a constrat slow beat added to the melody.
The first pre-chorus continues in the same line, but this time Danny sings in a higher tone of voice. The accompanying beat becomes more intense. towards the end, he sings with more intention.
The first chorus starts with quite basic chords, and we can hear Danny’s voice as the main element. As this part progresses, the melody is switched into a more danceable pop with light influences of trans music. The post-chorus is based on the same beat.
The second verse is slightly faster, compared to the first one as it features a mid beat.
The second pre-chorus is performed with a higher tone of voice.
The chorus is even more uplifting this time, with a danceable bolt beat. However, this beat sounds like things we’ve heard millions to times, even in the instrumental part of “Euphoria”.
The outro this time is longer, and this time it is accompanied by backing singing and cheering.
The song ends with one last chorus, which serves more classically with violin and piano playong
I found the lyrics on this song too basic and even cliche: “Now heaven’s all around me/ Now we will never be alone/ I’m so happy that you found me“
I think this is one of the weakest efforts of Danny in the “Melodifestivalen” history.

Personal Ranking

Maria Sur – When I’m Gone
Dotter – It is Not Easy To Write a Love Song
Annika Wickihalder – Light
Cazzi Opeia – Give My Heart a Break
Liamoo – Dragon
Marcus and Martinus – Unforgettable
Lisa Ajax – Awful Liar
Smash Into Pieces – Heroes Are Calling
Jay Smith – I am Back To My Roots
Jacqline Moss – Effortless
Danny Saucedo – Happy That You Found Me
Medina – Que Sera

Prediction

At the moment, it seems like Marcus and Martinus might be the choice for Eurovision 2024.
However, I can see Liamoo, Danny Saucedo, Dotter, Maria Sur and Jacqline Moss in the top 6.

Who would you like to see representing Sweden at Eurovision 2024?
Eurovision 2024 will be held in Malmö, Sweden.
The semi-finals will be held on the 7th and 9th of May 2024, and the grand final will be held on the 11th of May 2024

Don’t forget to visit our Eurovision 2024 homepage