Introducing the artists - there are quite a few new names:

SEMI 1
Jenny Silver (Öhlund) - A place to stay. A pop song
Former backing singer in MF, musicals, member of rock band Holden http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Tt6Yh7g6PI and "dansband" Candela http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dmvlkq58a0&feature=PlayList&p=68EBC7ED8BED2FC6&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=8

Jessica Andersson - I did it for love. A ballad
ESC 2003 (Fame), MF in 2004, 2006, 2007

Salem al Fakir - Keep on walking
"Good song" live in Allsång på Skansen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tuE-lxrWwE&feature=related From his first album released in 2007

Ola - Unstoppable. An up-tempo song
Swedish Idol in 2005, MF in 2008 "Love in stereo"

Pain of Salvation - Road Salt (a metal band)
Their first album Entropia was released in Asia (2 years before it was out in Europe). Here "Ashes" live in Istanbul in 2007 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA_cOS3Cp68&feature=related

Frispråkarn (Håkan Bäckman) - Singel. HipHop/R&B
From his first album released in 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=potGtHqBQrE&feature=related

Anders Ekborg - The Saviour.
An actor/musical artist. Has also interpreted Queen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhqs0vxM1f4

Linda Pritchard (Norrgård) - You're making me Hot-Hot-Hot. Latin up-tempo song
Backing singer in MF 2006, performing in MF 2008 (opening act) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZLf3rhrr2o, Swedish Idol in 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCq7SUtkmVg


SEMI 2
MiSt & Highlights - Come and get me now. Web wildcard. A pop/techno song
Highlights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcGW62b-34w&feature=related
Highlights' singer Andreas Wistrand in Fame Factory 2004 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2zcyb0xmoo&feature=related

Andra Generationen & Dogge - Hippare Hoppare. Balkan reggae/HipHop
Andra Generationen MF 2008 "Kebabpizza Slivovitza"
Dogge is a member of The Latin Kings (and has also performed together with Rigo known from MF 2009) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BWVv3jzSks&feature=related

Anna Maria Espinosa - Innan alla ljusen brunnit ut
Her song "To win my love" from a TV series for children was a hit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zoHpSHgTAnU&feature=related

Hanna Lindblad - Manipulated. A club/dance R&B song
Musicals and also a backing singer. Here in Så ska det låta http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8XE4J-OMeQ

Kalle Moreaus - Underbart
A member of Benny Andersson's (ABBA) Orkester. From the interval act in MF 2009 playing the violin ("Dansa i neon" Lena Philipson's MF 1987 entry) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rv90nhRDgoA

Eric Saade - Manboy. An up-tempo song
Former member of the boy band What's up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO-Yu9ix-20
Here together with gf Molly Sandén http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cu1M6f-hLb8&feature=related

Andreas Johnson - We can work it out. A rock ballad
MF in 2006, 2007, 2008.

4th Wildcard, to be confirmed. We know it's going to be a female artist.


SEMI 3
Elin Lanto - Doctor Doctor
MF 2007 "Money". Her video "Love made me stupid" has been nominated video of the year 2009 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQM6EWO5MB4

Darin - You're out of my life
Runner-up Swedish Idol in 2004. MF interval act in 2009 ("Se på mig" ESC 1995) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5PaelJcd9c

Crucified Barbara - Heaven or Hell. A hard rock ballad
A female rock band. Their debut album "In distortion we trust" was released in 2005. They have been touring Europe and Australia, and they have performed together with Motörhead. Here live on Sweden Rock http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Cpq0OZgT8g

Getty (Domein) - Yeba (sung in Lingala)
Born in Congo-Kinshasa but grew up in Sweden. Here singing "Solo" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bMUHXUgtCg

Erik Linder - Hur kan jag tro på kärlek. 70s pop
Sweden's got talent 2009, singing 4 harmonies http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLyZHs3CH1M

Alcazar - Headlines. An up-tempo song
MF 2003, 2005, 2009

Timoteij - Kom. A pop song
Four 18-year-old girls who got together a year ago.

Johannes Bah Kuhnke - Tonight. A rock ballad
An actor/musical artist. From the rock musical "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFB02pG4Q38&feature=related


SEMI 4
Peter Jöback - Hollow
Musicals, MF 1990 "En sensation".
Here together with Cookies 'n' Beans (known from MF 2009) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miHyz_JIxCM

Noll Disciplin - Idiot. Punk, up-tempo
A boy band. One of the members, Jesper Björklund, took part in Lilla MF in 2007 and won http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzR6oMI-AUg&feature=related

Sibel - Stop. A pop song
Swedish Idol in 2005, MF in 2008 "That is where I'll go"

Pernilla Wahlgren - Jag vill om du vågar. The only schlager, up-tempo
MF 1985, 1991, 2003 and the MF 1994 Interval act. A song was written for her in 2004 but the MF jury rejected it. Songwriters then submitted it to the Finnish NF.

Lovestoned - Thursdays. Reggae
Singer Pär Stenhammar took part in Swedish Idol in 2007. One of the band members Elena comes from Germany (though she was born in Bulgaria). "Rising girl" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzCwZPADFW4&feature=related

Anna Bergendahl - This is my life. An up-tempo pop song
Anna is 17 years old and 1/8 Irish. Started her career at the age of 8 by singing "My heart will go on" in a cathedral in York. Swedish Idol in 2008 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr_0kYZg9zY

Neo (Linus Ingelsbo) - Human Frontier. Up-tempo pop
Neo has just released an album in Russia and China and has performed at the Eska Musical Awards in Poland. An introduction video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l5jxMfLH4U&feature=related

Py Bäckman - Magisk stjärna
MF as a singer in 1979 and 1992, as a composer in 1988 (winner "Stad i ljus"), 1997 ("En gång ska han gråta").


The MF concept will be different next year. Details will be revealed by SVT mid-January.

CA M'EXCITE! This one particularly sounds awesome

Just saying.

LOL Sheep, that picture of Johannes is from "Hedwig and the angry inch"

This is more like him:

RUMOUR HAS IT that Linda Sundblad will be the 4th wildcard She's an ex-member of the band Lambretta but went solo in 2006. She has also written songs for other artists, for instance Kim Wilde, Darin, Amanda Jenssen. Here's a track from Apocalyptica's album "Reflections" feat. Linda

I think you all know that Pauline Kamusewu is the 4th wildcard in MF 2010

She's well-known in Sweden after having appeared in "Allsång på Skansen" as well as some other popular TV shows in 2009. She has released two albums, has had a couple of hits and also been awarded "Rockbjörnen" in 2003, the year she debuted.

* I almost entered Pauline in our 9th edition of ECSC but I chose Martin Stenmarck instead - and we know how he fared *

Here live in "Allsång på Skansen" 14th July 2009 (the same evening Alexander Rybak performed there)



- - - - - - - - - - - -

Eric Saade (who will sing "Manboy" in MF this year) has just released a single. "Sleepless" was written by Fredrik Kempe and Peter Boström who also wrote "Manboy" May we assume that the two songs sound alike

All that fuss, all this waiting and for what? Bloody Pauline.

Jesus wept, I've been a staunch defender of Mr Björkman up until now but even I think it's time he got the boot.

It turns out Pauline was SVT's third choice.

When Lena Ph said no, SVT asked Helena Paparizou. She recorded a song but last week she turned the offer down too. Like Lena she thought there wasn't time enough for preparations

New rules

SVT announced today that they've made a few changes to MF:

- The song which gets most points after the first voting round will go straight to the final.

- 4 songs will go through a 2nd voting round, one of which will go to the final and two to the 2nd chance.

- There will be no duells in the semis, only in the 2nd chance round.

- 6 out of the 11 jury groups will be non-Swedish.

- There will be 10 songs competing in the final.

Tbh that looks A LOT better than last year, especially the jury changes

Official 2010 CD Cover



Purchasing link: http://cdon.se/musik/various_artists/melodifestivalen_2010_(2cd)-8029495

OMG I am properly excited now!

Oooh its green.

Well I have to admit I was a fan of the blue last year, this one doesn't leave me nearly as moist i'm afraid.

Sheep

You beat me to it

Official Trailers

THE MF STAGE:

Ooh well. Last year from the picture I hated it, however it turned out alright. This year the stage (from the picture) looks pretty much the same, so initially I will be hating it, however it will probably turn out OK.

I hope you're right

Just listened to the snippets from SVT now and I must say, the winner will not come from this semi period

Yeah I am hoping the next semis are better, this one sounds a little naff. Still, Pain of Salvation sounds promising.

I had expected a rock song from Pain of Salvation of course but I think they sent a song to fit MF. Daniel, the singer of Pos will practically be alone on the stage, the other band members will be in the background.

Watch Jenny Silver's outfit a metal "swimming costume" and a silver glove that cost SEK 75,000.



Linda changing her outfit:



People who have watched the rehearsals seem to think that Ola, Anders, Linda and perhaps PoS will go on to the final or 2nd chance.

P.S. I just heard that Linda didn't change her clothes during tonight's rehearsal