Melodifestivalen: Semi Final 4 Preview
Well, saying this semi had two of the three main favourites in it I think we are justified in feeling a little short changed. Dotter is not an act I was particularly optimistic about (as a winning contender, like most of the international fandom I quite like her) whilst Danny had only recently started to gain some of my faith with the lack of a standout so far. Instead, my first thoughts of him have proven more accurate. 'Happy To Have Found You' was itself surely found in Danny's rejects draw from 2012, though there is nothing happy about this.
The alternatives are Scarlet with their Halloween pop and Lia Larsson with her EPA-Dunk ode to EPA Dunking. Two untested artists with two fairly untested entries (particularly Scarlet's after Froken Snusk's middling debut) which presents us the question are Sweden bored enough of the same names bringing diminishing returns, or will melfest be melfest and give us the conventional result?
Last night's audience poll result suggests a mixed bag with Saucedo taking the win and Scarlet in second and that was how I was leaning anyway - Sweden just stick with the bigger and charismatic name despite the clear inadequacies. Danny likely wins the heat.
After that, both Scarlet and Lia Larsson are on paper hurt by the age group breakdown giving Dotter a chance to come through. She is however an act prone to underperforming so to now overcome her poor poll performance is a tall ask. She should in theory win the older groups who may not take to Scarlet so I'll have her in 2nd. Last is a fight between Albin Tingwall and Lasse. I think it's worth taking on the former with his charisma-less performance and hope the older groups save Lasse.
1. Danny Saucedo
2. Dotter
3. Scarlet
4. Lia Larsson
5. Lasse Stefanz
6. Albin Tingwall
This is one of those occasions where my prediction doesn't align with my positions really having took Scarlet at bigger odds than the current and they may still be a bit overpriced to win the heat, which may be needed for a top 2 anyway. Unfortunately, Danny does remain the more likely outcome.