Good morning from sunny Stockholm and open rehearsals day for the Grand Final of Melodifestivalen 2024! Join me, Richard, as I guide you through the days highs and hopefully, no lows. This year, the open rehearsals will run slightly differently. The rehearsals will not run in the RUNNING ORDER for Saturday night and will instead run in the order below.

So join me from 08:20 GMT/09:20 CET for today’s coverage. You know what to do, just refresh the page as we go throughout the day.

Refresh here from 08:20 GMT/09:20 CET

Nu kör vi!!!

08:20 GMT/09:20 CET – Liamoo, “Dragon”

And we’re off! Liamoo takes to the stage dressed in black, just like his heat and delivers a strong first run through. Liamoo had great connectivity with the camera and will do with the audience once he has them to perform to inside the arena.

At the start of the second run through, while knelt down, Liamoo really expresses some commanding emotions. This is backed with the fire from the pyrotechnic towers. Before the final chorus, Liamoo has a clever little flame in his right hand, before the final chorus kicks in and the stage ignites with pyrotechnics all over.

Liamoo’s third and final run through is just that, a run through. “Dragon” is ready to go for the Final on Saturday night.

Liamoo has a really strong entry this year and should be battling for the top three.

To put the above into context, here is Liamoo’s performance from his heat:

08:50/09:50 – Lisa Ajax, “Awful Liar”

Lisa Ajax has taken to the stage for her first run through. As with her heat, she is dress in black and is joined on stage by her two contemporary backing dancers. Lisa has no issues with connectivity and knows how to deliver her performance.

The second and third run throughs didn’t differ that much, but it did prove that the camera focuses heavily on the contemporary dancers at times. Wether or not this is to do with Lisa’s pregnancy and she is trying to restrict movement around the stage is anybody’s guess.

This is a safe entry for Lisa Ajax this year and like Mariette last year, I can’t see it troubling the top spots on Saturday night.

To put the above into context, here is Lisa’s performance from her heat:

09:20/10:20 – Jacqline, “Effortless”

Jacqline has brought some modern, bright vibes to the stage. Considered a surprise qualifier, you can tell she has been rehearsing hard and is in sync with her four backing dancers. Jacqline is dressed in a black feathery armed top and black boots, with nothing much more to leave to the imagine. I would question her connectivity with both the camera and audience during this first run through.

For the second run through, the connectivity with the camera has certainly been sorted. Therefore, the first run through was likely to be more of a walk through for Jacqline’s benefit. One other observation is the box that Jacqline and her dancers move about in throughout most of the performance, rises at the end with just Jacqline inside.

The third run through seems to be effortless, pardon the pun. Is Jacqline ready for the Melodifestivalen win and a performance at Eurovision with this? I’d question it myself personally, but with the surprise qualification from the heat, anything can be possible.

To put the above into context, here is Jacqline’s performance from her heat:

09:50/10:50 – Smash Into Pieces, “Heroes Are Calling”

The first run through proves Smash Into Pieces are ready for Saturday night. They are out to improve on their third placing from last year’s Contest. While I was too keen on Six Feet Under, I do find Heroes Are Calling a little bit lighter and easier to listen too.

Focussing more on the staging during the second run through, the back projections remind me of an apocalyptic event from the future. The lighting does end up been quite dark with blues and reds throughout the performance – a lot of lights been laser too.

We have a third run through. Smash Into Pieces are just playing now. They are ready for Saturday night now and are just waiting for the audience to perform to and bounce off their energy. These guys are ready to win and if they do, it would certainly be a safe enough entry for Sweden to do well, but not do the double.

To put the above into context, here is Smash Into Piece’s performance from their heat:

10:20/11:20 – Maria Sur, “When I’m Gone”

Maria Sur’s first run through is very upbeat and energetic. This isn’t a great performance for those with epilepsy as the use of laser lighting is strong throughout. You can fault Maria’s vocals and the interaction with the backing dancers, allowing them to pick her up etc was really strong. Maria seemed out of breath after this run through.

The second run through starts off with some strong connectivity and this continues as she starts to interacts with the dancers. The connectivity starts to slide as Maria gets into the full dance routine. Connectivity is restored for the last part of the performance, however she still looks out of breath.

The third run through is much of the same to be honest. I wonder if the addition of the audience will assist in the connectivity issues that Maria is having. I can’t see “When I’m Gone” troubling the top spot on Saturday night.

To put the above into context, here is Maria Sur’s performance from her heat:

10:50/11:50 – Dotter, “It’s Not Easy To Write A Love Song”

Dotter starts her first run through draped on top of the piano as in her heat. Vocally Dotter has this nailed and she doesn’t have a connectivity issues with with the camera or the audience – in the arena or at home. Dotter is alone on stage, however this doesn’t seem to be an issue as her energy fills the stage.

Dotter, like Smash Into Pieces is just playing with her additional run throughs. This is Eurovision ready, but in a tough year, is unlikely to proceed to Malmo in May.

To put the above into context, here is Dotter’s performance from her heat:

We now have an extended lunch break – rather than two or three breaks. Please join me again from 14:35 GMT/15:35 CET.

Refresh here from 14:35 GMT/15:35 CET

And we’re back!

14:35 GMT/15:35 CET – Danny Saucedo, “Happy That You Found Me”

Danny starts his first run through and nothing has really changed since the heat. He is in a black outfit as before and has the similar stairs under an arch set on the stage. Vocally Danny is strong and the connectivity is certainly there after years of practice.

We only have sound for the second run through – so all seems okay from that perspective!

Third run through and we will concentrate on some of the staging. It starts off very dark with dry ice, yet soon bursts into colour, with moments of darker periods. The back projection oozes a variety of patterns and images, which fit in along with the song.

To put the above into context, here is Danny’s performance from his heat:

15:05/16:05 – Annika Wickihalder – “Light”

Annika is on stage for her first run through. Vocals are strong and the connectivity is nothing but amazing. Annika oozes sincerity and plenty of emotion. Annika interacts with the backing singers well, just by making eye contact with them. Annika is in the same silver outfit from last weekend. The backing singers could easily have been The Mamas.

The second run through has to be started again within seconds. Annika is delivering something strong and as the highest scoring 3rd/4th place artist in last weeks vote for the final finalists, you do have to wonder if she has a strong backing behind her. When Annika is with the backing singers, she generally looks as if she is having the time of her life.

The song is called “Light” and light is what you get throughout the whole performance. A mixture of blue and white lights are used to keep the performance bright throughout. This probably helps Annika enjoy it so much.

To put the above into context, here is Annika’s performance from her heat:

15:35/16:35 – Cazzi Opeia, “Give My Heart A Break”

The first run through has some dodgy camera work – but that’s not Cazzi’s fault. This is the second song she’ll have in the Final on Saturday, also writing Jacqline’s song “Effortless”. Cazzi knows how to put on a fun show, even if it looks like she has been wrapped in the left over hot pink tinsel from Christmas.

Instead of an arch like Danny Saucedo, Cazzi starts the performance in what looks like a giant key hole. Connectivity isn’t going to be an issue and she has so much fun interacting with the backing dancers. For three minutes, this is what everyone needs with everything else that is going on in the world right now.

Cazzi knows how to express emotion when she needs to during this performance, but she smiles for the majority of the time. She is in sync with the backing dancers for the mini-routines that take place here and then. While this sadly will not trouble the top, it deserves to win for bringing such light relief.

To put the above into context, here is Cazzi’s performance from her heat:

16:05/17:05 – Jay Smith, “Back To My Roots”

Jay Smith’s first run through is here and I feel there is a lack of energy looking at him. There is a connection, but he seems to missing something. Is he just walking through this run through as you were? Country never makes it past the final and it rarely even gets this far.

We’re on to the second run through and Jay is till lacking something. Is it the case like some others, that he needs an audience to thrive off? Nothing else has really changed from last Saturday night’s staging. I can’t see this going anywhere and will probably only appeal to a certain age range of viewers – a breakdown we won’t get until next week at the earliest.

Thid run through and Jay doesn’t look like he is enjoying himself as much as the others have been.

To put the above into context, here is Jay’s performance from his heat:

16:35/17:35 – Marcus & Martinus, “Unforgettable”

Marcus & Martinus have taken to the stage for their first run through. This has been rehearsed to an inch of it’s life and the Norwegian twins are the favourites to win on Saturday night. Could they do it? This reminds me too much of “Air”, their entry from last year. The question is, if this pair don’t win, who will?

This is the only performance that uses staging to restrict the view of the audience inside the arena. Therefore limited connectivity can be made, unless Marcus & Martinus are heavily relying on their connectivity with the cameras and television viewers. In sync with the backing dancers, at times they are looking as if they are having too much fun at times and forgetting where they are.

To put the above into context, here is Marcus & Martinus’ performance from their heat:

17:05/18:05 – Medina, “Que Sera”

Due to a technical issue, we are not getting a live feed through to the press room. To remind yourself of Medina’s “Que Sera”, please watch their performance from last week, from their heat, below:

Don’t forget our coverage of the Melodifestivalen 2024 Grand Final continues throughout the week. We have our #TOTP Top 25 Melodifestivalen Finalists Since 2019 running from Monday to Friday, as well as our #LiveBlog on Saturday night during the main event – 19:00 GMT/20:00 CET.

Let us know what you think about Sweden and the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest – either in the comments below or on our FACEBOOK, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM and TIKTOK pages.

Author: Richard Taylor

Source: SVT