Tim: Some, including me, were commenting on the Twitters at the end of heat 4 whether this year finally marked the end of an era for Melodifestivalen.
Tom: Given that name, I’m guessing you mean the era of schlager?
Tim: Indeed – there were three notable entries, unashamedly pop. One of those ended up not performing; then we had After Dark, coming seventh in the third heat, and then we had this. I won’t say where it came, because I think it would break my heart to actually type it.
Tom: Blimey, she’s shaved her head! And it suits her. As for the music… well, you can add all the heavy beats you want, that’s clearly schlager.
Tim: Admittedly, it could be said that it’s time to move on – this music was beginning to sound dated probably five years ago, even for Eurovision; key changes have been decreasing in number for several years.
Tom: And they haven’t won in… well, a good few years now.
Tim: Nope – you’ve got to go back to 2007, and before then 2001. 2007 an interesting winner, actually – not only the only song in 15 years to have won with a key change, also the only non-English song to have won since 1998, and all that despite being a bit rubbish.
Despite that, for many people, key changes and schlager are what defines Melodifestivalen. The bright purple and yellow. The outstanding spark fountains. The…well, it’s almost hard to put into words, because no singular components really define it, but we all know it when we see it, and love it. And yet we also realise that it’s not suitable for a Eurovision entry, and so is apparently not suitable for a Eurovision selection program. A big, big shame, even if the signs have been on the walls for a while now.
Tom: I can’t disagree with you. I don’t think it deserved to be last, though.
Tim: No. No, it didn’t.