Today, the SVT revealed the running order for Melodifestivalen 2013. THAT running order, when favourites start to come out clearer than before. Usually the songs likely to advance to further round(s) are on numbers 1, 6 and 8.
Semifinal 1: 2/2 Karlskrona
1. “Skyline” – David Lindgren
2. “Burning Flags” – Cookies N Beans
3. “Paris” – Jay-Jay Johanson
4. “Gosa” Artist: Mary N’diaye
5. “Vi kommer aldrig att förlora” – Eric Gadd
6. “Heartbreak Hotel” – YOHIO
7. “Porslin” – Anna Järvinen
8. “We’re Still Kids” – Michael Feiner & Caisa
David Lindgren opening? Hmm, I would think he’d close the semi, after success with “Shout It Out” last year. But Ola did the same in 2010 and qualified to the final back then. We have Michael Feiner (of The Attic) and Caisa close instead. Remember Loreen close the first semi – and we all know how things went afterwards. YOHIO seems to be emerging as a favourite, especially due to his quirky image and popularity in Japan. IMHO the qualifiers: Friends Arena – David Lindgren, YOHIO, AC – Michael & Caisa, Anna Jarvinen/Cookies N Beans
Semifinal 2: 9/2 Göteborg
1. “Begging” – Anton Ewald
2. “Make Me No 1” – Felicia Olsson
3. “Annelie” – Joacim Cans
4. “On Top of the World” – Swedish House Wives
5. “Hello Goodbye” – Erik Segerstdt & Tone Damli
6. “Only the Dead Fish Follow the Stream” – Louise Hoffsten
7. “En förlorad sommar” – Rikard Wolff
8. “Copacabanana” – Sean Banan
Yeah, this is a 2010 flashback. Eric Saade opened the 2nd semi with “Manboy”, therefore Anton Ewald should open the 2nd semi in Gbg now! The teen/gay idol of the year? Perhaps. Interesting to see Tone & Erik go 5th and Louise Hoffsten 6th, one would think the other way round. Sean Banan is closing the show and everything but sailing through to Friends Arena would be a MAJOR shock for me. The qualifiers: Friends – Sean Banan (DEAD cert!) and either Anton Ewald or Joacim Cans. AC – Swedish House Wives/Anton and Tone & Erik.
Semifinal 3: 16/2 Skellefteå
1. “Alibi” – Eddie Razaz
2. “Island” – Elin Petersson
3. “En riktig jävla schlager” – Ravaillacz
4. “Dumb” – Amanda Fondell
5. “In and out of Love” – Martin Rolinski
6. “Hon har inte” – Caroline af Ugglas
7. “Falling” – State of Drama
8. “Heartstrings” – Janet Leon
Ugh! Elin Pettersson who won Public Contest is drawn as 2nd – A Maria Ben Haiji flashback here? Could well be. And OH MY GOD this semi is hard to predict!!!! Janet Leon is having a Kempe-song, which is supposedly HUGE and “winning” and god knows what! Then we have Ravaillacz, who can TOTALLY do a Ranelid and go all the way to Friends Arena! I think two of these 8 are chanceless – Elin and State of Drama. The rest then – Eddie and Amanda Fondell have Idol-audience’s votes sewn up. Caroline af Ugglas may be up for revenge after narrowly losing the ticket to Moscow to Malena Ernman. But that’s what we said about Nanne in 2007 and we know how that went. OK, now – let’s TRY to tip this – Friends – Eddie Razzaz and Ravaillacz/Janet Leon, AC – Caroline af Ugglas/Janet Leon and Amanda Fondell, 5th – Martin Rolinski.
Semifinal 4: 23/2 Malmö
1. “Rockin’ the Ride” – Army of Lovers
2. “Must Be Love” – Lucia Pinera
3. “You” – Robin Stjernberg
4. “Trivialitet” – Sylvia Vrethammar
5. “Bed on Fire” – Ralf Gyllenhammar
6. “Jalla dansa sawa” – Behrang Miri
7. “Breaking the Silence” – Terese Fredenwall
8. “Tell the World I’m Here” – Ulrik Munther
Yeah. What we all thought would happen happened. Ulrik Munther, the winner of Lilla MF in 2009 and a cross between Justin Bieber (in terms of teen fanbase) and Ed Sheeran (in terms of being an absolute critics’ darling) has got a “pimp” slot, where the 2006, 2008 and 2009 winners came from. I think there are 3 acts that are more or less chanceless – Ralf Gyllenhammer, Behrang Miri, Lucia Pinera and possibly Therese Fredenwall, although the latter can do a Marie Lindberg and shockingly qualify to Friends Arena. I think Ulrik has Friends Arena sewn up and may even win the whole thing. My personal favourites on paper, Army of Lovers are opening a show – and I think they might either do really well – or finish last in the semi. They might be tad too OTT and controversial for a typical Swedish viewer to digest me thinks. So let’s tip the qualifiers – Friends Arena – Ulrik Munther (dead cert) and Robin Stjernberg/AoL, AC – Therese Fredenwall and Sylvia Vrethammar/AoL.
Georgina de Mylius 
1st semi – I didn’t believe in David in 2012 and I don’t this year again but semifinal is weak so he has a chance. The Attic with the girl has flopped back in 2007, don’t know why this concept should succeed this year. So I’d say Yohio and David Lindgren – final, Eric Gadd and Anna Järvinen – AC.
2nd semi – Anton and Erik/Tone – final. Joacim Cans and Sean Banan/Swedish House Wives – AC. Just because it works this way. AC gets fan’s pop-favorite and some rock/indie stuff – the second qualifies to the final. Banan is the icon of Swedish kids but I have big doubts he’ll be able to surprise this year. He has sort of lost a sparkle during a year.
3rd semi – Amanda, Eddie – final, Janet, Caroline – AC. Janet is going to be fantastic but when did dancing disco girls succeed at MF (if they’re not schlager-iconas like Sanna or Charlotte)? I’d rather believe Eddie will get this ticket. I think Amanda can be very dangerous and the final duel will be between her and Ulrik.
4th semi – Ulrik, Therese/Ralf/Lucia – final, AOL, Robin – AC. Therese/Ralf/Lucia are all dark horses that I believe can shoot well. Just like Felicia Olsson. But this year is really hard to judge, almost no obvious favorites, open race.