This weekend sees the final of the national final season'ss biggest show, Sweden's Melodifestivalen.
The Melfest final sees 12 acts perform with the winner to represent the successful Eurovision nation in Turin.
All up, 16 members of the Aussievision team voted (using the 12 points down to 1 scoring system) and we have the results.
Here are our rankings from 12th down to 1st place:
12. John Lundvik - 'Änglavakt' (39 points)
Highs: 10 points from Guy, 7 points from Kyriakos and Hayley
Lows: 0 points from Teddy, Cooper, Emma, Mike, Tim, Josh, Laura and Liv
"Anglavakt - I'm not a particularly big fan of John, or of his song, but credit where credit is due: what a magnificent, assured and accomplished singer. Just beautiful to watch a technician at work - and to hear him sing in Swedish. I wish it was something fresher - sounds a lot like the now 23-year-old 'Amazed' by Lonestar." ~ Mark
11. Faith Kakembo - 'Freedom' (43 points)
Highs: 8 points from Tim, 6 points from Teddy
Lows: 0 points form Cooper, Dale, Steve, Mike, Josh and Fleur
"I love the power of the vocals in this song. It feels genuine and it definitely sounds like performance that is unique to Faith. I like that the chorus builds it self to a big moment which I’m certainly we’ll get on Saturday" ~ Tim
"Freedom' (Faith Kakembo) - I've been a big fan of Faith Kakembo since she first appeared at Melfest a couple of years ago. This is a more impactful ballad than 'Crying Rivers', and Faith sells the hell out of it. I don't think she's going to win Melfest this year, but I maintain that if they can find the right song for her, this girl is going to Eurovision one of these years." ~ Teddy
10. Anders Bagge - 'Bigger than the Universe' (49 points)
Highs: 12 points from Kyriakos, 8 points from Hugo
Lows: 0 points from Teddy, Dale, Steve, Guy, Emma and Laura
"WOW WOW WOW! Anders has the best vocals of the competition! Love the performance and his backstory, from judge to singer, it's the most humble and genuine performance out of the Melfest line which connected with me straight away!!" ~ Kyriakos
"Song is anthemic and really very catchy, but it’s Anders himself who makes this package what it is. He’s a very popular man in Sweden, so expect good televote for him, and he’s been quite open about his self-confidence issues. Not sure how this would go at Eurovision, but I will always love this." ~ Hugo
9. Robin Bengtsson - 'Innocent Love' (54 points)
Highs: 6 points from Fleur and Dale, 5 points from Cooper and Tim
Lows: 0 points from Hugo and Liv
"This is an 80s inspired entry, with an anthemic, catchy chorus. His staging is really engaging and it allows the audience to connect with Robin and for him to sell the song. His experience really shows and this will beat quite a few home on the night. ~ Mike
8. Anna Bergendahl - 'Higher Power' (60 points)
Highs: 8 points from Guy and Liv, 7 points from Steve
Lows: 1 point from Hugo, Laura, Emma and Cooper
"I like horsies" ~ Liv
"Another quality song and performance from Anna. Not the bells and whistles of previous years, and it certain won't trouble the top of the leaderboard, but this feels authentic to her and she does a good job. ~ Dale
7. Tone Sekelius - 'My Way' (64 points)
Highs: 8 points Mike and Mark, 7 points from Guy
Lows: 0 points from Tim, 2 points from Kyriakos, Hugo and Liv
"A big, bright, well-sung and important anthem that deserves to finish in the top-half of Melfest 2022. Some nice neatening up has occurred between heat and semi, including Tone's beautiful new reveal outfit. Let's hope the trans flag-inspired lighting is reinstated to its former glory. " ~ Mark
6. Medina - 'In i dimman' (66 points)
Highs: 10 points from Mike, 7 points from Dale and Hugo
Lows: 0 points from Kyriakos, Hayley and Fleur
"What a EuroBop! This is the beach-shack meets club European summer hit we all deserve. A drop in a song usually this disappoints me, but not here. It is PERFECT!! The boys bring the right amount of energy to some odd staging, but it doesn’t take away from the vibe. Loving this!!" ~ Mike
5. Theoz - 'Som du vill' (68 points)
Highs: 8 points from Josh and Steve, 7 points from Emma,
Lows: 0 points from Hugo, 1 point from Kyriakos and Mark
"Slick Swedish pop boy is what we came to expect from Sweden for a period, but I actually really rather like this. The fact that it's in Swedish prevents me bemoaning any cringeworthy English lyrics, Theoz's vocals are good, and the whole package is upbeat and catchy. I surprised myself by ranking this third." ~ Steve
"Cute boy next door doing exactly what you would expect. It’s not new, it’s not fresh, but it doesn’t need to be. Theoz has decent vocals, great stage presence and although it’s nothing groundbreaking, he does a solid job." ~ Josh
4. Cazzi Opeia - 'I Can't Get Enough' (78 points)
Highs: 12 points from Fleur, 10 points from Josh, 8 points from Teddy, Dale and Emma
Lows: 0 points from Mark, Kyriakos and Hayley
"I was not expecting to enjoy this piece of Scandi K-pop, but I really like this. I don't think she'll win. However this would be a welcome addition to Eurovision given the amount of ballads we have this year. Cazzi would be a stand out, she has great charisma. What a fun and modern song." ~ Fleur
"What a charming, upbeat fun bop! Chorus is a bit lacking but the verses and pre-chorus carry the song well and hook the listener in. Fun lyrics and convincing attitude in vocal delivery make it an engaging, if a little vapid, package. " ~ Josh
"From the vaporwave-themed staging to Cazzi's very chaotic energy, there's a lot going on here. However, the chorus here is really, really catchy, and the whole thing has a fizzy, infectious vibe that keeps it powering on for three minutes. I hope it does well!" ~ Teddy
3. Klara Hammarström - 'Run to the Hills' (103 points)
Highs: 12 points from Teddy, 10 points Steven, Tim, Hugo and Liv
Lows: 0 points from Guy and Mark, 2 points from Dale and Mike
"This is so fun, and reminds me of the good old days when Swedish pop music was the Eurovision gold standard. Klara's soaring vocal is quality, and the very camp staging is just on the right side of good taste. Great bop!" ~ Teddy
"The main strength of this number is its infectious beat, which reminds me of something that would feature on a KEiiNO track. Klara performs the song pretty well despite some rather "breathy" opening vocals, and I enjoy the "green Klara" that appears part way through the song. What is with that rubbish tree graphic though and why does it feature twice in this year's Melfest final entries?" ~ Steven
"This stands out to me mostly based on the music. It has such power in the beat and I’m looking forward to any remixes that come from this song. It stands out also visually with the Bizzaro Klara coming on 2/3rds in. Overall a really great package of a song." ~ Tim
"The perfect EDM pop song! I think I love Klara more than the song, which is saying something because this is a really great song. Just doesn’t give me winner vibes - but I would still be so happy if this won, it just wouldn’t be all that different to in previous years." ~ Hugo
"Run to the Hills' is a must-play track for every cardio session! With its high-energy EDM beats, I'll be adding it to my gym playlist for sure." ~ Laura
2. Liamoo - 'Bluffin' (125 points)
Highs: 12 points from Liv, 10 points from Mark, Cooper, Kyriakos, Hayley, Dale, Emma & Laura
Lows: 1 points from Josh, 2 points from Steve
"If there is something Liamoo does well - it's having radio friendly, well produced tunes with a cracking melodic hook. Is it the most sophisticated entry? No definitely not...but it has it's place in the Melfest lineup. There are some really compelling moments in the staging in terms of visuals. That birdge going into the chorus gives me CHILLS." ~ Liv
"I’ve said that after six male-sung plastic pop entries, I don’t want Sweden to send another one. That was before I heard Bluffin. This is an incredible song that is definitely one of the best produced Swede-pop we’ve had at Mello." ~ Cooper
"Bluffin' is Sweden doing what Sweden does best - a moody, radio-friendly dance pop track with the slick, polished production of a top 40 chart hit. This could be a real dark horse to take out the title in Melodifestivalen this year! " ~ Laura
"Hey Siri, define Melfest? She will show you this. Bluffin is so so so good and the perfect Melfest package, but I so so so do not want this to go to Eurovision. It will be interesting how the public responds to this given the lack of televote for Sweden since 2018. I still love this song but it’s about 5 years too late to be a good Eurovision song." ~ Hugo
1. Cornelia Jakobs - 'Hold Me Closer' (173 points)
Highs: 12 points Mark,Cooper, Hayley, Dale, Steve, Guy, Emma, Mike, Tim, Josh, Laura & Hugo
Lows: 7 points from Liv, 8 points from Kyriakos
"Hold Me Closer' oozes authenticity which is often lacking at Melfest. As one of the song's co-writers Cornelia effortlessly connects with the lyrics of the song and the audience. Her performance is so raw it almost looks unrehearsed but this is not a criticism - she is purely singing from the heart and telling her story of lost love. This entry really stands out as being something so different from what Sweden has sent to Eurovision in the last few years and I think it would do very well if it wins the ticket to Turin." ~ Emma
"Not just the standout of 2022, but probably the best entry Melodifestivalen has delivered in years! The song has a raw edge to it rarely seen at Mello. However it’s just an edge, and still fits into the polished Melfest ecosystem. Cornelia’s delivery has a sense of early era Robyn angst to it, that works perfectly. The staging is modest, but complements the song and allows the focus to be on Cornelia. This is truly brilliant! Only in Sweden could this not completely storm the National Final and head to Eurovision." ~ Mike
"This is the Swedish sweet spot. Amazing pop writing combined with a realness that has been missing from their entry for years. Groups like ABBA and Roxette did amazing melancholic pop and this is what Cornelia delivers in a simple performance with a real gravel in her voice. This is perfect. Send send send! " ~ Dale
"'Hold Me Closer' is such a breath of fresh air in Melodifestivalen this year. In a stark contrast to the bells-and-whistles and meticulous choreography of many other Melfest entries, Cornelia Jakobs staggers around a sparse stage with the swagger of a woman who has experienced the hardships of life, the rasp in her voice accentuating the rawness of her emotions. Of course there is the same immaculate Swedish pop production underneath, with verses that could have been written by a modern-day reincarnation of ABBA and pitch-perfect vocals. Yet I believe it is this rough-around-the-edges entry that could truly cement Sweden's status as legends of Eurovision. Everything about 'Hold Me Closer' is fantastic - it would be a crime to not see it on the Eurovision stage representing Sweden!!! ~ Laura
"WOW - I was hooked on this song at the very first listen. While yes it is still polished to a degree, it's also raw, emotional and authentic. We have all experienced heart break and Cornelia's amazing voice just adds a certain angst to her story. This stands miles apart from the rest of the songs and I can see it doing really well should Sweden send it. If Cornelia represents Sweden in Turin, I think this will be my favourite of the year - I'm simply addicted to it (and want to give her a hug!)" ~ Hayley
"This is easily the most heartfelt, authentic, passionate entry that is the antithesis of what some dub "Swedish plastic pop". Cornelia performs the hell out of the song and her vocals are distinctive and good (without being the best in Melfest). I just hope something is done about the staging and camerawork for this entry should Cornelia be chosen to head to Turin, as they're currently really rather poor with perhaps the exception of one good shot." ~ Steven
"This is one of my favourite songs of the national final season this year. It’s a well written song and I love her vocal performance on it. I find her really engaging in the live performance, so the paired back staging works perfectly. " ~ Guy
"It doesn't matter how much of a dirge your National Final is. All you need to win Eurovision is one great song, and Hold Me Closer is going to be right up the pointy end on May 14. It's got all the polish of a Swedish entry, but with the all-important ingredient that Sweden have been missing for yonks: authenticity. Cornelia sings the song, the song does not sing her. So excited for Sweden to put a woman on the Eurovision stage for the first time since - checks calendar - Sanna Nielsen in 2014 (yes, I know the Mammas won Melfest in 2020, so don't @ me)." ~ Mark
"This song is the complete opposite of Sweden’s usual entries. It has emotion, authenticity and it is captivating. Cornelia’s vocals are unique and beautiful. If Sverige wants to get the best placement in Turin, choose this song!" ~ Cooper
"I certainly see why most of the community is absolutely frothing over this song. Out of the 12 songs, this is one that feels distinctly personal and genuine. There is a certain inevitability of this song that genuinely connects with me. The lyrics are easy to connect too and it just sounds genuine which is a welcome addition to Melfest." ~ Tim
"Genuine, heartbreaking and doesn’t fall into the common Melfest trap of being over produced and generic. The live is great and Cornelia sounding a little strained at certain times while still completely hitting every mark really adds to the authenticity vibe of it. The rough around the edges and raw staging is very different to usual Melfest performances and makes her stand out even more. This could bring Sweden back to the top 10 of the contest." ~ Josh
"I cannot explain how much I love this; will be the most amazing Swedish entry in a long time if Cornelia gets through. Gone are the days of Uber plastic pop; this has AUTHENTICITY!!! Something Sweden has been sorely lacking; there is just something special about it; it’s done so well and I love the raspiness in Cornelia’s voice. Will be going near the top of my rankings if this gets through - I just hope the Swedes have some sense." ~ Hugo
So a huge win from the Aussievision team with 12 of the 16 team members giving it top points and the lowest being 7 points in 4th. That is one of the most dominate wins we've ever seen in an Aussievision team ranking.
So can Cornelia take out the actual crown? Tune in Sunday morning (Saturday night in Europe) to find out.
Melodifestivalen takes place Sunday 13 March at 6:00am AEDT in Australia, Saturday 12 March at 8:00pm CET. Watch via https://www.svtplay.se/