News - The Swedish finalists rehearse at the Globe Arena | Eurovision Song Contest News - Azerbaijan 2012 

The first seven acts have now rehearsed at the Globe arena in Stockholm ahead of Saturday's final of Melodifestivalen. After a short press conference with all the acts Darin, Pernilla Wahlgren, Andreas Johnson Timoteij, Peter Jöback, Ola and Jessica Andersson have had their technical run-through on the Globe Arena stage.

The set of the Melodifestivalen final is basically the same we have already seen in the regional heats. Some elements have been added though, like some colour cubes at the front of the stage to match ones that are suspended above the sides. The green room is right to the left of the stage this year. The backdrop has hints of a pixelated screen with the traditional multi-coloured Melodifestivalen crown in the centre.

1. Darin – You’re out of my life
Unusually, the final is started off with a ballad, probably owing to the high number of slow songs in the line-up of this year. Darin has changed his outfit into a black suit and he performs alone in a spotlight. Half way through the song and coinciding with the key change some sheets of white fabric rise in the background and a wind machine gets started. Darin gives a very confident vocal performance of his song.

2. Pernilla Wahlgren – Jag vill om du vågar
Second to take to the stage is one of the veterans of the contest. Pernilla Wahlgren first took part in the Swedish selection for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1985, when many of this year’s finalists were not even yet born. Her song is in Swedish and about taking that final step into a relationship. She has been campaigning to save the schlager in Melodifestivalen as her song can be seen as the only one in the traditional Swedish pop style that has dominated the contest in previous years. She will keep her golden outfit from the heats and also the back projections and confetti are golden. She is joined on stage be three male dancers.

3. Andreas Johnson – We can work it out

And for the third song we go back into a solo male ballad by another veteran of the contest, Andreas Johnson. He has previously taken part three times, but has now said this would be his last time. Andreas is also on the stage alone, wearing black and the set is lit with white spotlights with hints of green. His song can be seen to have a flavour of the Beatles and he delivers it confidently.

4. Timoteij – Kom

Next in turn is one of the big surprises of the year, Timoteij that came out of complete obscurity to qualify directly to the final in their heat. The four girls, Bodil (accordion), Johanna (violin), Cecilia (guitar) and Elina (flute) sing their catchy number Kom, which was originally recorded with English lyrics entitled Run. The set has white fabrics hung at the background, and two wind machines give some motion to them as well as the girls’ hairs. This foursome would probably confirm to an idea many people have of Swedish female beauty and the song is about love in the Swedish summer.

5. Peter Jöback - Hollow

After a short break the rehearsals continue. Peter Jöback, one of this year Melodifestivalen's biggest music stars in Sweden takes the stage. The scenography hasn't changed much, the spectacular laser-light show is still dominating the stage and Peter gives a strong vocal performance which has changed slightly with Peter adding some trills in the last chorus. There are seven backing vocalists standing in the background, hidden behind the strong spotlights. It's a very solid performance but Peter still has to prove to the public that he is strong enough to reach a good final position in Oslo.

6. Ola Svensson - Unstoppable

The whit piano and misty smoke announce Ola's turn to rehearse. After 2008 when he failed to qualify for the final with the song Love in stereo, Ola made it straight to the Globe arena in the 1st semifinal of this year's Melodifestivalen in Örnsköldsvik. There are no major changes in camera movements and Ola's performance. He comes off very confident on stage, with no apparent choreography apart from some effective camera flirts and walking on the stage.  It's a strong contemporary pop song and with Ola's fan base in Sweden it can do really well in the final.

7. Jessica Andersson - I did it for love
It's Jessica's time to rehearse and it seems she is changing her outfit from the dark one that she wore in the semifinal and Andra Chansen to a creamy-white silky dress. No changes in the performance, the cello player is positioned on the podium among the audience just like in Andra Chansen. Jessica's soft and very confident voice combined with a new dress, great camera angles and a cello sum up a very elegant performance of probably the most traditional ballad in this year's final.

8. Salem al Fakir - Keep on walking
The first winner of the first semifinal in Örnsköldsvik takes the stage. Salem sits at the piano that has the keyboard covered with LEDs just like in the semifinal and he's wearing a grey suit. There is a small variation in the act: at the bridge part of the song Salem stands up and walks away from the piano to the front of the stage. Another pianist appears from the back of the stage and starts playing the piano in the chorus while Salem sings standing until the end of the song. Considering that Salem won the 1st semifinal, Keep on walking is one of the strongest entries in the final.

9. Anna Berghendahl - This is my life
Hot favorite according to the Swedish press, Anna takes the stage to rehearse the haunting Bobby Ljunggren's ballad. The performance hasn't been modified: Anna starts by singing while playing a guitar and finishes accompanied by the backing vocalists. Nobody in the press centre seems to dislike this song and Anna is definitely headed for a successful march over the Scandinavian radio charts.

10. Eric Saade - Manboy
The last to take the stage in Globen Arena is Eric Saade. The scenography is the same as are the dancers and the choreography. Eric stays a little longer by the web at the back of the stage and then continues towards the front. There were some different camera angles throughout the performance and there's the famous waterfall at the en of the song as well. Eric is also one of the hot favorites and many think that it's a three-horse race between Eric Saade, Anna Berghendahl and Timoteij with Salem al Fakir and Darin possibly being the dark horses.

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