Lopez Blogs

It's just a day before Sweden will get a new Idol winner and finalists Jay Smith and Minnah Karlsson are extremely loaded and completely prepared for the show tomorrow but let's see how come we've got this couple in final.
Semifinal as usual was jury's choise meaning that it was only jury who gave songs to participants without options contestants got previous weeks. Though it happened before that jury used this right giving one of participants some completely inappropriate songs making favorites leave before the final it didn't seem to happen this time as chosen songs looked comfortable area for Idols. Olle Hedberg has got Keane's "Everybody's changing" (as song suiting artist due to jury) that sounded in chorus a lot like Martin Stenmark's version and verses in original Olle's manner, dancing girls with waving cloths looked a bit out of place but it was fine vocal performance. Another song that due jury was challenge for Olle was Bruce Springsteen's "Born to run" and though Olle was perfect vocally and tried to drag song hard whole performance felt boring. Minnah has got Bonnie Tyler's "Total eclipse of the heart" as song suiting her and she delivered it with full Idol-final song feeling, it wasn't such breathtakingly touching as some of her previous ballad-covers but very powerful. Song-challenge for Minnah was David Guetta's "When love takes over" and it turned to be a great show with full choreography gang and Minnah looking totally comfortable and pushing it with ease. Jay Smith has got Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and with fire show and powerful growling Jay's vocal it felt like real rock-gig of some huge international rock-band.
Second song for Jay was Elvis Presley's "In the ghetto" and again vocally perfect performance with low and calm manner with audience madly supporting Jay. All Minnah, Jay and Olle also performed together U2's "Where The Streets Have No Name", amazing goosebumps giving rock-performance showing great vocal level of this year contest.
Another performer of semifinal was jury member Andreas Carlsson singing "If You Can Dream" - huge musical song with massive choreography, glitter and glamour.
Minnah and Olle expectedly got to the final duel and Minnah (contestant who was eliminated before and taken back just because Alice Hagenbrant refused to participate further) made it to the final!
What do we say about it? Brilliant! For both - Olle and Minnah (Jay in Final was out of the question). Olle as participant who sounds much better making his stuff without Idol get a time to record original album (that undoubtfully will be great). And Minnah gets Idol-finalist spot that will give her real chance to break-through, I'm afraid she wouldn't get such a chance if she hasn't reached the final as she's amazing young schlager-diva but Sweden has loads of already established ones and though Jay is the biggest favorite since I-don't-remember-when due to reports Minnah's winning ballad sounds better so we'll see tomorrow if Minnah will be able to surprise Sweden so much to steal this victory.