Anna Bergendahl returns to Melodifestivalen with ‘Ashes To Ashes’
The Eurovision preselection season is in full force now that Sweden has kicked off Melodifestivalen 2019. The show is designed to select their participant for Eurovision, but is also one of the biggest yearly music events in the country. Back in 2010, Anna Bergendahl won the show with the country pop ballad ‘This Is My Life’. She went to Eurovision and failed to make it into the final by just a few points, remaining Sweden’s only year they did not join the big final since the semi finals were introduced. This is not the greatest thing to be remembered for so Anna decided to come back to Melodifestivalen with the powerful tune ‘Ashes To Ashes’.

In recent years, Bergendahl focused on becoming a doctor, but she could not stay away from music. Last year she returned with the surprisingly strong We Were Never Meant To Be Heroes EP. Her Melodifestivalen entry ‘Ashes To Ashes’, co-written by Anna with Thomas G:son, Bobby Ljunggren and Erik Bernholm, is a big guitar pop track with hopeful lyrics, an uplifting chorus and an impeccable hook. In interviews she described it as an ‘unstoppable song’ and it is not hard to hear what she meant. There is something special about ‘Ashes To Ashes’. You can just feel the rising new sun of the lyrics in the powerful melody of the chorus. Unfortunately it was not enough for Bergendahl to reach the final of Melodifestivalen straight away. Wiktoria’s rainy performance of the ballad ‘Not With Me’ and Mohombi’s repetitive ‘Hello’ with an eye-catching staging received more votes, but Bergendahl can be proud of reaching the second chance round after such a long absence from the public eye.

For what it is worth, Anna Bergendahl of course had the best song of her heat and it is great to have her back. ‘Ashes To Ashes’ is on repeat here and here is hoping she makes it through Andra Chansen and gets a decent result in the Melodifestivalen 2019 final. It is what she deserves!

Update: Anna Bergendahl won her Andra Chansen heat against Andreas Johnson and made it into the big final of Melodifestivalen! ‘Ashes To Ashes’ deserves to smash there too!