"The Swedish Pop Music Industrial Complex has struck again with "I Can't Go On" by Robin Bengtsson. Yay?<!--more-->
I try not to hold grudges, but for some reason music competitions make that goal more difficult.((Nicole Scherzinger knows what she did.)) In last year's Melodifestivalen competition, Robin Bengtsson performed a song called "Constellation Prize." There was nothing about stars, astronomy, or even astrology in the track: it should have been called "Consolation Prize" and therefore is unforgivable.((I'm only half joking. Words have meanings.))
Anyway, Bengtsson returned to this year's MelFest with "I Can't Go On" and a performance including using a good chunk of the backstage area and treadmills. Take a listen:
https://play.spotify.com/track/57Y51hxqMn2j3dosW75R6n
Not to get into a whole thesis about pop music and rape culture, but this song has a squick factor that makes me not comfortable. It doesn't help that this sounds like a milder version of "Blurred Lines" and that this Robin gives off a strong Robin Thicke vibe. The Swedish public may also be aware of something not being right about this song, as it was only the third favorite out of the twelve entries in the Melfest final. Thanks juries?
I'm starting to get concerned with what Sweden is spitting out for its Eurovision entries. Seeing last year's Melfest winner Frans -- whose song "If I Were Sorry" I found just as problematic -- hand over the trophy to Bengtsson was not a good feeling. Of course, Sweden's Gonna Sweden and this song is considered one of the favorites to win at this point. Blerg."