QX magazine
February 3, 2022
QX provided extensive coverage of Omar's participation in the first heat of Melodifestivalen on February 5, 2022:
- Interview & Preview: The magazine featured his entry, "Moving Like That", highlighting his status as a "rainbow favorite" and his energetic rehearsal performance at the Avicii Arena.
- Elimination Reaction: Following his 5th-place finish, QX reported on the results and the technical voting issues that affected the heat.
First Rehearsal: Omar Rudberg
If I had a fairly easy time pointing out what I didn't like about Shirley and Malou, I have a harder time putting my finger on why I don't stand up and cheer for Omar .
The guy is undeniably a star. He looks smashing in his sparkling stage clothes, and his confidence has grown several kilometers since the last time he was on. Of course, the fan base has also done so after the Netflix hit Young Royals, and the Schlager profiles noticed it not least yesterday when the Spanish Omar fans raged in our Instastory after our cold-hearted reception of Moving Like That .
But there's really nothing wrong with the song either. It's an extremely radio-friendly pop-Latino-reggaeton that doesn't hurt a fly, and doesn't make anyone change the channel when it comes on in the car. A perfectly okay single. And a perfectly okay Melodifestivalen number in the same school as Anton Ewald usually makes them.
My disappointment is probably mostly that it seems to be exactly what you want: Presenting Omar's new single. And there's nothing wrong with that either, but for us this is mainly a selection to find a song that can go to Italy in May and give us a good placement in the final – and it's not Moving Like That .
Or OK. Not all songs have to be either. I know. Melodifestivalen is more than just a Eurovision selection these days. Children's program. Hit factory. Talent competition. TV entertainment. So not everything has to aim for Turin.
But Omar is the kind of name that would be a mega-success in Turin. With the right song. He could easily win Melodifestivalen with a song that had the ambition to win, and then it would have been crazy fun to send a Netflix celebrity in front of the press gang in Italy. And that's the chance I'm grieving a little. Because right now it feels like I'm wondering if he's definitely among the four...