If there was a story in tonight's performance in addition to Anders Bagge's "now the snus is flowing too", it started in the cold stars behind Cazzi Opeia, approached via a warm Lion King sun behind Faith Kakembo, to land in a seemingly prosperous rotating globe behind Anders Bagge.  

It was the evening of the celestial bodies.  

The host Johanna Nordström therefore gave a quick lesson in Greek mythology: the evening's first artist Cazzi Opeia has of course borrowed his name from the Egyptian queen Cassiopeja, who was punished for her hubris by the sea god Poseidon by being forced to hang upside down in the sky near Polstjärnan where we can still see her constellation today.  

Cazzi Opeia, however, seemed unmoved by it all and even mocked the sea god in his text: "So what if the world is upside down as long as you're around?"

she sang, exposing her smiley tattoo on her forearm. 

Which brings us to the second theme of the evening: the good mood.  

Lisa Miskovsky sang that the best is before us, Lancelot about love beyond the limits of death, Anders Bagge about a blind love of man and the cosmos (I think - the text was very strange), Faith Kakembo about freedom and hope.  

But the peak of optimism probably belonged to the playful puppies in Mellodebuterande Tribe Friday with a song that was about being happy with a scolding. 

Or you thought it was great.

Then Linda Bengtzing came and showed what real joy means.

Headbanging, the veteran took the stage in a pandemic-intoxicated number about breaking free and celebrating life.

Happiest I've seen on stage since Håkan Hellström was young.  

The only one who at least tried to lower the mood was the host Oscar Zia, who with his contribution from the Melodifestivalen 2016 did his best to get us on other thoughts: 

"If you think we're human, take a look once again" 

But despite a valiant attempt at nihilism, strings and a black backdrop, he happened to show that he was also a member of the positive club: surely it was a smiley figure he, like Cazzi Opeia, had tattooed on his arm?  

Gang tattoo?

Probably.