Sweden: Melodifestivalen 2023 contestants in Heat 1 & 2 unveiled

• Presenters Jesper Rönndahl and Farah Abadi revealed this morning the first set of 14 acts to compete in Heat 1 & 2 of Melodifestivalen 2023.  

  The Melfest 2023 process in underway with the first 14 acts of next show that will determine the Eurovision 2023 Swedish representatative been unveiled. 

  A total of 28 acts will compete in next year's Melfest competition with 14 of them coming from the public submissions and 14 from SVT's direct invitations to specific artists. Melodifestivalen is set to unfold over six shows, five qualifying rounds and a grand final show.

  This morning the we got to know the first fourteen acts along with their song titles,  who will be taking part in Heat 1 and Heat 2 of the Swedish national selection. Namely those are: 

   

  Heat 1 (February 4 – Göteborg)

  1. Victor Crone – Diamonds
  2. Haunted – Rejhan
  3. Loulou LaMotte – Inga sorger (No Worries)
  4. Eva Rydberg och Ewa Roos – Länge leve livet (Long live lif e)
  5. Elov och Beny – Raggen går (The Rattle Goes)
  6. Tone Sekelius – Rhythm of my show
  7. Jon Henrik Fjällgren, Arc north feat. Adam Woods – Where are you (Sávečan)

   

  Heat 2 (February 11 - Linköping)

  1. Wiktoria – All my life (Where have you been)
  2. Eden – Comfortable
  3. Uje Brandelius – Grytan
  4. Theoz – Mer av dig  (More of You)
  5. Maria Sur – Never give up
  6. Tennessee tears – Now I know
  7. Panetoz – On my way

   

  Among the 14 acts we meet 9 former Melfest participants and two former Eurovision representative. Namely, Eva Rydberg took part in Melodifestival 1977 with Charlie Chaplin and in Melodifestivalen 2021 singing with Ewa Roos Rena rama ding dong . Ewa Roos appeared in Melodifestivalen 2021 performing Rena rama ding dong (with Eva Rydberg). Jon Henrik Fjällgren took part in Melodifestivalen 2015 wtih  Jag är fri (Manne Leam Frijje), Melodifestivalen 2017 singing  En värld full av strider (with Aninia) and Melodifestivalen 2019 with the song Norrsken (Goeksegh).  Loulou LaMotte participated in Melodifestivalen 2013 singing Jalla Dansa Sawa (with Behrang Miri & Oscar Zia) and was set to represent Sweden in Eurovision 2020 wtih  Move (as part of The Mamas). Also she took part in Melodifestivalen 2021 with In The Middle (as part of The Mamas).
   

  Panetoz appeared in Melodifestivalen 2014 & 2016 with the songs: Efter solsken and Håll om mig hårt respectively, while Theoz made his Melfest debut this year with Som du vill. Same case for Tone Sekelius this year with My Way. Victor Crone represented Estonia with thwe song 'Storm' in 2019 but has also take part in Melfest 2015 Det rår vi inte för (with Behrang Miri) and Melodifestivalen 2020 with Troubled Waters
   

  Last but not least Wiktoria has competedf in Melodifestivalen 2016 with Save Me and Melodi 2017 and 2019 with the songs As I Lay Me Down and Not With Me  respectively. 

  The rest 14 acts that complete the Melfest 2023 line up will be revealed tomorrow morning. The Melfest competition will take place according to the following schedule: 

  • Heat 1 – Göteborg (Feb.4, 2023)
  • Heat 2 – Linköping (Feb. 11, 2023)
  • Heat 3 – Lidköping (Feb. 18, 2023)
  • Heat 4 – Malmö (Feb.25, 2023)
  • Semi-final – Örnsköldsvik (March 4, 2023)
  • Final – Stockholm (March 11, 2023)

   

  Sweden in Eurovision

  Sweden has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 58 times since making its debut in 1958, missing only three contests (1964, 1970 and 1976). At the 1997 contest, Sweden was one of the first five countries to adopt televoting. Sweden is the only country to have hosted the event in five different decades, three times in Stockholm (1975, 2000, 2016), twice in Malmö (1992, 2013) and once in Gothenburg (1985).

  Sweden is one of the most successful competing nations at the Eurovision Song Contest, with a total of six victories, just one win behind Ireland. The country has the most top five results of the 21st century, with thirteen. In total, Sweden has achieved 24 top five results in the contest. After finishing second with Lill Lindfors and Svante Thuresson in 1966, Sweden went on to achieve its six victories with ABBA (1974), Herreys (1984), Carola (1991), Charlotte Nilsson(1999), Loreen (2012) and Måns Zelmerlöw (2015).

  In 2020 The Mamas won the Melodifestivalen 2020 and earned the right to represent Sweden in Rotterdam with their entry "Move" . Unfortunately for them, the contest was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak and The Mamas never had the chance to perform in Rotterdam Ahoy. Last year Tusse won Melodifestivalen 2021 with his song 'Voices' and went on representing the Nordic country in Rotterdam. After qualifying from the 1st semi final, he finished 14th in the Grand final with a total of 109 points in the overall score. 

  This year Cornelia Jakobs defended the Swedish colors in Turin singing 'Hold me closer' which after qualifying 1st from the 2nd semi-final, finished 4th in the Grand final adding one more top-5 placing in the country's Eurovision history. 

   

  News Source/Image: SVT

AUTHORS

Angelos D.
Loyal follower of the Eurovision Song Contest since 1987, I've made the competition one of the stories of my life. After attending as accredited press the event for 13 consecutive years along with the 2017-2024 JESC editions, I also enjoy the last three years sharing more Eurovision music through the Eurofans radio's project.

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