christer-bjorkman-melodifestivalen-2017-interview

He’s the maestro of Melodifestivalen and most recently led the country to victory at Eurovision with Måns Zelmerlöw and Loreen.

And on Wednesday Melfest Executive Producer Christer Björkman made it clear that this year’s crop of songs is deep and strong and has the potential to score Sweden its seventh victory at the contest.

When we asked him if any of the numbers can win he responded directly: “Several”.

For Christer, today’s reveal marks the culmination of several months of work.

“We started this trip in June already, speaking to all the companies, the publishers, the artists, the composers,” he says. “And we’ve been collecting songs and information throughout the fall. To finally release it and get rid of it and present it is such a relief. And I’m really, really proud of the outcome.”

And while this year is full of big names — including Eurovision winners Loreen and Charlotte Perrelli — Christer suggested that they face very tough competition from newbies and recent debutants.

“There are so many good debutants and returners from last year who had incredibly good songs,” he says. “It’s going to be a tight race and interesting to follow.”

If Sweden were to win, it would tie Ireland for the most wins ever. It should be noted, however, that Ireland’s last victory came way back in 1996. However, its worst-ever finishes — last place — came more recently, in 2007 and 2013.

Christer previously discussed the very elaborate process by which he determines the 28 songs in an article I wrote for Bloomberg Businessweek in 2015.

Here’s an excerpt from that story, which came out just after Melfest 2015. It details how and why he chose certain acts that year — and surely the logic and process can be applied selectively to this year’s artists. You can read the full story here.

Melfest producer Christer Björkman says that this year he received roughly 2,500 song submissions, which come with an artist attached, though SVT reserves the right to reassign songs to artists it prefers. A jury of 16 people—eight men and eight women between 20 and 60 years old, half professional, half fans of the show—listened and rated them, and their top 13 made it to the live shows. The jury pinpoints the broadest possible hits, which cut across all demographics. Björkman fills the remaining slots with oddities and celebrities that will make for good TV. This year, he has Hasse Andersson, a 67-year-old Swedish country-folk singer, and Samir & Viktor, a reality TV star and a fashion blogger before Björkman chose them for the show.

“The entire industry is saying, ‘What are they doing here? They are not singers. They come from a soap opera,’ ” Björkman says. “Well, people like them. We live with the fact that Melodifestivalen is like a soap opera. We go on for six weeks and have to feed the media with controversy.”

In the early 1980s, Björkman ran a hair salon, eventually finding his way to music. He won Melfest in 1992 with I morgon är en annan dag, or Tomorrow Is Another Day. At Eurovision he competed in a boxy black suit, deployed a flourish of jazz hands, and came in second to last. By 2002 he found himself helping cull songs for Sweden and slowly worked his way up the ranks. The papers have sometimes described him as a power-hungry despot or a sort of godfather. He has the power to make careers through Melfest and to stall them through exclusion.

Who are YOU most excited to see at Melodifestivalen 2017? Let us know in the comments box below.

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Mark Beckenbreur
Mark Beckenbreur
7 years ago

So, melfest has chosen its songs.
I wonder if the azerbaijani merchants are already in Stockholm, looking through the rejected ones for their new ‘national masterpiece’ they are going to be proud of))

Smurfen
Smurfen
7 years ago

What is this with all “no Sweden again” ?

If we pick a great song why shouldn’t we win??? Some people seem to already have decided that they will dislike Sweden 2017 not matter of song quality.

Smurfen
Smurfen
7 years ago

@Polegend Godgarina

Eesti Laul is overrated not Melfest.
Maybe Estonia pick awful winners because there’s no good songs to pick. Lol.

Demetrio
Demetrio
7 years ago

I can see many people saying ”Sweden again? noooo”….guys, if they deserve to win, then why not to???

Chicken Kyiv?
Chicken Kyiv?
7 years ago

Bored of Sweden, I didn’t like 1944, but at least we are finally leaving Germanic/Scandinavia.

James
James
7 years ago

What does Ireland have do to with this? Just because your pathetic country is irrelevant in most things (especially Eurovision, we’re not in the 90’s anymore) don’t try and make EVERYTHING about you.

Denis
Denis
7 years ago

Nikos, we took a risk this year with sending Frans. It was very different from what we usually send, and it sure got negative responses from the fans.
Next year with having to qualify and all that we probably get back to sending our usual stuff cause we don’t want to risk anything.

Nikos
Nikos
7 years ago

Well the juries certainly like to help Sweden out. I think that Sweden can afford to take a risk this year and send something different, why not do so now that their popularity is so high?

Kylie
Kylie
7 years ago

Looks like Irelands going internal again. Let’s hope it’s not Nathan Carter..

Jonas
Jonas
7 years ago

Why should it be noted that Ireland’s last win was in 1996? It still counts. To equal the record of seven wins, Sweden will have to count Abba from 1974, Herreys from 1984, Carola from 1991 etc. – in other wins, a win is a win. They all count!

Also Sweden have yet to match Ireland’s feat of three wins in a row, and equally as increbible, four wins in five years. If anyone is to beat Ireland’s record, I would love for it to be Sweden, but they have yet to actually do it!

Ddraven
Ddraven
7 years ago

This statement means nothing. Nowadays Sweden could send a song that consists of 3 minutes of 2 guys farting and they would have a guaranteed top 10 due to flag bias alone. I mean look at last year, a boring, unoriginal song with a guy with a voice like any other guy his age and he still got top 10.

wozzeck
wozzeck
7 years ago

Can’t wait so hear the songs just for the pleasure of good pop music. Anything else is pure hate.

(btw I have the feeling this year’s winner is going to be a small eastern country)

Badger
Badger
7 years ago

See, this is why Sweden does do well every year. Performers in Sweden don’t think entering Melfest or competing at Eurovision is “beneath” them as an artist. Even if you’re a big, successful artist like Loreen, you enter and make the competition better.

*looks pointedly at the UK*

Alex
Alex
7 years ago

Ireland had a lot of fixed victories with juries, let’s not forget that!!! Sweden is the real queen of Eurovision (even though i am not a fan of Swedish music).

I believe a new artist will win and not one of the big names.

I really loved Wiktoria’s song and performance last year, what a shame juries didn’t give her many points (came 2nd in televoting!!).

Don’t Worry and Save Me could stand in a Eurovision show and get very high places. They are contemporary with big staging.

BBC WAKE UP.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

I feel like Sweden’s songs get overrated because, you know, it’s Sweden. Every year the Eesti Laul offers songs 10x better (unfortunately they pick an awful winner, though). I just hope Sweden sends something different this year.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

Well I hope none of them will.

Leaf
Leaf
7 years ago

Well Melodifestivaln has had years when it offers even better songs than the actual Eurovision.
SO YEAH, trust him… They are one of the few really invested Eurovision nations.

never forget
never forget
7 years ago

With overrated points by juries they can win in 2017, like they win in 2012,2015 when other strong contender for win got no many points like Russia in 2012 (Russia was 11 with juries , in televote diference between Sweden and Russia was only 11 points that year), Italy and Russia in 2015 (Italy was on 6 th place with juries )

Mark
Mark
7 years ago

No one wants Sweden to win again any time soon

M,m
M,m
7 years ago

Again? Eurovision is turning so boring.

Denis
Denis
7 years ago

I think it’s part of his job to say “it’s our best year ever and every song is a winner!
He has said so every year since 2009:
This year however I can believe and I do like his confidence. Every HoD should think similarly terms: Make every song a winner!

mocosuburbian
mocosuburbian
7 years ago

Sweden again? Boring, I doubt it

Harut
Harut
7 years ago

I think Sweden should host the contest every year:)
Looking forward

I am not Jamala
I am not Jamala
7 years ago

WELL DUH

Xeph
Xeph
7 years ago

Some find him obnoxious, personally I love his confidence and enthusiasm! Sweden’s been doing very well in the contest for the past decade and we’ve got this man to thank for a lot of it.

Adam
Adam
7 years ago

Realized that Anna Book isn’t amongst the line-up. Shame, didn’t Christer promise her a spot?

Harut
Harut
7 years ago

I have felling that Sweden is really going to win again .My fave country in ESC ever .Never disappointed ??????????????

ESC84
ESC84
7 years ago

Ireland : ….