The calendar page turned to February, which means it’s Melfest time!
As we know, this year’s Eurovision host city is Malmö, and it’s also in Malmö where Sweden’s Melodifestivalen 2024 will kick off with heat 1 on Saturday. The six week Melfest tour of six Swedish cities will eventually decide, who will represent Sweden on home soil in the same arena in Malmö in May.
The 30 second rehearsal videos are out for watching now, which means it’s time for one thing: To name your favourite.
Click on the artist’s song title below to listen to their snippet. Then vote in our poll. You can vote for as many artists as you’d like, but you can only vote one time. Be sure to tick the box next to each act you want to support.
Melodifestivalen 2024 heat 1
- Adam Woods – “Supernatural”
Composers: Adam Woods, Calle Hellberg, Jonna Hall, William Segerdahl
- Samir & Viktor – “Hela världen väntar”
Composers: David Kreuger, Fredrik Kempe, Niklas Carson Mattsson
- Melina Borglowe – “Min melodi”
Composers: Andreas Mattsson, Melina Borglowe, Thomas G:son
- Elisa Lindström – “Forever Yours”
Composers: Elisa Lindström, Erik Bernholm, Henric Axelsson, Henrik Sethsson, Thomas G:son
- Lisa Ajax – “Awful Liar”
Composers: David Lindgren Zacharias, Sebastian Atas, Victor Crone, Victor Sjöström
- Smash Into Pieces – “Heroes Are Calling”
Composers: Andreas “Giri” Lindbergh, Benjamin Jennebo, Chris Adam Hedman Sörbye, Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt, Joy Deb, Linnea Deb, Per Bergquist
Format of Melodifestivalen 2024
30 acts participate in Melfest 2024 split into 5 heats of six acts each. The number 1 and 2 placed acts from each heat qualify directly to the grand final in Stockholm and the two lowest placed acts are finished in the competition. This make up for the first 10 acts qualifying for the grand final
Number 3 and 4 of each heat will have their fate decided in a Final Qualification held in connection with heat 5. The 10 songs in all will compete for 2 tickets to the grand final decided by the percentage of votes each entry got in their heat plus the amount of votes they get in the Final Qualification.
12 songs compete in the Grand Final of Melodifestivalen held in Friends Arena in Stockholm on 9 March.
Melodifestivalen is hosted by Carina Berg.
Who is your favourite in this heat? Are any of these acts the one you want to see go all the way to Eurovision? Let us know in the comments below.
Smash Into Pieces and Adam Woods. I don’t care too much about the others. I guess Samir & Viktor and Lisa Ajax will make it to the run-off voting for the final.
God these are all very 2009. Hopefully theres some unique performances throughout the rest of the heats as there is nothing noting here at all.
Supernatural is the only snippet I liked, and the only one I bothered to listen completely to. The other ones sound well produced and are actually fine too, but they’re more or less what you’d already expect from Melodifestivalen tbh
1 min is too short to make an opinion again more when you can’t hear the chorus during this 1st min… 1st impression I would go with Melina, simple but refreshing at the same time.
Tbh, I’m most excited about the A*Teens reunion! I need “Upside Down” to have its “Murder on the Dancefloor”-eque resurgence!
I actually remember a A*Teens CD being played at a friends birthday party when I was a preteen in the early 2000s.
I actually remember blasting “Halfway Around the World” on my family’s stereo as a toddler back in 2003-2005. I’d be over the moon if they have such a resurgence! 😀
I think melfest has too many semi finals most of these songs are just the same thing year in year out.we have heard them all before.
Thats not to say melfest doesnt produce some good songs and amazing performances but one quality show would be enough
Too early to say, I think I’ll just wait to see what they look like on stage.
1. Adam Wood
2. Samir And Wiktor
3. Eliza
4. Ajax
5. Molina
6. Smashing In Pieces
All the songs are very ok – nothing that would make me excited to watch the show though. If I had to choose then Adam is the best of the bunch.
Final – SIP and Adam
ACH – Samir/Viktor and Lisa
Off topic. Dannii Minogue releases her new song tomorrow. If the rumour’s are true could this be Australia’s Eurovision song?
Thinking ‘Bout Us. I just listened. Three minutes long. It’s… not great.
I mean, I like it, but it if was in the first Mello heat this Saturday, I’d be doubtful of its chances of getting through.
7th place, after the G:sson ballad.
It’s “tomorrow” already in Australia, which is how some kind soul already has it up on YouTube. If this was Australia’s song, I think the unveiling would be grander. We need not worry.
I quite like the song, although it’s so colour by numbers dance-pop. I was hoping for something a little.more current and cutting edge .
I for the life in me cannot imagine Dannii doing Eurovision. I’m a huge Dannii fan and have loved her stuff since the mid 90’s, but I just cant imagine it. It would be a nice surprise though.
Smash and Adam to the final and Samir+Victor and Lisa to ACH 🙂
I have the impression that SVT but a dark horse in the first semi, also as a teaser to keep the interest. But from the snippet I can’t figure out who this is suppose to be and I have to say these snippets doesn’t make me want to wait eagerly for the other semis. If I had to choose I would gp for Melina Borglowe because it’s different and in Swedish (G:son’s work, though).
Or maybe there not any dark horses and once more they have the same type of songs year by year
Meh, they were ok actually 🙂 Not any bad songs at least.
Kind of nice seeing Lisa Ajax almost fully pregnant singing about being an Awful liar, wonder what she was lying about hahaha
hope a protester will interrupt this show lol
First place Smash Into Oieces. Even though, last year they had better song…
Second placeSamir & Viktor and third pace maybe Elisa.
Not the stronger semi, the most of us wait for Dotter
As a Swede I have really low expectations, and as usual there is nothing here changing that. Still hoping that one year melfest will allow composers that have never before competed. And that we swedes could be proud of and dare to participate with some quality music, which actually exists here. Also longing for the moment when some swedish music journalist finally wakes up and recognize that the emperor was all nude.
You can only speak for yourself. Many don’t agree with you
Quality? That is in the eye of the beholder. I think 5 of the songs are solid. Even the bad song is not bad.
Now you can’t even let Swedes voice their opinions on Sweden? Who made you the Sweden expert?
What about you? Who made you the expert about Sweden experts?
The same person who thinks you’re the voice of the reason – nobody.
I speak only for myself.
Then dont write we Swedes..
He never said “we”, he said “I”.
Bambie Thug has Swedish blood, at least according to Wikipedia. Something like Doomsday Blue would be very welcome.
I agree! Very tired of the same stuff every year. Wish we’d be more bold, like Ukraine for example.
They also have the same song every year. The song who can winn this year, its the same song from 2021
Underwhelming start to be honest, all songs are produced and finished, but still flat without anything to grab onto. Nothing really stood out, and Smash Into Pieces is a good example how everything is flat: they were supposed to be a rock band, but this isn’t that.
Overall okay, without any real songs that stood out.
Min Melodi and Supernatural for me. 🙂
There All So Terible . Sweden Its Lucky To Be Qualified Because This Are All NonQualified Sounding Songs …
We hear that every year….
Generic in every genre.
Isn’t that the very definition of “generic”?
Two thirds of the acts going through make it less exciting for me. Six song is too few, please go back to eight.
I wonder who will go through in the heat where Dotter and Danny are competing. Both of their song titles already deserve an early exit to be honest, but that won’t stop things from being about 100% predictable.
Danny’s song title is awful, but the fact it is upbeat gives me hope. If it was a ballad, I would have none.
Dotter’s song title on the other hand is so bad, that I already dislike the song before having heard it. That’s quite an accomplishment lol I still hope it’s good though ofc.
A nice start to melo! I might be showing my age, but I weirdly love Elisa’s song and its retro vibes. My personal favourites based on the snippets are Elisa and Smash. I also really enjoy Adam Woods, S&V, and Lisa Ajax.
There is no shame in showing your age, don’t fret.
Hehe thanks Jonas! 🙂
Smash into Pieces
Can a semi be solid AND predictable at the same time? Yes it can
I am actually surprised Smash Into Pieces has this Idol-winner anthem song with a rockafied chorus. Is this what their music typically sounds like? It feels a bit inauthentic for a rock band.
Im mostly curious if the Second Chance this year which only will have 2 songs advance of the 10 that will be in the runoff will favor the songs that are just performed in Semi 5 or the ones that have had weeks of exposure from Semi 1 or 2
Actually they won’t be exposed, because SVT closes off access to the songs after each semifinal. So they will only be released collectively after heat 5.
If I understand correctly, they won’t release the 4 songs that will (or could) have a chance to reach the final? What of the bottom 2 songs that NQ from each heat?
I had to dig into the media handbook to be sure: The songs placing 1 and 2 in each heat will be embargoed until after the Final Qualification is over after heat 5. Other placed songs will be released after their respective heats.
Ah ok, so it sounds like they are doing the same as previous years. Thanks for checking Simon 🙂
Every song except the qualifiers will be released after the heat.
After the last heast all songs will be realased
Smash Into Pieces good as expected! Lisa Ajax decent but i’m actually loving the Swedish songs in this heat. I didn’t expect Samir and Viktor to have a decent song, like they could squeeze through if they perform well!
Ah, Sweden.
Music “life in plastic, it’s fantastic” land.
Rim Tim Tagi Dim and not ABBA, synth, jury win
The style of pop Melodifestivalen enjoyed its heyday with in the mid 10s is TIRED and overdone. These songs could all as easily have appeared in Melodifestivalen 2016. Smash to Pieces are also overrated like crazy, remove the (minimal) rock elements and all that’s left is a reworked “Voices” by Tusse. Hopefully the other semis will be better
Smash Into Pieces sound the OPPOSITE to any song by Tusse.
The Eurovision 2024 season has started… Thank you, Sweden!
I like all songs, except Melina’s. Her song is not bad, but not my cup of tea.
I have some Too late for love feeling during Samir & Victor’s song. 😀
…….wild.
Finale: Lisa Smash Into Pieces
Semifinale 5: Elisa and Adam
Out: Melinda and Samir & Viktor
Lisa and Smash Into Pieces*
Sounds like a good starting. I liked 5 of 6 snippets
It still sounds quite safe, but I really liked the Lisa Ajax snippet. It doesn’t sound really impactful and something that could win (or even win this semi) but I really liked the lyrics and her vocals.
I think Smash Into Pieces and Adam Woods will qualify, it feels there’s more you could do staging wise with Supernatural than Lisa Ajax’s entry. Just based on snippets, she’s definitely third or fourth though.
Nothing special. But this was their opportunity to select as many songs as possible in Swedish. And to send a song in Swedish after so many years (When was the last time they did that?). This just sounds like any other previous MF for the past 5-6 years.
You mean sweden has not performed the last 5-6 years in the Eurovision?
Owiously They Preformed Because They Get High Placement Ewery Year But They Get This Placement By Neglekting There Language
Last time was in 1998
There’s at least two good Swedish songs here.
Maybe Samir and Viktor are the wave.
Not a bad start, all competent and well produced, but when you insist on throwing in the same few songwriters with everything, then everything will inevitably sound the same. G:sson is in the ballad. The Debs are in the rock band. Like seriously? On first impression, I find Adam Woods best.
Lisa Ajax song is the only good one imo. Smash Into Pieces song sounds lazy :/
Adam is one stunning easy eye candy!!!! maybe music wise not as divine as Theoz, but such a perfect looking face
Huh.
Nothing’s bad, in fact every song is perfectly fine… but nothing’s great to my ear either. I honestly don’t care which of these go through.
I hope they have some more exciting stuff in the following heats.
I have fallen in love with Melodifestivalen in 2008 and even bought DVDs and CDs amd stuff. But I‘m sorry, I can‘t do this anymore. Everything sounds so deriverate to me, I almost feel offended as a listener. And it‘s like they have 20+ fillers for what could be a strong UMK-like selection. And please get rid of these songwriting teams shwimg up in every second song! I crave surprising, inspiring and authentic entries.
I don’t understand why people always expect these things to always only bring new sounds no one has heard off. Same with ESC, always talk about new stuff
Indeed, I just can’t believe a serious rock band would let the Debs “polish” their song, for example.
Like Ukraine and Italy, HA HA HA
Bye Felicia
I’m actually not sure who I want to miss out, I really like 5 songs out of 6 I feel like Smash Into Pieces are definitely winning the heat, then the second round is for anybody to take I’d expect Adam to benefit from age groups the most, I don’t think the younger groups will help Lisa and Elisa, and the elders will probably flop Samir & Viktor, Adam seems like a good choice for pretty much any age group, but it really depends on the live performances, others will definitely beat Adam vocally Good start for Melfest, Heat 1… Read more »
Not a bad first heat, compared to last year.
Smash Into Pieces is the best and should pass with flying colours. And then maybe Adam Woods.
Also pleasantly surprised by Elisa Lindström, very nostalgic throwback to 2000’s Mello.
Overall nice start!
Hela världen väntar is really sweet, they’re just bros being pals, guys being friends. You can feel they’ve matured a little bit from having day jobs for a while.
Yeah, we want the fun duo. Not the serious duo. When did they become schlager?
Gosh, you’re so annoying!
LOL Ok
Coming from you, it means a lot
That’s a good start!
Final:
Lisa Ajax
Smash Into Pieces
Second Chance:
Elisa Lindstrom
Adam Woods