They’re the international group of music professionals responsible for 50% of the votes cast in the final of Melodifestivalen.
And this morning Swedish broadcaster SVT announced the members of the international jury for 2017. In a departure from the past two years, CyBC spokesperson Klitos Klitou is not among the jurors, meaning Cyprus won’t have its say on who should sing for Sweden, and Friends Arena will be deprived of the hosts’ annual comic interlude over his name.
MELODIFESTIVALEN 2017 INTERNATIONAL JURY
- Armenia – Iveta Mukuchyan
- Australia – Stephanie Werret
- Britain – Simon Proctor
- France – Edoardo Grassi
- Israel – Tali Eshkoli
- Italy – Nicola Caligiore
- Malta – Gordon Bonello
- Norway – Anette Lauenborg Waaler
- Poland – Mateusz Grzesinski
- Czech Republic – Jan Bors
- Ukraine – Victoria Romanova
Cyprus won’t be at the party, but eleven other European nations will have their say on which act should sing for Sweden in Kyiv in May.
Each country also has a spokesperson for the final and this year’s lineup is a veritable rogues gallery for Eurofans. Armenia’s Eurovision 2016 entrant Iveta Mukuchyan will give the points from Yerevan, France’s head of delegation Eduardo Grassi will reveal France’s thoughts and most intriguingly of all, Victoria Romanova, one of the key organisers of Eurovision 2017, who resigned her role earlier this year, will give points from host nation Ukraine.
Speaking about the jury, #Melfest master Christer Bjorkman revealed its composition is designed to help Sweden find a song that will appeal all over Europe. Speaking to SVT, Bjorkamn said, “We are trying to find a balance so we can find a winner that will break through in all areas.”
He also revealed that he believes the host country should always be in the jury and there are certain nations that he returns to time again.
Equally, Bjorkman also believes in new blood, which is why Czech Republic is debuting as an international jury.
How does the International Jury vote work?
The jury vote is revealed first, while phone lines are still open and follows the same model as Eurovision with spokespersons gradually awarding points to the competing songs. After last year’s televoting was extremely close, this year expectation is rife that the international juries could swing the result if they vote decisively for one act over another.
At Melodifestivalen 2016, the jury’s favourite was Oscar Zia and “Human”, but that song lost out to Frans and “If I Were Sorry” once the televoting results came in.
You can watch the final of Melodifestivalen live from 20:00 CET through SVT.
Look at the cartoons from wiwi app : Buranovskiye Babushki, The girl(s) from Poland 2014, The Epic Sax Guy, maybe none of them would have existed if their countries had International Jury.
Bjorkman said that nordic countries have alot in common when it comes to music taste and industry thats why only Norway is in the jury, else 4 countries would vote almost for the same acts.
Saturday is gonna be very unpredictable.
The jury really helps us though. After the disaster of 2010 (we don’t speak about in here in Sweden) we’ve had 5 top 5 songs in 6 years. That’s impressive considering our record before 2011 when we sucked. But also the year that the jury had the power to choose the winner (y’all know what I mean) and not the public televoters in 2013 we came in 14th place in Eurovision. So the jury is not always that great. Since 2011 the jury and the televoters have been choosing the same winner 3 times and we’ve won twice in 2012… Read more »
@Robyn
What about Eric? I think even he was popular(pun intended) with both jury and televote?
I’m quite iffy on having international juries- it feels a bit like cheating? Especially for Sweden, where music professionals are among the best in the world and can easily make up a 30 person jury, although I appreciate they’re not the only country to use them.
Although I do take it as a sign of how seriously SVT take the contest, which is good.
International jury is the devil, I just hate them so much. Think about how many gems would be out forever if those countries had international jury. Verka Serduchka is in my mind right now.
No Statements=no Melodifestivalen
Victoria Romanova gets her moment of honour. I guess this a punch in the face of the Ukranians Christer Bjorkman is about t help in Kyiv.
I think International juries will deprive Jon & Aniania from victory whilst winning the televote. Hence Wiktoria or Robin will win. Televote’s fav’s will be Jon and Öwe I think.
The reason the UK was out last year was it was just after Christer Björkman had insulted the late Terry Wogan and Graham Norton. It would have been weird to invite the BBC to send a jury after insulting them.
Trobl: because i think Swedish think Finnish can’t made good choice of music what is totally true!! Im Finn and i think our music industry is pure crap…..
Melancholy schaisse. Thank god we have Antti Tuisku & Krista Siegfrid
Cai
I don t like internationa juries in national final. maybe they choose not good song to improve position of their own country at Eurovision. Interantional jurires help Sweden in many times at MF they didn t gave many points for Malena in 2009, Ana in 2010 and they failed at Eurovision. But made big mistake in DMGP 2012 and many times in national final of Malta.
First time from 2010 without juries from Ex Yugoslavia.
@Trobl
Finland has never been a part of the Melfest jury.
Every country should have a International jury ! Stops countries picking silly songs ! If every country had swedens mind set then I think the songs in Eurovision would be much better !! Wiktoria and Jon/aninia for the win on Saturday with ace a close third
Melodifestivalen final top 12:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgHgl_tgayg
@Colin
Sweden: My assessment is the same as yours.
Iceland: Svala has the best song but that performance is ruining it for me.Based on the performances in semi Aron brink/Dadi(with the weird second d)
Lithuania: Lolita would not win. Anyone but fusedmarc or kotryna would be fine with me.No real standouts in the other four.
Norway: Run to your Mamma boy run run run run. I also like In Fusion and Kristian Valen.
@Trobl: How come all the other 30 something countries aren’t involved in this? Because they don’t have to … a quite a few totally discard the huge popularity of MF …
I know a certain Gina that is going to be very upset with Mr. Klitou not being in the MF final this year LOL
How come Finland isn’t part of the jury?
No Bruno Berberes?
Are we still on Earth?
The juries vote tomorrow night, during the grand rehersal. Just like during ESC. It would be hard to match both votes at the same time..
Juries will probably decide the winner this time. (I hope it’s gonna be tight like last year.) Televote will spread the wealth again with the App system. As for the juries: -Ace is really loved by Italy. 12 Points twice. Also got 12 from Australia. This time there’s no Netherlands to help her. Israel and France loved her in 2014 but not in 2016. – Wiktoria got 12 from Norway and Israel last year. 8 from Australia and France. – Jon got 12 from the UK. 8 from France and Armenia. Malta hated it – Mariette got 12 from Israel.… Read more »
First of all, I didn’t expect an article about a spokesperson not being present in MelFest. I understand of course that this was a way to speak about the international juries of this year’s show. But you could just have a more suitable title. I quote “Klitos Klitou is not among the jurors… Friends Arena will be deprived of the hosts’ annual comic interlude over his name”. Ok, I know his name sound strange. But what’s the fun about it? About the juries this year, I think it’s good they have a group of countries from all over Europe in… Read more »
Poland also debuts, but of course Wiwibloggs don’t care about our country. It’s not the first time…
I’d say they’re missing a balkan country if they want full representation of voting blocks.
Isn’t Victoria the lady who quit the organizing commitee? Interesting choice by Christer to rope her in !!
I simply don’t understand the need for international juries at a national selection. It’s the song that’s supposed to represent YOUR country, why would you let a bunch of people from foreign countries potentially decide for you?
No Dutch and Belgian jury this time?
Victoria Romanova? I thought she was long gone.~! I like her.
Hopefully Wiktoria or Jon&Aninia wins. Alright with Robin as well..
Both times the Belgian jury was there, Sweden won, so by not including them they played themselves HA 😛
Interesting to see Victoria Romanova in the list.
Yay! UK ARE BACK!
Polisy jury will also make a debut… but apparently who cares.