robin bengtsson on stage eurovision 2017 first rehearsal

It brings together schlager divas of decades gone by, questionable comedy acts and hot hunks with hotter harmonies for six weeks of intense competition to select Sweden’s act for Eurovision.

And now SVT has revealed all the entry details for the 2018 edition of Melodifestivalen. Twenty-eight acts will compete in four semi-finals, Andra Chansen and the grand final to represent Sweden on stage at Eurovision 2018 in Lisbon Portugal. 

As in previous years, 14 songs will be chosen by a jury from public submissions and the other 14 acts will be handpicked by SVT for the competition.

After another top-five result they clearly don’t feel the need to switch up the format for Melodifestivalen 2018. After Portugal’s victory in Kyiv with “Amar Pelos Dois”, speculation has been rife that other broadcasters will follow Salvador’s example and select songs in their native languages.

That may not be the case for Melodifestivalen 2018. But speaking about the competition, Christer Bjorkman, who continues as Melfest supervisor until 2021, did make a subtle nod to language.

“As always we want breadth, diversity and variety, which is why we call for songs in different languages, genres and styles.”

The submission period will open on September 1. Anyone wanting to submit a song can upload files here. The open call is split in two, with a public contest for undiscovered songwriters and a regular contest for songwriters who have published songs previously. The submission period will close at 17:59CET on September 18.

Though SVT has not announced when the contestants will be revealed, it is likely the 28 acts will be revealed in November as in previous years. The contest will take place across six weeks during February and March 2018.

Robin Bengtsson won last year’s competition against the odds. After qualifying from her semi-final, 2016 breakout star Wiktoria had been expected to win with country track “As I Lay Me Down”, but lost out on the night of the final placing a disappointing sixth.

Are you hyped for Melodifestivalen 2018? Do you already have acts you want to return? Let us know who you want to see in the comments below!

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Charles
Charles
6 years ago

Among those submitted entries there’s got to be a few recycling already known pop tunes … it wouldn’t be MF without lack of originality and true authentic tunes being left aside in pure oblivion as if MF winning entries could have the chance to reach top 10 in the US Billboard charts …

Zebb
Zebb
6 years ago

They’d better change 50/50 choice rule to something that would prevent one-two style domination.
I would fine once to see that country-duo Bella & Filippa doing good back but they need to grow, blossom and turn off their trained smiles. Also, another duo, ferocious now, could happen if Ace would sing with Mariette, but not a bop. I saw them performing together on some summer fest, doubt though if labels would allow that.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago
Reply to  Zebb

@Zebb: If MF had used the 2011 rules on how one advances to A.C. or the final, Bella and Filippa would have made the A.C. round, Loreen would have gone straight to the final and Anton Hagman would have been out.

Milla
Milla
6 years ago

I want Agnes to return.

Random.sage2.5
Random.sage2.5
6 years ago
Reply to  Milla

She’s got the Swedish Idol curse. Maybe MelFest would fix that. Hopefully, nothing like her last album… All decent songs but no hits going anywhere. I loved her 1st album though.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago

Jon Henrik Fjällgren and Wiktoria need to come THRU

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago

Jon Henrik should hook up with another Sámi singer; maybe Elin from Norway, who finished 3rd at MGP; but they would have to decide which competition to enter.

For a duet with a Swedish Sámi singer, how about Maxida Märak?

Wiktoria is going to have to give the folktronica a rest, and go straight EDM or try something entirely different, before more MF jury members abandon her.

Harry Montell
Harry Montell
6 years ago

Predictions
Mariette, Dinah Nah, Nano, Linda Bengtzing, Benjamin Ingrosso, Molly Petterson Hammar, Anton Hagman, Oscar Zia, Panetoz, SaRaHa, Mimi Werner all return.
Boris Rene, Ace Wilder, Wiktoria, Jon Henrik sit out the 2018 contest.
Alcazar MAYBE? Donny Montell was a possible candidate, apparently.
Loreen is a definite NO GO. She is too good, and she’s won already.
Icona Pop MAYBE?
And lots of newbies.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago
Reply to  Harry Montell

I’d like to see Panetoz and Molly P.H. try again.

Will Molly Sandén try again?

Don’t bet on Dolly Style to give it a 3rd shot. They’re on their 3rd Polly and 2nd Molly. If the original Holly (Alexandra Salomonsson) leaves, the group is dead. Then again, anything they put out, even for MF, will be measured against “Cherry Gum”, which has over 8.2 million YouTube views. The outlook is not good.

Charles
Charles
6 years ago
Reply to  CookyMonzta

So the whole idea it to have the same MF we’ve had for the last couple of years and with the same faces doing almost the same kinds of music to the point where I no longer know if his is 2020 edition or the 2030 edition … How musically intriguing … And yes Loreen is too damn good, and Swedish people have shown that they only care for quality when they forget to take their valium … and Thomas G:son actually takes the time to actually write a pop tune that is not a rip off of something recently… Read more »

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago
Reply to  Charles

Not necessarily. If the same faces do return, I’d like to see them try something entirely unexpected, like Loreen did–and unfortunately got punished for. Like I said before, they wanted another “Euphoria” and nothing else would do, even for the sake of evolving as an artist, beyond the usual EDM. For that reason, taking her talents elsewhere isn’t a bad idea. Hell, San Marino could have used her. And again, if Wiktoria tries again, she is going to have to abandon the electrofolk/folktronica shtick entirely. If she brings another one to the contest, or goes full Hasse Andersson on us,… Read more »

Regina Phalange
Regina Phalange
6 years ago

Sadly, Ace has said in an interview she will probably not return next year. I hope there will be other comebacks.

Craig H
Craig H
6 years ago

That was a terrific interview. thank you. What a job – having to cater to the whims of 40 odd delegations.
I think we can expect some stellar Melfests over the next several years. I have a feeling Christer will want to beat (or at least tie) Irelands seven win record before steps down in 2021.

Dimitrios Daskalakis
Dimitrios Daskalakis
6 years ago

That was quite an insightful interview with Christer Björkman. Thanks. ?

Áustria
Áustria
6 years ago

Swedish pop music is so derivative, plastic and yet so overhyped at Eurovision. I wonder if Sweden leads the all-time ranking in “Jury assistance”, since televoters do not show so much enthusiasm as jurors.

I don’t listen to it, when I am happy, I don’t listen to it when I am sad, or when I need extra motivation. It is too bland for any mood.

Honorable exceptions: Jon-Henrik Fjällgren and Wiktoria. They must be angels sent to Earth to delight us.

Mattias Sollerman
Mattias Sollerman
6 years ago
Reply to  Áustria

Your assumption appears ill informed. Excluding 2010, when Sweden didn’t qualify, and 2013, for which tele/jury split is not known, Sweden has received more points from televotes than from jury votes in the finals since 2009, calculated according to the current system. Sweden probably got some 150 points more from juries than televoters in 2013, based on the normal difference between 3rd and 18th place. This tips the scale slightly in favor for the juries. On the other hand, the juries denied Sweden a place in the final in 2010, despite a 9th place from televotes. On average, Sweden has… Read more »

Music is the key
Music is the key
6 years ago
Reply to  Áustria

I agree…..The country of fast food music. But thankfully they have stopped sending crappy banal schlagers!

Hélène
Hélène
6 years ago

So Loreen is fast food music?

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago
Reply to  Hélène

Not with what she sent this year. She had every intention of differentiating herself and her music from the usual EDM we hear out there, and went in a direction that was closer to electro-rock. Unfortunately, the people were expecting another “Euphoria”, which is impossible to repeat; and yet, she was stuck in a box they would not let her out of. The sooner she was relegated to A.C., I knew she was in danger of getting wiped out, because if she had made it to the final, she would have had the MF jury in the palms of her… Read more »

Zebb
Zebb
6 years ago
Reply to  CookyMonzta

For sake of good show and hype, they could also put her vs. someone more oblivious than candy teen who’ll be backed by fangirling.

The Tigg
The Tigg
6 years ago

I got this feeling Icona Pop will take part in MelFest but would love to see a return of bWo or even Gravitonas.

G
G
6 years ago
Reply to  The Tigg

did you get this feeling on a summer day when we were gone?

beccaboo1212
6 years ago
Reply to  G

Hahahahaha, let’s just hope all stuff doesn’t get thrown in a bag and pushed down the stairs. Either way, that would be interesting to see Icona Pop taking part in Melfest. 😀

Mattias Sollerman
Mattias Sollerman
6 years ago

Melodifestivalen has 3 self imposed limitations for selecting songs: all songs must be written/co-written by Swedish citizens; at least half must be written/co-written by females; at least a third (approx.) must be sung mainly in Swedish. Over the past 10 years 22% of the songs in the final, and 14% of the top 5’s, have been sung partly in Swedish. No Swedish song has won, although ‘Snälla, snälla’ was fairly close in 2009. The supposed success of native languages in Eurovision 2017 might be taken into account if a song in Swedish wins, but I do hope we stick to… Read more »

Jo
Jo
6 years ago

I didn’t know those rules. That’s very good and I hope Sweden will sing in Swedish again at Eurovision (I love Jon Henrik’s song).
However, what I really want is Sweden taking more risks, going with something different. I know they want to play safely because it’s working, but I’d love to see them sending something more “alternative”.

Denis
Denis
6 years ago

I’m almost positive a Swedish language won’t win. We like Swedish songs, we just don’t want them to win. We realise it would never work internationally.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago
Reply to  Denis

And yet Krista Siegfrids tried twice with Swedish songs. I’d bet good horse money that, if she had sent “Snurra Min Jord” entirely in English (“Spin My World”), she would have at least made it to the A.C. round.

If she tries again at MF, she’d be better off going English.

Marc
Marc
6 years ago

Frans and Nano winning was step on the good direction. Swedes clearly know what a Hit is.
But, like Jo said, Sweden needs to take some risks to impact. Specially when we have soooo many (generic) Swedish songs competing for other countries. That really hurts Sweden imo.

Polegend Godgarina
Polegend Godgarina
6 years ago

So you think that translating En värld full av strider would have been a good idea? The song would have lost its charm and atmosphere. Also Snälla, snälla would’ve sounded basic in English. The Swedish language sounds better than you may think!

R
R
6 years ago

I’m going to write some fado and apply to Melodifestivalen 😛

babababababababook
babababababababook
6 years ago

For the love of babadook, Tove Lo! Please write a song give it to Ace Wilder so she can finally represent Sweden!!!

My Name
My Name
6 years ago

I don’t like swedish Pop-Music but I definitively think they can win with Loreen’ new Punk/Rock style. At least that’s something I wouldn’t expect from Sweden…

ninasublatti
ninasublatti
6 years ago

I am not interested in fast food music. Sorry.

Ugnius
Ugnius
6 years ago
Reply to  ninasublatti

We are all very interested in what you are interested. Just keep writing the same sentence in all posts 🙂

Markosia
Markosia
6 years ago
Reply to  ninasublatti

No music is fast food. All music has feelings. There is no such thing as fast food music. And i think it’s disgusting that they have made a fast food music t-shirt.

escphbelgium
escphbelgium
6 years ago
Reply to  Markosia

Truth!!!!!

Denis
Denis
6 years ago
Reply to  ninasublatti

And obviously everyone is so interested of the opinions of a random troll who repeats the same sentence over and over again in every post.

Jo
Jo
6 years ago
Reply to  ninasublatti

Wasn’t Nina Sublatti’s song written by Suedes?

Stephanie
6 years ago
Reply to  Jo

Nina wrote the song herself, but Thomas G:son put the finishing touches on it

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago
Reply to  Stephanie

The song was already ferocious with Nina’s original recording…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lb9dah0Or2o

G:son and his remix made it even more menacing, while also chopping it down to under 3 minutes.