In February Viktor and Samir went straight to the Melodifestivalen final from semifinal two in Gothenburg. And since then the duo have been riding a wave of momentum in Sweden, with their dance track “Shuffla” topping the “Sweden Top 50” Spotify list. Their YouTube video is currently the second-most viewed of all Melfest acts on YouTube with 1.2 million views. That’s behind only Margaret and “In My Cabana”, which has 1.8 million views and no doubt benefits from viewership in her native Poland.
With only two days remaining before the big final in Friends Arena, Viktor says that he doesn’t want to win. Representing Sweden at Eurovision simply won’t fit in to his already tight schedule.
That’s right. His statement comes following yesterday’s news that he’ll compete on Let’s Dance, the wildly popular show from broadcaster TV4. It premieres on March 23, only two weeks after the Melodifestivalen final. Doing his “Shuffla” at Eurovision — and on the show — would be a lot to handle.
Viktor tells the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that if they win, his schedule would be impossible to cope with. “We hope that we don’t win” he says.
Straight after the press meeting with TV4 Viktor headed to Friends Arena to rehearse for the final on Saturday.
“It’s very hectic. We are so tired, I have just been at the press meeting and now I’m here at Friends Arena. I sleep very deeply — it has become very easy for me to fall asleep I can tell you. I get back home sleep, wake up, go to dance rehearsal and then rehearse for the final on Saturday. I don’t even see the sun.”
Viktor isn’t just participating in two of Sweden’s biggest TV shows. He also says that he and Samir will do the world’s biggest tour next week. Regardless of their result at Melfest, they will do 11 performances in 11 different cities over three days.
Viktor also says that the double booking of the two shows has affected his preparations for the Melodifestivalen final. “I’ve done everything we have been booked for, we still attend our song lessons, but not as much as we should have,” he says.
What if Viktor and Samir win Melodifestivalen?
“If we were to win I don’t think I could compete in Let’s Dance, it would never work”.
What would happen then?
“What could happen? I could be sued and fined a million Swedish kronor.”
Anika Beclijevski, executive producer on TV4 tells Aftonbladet they would “try to find the best solution.”
Jon Henrik Fjällgren, a Melfest star of 2015 and 2017, will also compete in the show.
SPOTIFY SWEDEN TOP 50 CHART POSITIONS (MARCH 8)
Felix Sandman (#2)
Mendez (#4)
Viktor & Samir (#5)
Benjamin Ingrosso (#7)
Margaret (#10)
Liamoo (#12)
Rolandz (#15)
Mariette (#19)
John Lundvik (#24)
Jessica Andersson (#30)
Reneida (#33)
Martin Almgren (#43)
UPDATE: 11.50 CET
Viktor has since clarified matters on Instagram.
He suggests that Aftonbladet mischaracterised his comments, though he doesn’t deny that he made them.
Perhaps he misspoke. Now it seems his responses are being guided by pr…
“I feel great! You should not believe everything you read in newspapers and the media. I will be ready for both Melodifestivalen and Lets Dance. Understand that the media want to angle and make it sound like I’m completely endangered and straight ahead into the wall haha .. But I’ve learned that with the right diet, sleep and good friends around it you can do everything! I have always been a warrior and I have decided that it’s going to go, it’s going to be! Then, of course, I and Samir want to go to Eurovision! But because our song is in Swedish, I think the international jury is voting another song for winners, but of course we will win for you!”
This song is better than the previous years but not for eurovision, for MF is ok, and if they don’t want to win… =/
I would prefer Mariette, Jessica or liamoo to win, mendez too because I am from chile like him hehe xD good song but unfortunately his live vocals aren’t very good.
Then why did they bother to submit a song for MF?
Seems like the chances of S&V finishing DEAD LAST AGAIN have gone WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY UP, now that Viktor has opened up his big mouth!
They got no jury points the last time they competed (2016). What are the chances that the public will not give them enough votes to earn a single point in the televote column? They should withdraw and not waste everybody’s time.
I know they’re just being humble but seriously a lot of ppl voted for them in Melfest…
Please… he’s highly aware they’d never survive the jury vote. It’s an empty threat. A good top 5 placing for them is as high as they can expect
Cupid Stunt queen
Only in Sweden their National Selection is bigger than the Song Contest itself. I mean, I have a feeling most of the artist want rather win MelFest than to represent Sweden at ESC. Margaret f.ex. said that she doesn’t want to win Melfest because she does not want to sing for Eurovision ever again. She just competes to step into the Swedish music market.
Even the final of Melodifestivalen is in a bigger arena than the arenas of Malmö 2013 or Globen arena 2016.
I totaly agree. Some have esc as a goal, but not the majority. A place in the final is a platform and many of the artist who compeet more than one time also do that because of the opportunity to deliver a performance whith help from the best in sweden. Best cameramen, best stage, etc. They are all winners.
Shame MF doesn’t have the best artists too. It only gets the worst acts all over the country…
Viktor is just being ironic lol even if they are pretty stupid and gullible S&V know themselves that they wont win and this is just a joke
This is so so pathetic. Then don’t compete.
Well many of the artists participate for other reasons than to win the melfest. Samir och Viktor win in other ways.
It seems the tabloid doesn’t want S&V to win.
I hope they will win, or Felix.
Don’t worry, you will never win this or another year!
Bigger newsflash: Jon Henrik Fjällgren is going to be in Let’s Dance.
How exactly is that going to work? XD
oh, its more important to dance on a charity show than to be watched by 200 milion people…. what is he smoking? LoL
He said it’s because he can be sued…
Didn’t he know before he signed contracts for Dancing show that he also could be in Lisbon, ESC? Does he have a brain or a good manager?
To be honest, i don’t even know how to get a manager. That’s sad but true.
Great song! 🙂
They aren’t singing in English and they don’t have led screens, the international juries won’t vote for them unfortunately
Neither will Swedes. At least not top score.
Viktor (and/or management) is perhaps being really smart here. He knew the tabloids would stir something up, and that it would generate more interest in the song. Tick. What’s more, he’s ready to comfort fans on social media. Tick. And even if he doesn’t win MelFest, he has a huge TV deal ahead in Sweden. Tick. That’s what I call “all boxes ticked”. He can’t go wrong, whatever happens.
Fake news or not
Tobias is hot
And he should continue to write
Posts here even if thet aren’t right.
But they wont win or come close to winning so he shouldn’t worry.
Issa joke people! If they do win melfest, I’m pretty sure they will still compete in Eurovision despite him at lets dance.
Honestly, if that is fake news, this is reflecting badly on wiwibloggs. I was under the impression that I can take the news that are being published as truthful, as the owner of this site seems to be a very good journalist. In Austria, we have a so-called newspaper that invents entire interviews. I would never publish information solely based on articles from such publications. At least add some question marks.
?????
There ya go. 🙂
That’s what I like about you. You’re always so helpful. 😛
I don’t think its just Aftonbladet at fault. I suspect some of the artists in the final are willingly going along with these “news” articles to stir up some interest. Aftonbladet has an article today about Benjamin Ingrosso where someone “accidentally” uploaded a nude photo of him onto his Instagram account.
I love Sweden. 🙂
Cough, I mean, poor Benjamin! That’s an awful thing to do to him.
As soon as I saw the “A” word, I stopped reading the article.
DON’T BUY INTO SWEDISH TABLOID TOMFOOLERY!!!
Come on, Viktor! It’s nice to be humble, but sort out your priorities, man! Your song has a good shot at winning Melfest, don’t blow it up!
They will find a solution. I’m sure. But he don’t expect to win I think.
John Lundvik is 3rd with the odds right now. Wasn’t Robin Bengtsson 3rd before the final last year?! I hope he doesn’t win! But there are signs..
I’m fine with Benjamin, Liamoo, Felix or S&V. S&V would be just fun without any expectations of a good result in Eurovision though. John would become a new Anna Bergendahl I think.
It is his turn, right? 😉
His song is nice, even if not a standout. Anna 2.0 is an option, though. Not as locked as it would be if Martin wins, but it is an option, for sure.
No
He won’t win. He would come bottom 6 in televote and some of his jury points will go Martin’s way!
But it’s not a null probability.
Except for Mendez, Rolandz, Margaret, Jessica, Martin, Renaida all can possibly win.
So it’s highly likely we will still have a male winner and I’d agree with the odds in saying it’s likely to be one of Benjamin, Felix or liamoo
Also lundvik is 4th.
Is this clickbaiting or do you just don’t know better? This is what Aftonbladet wrote. Viktor corrected their story on his instagram account (check his story and his latest post). Even though I don’t speak Swedish I got the word “fake news” and that he definitely wants to go to Eurovision with Samir. He just thinks that the juries will not vote for an English song (what we can’t blame him for since it’s what most people here think as well), but they still go for the win. Maybe somebody who speaks Swedish can check his instagram for his full… Read more »
In the case, shame on the editor of this article. I suppose that’s what happens when you consider Aftonbladet as journalism.
* in that case
To be fair, Tobias does source Aftonbladet in his article correctly, from a technical perspective. If the Swedish newspaper is publishing “fake news”, that is hardly Tobias’ fault alone. However, if you have a genuine complaint about it, e-mail wiwibloggs.
But isn’t this tabloid known for inventing things? A serious journalist always checks.
Because my day job away from music is in the media, I know there are differing professional viewpoints for and against the verification of sources. I also know that “fake news” is a really hot topic right now that we won’t be able to solve on a comments board. I’m not saying “give up discussing it”, but I know that this topic is much bigger and complex than it appears, because I work in that industry. You may or may not realise that the founder of this blog, William Lee Adams, is a highly respected journalist outside of the Eurovision… Read more »
It makes sense, thank you for giving us an insight in the business. I still don’t like this method though. It’s good that at least they have added the instagram statement now, but the headline of the article is still the same even though it is clearly stated as being wrong now. Isn’t that clickbaiting? That being said I know about and highly respect the work of William Lee Adams, and in general I fully enjoy Wiwibloggs. In this case I just can’t agree on their method.
I agree with both of you. Yes, it is Aftonbladet that mainly has to be blamed. Yes, you should definitely check it again, especially when citing a tabloid.
Indeed. I see both sides as well.
* do you just not know better
N.B. The article above has since been updated to include the Instagram post.
Yes, that was necessary. In case anyone was wondering why I used the harsh phrase “fake news” even though it’s not in the instagram post: Viktor used it in his instagram “story”, which is available only for 24 hours.
OMG speaking of Melfest- San Marino’s representative Jenifer stole Margaret’s ‘Cool Me Down’ on her album in late 2016 and palmed it off as her own song- look here!! spread it so everyone/Margaret can see!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeELdhydlkk
We’ve been hearing about a lot of plagiarism accusations so far but this is really, over the top plagiarism. I’m shocked. I guess it wasn’t a very clever move for Jenifer to join Eurovision selections and enter under the radar of many Eurovision fans. There was no way this could stay hidden.
That is such an an arsey thing to say.
Now my 12th place from the final.
Like it’s ESC SJGNMKGDNKJSDSNJK
lol I like him. You gotta get your prioritites straight. 😛 Hypothetically, if they were to win, they could decline going to Eurovision and give the opportunity to the runner-up. Or does it breach the rules of the Swedish national final, if a participant refuses to go to Eurovision?
* priorities
Actually it’s only the song that wins. SVT can change performer if they want to.
Samir & Rolandz when.
Polyna, I highly appreciatte your idea, LMAO.