Melodifestivalen 2019 kicks off in less than five months and now Swedish broadcaster SVT has revealed the dates and locations where the six Melfest shows will be held as Sweden selects its act for Eurovision 2019.
Melodifestivalen 2019 returns, with the standard Melfest tour format that sets it apart from most other national finals. Every year the semi-finals of the show are held in different cities and towns, taking the Melodifestivalen magic to small regional towns as well as big urban areas.
As usual, the grand final will be held at Friends Arena in Stockholm, the home of the Melfest final since 2013. This year’s final will be held on March 9th.
But before that, there are five weeks of semi-finals and the andra chansen round. This time the competition will kick off in Gothenburg (Göteborg) on February 2nd at the iconic Scandinavium. The venue previously hosted Eurovision 1985. Gothenburg has previously been the opening location of the Melfest tour six times.
The second semi-final will be held on February 9th at another regular location, Malmö. The show will be held at Malmö Arena, which also hosted Eurovision 2013.
The town of Leksand will host the third semi-final, on February 16th. It will be the fourth time the town has hosted a Mello semi-final, which will be held at the ice hockey stadium Tegera Arena.
The fourth semi-final will be held in Lidköping on February 23rd. The town has hosted a Melfest semi-final just once before, in 2014. The event will be held at Sparbanken Arena.
Melodifestivalen’s iconic andra chansen round will throw a lifeline to four acts in Nyköping on March 2nd. The town has hosted a Melfest show twice before, both times hosting the Andra Chansen round. And of course the 12 the four qualifying Andra Chansen acts will join the other finalists at grand final one week later in Stockholm.
Entries for Melodifestivalen 2019 are currently open and will close this coming Monday, 17 September. It is expected that the competing acts for 2019 will be announced sometime in November.
SVT is also yet to reveal who the host or hosts for Melodifestivalen 2019 will be. The 2018 edition was hosted by the entertainer and Melfest regular David Lindgren. However, the show’s style was criticised and it suffered the worst ratings in seven years. Earlier this month, Swedish press revealed that SVT has drafted in veteran Melodifestivalen and Eurovision writer and producer Edward af Sillén to consult on the 2019 edition of Melfest, in an attempt to ensure the show is a success.
Tickets for the Melodifestivalen 2019 rehearsals and live shows will go on sale on October 31st.
Melodifestivalen 2019 – Dates and venues
Semi-final one
2 February 2019
Scandinavium
Gothenburg
Semi-final two
9 February 2019
Malmö Arena
Malmö
Semi-final three
16 February 2019
Tegera Arena
Leksand
Semi-final four
23 February 2019
Sparbanken Arena
Lidköping
Andra Chansen
2 March 2019
Nyköpings Arena
Nyköping
Grand final
9 March 2019
Friends Arena
Stockholm
Better send something good for 2019. For example another Loreen or Jon Henrik Fjallgren woukd do.
It can only get better.
After the critique they got this year I¨m sure SVT is eager to correct that!
Have a good feeling about 2019..
I’ve heard they want something more like Felix Sandman’s Mello entry than another Bengtsson/Ingrosso shiny pop number, preferably from a female artist so that Mello doesn’t become known as a sausage factory.
I doubt SVT would spill anything to anyone concerning the MF, this early. Especially when songs can still be sent in. All we have now is hearsay and rumours!
SVT has only said they are looking for songs in all genres as long as it is a defined genre”
A minor detail but anyway – Friends Arena has been the home of the melfest final since 2013, not 2012 as the article says.
Anyway, I’M SO FREAKING EXCITED. I think this will be a great year for melfest, both song and show-wise!
Another correction. Friend Arena is not located in Stockholm but in Solna.
This is not unusual…I think…wasn’t the 2014 contest technically outside of Copenhagen and the 2010 one just outside of Oslo?
I think Solna must be regard as Stockholm (for Melfest purposes), otherwise that would mean Stockholm is left out entirely and that would just odd.
Solna is part of greater Stockholm area. It is a very small municipality but it is part of metropol Stockholm area. It¨s not even a town of it’s own
Swedes sometimes says “Solna in Stockholm”.
ESC 2014 was in Copenhagen. Refshaløen is located in the city og Copenhagen just outside the city center.
what are the rumors!?!!?
Which artists are rumored to participate?