Last month he was rumoured as a potential entrant for Melodifestivalen 2019 if he found the right song. Now Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet is reporting that joik singer Jon Henrik Fjällgren has found the right number and will be part of the Melfest line-up.
His appearance at Melfest 2019 will be Jon Henrik’s third entry in the Swedish national final. He previously competed in 2015 and 2017.
Last month Aftonbladet reported that Jon Henrik was a potential entrant for Mello — he just needed to find the right song. The newspaper’s source says that Jon Henrik worked with a number of well-established songwriters and recorded demos of potential tracks.
One of the songs stood out and he now has his entry for Melodifestivalen 2019. Aftonbladet’s source says the songwriter will be familiar to Melfest viewers.
Jon Henrik Fjällgren was born in Colombia and adopted by a Swedish Sami family. As a teen, he began singing in the traditional joik style and went on to win the 2014 series of Sweden’s Got Talent.
Jon Henrik made his Melfest debut in 2015, with the song “Jag är fri (Manne leam frijje)” (I am free). It went on to place second in the grand final, an impressive achievement in a year full of strong pop tunes.
The joik singer returned two years later. This time he performed “En värld full av strider (Eatneme gusnie jeenh dåaroeh)” (A world full of battles), joined by the Swedish singer Aninia. The song placed third in the grand final, again showing the appeal of Jon Henrik’s mix of traditional and contemporary styles.
Earlier this year, Jon Henrik competed on Let’s Dance — the Swedish version of Strictly Come Dancing. He won the series, following in the talented footsteps of former Melfest and Let’s Dance winners Måns Zelmerlöw, Jessica Andersson and Benjamin Ingrosso.
Melodifestivalen 2019 roll call
Jon Henrik Fjällgren joins Jan Malmsjö, Anton Hagman, Bishara Morad, Vlad Reiser, Ann-Louise Hanson, Wiktoria, Nano, Arvingarna, Oscar Enestad and P4 Nästa wildcard winners The Lovers of Valdaro.
Also rumoured are Magnus Carlsson, Margaret, Jon Henrik Fjällgren and John Lundvik, who are said to be looking for the right song.
Fans have noted that only two female acts are on the “confirmed” list so far, leading them to wonder if SVT is having trouble attracting female singers, following four years of male acts winning Melodifestivalen.
What do you think? Who would you like to see competing at Melfest 2019? Tell us your thoughts below!
Reading this has made me so happy. Watching him perform his joik on You Tube always brings a tear to my eye. I hope this is his time.
His 2015 and 2017 songs were tremendous! I’m really hoping this can finally be his year!
OMG I LOVE HIM
Hopefully third time lucky for Jon! He’s such a talented and attractive, yet humble individual. Dare to be different, Sweden, and send him! It’s those Melfest juries I’m concerned about!
Is the Arja Saijonmaa rumor true? I hope so!
P.S. “Reportedly confirmed” is a bit of an oxymoron, no? 🙂
He should’ve won hands down in 2017. No doubt Sweden will send another throwaway pop song (as usual)
say yay yay yay!!
We stan talent, originality and vocals in this house!
Oh great, third time with the same song! How exciting(not really)
probably end up a fan- wank like his previous entries!
sigh…not again!!
If Sweden’s going to send another guy it should be him. He’d shake things up a lot. And he might do better with the televotes than Benjamin Ingrosso.
I mean, it’s not like it would be any challenge to do better in Televote than him… No shade tho.
True.
Him or wiktoria ftw!
So long as Wiktoria does not go folktronic for a 3rd time.
Why not both as a duet?
Sweden already has a major balding problem, a duet between these two LEGENDS would only make it worse!
Finally some good news about Melfest. We want more talent and less youtubers and memes!
Oh thank god, finally a contestant I’m excited about! I loved both of Jons entries and if he manages to send such a good song (in the same style of course)again, I’m all in for Sweden to send him. (Also he should have won in 2015… Maybe it’s just because I was never really excited about Heroes.)
He should also win in 2017. but yeah agree with everything you’ve written
Yeah, totally! “I can’t go on” was alright but ehh.. nothing against Jons Beautiful piece. ^^
Sweden should definitely send him but Mello is created in such a way that something original would never won. So another year, another radio pop song.
It will be nice to hear a song from the lapland in their language, the chance will be for Sweden to show their culture related to laponism
Hirbmat buorre Jon-Henrik <3
Awesome! Always loved his past entries!!
Now in response to wiwi’s comment on female participants, how about Ace Wilder makes a 4th comeback!! 😀
Yassss!!!! Come on through
#Winner
I mean I’m always down for Sweden sending something that isn’t generic, jury bait, radio pop ?
Jon Henrik is a wonderful talent and one of the world’s greatest Got Talent format winners, loved his 2 previous Melfest efforts and would love it if he got 3rd time lucky, perhaps the right act for Sweden to send if they were to finally sing in Swedish for the first time since the strict language rule was lifted.
Like it! “Jag Är Fri” was specially magical!
Well, I liked his song better than Heroes in 2015 and I still haven’t changed my mind.
If this time he doesn’t win, I’ll start WW3.
It certainly would be original and ground-breaking if a war got started because of something Sweden-related.
Sweden had a big impact in the 30-year-war from 1618 to 1648. So don’t underestimate them! 😀
Jon Henrik confirmed in the same week that Alexander Rybak releases his own Joik song?
Dare I put 2 and 2 together and come up with dream entry!
Excellent! Will he go it alone this time, or will he pair up with someone else? My first thought would be Maxida Märak; but it would make for an even more interesting performance if he got Elin Kåven from Norway.
If Sweden were to 1) send a duet and 2) send something in a native language I’d be blown away. I just hope it’d beJon and Maxida because I am very tired of solo dudes for Sweden.