As we head towards the official announcement of the acts competing in Melodifestivalen 2020, three more names are being reported as part of the roster. Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet reports that schlager queen Linda Bengtzing, former Cookies ‘N’ Beans singer Frida Öhrn and soul-pop singer Paul Rey will be heading to the heats in February.
Linda Bengtzing
Linda Bengtzing is set to make her seventh Melodifestivalen appearance. She made her Mello debut in 2005, where her song “Alla flickor” placed ninth. She also competed in 2006, 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2016.
Most recently, she competed with the schlager-pop track “Killer Girl”, which she performed with a shaved head. Her hair has since grown back, but according to Aftonbladet’s source, Linda will be delivering another slice of schlager-pop and, the source says, she is determined to make the grand final.
Frida Öhrn
Frida Öhrn will also be returning to Melodifestivalen — but it will be her first time as a solo artist. In 2004 she performed as part of the pop trio LaRoxx with “(Are U) Ready Or Not”. For Mello 2009 and 2013, she performed as part of the female country trio Cookies ‘N’ Beans. Their song “Burning Flags” reached the andra chansen round in 2013.
Frida is also known as part of the indie pop group Oh Laura, who had an international hit in 2007 with “Release Me”. But despite all her collaborations, for Melfest 2020 she will be going solo.
Paul Rey
Making his debut at Melodifestivalen will be soul-pop singer Paul Rey. He is best known for the 2017 remix of his song “California Dreaming”, including a guest rap from American hip hop icon Snoop Dogg.
Aftonbladet notes that while Paul enjoys good streaming numbers on Spotify, he is yet to break through in Sweden. The paper’s source claims the song could be “one of next year’s big hits”. It is unlikely that Snoop Dogg will perform another guest rap about cannabis on Paul’s Melfest entry.
Linda Bengtzing, Frida Öhrn and Paul Rey will be joined at Melodifestivalen 2020 by Albin, Suzi P, The Mamas, Victor Crone, Hanna Ferm, Jakob Karlberg and P4 Nästa wildcard winner Amanda Aasa. Eric Saade and Carola are two acts still being chased by the broadcaster.
SVT is expected to reveal the lucky 28 competing acts of Melodifestivalen 2020 sometime later this month.
What do you think? Are you ready for more schlager diva realness? Who else would you like to see in the 2020 lineup? Tell us your thoughts below!
Ok tell us then, what should we send in you opinion?
You seem to know everything!
I mean should we send a reallt folksy song like Switzerland this year? Or a really traditional neatherlandic ballad as the winner?
Maybe we should send something traditional like norway…hmm no wait that is Sami culture and not norweigian nor Swedish for that matter…so tell me! What should we send?
To be honest, atleast we let our viewers choose the song they like to eurovision compared to many other participant countries, generic or not, it is atleast chosen by is swedes.
Mello is for younger artists and older artists. If you could decide we would have 28 songs with young boys singing pop. So no thanks
I love schlager, Country, dansband, Pop so i dont agree 🙂
You can change the channel in February:)? in Sweden its not a law to watch it.
I will always defend my country Sweden from negative comments in here. Specially when you guys have said the same things for the last 6 years even before you heard 1 single song. Cant you say something new? Your not over 80 so you cant remember what you said last year i hope? It seems like a lot are. Boring. NEXT!
5 million people watch in Sweden. So no.
5 million people watch it in Sweden and we have a lot of diversity and if you dont like to watch , dont watch. If i dont like a show i dont watch it. Why do you watch a show you dont like? dont get it
She’s got good energy. She’s always made the most out of every song she was given.
I’m not digging the rumoured names so far. It might also be because stuffs sent by liaised artists are pretty expectable, I don’t have high hopes to find many bold and daring entries.
As usually why are you commennting if everything is always negative for you? You are always negative. Go out and have a smile on your face sometime. You maybe will like it
You asked you to monitor the comment and tell people when to write or not? its 2019, deal with it, not everyone agrees with you
No but the Swedish comments are always negative. Havent you noticed? and they havent even heard the songs yet…
@Rasmus people will have opinions, and whether it is out of jealousy or not towards Sweden it is something you cannot change. The continuous comments of you complaining about the negative remarks really come off as whiny and bratty, and very annoying. While I respect that you don’t want people dragging down your country, you’re just going to have to take it on the chin, because everyone else does for their own country. Basically, in the nicest way possible, it’s sucks but suck it up and deal with it, tack! 🙂
No i wont. heard it the last 5 years in here. People here are BORN negative. Not my problem. So i say it like it is
Linda Bengtzing? Why? I thought it was pretty clear people don’t want schlager pop anymore after both Jessica Andersson and Lina Hedlund tried to revive it. Young people have no interest in old people music..
Paul Rey sounds great though and could do well..
You mean those two acts who both reached the final? People might not want it as the winner, but that’s not to say they don’t want it included at all. Also, “young people” aren’t the only demographic that matters – “old people” are just as important and valid. You’ll cope, somehow.
Those songs were also in 2005-2008, when schlager was still a thing. Now it’s outdated.
And no, young people arent the only one who matters but they are the Ones that vote the most. They have no idea who she is.
Jag gillar schlager. Det ska vara variation :). Jessica Andersson och Lina Hedlund var bra
Jag gillade också schlager men det hade sin tid. Däremot vill jag höra rock, länge sen nu.
diaspora televoting are better right? vote for the same country for the last 15 years. Isnt that better?
I hope Linda’s entry is more like her first three than her last three.
IN Killer girl she sang about Instagram 🙁
OMG didn’t know Paul Rey was Swedish..is he?
Have the song “Good for me” in my playlist and it wasn’t until now that i see that it is him!
Well hope he have a good song in Mello
the only thing missing is Anna Book and the schlagger fest is ready
yikes… i hope this stays a rumor
Mrs negative is back. We love you here in Sweden. “Irony”
I am not joking: I listened to “Killer Girl” this morning before reading this article… Good news, I really love her vibe and I hope for an equal schlager-pop-banger 🙂 “Fylla badkar med champagne” 😀
Paul Rey is amazing
Not really excited by any of the names so far. Hopefully they’re saving some of the bigger ones for later
Thats nice. You dont have to watch it every saturday then:) We manage without you 🙂