It’s one of the biggest events on the national final calendar. Now Swedish broadcaster SVT has confirmed details of the entry period for Melodifestivalen 2022. Interested singers and songwriters will have a three-week period to submit their entries, from 27 August to 17 September 2021.

SVT confirmed the news with a publication on their Instagram and the launch of the Melodifestivalen entries website.

The broadcaster wrote: “Have you written a fantastic song that should be experienced by millions of viewers? On 27 August at 9.00am we open the locks for submitting entries to the Melodifestivalen 2022 and as usual we are looking for fantastic songs for our lineup.”

SVT has confirmed that the 28 competing entries will again come from two different sources. Half the entries will be from artists directly invited by SVT to compete, while the other half will be chosen by a selection jury. The system ensures a combination of established acts and newcomers.

Melodifestivalen 2022 rules shape the competition

As well as requiring that entries stick to the Eurovision rules, the Melodifestivalen 2022 rules have their own requirements.

The competition is open to all Swedish citizens or permanent residents, however non-Swedes can still enter if they are part of a team with at least one Swedish person.

There’s no language rule, but the contest intends to give at least ten of the 28 competing places (around 35%) to songs that primarily have Swedish lyrics. This is around the proportion of Swedish songs included in the contest in recent years.

SVT also notes that regardless of the language of the song that wins Melodifestivalen 2022, the broadcaster will decide which language/s is performed in the Eurovision version.

The broadcaster also intends that at least 50% of songs should have at least one women as part of the songwriting team.

While Swedish television is less fussed about bad language, the Melodifestivalen rules are keeping in line with the stricter requirements for Eurovision. The Melfest rules state that any entry whose title or lyrics may be considered offensive and therefore may not be approved for Eurovision will not be eligible for Melodifestivalen. So this could be the end of lyrics like Robin Bengtsson’s “You look so f***ing beautiful” or Lisa Ajax’s “I don’t give a f***”.

The rules make no mention of the format the Melodifestivalen 2022 shows will take. Due to the pandemic, all shows in the 2021 edition were filmed in the same Stockholm venue, with no live audience.

Entries for Melodifestivalen 2022 will be open from 27 August to 17 September 2021. The selected 28 competing acts will be announced in the usual timeframe of November or December 2021.

What do you think? Who would you like to see enter Melodifestivalen 2022? Should more Swedish-language song be included in the competition? Have your say in the comments below.

Read more Sweden Eurovision news here

26 Comments
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Luca
Luca
2 years ago

Hands down, we all want Christer Björkman to host the show again.

Luca
Luca
2 years ago

I really hope the Mamas will come back. I’m sure they’re getting invited from SVT. Just accept the invitation and participate pleeeeaaassseee. They deserve to win (again) and go finally to Eurovision (alone) 😀

Yes
Yes
2 years ago

Why can’t they just once choose a song internally???

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  Yes

And do what with Melodifestivalen?

Ag89
Ag89
2 years ago

I hope Sweden will send something alternative and/or underground one day… Let’s hope.

Jofty
Jofty
2 years ago
Reply to  Ag89

The Ark were great in 2007

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago

hopefully this time someone will win because his/her songs actually deserves to and not because of his/her background.

Last edited 2 years ago by Erasmus
BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Erasmus

That same lesson should apply to Norway.

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

true! but tbh I was not happy with the whole top 4 in MGP this year… Imerika and Raylee deserved better.

Eugenie
Eugenie
2 years ago

I hope this time Melodifestivalen will be more original. I don’t mind contest, I watch it every year, but sometimes it gets so boring with all the poppy predictable songs.

Jofty
Jofty
2 years ago
Reply to  Eugenie

And if you fail here you can always go knocking on Ireland’s, Malta’s or San Marino’s door

Mark
Mark
2 years ago

Is Bjorkman still involved?

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark

No, 2021 is his last melfest. He won’t be involved next year.

Mark
Mark
2 years ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

Thanks

Sot
Sot
2 years ago

Hej, Swedish people, you’d better put on a great show like you always do, just with a twist… the actual winner

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  Sot

What do you mean? MF always has a winner, the one who wins MF also goes to ESC

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Sot

Someone’s still bitter Dottir didn’t win, or maybe it’s someone else.

sam
sam
2 years ago

hopefully clara klingenström will win melodifestivalen 2022 nobody else deserves it more

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  sam

Yes, and then get us our second NQ ever! That kind of simple guitar songs just doesnt stand out..

willchrisiam
willchrisiam
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

Have you watched this year’s edition? It’s acts like Tusse that didn’t stand out. Originality is getting rewarded more and more. And no, I’m not a Sweden hater. I watch Mello every year and I love and follow many of the artists, including Benjamin Ingrosso. People like to bash him but I think he deserved his overall position.

Erasmus
Erasmus
2 years ago
Reply to  willchrisiam

preach! I also love Benjamin but Tusse was completely unoriginal even though it was good.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  sam

If she submits another song for 2022. It would be a nice change of pace for Swedish to send something in Swedish for the first time since 1998, but Denmark’s failure to qualify with a Danish entry might make them wary.

Rifki
Rifki
2 years ago

I think, as a precaution, the touring is better to be hold again. instead, put the semifinals and second chance still in Annexet (but this time with live audience, full or reduced) and the final in Globen (again with full or some audience). Eurovision and BRITs earlier this year have proven that live audience in some form is actually possible in this still-risky situation.

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Rifki

It’s crowds that spread the virus, not travelling. The point with the tour is you bring the competition closer to the audience. With no audience there was no point in touring. But also they did not turn up a notch for the finals. So touring makes a lot of sense. They should have it if an audience will be possible

Denis
Denis
2 years ago

I doubt a tour will go ahead, even if restrictions ease. They plan that during summer so that the towns and arenas can prepare for the hosting

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

We’ll see but I agree there might not be any touring next year.