The search for Sweden’s next Eurovision superstar is heating up.

On Friday 17 September, national broadcaster SVT closed the Melodifestivalen 2022 submission period.

Artists from around the world submitted a staggering 2,530 songs, which are now in consideration to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 in Italy.

Sweden: Melodifestivalen 2022 receives 2,500 submissions

All of the songs will now be carefully considered by a professional jury, led by producer Karin Gunnarsson.

Karin Gunnarsson said:

“It is incredibly fun to see how engaging Melodifestivalen is. For the past ten years, we have received an average of 2,500 applications each year.

I can’t help but think of the musical breadth that exists in our country and the joy of writing that makes Melodifestivalen a Swedish song treasure every year.

Like this year. Many of this year’s Mello songs are still streamed and several are played regularly on the radio.

It is always just as exciting to hear what has come in. It will be great fun to take part in all contributions and start working on a strong starting field that will compete in Melodifestivalen 2022.”

With 2,530 submissions, the total number of Melfest entries is down slightly from 2021, which saw 2,747 songs thrown into the ring.

The record for most number of entries still belongs to Melodifestivalen 2011, which saw 3,832 entries submitted for consideration before the live shows kicked off.

Karin Gunnarsson’s professional jury will select 14 songs from the submitted entires, with the remaining 14 entries chosen by SVT.

The chosen 28 will be revealed later this Autumn and will go on to compete in the shows hosted by Oscar Zia next Spring.

Melodifestivalen returns in 2022

Melodifestivalen 2022 semi-finals are due to kick off in Malmö on Saturday 5 February followed by weekly shows Göteborg, Linköping and Lidköping. In each semi-final, seven acts will compete for two passes to the grand final and two spots in the andra chansen second chance round.

Andra chansen will take in Örnsköldsvik on 5 March, with eight acts facing off in one-on-one duels for four passes to the final.

Sweden will then select its next Eurovision superstar from a pool of 12 finalists in the grand final, set to take place in the Friends Arena in Stockholm on Saturday 12 March.

Are you excited for Melodifestivalen to return? Which artists would you like to see compete? Let us know in the comments below.

Read more Sweden Eurovision 2022 news here

38 Comments
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Luc
Luc
2 years ago

I dunno what to expect, but I hope next year’s line-up is more diverse. Clara Klingenström showed us being different is great and breaking the mold has been overdue

Jesper Hjellnes
Jesper Hjellnes
2 years ago

I hope that Clara Klingenström’s result from Melfest 2021 inspire for more diversity and maybe a Swedish-language song to go to ESC. A young female singer simply performing with her guitar in Swedish was so different from all other established Melfest-artists who often enter several years with similar pop songs. I love that she got 3rd in the public vote and received so many positive comments from the Eurofan community

Samo
Samo
2 years ago

And now the big task comes. Choose 28 most generic ones for the competition.

Last edited 2 years ago by Samo
Nicolas
Nicolas
2 years ago

And as always some rejects songs will be buy by foreign countries and will compete at the ESC

TobGor
TobGor
2 years ago

I hope to see Dotter again, she’s my favourite singer EVER! 🙂

Last edited 2 years ago by TobGor
sam
sam
2 years ago
Reply to  TobGor

she cant participate this year

Emma
Emma
2 years ago
Reply to  TobGor

There is this unwritten rule or something in MF that an artist can’t compete more than 3 years in a row…very strange when same writers been competing 10-15 years in a row…

Last edited 2 years ago by Emma
Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Emma

Björkman discussed this in a podcast. They should not be in the limelight all the time. There needs to be a few years in between for a stronger comeback. Even if the artist wants to compete every year he says it’s better for them not to. He mentioned Magnus Calsson and Jessica Andersson as exceptions where they actually could participate whenever and it works well.

There seems to be some truth to this like with Anna Bergendahls comeback after ten years. Charlotte Pirelli after nine years etc.

Now he doesn’t decide anymore. So we will see if his approach remains

TobGor
TobGor
2 years ago
Reply to  Emma

Ach shame… 🙁

Evan
Evan
2 years ago

Honestly, I just wish all entries would be released in a massive list so that we could just listen to and judge all of them, but I understand they could be saved for future editions.

Ann
Ann
2 years ago

Probably the same olds written by the same writers as always

Luc
Luc
2 years ago
Reply to  Ann

Plus some revamped rejects from previous years

Alvaro
Alvaro
2 years ago

No expectations in mind until they reveal the songs/artists. But as others said, let’s hope it’s diverse this year.

DCNXavier
DCNXavier
2 years ago

Consist of thousands of songs that are generic, and some original, fresh, unique, out-of-the-box songs that won’t win

Jo.
Jo.
2 years ago

you can always count on a “hopefully” comment below a post about sweden LOL ^^

Jake
Jake
2 years ago

Im always amazed by the negative comments Sweden generates from fans and yet for all the hate the country seems to continually get about it selection, the same fans have given Sweden a top 3 finish in the OGAE Second Chance Contest 8 of the last 10 years!!! In fact, the country does better with fans than it does in the actual contest where so many of their songs underwhelm with the public vote. They are clearly doing something right or other countries wouldn’t time and again, rely on them for cast off songs for their internal selections.

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
2 years ago
Reply to  Jake

It’s jealousy and the popular bandwagon. You want +1000 likes on youtube? Just say: ‘if this song was send by sweden it would have finished top 10’ under any non qualifier’s entry.
Willing to bet a hundred bucks you can literally find such a comment under every entry.

If sweden just had like 2 consecutive non qualifications the fandom would move on to another succesful country to harass.

Last edited 2 years ago by Frisian esc
Preuss
Preuss
2 years ago
Reply to  Jake

yeah, it’s getting tiring to see all the negative comments in every single video/article I read about Sweden, jeez.

Luc
Luc
2 years ago
Reply to  Jake

They usually win the second chance contest because the best song isn’t always the one that goes to Eurovision imo

Lorenzo Celli
Lorenzo Celli
2 years ago

Something out of the box, please.
You have Normandie, Agnes, Smith & Tell and many other singers that would be AMAZING representatives. I’m sure. I’m tired to see the same kind of songs every year. I’m sure you can do it.
The same could be said about Cyprus. You smashed it with Eleni, now try to send something else. Please. ESC is the occasion to showcase the music diversity of a country and the style of an artist, so take this huge chance.

Nils
Nils
2 years ago
Reply to  Lorenzo Celli

I’m thinking of Millencolin.

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Lorenzo Celli

I think most out of the box-singers say no if they get the request. Agnes has so far competed once in 2008

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Erik

2009*

Nobody Important
Nobody Important
2 years ago

And how much of them sound exactly alike? XD

NickC
NickC
2 years ago

Reading the comments below, I laughed. Thanks a lot indeed.
Jokes aside, Mello 2020 was not too bad, but Mello 2021 was a disaster….

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  NickC

I wouldn’t call melfest 2021 a complete disaster, But it wasn’t the strongest melfest either. Let’s hope they do better next year

Colono
Colono
2 years ago

Let the most generic song win!! Lol

Jokes a side, I wish them to have a little bit diversity in genres.

Apollo
Apollo
2 years ago

Melodifestivalen has become way too predictable. Another pop song will win in March and then land on the left side of the scoreboard at Eurovision.

Festival da Canção, Sanremo and Vidbir are far more dynamic and unique.

Ugnius
Ugnius
2 years ago
Reply to  Apollo

I mean, I wish I could forget that song

Apollo
Apollo
2 years ago
Reply to  Apollo

Dynamic and unique, yes! However, Czechia lacks quality in comparison to other national selections. They rarely have more than one well-produced entry.

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago
Reply to  Apollo

To be fair I would add to the list the NFs of Iceland, Lithuania, France and Norway, they are very good too and it translates in good results for them this year.

Last edited 2 years ago by Esc addict
siyu viyu
siyu viyu
2 years ago
Reply to  Esc addict

lithuania? iceland? search “Thomukas 1, wish” on youtube lol a lot of songs were as bad as that one. iceland doesn’t send quality but 2019 and 2020 winners were gooooood

ESCFanGA
ESCFanGA
2 years ago

Hopefully Sweden doesn’t send a bland generic song like Voices next year.

joff
joff
2 years ago

2530 songs = 28 for Melodifestivalen and the rest for national selections and internal selections for other countries.

Luc
Luc
2 years ago
Reply to  joff

And the ones that don’t get bought are prolly saved or revamped for a future edition

Nils
Nils
2 years ago

2.500 submissions – and they all sound exactly alike. 😀

Luc
Luc
2 years ago
Reply to  Nils

The producers will have a hard time choosing the participating entries lol

Jessica Folcker
Jessica Folcker
2 years ago

Let’s hope they pick a nice variety of songs. Something for everyone.