About one month remains until the competing acts of Melodifestivalen 2022 are expected to be announced. But until then, we now have the great guessing game that is Melfest rumours season. The first acts reported for 2021 are Melfest 2017 winner Robin Bengtsson and Swedish Idol 2016 winner Liamoo.

The news has come from the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet. Reporter Tobbe Ek works his sources and keeps close track of the speculation each year. Last year, Aftonbladet correctly named 26 of the 28 competing acts before SVT’s official announcement of the roster.

The Melodifestivalen selection expert jury has already selected 14 songs from the 2500 sent into the open submissions. The Melfest team, helmed by producer Karin Gunnarsson is now selecting artists to perform those songs. Another 14 entries will be selected directly through liaising with record companies.

Robin Bengtsson

The winner of Melodifestivalen 2017 is said to be making his fourth appearance in the contest. Aftonbladet’s source claims that he will perform a “strong pop song that suits him perfectly”. The source also reckons the song is good enough to make it to the Melfest grand final.

Robin got his start on Swedish Idol in 2008. There he placed third, but had a relatively lowkey music career in the years after. He first competed in Melodifestivalen 2016 with the song “Constellation Prize”, placing fifth.

He returned to Melfest in 2017 and won with his R&B song “I Can’t Go On”. He took the song to Eurovision 2017, where it placed fifth in the grand final.

Robin returned to Melodifestivalen in 2020 with the folk-pop tune “Take a Chance”. The song placed eighth in the grand final.

Liamoo

Swedish Idol winner Liamoo is also said to be returning to Melfest. He is said to have collaborated with several different well-known songwriters in the search for his perfect Mello number.

Liam Cacatian Thomassen competed on Swedish Idol in 2016 and went on to win the series. He made his Melodifestivalen debut in 2018 with the song “Last Breath”. There he made it to the grand final where he finished sixth.

Liamoo returned to Mello in 2019, this time as a duet with fellow Idol alum Hanna Ferm. Their romantic duet “Hold You” was a hit, finishing third in the grand final and reaching No.2 on the Swedish singles chart.

Melodifestivalen 2022: What we know so far

After the 2021 was based in a Stockholm studio with no live audience, the Melodifestivalen tour is set to return in 2022. Semi-finals are due to kick off in Malmö on 5 February 2022, with the grand final due to take place at its usual home at Friends Arena in Stockholm on 12 March.

The shows — which will take place in six cities and towns around Sweden — will also have a live audience. Tickets are due to go on sale on 8 November.

Melfest 2022 will be hosted by Oscar Zia. The three-time Melodifestivalen contestant and one of the 2021 hosts will be the main show host this season, however he will also be joined by other stars, still to be named.

Melodifestivalen 2022 is the first show without Christer Björkman at the helm, after the long-time general retired from Melfest to focus on the American Song Contest. Karin Gunnarsson is now leading the production.

There’s already one change coming to the 2022 show. The andra chansen duels round has been replaced with a semi-final that will have the second chance acts competing in two groups. The top two acts voted in each group will qualify for the grand final.

This year, Melodifestivalen will not include a wildcard act from the P4 Nästa radio song competition.

The confirmed line-up of Melodifestivalen 2022 is expected to be announced in late November.

What do you think? Who would you like to see in the Melfest 2022 lineup? What sort of song should Sweden send to Turin? Tell us your thoughts below!

Read more Sweden Eurovision news here

72 Comments
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Rashad
Rashad
2 years ago

Over 2000 entries received and always the same names.

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Rashad

Not all of them. There are also newcomers every year

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
2 years ago

Excuse me! But I just can’t believe that a music scene as strong as Sweden’s just cannot find new talent and keeps on bringing the same guys… That goes for Robin and Liamoo, but also Wiktoria and Dotter and all the others that keep coming to MF and obviously the composers of the songs. What is wrong with that MF jury experts?

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  L’oiseau

You do know the point of Melodifestivalen yes? It is not there to showcase only fresh faces , it is not a talent show. People expect a mix of old and new. These two are not the only ones competing. A contest of only new faces is not what anybody wants

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

If this is what you make you guys happy, so be it. I, for one, am glad that I don’t pay taxes in Sweden… If I would I would be extremely frustrated with SVT. BTW, when I mention fresh talent I am not referring to singers only (Tusse was a new one) but songwriters and producers.

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  L’oiseau

Most foreign comments on here seem to think Melodifestivalen is like Idol or something. But it is not. It is because it is tax payed there is a mix, as it should be. It is not only for young people, it is for their grandparents as well. If it was only fresh faces people would complain..

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

If you read my comments you will see that I couldn’t be farther away of what you’re saying about Idols or whatever… I have been around sufficiently to know the difference. The issue is that it is always the same singers and genre. There are many singers that don’t seem to have the chance to go to MF. If catering for the tax payer would be a real issue, then MF would have to include many other musical genres, which it is not doing (as Eesti Laud for example).

Jonas
Jonas
2 years ago
Reply to  L’oiseau

It’s a contest. Wimbledon don’t say to Rafa and Novak to go away, you were here before.

Poju90
Poju90
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

And People want see familiar looking Face. Fresh Faceses dont
fill Arenas. You need Old Favorites for that. And Mello is Family Show for everyone.

L'oiseau
L'oiseau
2 years ago

Excuse me! But I just can’t believe that a music scene as strong as Sweden’s just cannot find new talent and keeps on bringing the same guys… That goes for Robin and Liamoo, but also Wiktoria and Dotter and all the others that keep coming to MF and obviously the composers of the songs. What is wrong with that MF jury experts?

Denis
Denis
2 years ago

If it was rumoured to be Dotter you would all praise it…

Pineaple
Pineaple
2 years ago

People are complaining about Robin Bengtsson and LIAMOO coming back because they’re returnees and “the same artists over and over again is boring” and yet I am almost certain if the likes of Dotter or Wiktoria were the ones being rumoured those same people who are complaining would be celebrating. The double standards and hypocricy in the Eurovision fandom is laughable at times.

Jofty
Jofty
2 years ago
Reply to  Pineaple

Totally agree. And you get someone (perhaps with too much time) crucifying Malta for this. A much smaller pool of artists but all talented.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Jofty

Yeah, and for lots of European countries with a small population, it’s Inevitable that there’s going to be familiar names cropping up in the national finals year after year. There’s only so many artists that can be drawn from the same small pool of music talent. It can’t be helped.

Bird Lover
Bird Lover
2 years ago
Reply to  Pineaple

theres no good and bad. theyre all garbage

Boozyfloozy99
Boozyfloozy99
2 years ago

Would love to see Renaida make a comeback! MollyHammer, Patrik Jean, Molly Sanden, Nathalie Brydolf, Oscar Zia (even though he’s presenting) and Lisa Ajax.

Jonny
Jonny
2 years ago

I confess I still love Swedish Eurovision entries. In my eyes it’s high class pop. A contest without Sweden would be boring, cause Sweden took Eurovision to a higher level. I don’t think you can deny that. So I am looking forward to Melo!

Rich
Rich
2 years ago

I’d love to see Kadiatou again. I still listen to “One Touch”, just hope she gets better stage production next time.

Denis
Denis
2 years ago

Previous contestants usually take part, that is always the case. Why you react to that now is weird..
But there also will be new names, like Tusse last year. Its that mix of new and old that makes the show. People want familiar names they recognize as well as newcomers..

Erik
Erik
2 years ago

To everyone who has grown tired of singers who have competed several times: Why are you reacting to it NOW? It has been so since the 90’s that singers who competed before are with again and also some newcomers. Some newcomers who competed for the first time have also gone to the finale such as: Wiktoria, Clara Klingenström, Tusse, Malou Prytz, Nano etc. And sometimes it has happened that those who went to the final many times have been knocked out in the semifinals or the second chance. Wait and listen to the SONGS first before complaining.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Erik

It’s just another round of Sweden bashing.

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  Erik

Yet the same people go on and on about Dotter and how she should return…

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Erik

The 90s? It has always been like that. In the beginning there was even the same singer performing all the songs. I don’t understand what you mean happened in the nineties

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Erik

I mean since its start 1958

Guido
Guido
2 years ago

I’d love to see ISA back!! She was robbed in 2016

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
2 years ago

Give me clara klingenström or give me nothing. Also I like most melfest songs with a country pop vibe like kingdom come, crucified etc.

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

She has already said that she does not want to compete next year but maybe another year if she finds a good song

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

One year isn’t always enough time to make a second great song in a row. Sometimes you need a few more years.

Denis
Denis
2 years ago

And yet he got 5th place in ESC. Not bad for being soulless.

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

Its not an argument, it is a fact that he got 5th. Saying something is soulless is not a fact nor an argument,it is an opinion..

Last edited 2 years ago by Denis
T.J.
T.J.
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

argument: a reason or set of reasons given in support of an idea, action or theory. Your argument: he got 5th – so it can’t be soulless. me: that’s a silly argument. being 5th does not equal musical quality. soulless is describing the fact that RB does not add anything special / unique or outstanding to a song that he didn’t even write himself (also a fact). The elements of his performance were copied from previous entries and NFs, and if there was more space here I could also show you how lyrics and music are also a pastiche from… Read more »

Polegend Godgarina
2 years ago

welp the rumors season kicks off with two boring names…

Bird Lover
Bird Lover
2 years ago

Robin is hot but he needs to go away. Quite frankly the whole selection needs to go away. The same sterile pop songs from the swedish pop factory. Robin had his moment and sweden needs to try something new like norway

Last edited 2 years ago by Bird Lover
Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Bird Lover

Tusse was new. And there are some new singers every year

Luc
Luc
2 years ago
Reply to  Erik

He was a new face, but he was just one more for Sweden, musically speaking

Bird Lover
Bird Lover
2 years ago
Reply to  Luc

facts. could not have said it better. more of the same. also Tusse was using the race card and thats sooo 2016

gea
gea
2 years ago

So, they recevive 1000-2000 or more songs each year and at the end we see the same names year after year? I have nothing against any of the singers at Melodifestivalen, but how is possible, statistically speaking, those who already competed, have better songs than other 2000 applicants, like, every year?

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  gea

That is not how it works. They dont have any songs, the songs gets chosen first. Then SVT picks the artists for the songs. They can either accept or turn down offer.

Polegend Godgarina
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

huh ??? not this process being even more manufactured and soulless than it seemed lmao

Denis
Denis
2 years ago

Huh? It is a song selection, not artists selection

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

Maybe therein lies part of the problem. Shouldn’t be the composers to choose the singers and fulfill their vision? In my view yes.

Frisian esc
Frisian esc
2 years ago
Reply to  gea

From what I read in this article svt apparently decide who gets to sing which song.

Sav001
Sav001
2 years ago
Reply to  Frisian esc

That is how Australia Decides works too. The songs get matched to the artists.

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  gea

But it has always been the case that some previous participants compete again, why do you react to that NOW ?.

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago

Imo a person who has already won these kind of contest shouldn’t be allowed to compete again in order to let the opportunity to others persons to win. You don’t win so let’s try again, ok, but you won, you have already experienced everything, you don’t need it again. I mean what’s the aim to compete again, there’s others ways to sell singles in Sweden I guess, so why we see again and again the same faces each years in Melfest, I can’t understand… we need some new and fresh acts.

Esc addict
Esc addict
2 years ago
Reply to  Esc addict

Good the downvotes again! I said basically the same things others said here not worst or better but forcefully I’m the only one downvoted as hell, what a coincidence……

Diana
Diana
2 years ago

I am so tired of Robin Bengtsson, he just won 4 years ago and he has been back already. Take a break please. I wanna see some new talents in our country

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Diana

Tusse was new. And there are always a few newcomers each year

Emma
Emma
2 years ago

Not these two again…
I want to see fresh faces, I don’t care about genre just new faces…

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Emma

Tusse was new. And there are always a few newcomers each year

Apollo
Apollo
2 years ago

Wiktoria, Mariette, Molly Hammar and Molly Sandén need to return.

They’re the only ex-acts that give me winner vibes.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Apollo

I want Wiktoria to come back so that it would be another Moana/Vaiana dub voice actress attending Eurovision (Laura Tesoro and Zena are the Flemish and Russian voices respectfully).

Alo
Alo
2 years ago

That doesn’t sound so promising lol.
I want Sweden to stay away from their usual pop songs.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  Alo

You might as well tell Albania and Serbia to stop sending Balkan ballads. Pop is Sweden’s music hat.

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  Alo

Then I hope you tell Albania to stay away from their usual screaming woman songs as well. Or France to stop sending songs in French..

Alo
Alo
2 years ago
Reply to  Alo

I don’t say they should not send pop songs.. They just need to make them more unique. And with the latest entries by liamoo and Robin I don’t know how it is a change of direction.

Bird Lover
Bird Lover
2 years ago
Reply to  Alo

soemone said it lol. it isnt an excuse. norway can send the same pop yet send unqiue acts too from time to time

sam
sam
2 years ago

liamoo has a lot of potential, he’s just gotten songs that dont showcase his talents in the best way. on the other hand, im pretty sick of seeing robin bengtsson nearly every year, does he not have anything better to do? if bengtsson wins, i’ll admittedly be pretty upset

Catriona
Catriona
2 years ago
Reply to  sam

You haven’t even heard the song. His previous 3 entries have all been strong and did well in the contest, and he gave Sweden a top 5 placing. He’s a good, adaptible artist. Liamoo on the other hand, is hopeless. No charisma and extremely dodgy vocals.

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Catriona

Liamoos strength is his rap. But rap does not perform well over EDM beats. That’s why he is not helped from this format

sam
sam
2 years ago
Reply to  Catriona

didnt liamoo win swedish idol or something?

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

Liamoo has a very urban sound which is not helped by the format. Nor is it a big sound in Sweden

sam
sam
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

last time i checked, soulful gospel isnt the biggest sound in sweden yet their last 3 eurovision entries have been inspired by it. who cares what is “popular” in sweden, ultimately it’s about what the artist is able to do and how they sell their act

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
2 years ago
Reply to  sam

Tussle didn’t sing a gospel song.

sam
sam
2 years ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

hence why i said “inspired by”

Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  sam

Nor is it inspired by gospel. It is more close to pop anthem than gospel and the song was inspired by the Weeknd, the performer..

Campbell Grace
Campbell Grace
2 years ago

Happy about Liamoo returning.

I’d like to see some AC/non-qualifiers return such as Mimi Werner, Ida Redig, Jasmine Kara and Alice.

Would also like to see Renaida, Wiktoria and Isa returning.

I’d be happy for acts like Ace Wilder and Mariette who peaked on their debut entries to return if they come with something of quality. I think both their latest attempts were underwhelming.

sam
sam
2 years ago
Reply to  Campbell Grace

i could see renaida trying again this year. would love to see jasmine kara back i remember she was one of my favorites, kinda forgot about her tho

And
And
2 years ago
Reply to  Campbell Grace

I would love to see Mimi Werner back! I mean she didn’t release new music since 2018 ?

Last edited 2 years ago by And
Denis
Denis
2 years ago
Reply to  Campbell Grace

Think all of these have moved on from MF. They were known as just Melodifestivalen artists with no actual career outside it. They have branched out
As for Renaida maybe. After her cancer surgery she is eager to get in a studio so who knows?

whillchrisiam
whillchrisiam
2 years ago
Reply to  Denis

I think Renaida is super cute but she was sooooo pitchy, shouty and out of breath…

Erik
Erik
2 years ago
Reply to  Campbell Grace

Jasmine and Ida didn’t go to Andra Chansen