Every year it’s among the most talked about Eurovision selection shows. But Sweden’s Melodifestivalen is so much more than that. First staged in 1966, it dominates domestic TV ratings like few shows can and has given a platform to some of Sweden’s biggest stars, including, of course, ABBA.
And today state broadcaster SVT has opened the submission process for Melodifestivalen 2023. It will remain open until 16 September.
As ever, 28 acts will ultimately compete in the six-week musical extravaganza. Their names won’t be revealed until later in the autumn.
Fourteen of these acts will be selected through the public submission process. The remaining 14 will be invited by the broadcaster, who works its deep connections within the Swedish music industry to help attract top talent.
Aaaaand it's time!!! We have opened submissions for Melodifestivalen 2023!! ?? From today until September 16th 11.59 AM at https://t.co/ssPyfZNANW?We can't wait to hear new #melfest hits!
— Melodifestivalen (en) (@melfest_en) August 26, 2022
?: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT pic.twitter.com/WTPKWgd3sb
Melodifestivalen 2023: Who do you want to participate?
Last year’s “tour” through Sweden was cancelled because of the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19. But this year the traveling show will be back in full force, giving fans a chance to see the acts live and in person.
- Semi-Final 1: February 4 – Gothenburg
- Semi-Final 2: Feburary 11 – Linköping
- Semi-Final 3: Feburary 18 – Lidköping
- Semi-Final 4: February 25 – Malmö
- Semi-Final 5: March 4 – Örnsköldsvik
- Final: March 11 – Stockholm
But who do you want to see hit that stage? Let us know what you’re thinking in the comments box below.
How about Robyn or Veronica Maggio?
I want a comeback from Sandra Dahlberg and Petra Nielsen. They were two of my favorites of the finalists in Melfest 2004
I want Linda Pritchard and Dinah Nah
Me too
I believe that either Elize Ryd (the lead singer of Amaranthe) writes a song that actually goes to Eurovision or the entire band (Amaranthe itself) performs at Melfest and wins the whole thing.
Or she performs as a solo artist
Molly Sandén
Agnes is my dream
I want to see Dotter on that stage in UK next year
She is pregnant 🙂
And?Ira Lasko was also pregnant when she sang at Eurovision.Dotter can give birth live on stage during her performance.
You are joking right? Give birth live? If you are a doctor you would lose your job for that.
Believe it or not, ESC is not the center of the world despite ESC fans thinking it is. The health of her and her child is more important than a contest. It is not advised to travel before or after your birth.
Kirsten from Hot Eyes was about eight and a half months pregnant when she sang for Denmark in 1988…
She won’t be in March, then.
Congrats to Dotter and Dino. 🙂
Usually artists that are already played on the radio (mostly singing in Swedish) as well as bigger artists, have stated that Melodifestivalen doesn’t suit their style since you need mainstream-pop song, and all of the Deltävlings have the clear four that will advance and then three that are pretty much out before even singing. Names like Veronica Maggio, Axwell&Ingrosso, Tove Lo, Håkan Hellström, Zara Larsson, Robyn, Lykke Li, First Aid Kit, Laleh, Swedish House Mafia and so on.. Don’t get me wrong, good songs to come and a likely top-10 contender incoming, but these singers will be former Idols contestants,… Read more »
Well their fame is more with the mid 1990s songs they had such as “Cotton Eye Joe”, so I don’t really see them as a really famous competitor anymore in 2006. Velvet (06, 08 & 09) and The Ark (07) were quite famous, had songs on the radio and were wanted for music festivals during the time they competed in Melodifestivalen. Even Dr. Alban has competed, but not during the time he had his biggest hit songs and same goes for Jessica Folcker and Pandora. Anyway I’ve enjoyed their songs and these are great examples that past fame won’t be… Read more »
Man, you mentioned most of the acts that I’d like to see representing Sweden some day, and it hurts to see this but you’re right: it’s mostly unlikely for that to happen unless Mello gets an overhaul (which won’t happen anytime soon) 🙁
It would be great to see world-class songwriters like Max Martin, Cazzi Opeia, Ilya Salmanzadeh, and Ollipop submit their works to Mello 2023. Oh, and in case you didn’t know already, Ollipop is Swedish.
As for the contestants, I would rather see talents like Isa Tengblad, Maher Zain, Tove Lo, Smith and Thell, Alesso, Lykke Li, Winona Oak, Sandro Cavazza, Malou Prytz, Bishara, bugAboo, and Jack Harlow compete in Mello 2023.
Max Martin charges massive ammounts for one song these days as he has the name and fame for it, so we won’t be seeing any of his songs here.
Plus he doesn’t really need Melodifestivalen, does he?
No he doesn’t, and we could even reverse your question and think “Does Melodifestivalen need Max Martin?”. Looking back at Sweden’s placings from past ten years it seems like there’s no need for changes at all.
Good names!
Not much people know Winona Oak but she is amazing! Last year my favorite was Cazzi Opeia, and Liamoo was a winner material!
I think Isa Tengblad was a fun contender, hopefully she comes back too
Jack Harlow? How? 😮
Oscar Zia, Eric Saade, Dotter, Hanna Fern, Wiktoria, from this year again nety year Cazzi Opeia, Andreas Bagge
And Laimoo too
Do not make music only with your brain but especially with your heart, it will bring this authenticity and this emotion that is often missing. Because singers are often not involved in the creative process, and producers think about the money they could earn before anything else, so they follow the trends of the moment and copy something that has already worked, something that was quite lucrative and they give out the song to a random singer… I hate this system and it produces mainly generic songs without souls…
Great comment. Maybe it’s just me, but if I was given a free all expenses paid trip to final, I would not want to go?
Ty. But if it’s with a song without personnality, without soul, a song that everybody could sing and it would have the same effect, I don’t know if you can be proud of that even if all is paid and all is calculated to go in the final…I don’t know… it’s a choice I guess, I can’t blame the swedish singers to take advantage of this system but I hate it personally, I don’t like what it creates.
So on point the artist has to create the song with help not the songwriters first and then look for singer
Exactly if not I call that a music supermarket with cheap products without flavor.
We can feel when a singer is not involved in his song. This system works for Sweden but I’m not a big supporter of it.
Sweden has such an important scene and there’s many acts that I’d like to see taking part of Mello any time, some have already been mentioned so —just not to sound redundant, I want to mention the acts I’d like to see at Mello that haven’t been featured in previous comments: Victor Leksell, Myriam Bryant, Zara Larsson, H.E.A.T. and A36
I had forgot Tove Lo Is Swedish too, but I’d like her to take part of Mello if possible too :v
Don’t know if you knew this but H.E.A.T actually competed in Melfest 2009 and came 7th in the final.
Omg really!? I haven’t followed ESC for that long! 😮
I’d like to see Myriam Bryant, Victor Leksell and Zara Larsson take part of Mello, they’re the ones that haven’t been mentioned before that are on my wish list for next year 😀
Eric Prydz, Rebecca and Fiona, Cazzi Opeia, and Clara Mae are on my wish list this year.
Is it not been another couple of years since Mariette to re appear… come on this would surly do well??
Lancelot or Klara Klingerstom/ Linus would be great
From 3014/2015 😀
2014*
Oki, Linus Svenning. I love hes new song ”Another War”
Disagree, Darin was their only real chance to beat Lena in 2010. Eric maybe Top 5, too.
Who cares? They’re going to end up sending a song in English anyway.
Being not a fan of the Swedish act this year I still see in it something more authentic and spontaneous than in their last attempts. So I hope they will keep this direction even if I think that the Cornelia’s esc performance was still too much calculated and not based purely on the emotions but the song itself got something authentic. To see a woman representing Sweden was refreshing after all the testosterone they brought since 2015, so I wish a woman too again next year. I would like Sweden to take a risk for once and not to go… Read more »
Albania and Ukraine always sending woman and nobody cares …
Ukraine 2017, Ukraine 2018, were litteraly men, Ukraine 2021 was a group with 3 men in it and not even talking about Ukraine 2022…
Albania 2018 was a man, so I really don’t know what you are talking about…
Why should someone’s gender matter when performing a song?
I’m not saying that at all but only when a country keep sending men or women every year its tiring and boring, diversity of genres is refreshing.
I love Salem. He works as Vargas & Lagola now, with Vincent Pontare. Son of Roger. I’d like to see them at Melodifestivalen.
Vincent is also married to Agnes, the pop star. So it really is royalty
I think “Roads” is my favourite, or “Selfish” maybe. I’d say start with those two.
Ulrik Munther and Jon Henrik Fjallgren! For both of them, I think their music has just gotten better and better over the years. Ten years on from Soldiers and I love every song Ulrik releases more than the last!
Eagle Eye Cherry, aka the best swedish artist of all time
Pop music is literally Swedens their biggest export product, it represents the country lol
Their largest export as far as monetary value is automobiles. As for just plain units shipped its pre-packaged pharmaceuticals.
If you want the swedish music scene represented they should definitely send english pop songs all the time.
Arvingarna in Swedish
I want BWO to come back.
Alcazar, they are like an older version of Steps.
Jon Henrik with a traditional sami joik entry. Sweden sent an amazing entry this year and I hope they continue in this route and not go back to the plastic entries of the 2017-2021 period.
Jon Henrik is now a politician and member of Sami Parliament so unless he suddenly steps back you will not see him.
Oh ok didn’t know that. Well if other singers of that genre decide to participate at Melfest, it’s more than fine by me!
Something in Swedish will be great.
But in terms of comeback artist for me:
John Henrik or Clara klingenstrom.
Would love to see Ulrik Munther and Clara Klingeström back so much! Also Viktor Hallman (dj) but hoping there won’t be another Lumix and Pia Maria thing
Maybe next song in swedish language please
Erik Mjönes (The Singer to ”Lion Of Love” from Eurovision: Story of Fire Saga)
I want to see Maja Ivarsson, Rednex, Nordman, Sabaton, Smith & Thell, Agnes, Gustaf & Viktor Norén, Silvana Imam, Peg Parnevik, Gottfrid Krantz, Smash Into Pieces, Nathalie Brydolf, Elize Ryd, Jubël, Ulf Nilsson, Linda Varg and Isak Danielsson
SABINA DDUMBA!
Why can’t Sweden just pick their Eurovision song internally and use Melodifestivalen for something else???
Why?
Because it’s not needed. They could place a farting donkey on stage and still finish top 5 with the jury
Can you atleast give arguments that make sense? Cuz I can say the same about Italy and the televote lol
They did better with televote the last few years like with tusse.
Dustin was a real turkey.
And guaranteed a good starting position. Definitely not 2nd if drawn in “First Half” of final.
I would love Ana Diaz. Not only is she underrated but she has a resumé to die for.
Her song ” 100″ is pure magic, the only Swedish song that manager to break me
If you know anything about music culture in Scandinavia then you would know that is what it sounds like in general. You see, even Swedish singers sings in English. Not just for ESC.
And just because its English does not mean it is generic. Nor does ethnic mean something is authentic
It is really time for Eurofans to realize that ethnic elements doesn’t make your song better. It can still be a weak song lol ?
English =/= generic. Most of these countries have sent something really good and competitive in the last couple of years. And in Scandinavia, many of the biggest hits are in English anyway. It’s not just for Eurovision. They love making songs in English.
OT. A sad news: Finnish singer Kimmo Blom who participated in UMK 2015 (with the song ”All for Victory”, under the stage name of Angelo De Nile) and UMK 2016 (with the song ”Good Enough”, in a duet with Annica Milan) passed away from cancer. I loved both of his songs, especially the 2016 one. R.I.P.
I can already tell the entry that goes to the UK will be fabricated jury bait once more, but I just hope there will be *some* creative inputs this time around. I do hope that someday Sweden will realize the support they get from juries isn’t going to be everlasting
I for one think you’re spot on
Stop pretending like Sweden always flops with the televote. Since 2011 Sweden got a lot of top 10 televoting too so there is that
Sweden send something in Swedish challenge
If it is a really good song. But most Swedish songs are just fillers and not very good. This year only Medina had a truly great Swedish songs
It is not impossible no. Just that it is easier in English. Writing beautiful in Swedish more often than not becomes unintetionally hilarious.
That is why Medina worked, they had a party song with no pretentions
I would prefer something like “Delirium” by Lena Philipsson, or “Händerna mot himlen” by Petra Marklund, or “Dör för dig” by Danny Saucedo, or “Håll om mig” by Nanne, or “Även en blomma” by Frida, or ” När löven faller” by Carola… or any other really good Swedish language song.
I’d still prefer a song I love, even if it finished last, than a song I hated that won. Like I’m glad Finland 2012 happened, even though it didn’t even qualify.
You’re not wrong about Norrsken.
And i thought i was the only one who loved that…
Lancelot too