Dotter rehearsal Melodifestivalen 2021 semi-final 2
Photo: Stina Stjernkvist / SVT

Today, Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet has shared the first four names that, according to several sources with good insight, are ready for Melodifestivalen 2024. If sources are to be believed, then Dotter, LiamooSmash into pieces and Lasse Stefanz will compete in Melodifestivalen 2024.

Aftonbladet has a good track record when it comes to Melodifestivalen predictions. In 2023, sources correctly identified 24 out of 28 artists competing in Sweden’s Eurovision selection show.

Dotter

Dotter, real name Johanna Jansson, first competed in 2018 with “Cry”. She went out in her heat. In 2020 she came second with “Bulletproof” and in 2021 she finished fourth with “Little Tot“. Since then she has both become a mum and released music in Swedish. However, according to the source, the competing song will be in English. 

“If you want to win, you have to compete with a song in English,” the paper’s tipster says. “That’s how it has been in modern times.”

Liamoo

Liamoo, or Liam Cacatian Thomassen, 26, will also appear for the fourth time next year. Liamoo won Swedish “Idol” in 2016 and debuted in Melodifestiavlen in 2018 with “Last Breath,” which finished sixth. In 2019 he competed in a duet with Hanna Ferm and came third with “Hold You” and in 2022 he finished fourth with “Bluffin“. 

 

Smash into pieces

Smash into pieces, an experienced rock band formed in 2008, made their debut in Melodifestivalen 2023 with the song “Six Feet Under“. The rock band had huge success and ended up third. So far “Six Feet Under“ has received over 19 million streams on Spotify.

 

Lasse Stefanz

Lasse Stefanz, with frontman Jönsson, 67, is a Swedish dansband formed in 1967. The group has competed once before in the Melodifestivalen, in 2011 with “En blick och nänting händer“, however they got knocked out in Andra chansen, second chance.

 

The Swedish broadcaster SVT is expected to announce the official line up in late November or the beginning of December.

86 Comments
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Poul Riisen
Poul Riisen
1 year ago

No need for hate towards Sweden (again!). They have the 3rd biggest music industry in the world (behind the US and the UK). They have so much talent (not only artists, but also lyricists, composers, producers, etc.). They know how to do it and they deliver. If only national finals of most countries had 5 Melodifestivalen songs each year.

Poul Riisen
Poul Riisen
1 year ago

Dotter, yesss! It’s high time she went to Eurovision. Amazing artist. Love her and her songs.

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
1 year ago

Always the same people!!! Why don’t SVT give a chance to some indie acts. Like Dina Ögon. They are so great!

ESC Lover
ESC Lover
1 year ago

Boring boring boring!!! Swedes are excited that every year they recieve 2,5 k songs in MF!! But it doesn’t matter because every year there are almost the same artists… Sweden has like 30 top artists which shuffle every year, and all those thousands of applications are even not taken into account….

Yuarith
Yuarith
1 year ago

To wish for someone like Miriam Bryant, Tove Lo, Víctor Leksell, Bolaget, etc to take part of Mello feels more far-fetched than ever 🙁

Devito
Devito
1 year ago

No Clara Klingenström? 🙁

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago
Reply to  Devito

Not yet. It’s early days.

Zanoni
Zanoni
1 year ago
Reply to  Devito

I’d like to see her too.

Here’s a song she released last week to hold us over:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd02-YCgXQE&ab_channel=ClaraKlingenstr%C3%B6m-Topic

Karl
Karl
1 year ago

lol does Sweden only have like 20 artists? It’s always the same faces

UNA SPARKLE
UNA SPARKLE
1 year ago
Reply to  Karl

Exactly so.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  UNA SPARKLE

Or possibly a gross exaggeration?

UNA SPARKLE
UNA SPARKLE
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

Noooooooooo. Not at aaaaall.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  UNA SPARKLE

Less of an exaggeration if we’re talking about the songwriting pool, I admit.

Dominic
Dominic
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

Of course it’s an exaggeration, but Melfest does tend to have 1/3 or even 1/2 performers each year being the returning ones. Not that I mind, if they have something good to offer.

And songwriting-wise, yeah, it’s about 10 people co-writing about 2/3 of featured entries. Too much!

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Dominic

There is 28 spots available every year, which I think dilutes the validity of this complaint. It’s much easier to avoid repetition with only 7 like UMK. Sanremo also has many returnees every year, but never gets the same mud slung at them.

Dominic
Dominic
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

Not a complaint. More of an observation. I don’t mind seeing familiar faces. Gives some sense of familiarity of the show. Also, one has to appreciate the passion of some people to participate. Same as with Sanremo, Eesti laul, PIN, Dora, to name a few. UMK, ESCZ, and DMGP have less songs. FdC also has less returnees, but their prinicple is different (invitations instead of applications), so that explains it. But overall, I do enjoy both returnees and newcomers.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Dominic

Me too. My favourite thing about returnees is when they are longstanding legends like Kikki, Bettan, Lotta, Siw, Nanne etc. Sadly they never really stand a chance. It’s heartwarming to see oldtimers like Gianni Morandi do well in Sanremo. My dream returnee for Sanremo would be Gigliola Cinquetti. It could happen. Anyway, I’m rambling now so I should probably stop typing.

Dominic
Dominic
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

Now that I’ve seen a lot of the older contests, I feel better acquainted with those artists too. It would be very cool to have someone like Gigliola or Gianni winning Sanremo again. Or in Sweden’s case, have Nanne, Kikki, Roger Pontare or Tommy Korberg actually winning Melfest (or at least enterting the finals). I’d especially like to see those who had results lower than they should have had the first time coming back and owning the scoreboard. For example, Aiste Smilegevicuite and Lorenzo Duilio are still young enough to presumably have the energy to sweep the stage! And someone… Read more »

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Dominic

Next year will be the 60th anniversary of Gigliola’s Sanremo and Eurovision win, and the 50th of her coming second to ABBA. Now is the time!

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

P.S. Roger Pontare is just out of jail, I’m not sure if we will see him again for a while, but you never know. His 2017 Melodifestivalen song deserved better, I loved it, but it didn’t even qualify so maybe he has finally given up. I’d like for his son to carry on the family tradition with his pal Salem Al Fakir, I love their stuff.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

What was he in jail for?

Åsa S
Åsa S
1 year ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

Aggrevated drunk driving. And it wasn’t the first time.

Yuarith
Yuarith
1 year ago
Reply to  Karl

There’s plenty but Miriam Bryant, Victor Leksell, Bolaget et al taking part will always be a pipe dream

Erik
Erik
1 year ago

No, Lasse Stefanz didnt go to Andra Chansen. They were knocked out in the 4th semifinale

We’re Up in Space, Man!
We’re Up in Space, Man!
1 year ago

Don’t know anything about Lasse, but the other three are very promising names. Hoping that Sweden goes for something a bit different this year and maybe chooses a rock band like Smash Into Pieces! Their song last Melfest a probably should have won!

EuroSerg
EuroSerg
1 year ago

Yeah it would have been perfect for Finland if Smash Into Pieces would have won

vetrina
vetrina
1 year ago

“Little Tot” and “Bulletproof” are two of my fave Melfest entries ever!

EuroSerg
EuroSerg
1 year ago
Reply to  vetrina

Same, I am hoping she has the right song to win this year

ANDREW BROWN
ANDREW BROWN
1 year ago

Is it true that UK and Israel pulling out of 2024 contest? I suppose Sweden get their wish to reduce the length of final night. No Romania and several others now.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  ANDREW BROWN

Why would the UK pull out?

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  ANDREW BROWN

Also, thinking of Sol Stevia, Maya G and all our other Israeli Wiwi friends right now.

Concerned fan
Concerned fan
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

Thanks for supporting us. But For now “the next star for the Eurovision” filming is delayed…..

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago
Reply to  Concerned fan

Can’t blame them right now. Probably not safe for the competitors.

Concerned fan from Israel
Concerned fan from Israel
1 year ago
Reply to  BadWoolfGirl

Not only for the competitors. There is also an audience and a production team. And in case of a rocket attack there are shelters but the shelters can’t have all these people

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
1 year ago
Reply to  ANDREW BROWN

shame elitist Sweden have to continue bully out other countries, i hope no one will watch their stupid melodifestivalen rubbish and no one will vote for them a nice televoting 0 is what they deserve

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

What a stupid statement. If any country withdraws it won’t be because of Sweden. It could be due to internal problems that can’t get resolved for Eurovision.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago
Reply to  ANDREW BROWN

We don’t know who’s staying or not yet. It’s not even officially confirmed if Romania are in or out. Wait until the official list of participants is released.

L’oiseau
L’oiseau
1 year ago
Reply to  ANDREW BROWN

Not in a million years will Israel pull out. Quite on the contrary! They will put up an extra grand act about peace and love and win the whole thing, and insist that 2025 will be held in Tel Aviv (as Jerusalem is not an option for religious reasons). All this will be surreal to watch…

BiCHOTA
BiCHOTA
1 year ago

Allegedly 2600+ submissions but we’ll end up once again with the same names and faces, I think more and more with each passing day that that number was randomly thrown by SVT to save face

Azuro
Azuro
1 year ago
Reply to  BiCHOTA

2600 submissions from 26 artists and 6 songwriters

Yuarith
Yuarith
1 year ago
Reply to  Azuro

Is that even humanly possible in a lifetime?

Jofty
Jofty
1 year ago
Reply to  Azuro

Including rewrites of Lovers On The Sun and some previous winners

Azuro
Azuro
1 year ago

Dotter lol, thought she vowed to never do Melfest again after finishing behind the Mamas for like the 3rd time?

Bejba
Bejba
1 year ago
Reply to  Azuro

Her Career Tanked What Other Choise Does She Have

Filip
Filip
1 year ago

Dotter and Smash Into Pieces in the same year?! YES PLEASE!! ??

UNA SPARKLE
UNA SPARKLE
1 year ago

Melodifestivalen: the acme of boring and predictable.

"Music first"
"Music first"
1 year ago
Reply to  UNA SPARKLE

I agree

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
1 year ago
Reply to  UNA SPARKLE

tea

most overhyped nonsense snoozefest festival

UNA SPARKLE
UNA SPARKLE
1 year ago
Reply to  Anonymous91
I haven't listened to any of the lauls of 2023 except for the tattoo song and only because I could *not* avoid it. I soothed my soul with salmiakki each time.
Yeah
Yeah
1 year ago

I have high doubts that Smash Into Pieces would win, considering that Sweden doesn’t usually send bands anymore: 2023: Solo singer, woman 2022: Solo singer, woman 2021: Solo singer, man/nonbinary 2020: Trio, women 2019: Solo singer, man 2018: Solo singer, man 2017: Solo singer, man 2016: Solo singer, man 2015: Solo singer man 2014: Solo singer, woman 2013: Solo singer, man 2012: Solo singer, woman 2011: Solo singer, man 2010: Solo singer, woman 2009: Solo singer, woman 2008: Solo singer, woman 2007: Band, men 2006: Solo singer, woman 2005: Solo singer, man 2004: Solo singer, woman 2003: Duet, man &… Read more »

Denis
Denis
1 year ago
Reply to  Yeah

Well, Sweden also did not send previous winners until Loreen won again.
So there is no pattern. If they have the best song they will win.
Also Tusse is not non- binary. He is a he

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Denis

Carola!

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

La Perrelli!

Denis
Denis
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

Those are more exceptions though..
Point is there is no rule saying ” they dont usually send”. If they have the best song they will win. That is the point after all,to find the best song. If it is from a band then go for it. If its from former winner then go with it. If it is from superstar then pick it

Yeah
Yeah
1 year ago
Reply to  Denis

Multiple times as a representative for Sweden: Family Four: 1971 & 1972 Björn Skifs: 1978 & 1981 Carola: 1983, 1991 & 2006 Tommy Körberg: 1969 & 1988 Roger Pontare: 1994 & 2000 Charlotte Perrelli (Nilsson): 1999 & 2008 Loreen: 2012 & 2023 This was said in 2021 about him: “Tusse uses he/him pronouns but refuses to give a label to his gender identity or sexuality.” So let’s correct that to *man there. There seems to be a pattern, if you participated 2+ times your chances are minimal for a win anymore. All of the names I said have participated in… Read more »

XOOOOD
XOOOOD
1 year ago

2300+ Submissions and yet half of the line-up will be familiar faces. don’t get me wrong, I’m all Sweden fan but we need variety and new artists.

Denis
Denis
1 year ago
Reply to  XOOOOD

There will be new artists too.
But Mello is not X- Factor. It is the mix of familar and new that makes it. People want artists they recognize, they can say ” I loved tyem last year so I cheer for them.
A Mello with only new faces would make it come off as a Idol rip-off

Yeah
Yeah
1 year ago
Reply to  Denis

X-Factor failed in Sweden hard and heavy, and Melodifestivalen has become an Idol rip-off as several contestants are past Idol entrants, here’s some (Mello year): Loreen (2011, 2012, 2017, 2023) Axel Schylström (2017, 2023) Mariette (2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2023) Anna Bergendahl (2010, 2020, 2022) Cornelia Jakobs (2011*, 2022) LIAMOO (2018, 2019, 2022) Lisa Ajax (2016, 2017, 2019, 2022) Robin Bengtsson (2016, 2017, 2020, 2022) Danny Saucedo (2009*, 2011, 2012, 2021) Kadiatou (2021) Nathalie Brydolf (2021) Amanda Aasa (2020) Hanna Ferm (2019, 2020) William Stridh (2020) Zeana (2019) Renaida (2018) Alice (2017) Mattias Andréasson (2009*, 2012, 2016) Molly Pettersson Hammar… Read more »

Erik
Erik
1 year ago
Reply to  Yeah

You forgot Måns Zelmerlöw from Swedish Idols. It’s not a ripoff though. Swedish Idols have never held the quality of Melodifestivalen. Melodifestivalen is a competition for artists. Not rising stars or similar. The comparison is understandable though. Many of the participants in that talent show will never come close to their dreams of becoming the next mega star in the US. If they are lucky they get a decent placement in the finals of Melodifestivalen. Not much more. No hit music. The ones who actually made a carrier in Sweden are like 10 maximum of all the hundreds that have… Read more »

Concerned fan
Concerned fan
1 year ago

Before the melodifestivalen. What about the the countries participating this year in malmo? Today it is the last day to confirm participation and so far there are something like 30 that have confirmed!!!!

XOOOOD
XOOOOD
1 year ago
Reply to  Concerned fan

the final list will be published later, as we’ve seen before the number of publicly confirmed participation is less than the actual number on the final list, so I expect 37-39 countries.

Concerned fan
Concerned fan
1 year ago
Reply to  XOOOOD

Oh ok I’m glad to hear that. Thanks for letting me know

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago
Reply to  XOOOOD

37-39 is about right. I don’t think we gonna breach 40 this year.

Jimmy
Jimmy
1 year ago

“If you want to win, you have to compete with a song in English […] That’s how it has been in modern times.”

Modern times would suggest otherwise, considering 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022 were all either fully composed in, or heavily featured, non-English languages.

And, if the public had their way, Finland’s Finnish, not Sweden’s English, would have won in 2023 😉

Charlotte Cowan
Charlotte Cowan
1 year ago
Reply to  Jimmy

How did Toy heavily feature non-English languages? Also 1944 was mostly in English with just one repeated line in Tatar.

FanESC
FanESC
1 year ago
Reply to  Jimmy

Maybe he was talking about the Melfest only ?

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  FanESC

I believe so, in which case the “tipster” is not wrong. Only because this is the accepted way of thinking, which makes it a self-fulfilling prophecy. If the producers actually included a win-worthy song in Swedish, it could actually do it… but they don’t.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Jimmy

Public “Hardcore repeat voters”

Jimmy
Jimmy
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

Cha cha

Dominic
Dominic
1 year ago
Reply to  Jimmy

Non-English songs are certainly making a good amount of recent top results. 2017, 2021, and 2022 all have non-English winners, with 2016 featuring a different language for its iconic chorus. 2021 was the peek, with all of the top 3 being non-English. We could also add 2022 for its top 3 were all in native languages (2nd place being in English, but by the UK). Televoting is more friendly to songs in native languages, with non-English songs qualifying via televote in most cases. The last televote winner not to feature a single line aside from English is 2016s ”You Are… Read more »

Jimmy
Jimmy
1 year ago
Reply to  Dominic

I hope so too 🙂

One of the many strengths of Eurovision is the platform it gives to the diversity of participating languages.

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Jimmy

In one regard, yes. In another, no. English has now become the uncontested imposed language of the contest as far as presenters and voting are concerned. Scoreboards, graphics etc. I found it quite sad that even Italy were not allowed to speak their own language in Torino. Quite a difference from Roma 1991.

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago
Reply to  Jimmy

Dotter could very be talking about winning melfest, not Eurovision. There hasn’t been a Swedish language song winning and going to eurovision for a long time.

Nikita Zhukov
Nikita Zhukov
1 year ago

Dotter and LIAMOO were my top-2 wishes for Melfest 2024, extremely happy about them returning
Dotter could close Deltävling 5 and will probably be the main favorite if there are no bigger names in the competition
Very pleased to see Smash Into Pieces return, I did think they would come back after their Melfest debut went so well
And Lasse Stefanz are the kind of entry Melfest is known for, they’re probably gonna be bringing Swedish dansband realness
2024 season looking sharp already, still hoping for Malou Prytz to try again

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
1 year ago
Reply to  Nikita Zhukov

what sob story will Dotter bring this time to the competition lmao and obviously a song composed by her fiancee as usual lols

Denis
Denis
1 year ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

LOL sob story! When did she ever have one?
And yes,composed by her and her fiancee, so what?

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
1 year ago
Reply to  Denis

she and her fiancee are traitors, how they stitched up poor Emma Muscat with that hopeless song in 2022

hopefully karma will come for her, and shock exit in the heat hopefully

Jonas
Jonas
1 year ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

Emma Muscat shopped in the bargain basket, that’s on her

Jofty
Jofty
1 year ago
Reply to  Jonas

But how could she have thought there was anything “good” about that hopeless effort? She might have had a chance of qualifying with her original discarded entry.

Denis
Denis
1 year ago
Reply to  Anonymous91

Yeah cause Swedes obviously cares about Maltese entries….

Iván el Conquistador
Iván el Conquistador
1 year ago

I hope Sweden sends a song in Swedish or at least something that isn’t pop. A breath of fresh air is needed.

Charlotte Cowan
Charlotte Cowan
1 year ago

You shouldn’t get your hopes up too much considering these rumored names…

Anonymous91
Anonymous91
1 year ago

oh Dotter, give a middle finger to the modern times and compete with a song in swedish instead

you don’t have to give in to those british elites with their generic english

Denis
Denis
1 year ago

Yay for Smash at Pieces!
Thanks to Mello I discovered their discography and loved everything! Hope they compete again and win, they were my second place last year!

Matt
Matt
1 year ago

Always excited to see Dotter back (personally thought she should’ve won in 2022) so I’m excited to hear what she’ll bring. That said, since Sweden is hosting, I would love to hear them send something in Swedish or send a song that is a bit more experimental and outside their comfort zone. They have literally nothing to lose since they’ll be automatically in the final and if any country can break the host curse, it would be them (for better or for worse)

BadWoolfGirl
BadWoolfGirl
1 year ago
Reply to  Matt

Or Sweden could send something really weak so they don’t have to host twice in a row. The host entries are usually weaker than the winning acts I’ve noticed.