Sweden: These are the 28 Melodifestivalen 2019 participants
After months of speculations and leaked news of which acts will be competing in the forthcoming Melodifestivalen 2019, becoming Sweden’s next hopefuls to continue the top 10 results in the latest years, today the anticipation came to an end. SVT revealed the name of the acts that will participate in the 4 Melodifestivalen 2019 semi final rounds
SVT has received this year a over 2,200 candidate songs. After evaluating this big number of entries the broadcaster concluded in the final 28 which will be competing in the four semi-final shows between 2 and 23 February.
The names of the 28 participants come after the SVT’s announcement of the hosts who will be presenting us the six shows of the forthcoming Melodifestivalen. Marika Carlsson, Eric Saade, Kodjo Akolor and Sarah Dawn Finer will be flying around Sweden to all cities hosting the Melodifestivalen shows.
The 28 semi finalists were unveiled in a special SVT press conference and are the following :
Semi-final 1 (2 February – Scandinavium, Gothenburg)
- Anna Bergendahl – Ashes to Ashes
- Nano – Chasing Rivers
- Mohombi – Hello
- Zeana feat. Anis Don Demina – Mina bränder
- Arja Saijonmaa – Mina fyra årstider
- High15 – No Drama
- Wiktoria – Not With Me
Semi-final 2 (9 February – Malmö Arena, Malmö)
- Andreas Johnson – Army of Us
- Hanna Ferm & LIAMOO – Hold You
- Malou Trasthe Prytz – I Do Me
- Oscar Enestad – I Love It
- Jan Malmsjö – Leva Livet
- Vlad Reiser – Nakna i regnet
- Margaret – Tempo
Semi-final 3 (16 February – Tegera Arena, Leksand)
- Dolly Style – Habibi
- Martin Stenmarck – Låt Skiten Brinna
- Jon Henrik Fjällgren – Norrsken
- Omar – Om igen
- The Lovers of Valdaro – Somebody Wants
- Lina Hedlund – Victorious
- Rebecka Karlsson – Who I Am
Semi-final 4 (23 February – Sparbanken Arena, Lidköping)
- Arvingarna – I Do
- Anton Hagman- Känner dig
- Ann-Louise Hanson–Kärleken finns kvar
- Bishara – On My Own
- Pagan Fury – Stormbringer
- John Lundvik – Too Late For Love
- Lisa Ajax–Torn
The format will be the same as past years, the two first of each semi final will qualify directly to the Grand Final on March 9 2019, while the two next contestants from each round will pass to the Second Chance semi final to battle for the last two spots in the final.However we can’t close this post by not outlining some notable names that have a significant past in the contest. Thats take a look at them:
Martin Stenmarck, represented Sweden in 2005 with the song Las Vegas. This year his returning for his fourth Melodifestivalen participation , as he had competed in 2014 and 2016 with the songs When the angels go home and You take me back respectively.
Wiktoria, had participated in Melodifestivalen 2016 with the entry Save me when she came 4th and in 2017 with the song As I lay me down finishing 6th. The 22 year old act is coming back for her third attempt to win the golden ticket that leads to the Eurovision stage.
Jan Malmsjö, his name was brought up in reports and speculations as potential contestant for this year’s contest and here he is! The 86-year-old Melodifestivalen past participant comes back 50 years after finishing as runner-up at Melodifestivalen 1969, with the song Hello clown.
Melodifestivalen has been held firmly since 1959 except the years 1964, 1970 and 1975. From 1999 and on juries and televoting have been determining each year’s winner. All six Swedish Eurovision winners have been selected through this national selection format.
In Melodifestival in 2018, Benjamin Ingrosso won with his song “Dance you off”, which represented Sweden in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon. The Scandinavian artist finished in seventh place.
