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Sweden: SVT announced the venues for all the Melodifestivalen 2022 shows!

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The rapidly spreading Omicron COVID19 variant and all the latest measures imposed by governments in most countries around the world could not leave Eurovision related events unaffected. That is why SVT had decided to cancel the Melodifestivalen tour around Sweden for another year and host all the shows in Stockholm!

This year, a lot of ambiguities have covered the entire show, leading to SVT announcing the venue for the first semi-final, almost a week before the first rehearsals. Thus, few days ago, SVT had announced that they have fixed a venue at least for the first semi-final and this one of Stockholm’s most iconic buildings, the largest spherical building in the world, The Avicii Arena.

It wasn’t until a couple of hours earlier, that some reports came up, saying that SVT was looking into hosting the Melodifestivalen 2022 shows of at least the first, second, third and fifth semi-finals, at the Avicii Arena.

Uncertainty about the fourth semi-final

On the 26th of February, the fourth semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2022 will take place. However, The Avicii Arena, which was a potential venue of all the shows, is already booked on the date. Tomas Ledin has booked it for an almost sold-out anniversary concert and earlier this week he issued a statement that he does not intend to move his concert.

The final verdict

A few moments ago SVT officially announced that the shows of Melodifestivalen 2022 will be held partly at Avicii Arena and partly at Friends Arena. Anette Brattström, the project manager of Melodifestivalen comments on the matter:

The combination of Avicii Arena and Friends Arena is a good solution from a TV point of view. We have a great habit of producing the Melodivestivalen shows in both arenas . Now it feels super fun that even a larger audience can experience our show also on site.

The detailed schedule and the venues of  all the Melodifestivalen 2022 shows, can be seen below:

  • First Semi on the 5th of February – Avicii Arena
  • Second Semi on the 12th of February – Avicii Arena
  • Third Semi on the 19th of Februrary – Avicii Arena
  • Fourth Semi on the 26th of February – Friends Arena
  • Fifth Semi on the 5th of March – Friends Arena
  • The Finals on the 12th of March – Friends Arena

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun, for all the latest developments regarding Sweden’s entry for Eurovision 2022!

Sweden: SVT announces radical changes in the voting system, at Melodifestivalen 2022!

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In less than two weeks from now, we will have the first Semi-Final of Melodifestivalen 2022 and the Swedish broadcaster SVT, literally, changes everything! Up to now, the most complicated voting system was the one of Sanremo. But not anymore! Melodifestivalen dethrones Sanremo, in terms of voting system complexity.

Anette Brattström came up with the idea of how the system could change and she reveals at Aftonbladet how the whole procedure will be from now on. The changes will entirely affect all the four semi-finals, the fifth second chance semi-final and the final show.

You can see below, in the simplest way possible, all the changes that will be implemented by SVT in the next shows of Melodifestivalen:

At the Semi-Finals

  • All seven contestants of each semi-final will perform their songs. The viewers can then vote by phone but also through the dedicated Melodifestivalen app for smart phones. Each viewer is able to give each song five hearts (votes) at the most or none.
  • After all seven performances, SVT will announce the artist that received the most votes (through the app and by phone), in total, irrespective of the viewer age-bands.
  • The remaining six contestants, move on to the second voting round. The voters can then give each of the remaining songs five hearts at the most, same way like the first voting round. At the second voting round, the votes received during the first voting round also count against the total of votes received.
  • The results of the second voting round are determined by the system of the eight age-bands: 3–9 years old, 10–15years old, 16–29years old, 30–44years old, 45–59years old, 60–74years old, 75 and above, as well as the televotes.
  • For the first time in the history of Melodifestivalen, we will know exactly how many votes each song has received (within the second voting round only) and SVT will display the results per age-band on screen, keeping the viewers engaged and thrilled throughout the show.
  • This practically means that the viewers will be able to see in realtime, the distribution of the votes and know who will come third, fourth and will advance to the second chance (fifth) semi-final and who will place fifth, sixth and seventh in the semi finals and will get disqualified.
  • The finalists are therefore determined with two ways: The one that will get most votes in total at the first voting round and the one that will get most votes within the different age-bands at the second voting round.
  • This means that nobody but SVT will know what were the actual results of the age-bands within the first voting round, because as we’ve mentioned above, at the first voting round the absolute number of votes counts and determines the winner and not how these votes are distributed within the different age-bands.
  • This means that now the winning performance of the two finalists will get deprecated, as the TV time now fills up with the announcement of the results.

Second Chance Semi-Final

  • The duels that took place the previous years also get deprecated.
  • On the 1st of March, an allocation draw will be broadcast, determining the two groups of four artists each (eight artists in total) that will compete at the second chance semi-final.
  • The two songs of each of the two groups that will receive the highest number of votes (based on the viewer age-bands) will advance to the finals.
  • In order to save up time, there will be no announcement of the voting results, during the second chance semi-final, but just an announcement of the artists that will advance to the finals.

Final

  • In the final show, the voting will be determined by the distribution of the votes in the viewer age-band system once more.
  • Each voter will have an allowance of five votes per song.
  • After the announcement of the results of the international jury votes, each viewer will be able to vote once more and again will be allocated with five votes per song.
  • The announcement of the viewers’ votes will be the same as the previous years and will be revealed in total, in all the viewer age-bands.
  • Following the show, the results will be announced by the Swedish broadcaster, in detail.

The Show

Oscar Zia will host Melodifestivalen 2022 and as previously reported, all the shows for the national selection procedure of the Swedish representative for this year’s contest in Turin will take place exclusively in Stockholm.

About a month ago, the contestants and running order of your favourite Swedish music festival were revealed by SVT. Despite the cancellation of the tour in five cities of the Scandinavian country this year, due to the rapidly spreading coronavirus, the schedule of all the shows (semi-finals and final) remains unchanged.

1st Semi-Final – February 5

  1. Malou Prytz – Bananas
  2. THEOZ – Som du vill
  3. Shirley Clamp – Let There Be Angels
  4. Omar Rudberg – Moving Like That
  5. Danne Stråhed – Hallaballoo
  6. Cornelia Jacobs – Hold Me Closer
  7. Robin Bengtsson – Innocent Love

2nd Semi-Final – February 12

  1. LIAMOO – Bluffin
  2. Niello & Lisa Ajax – Tror du att jag bryr mig
  3. Samira Manners – I Want To Be Loved
  4. Alvaro Estrella – Suave
  5. Browsing Collection – Face In The Crowd
  6. John Lundvik – Änglavakt
  7. Tone Sekelius – My Way

3rd Semi-Final – February 19 

  1. Cazzi Opeia – I Can’t Get Enough
  2. Lancelot – Lyckligt slut
  3. Lisa Miskovsky – Best To come
  4. Tribe Friday – Shut Me Up
  5. Faith Kakembo – Freedom
  6. Linda Bengtzing – Fyrfaldigt hurra!
  7. Anders Bagge – Bigger Than The Universe

4th Semi-Final – February 26

  1. Anna Bergendahl – Higher Power
  2. Lillasyster – Till Our Days Are Over
  3. Malin Christin – Synd om dig
  4. Tenori – La Stella
  5. MEDINA – In i dimman
  6. Angelino – The End
  7. Klara Hammarström – Run To The Hills

Τhe detailed program of Melodifestivalen 2022 is:

  • 1st Semi-Final – February 5
  • 2nd Semi-Final – February 12
  • 3rd Semi-Final – February 19
  • 4th Semi-Final – February 26
  • 5th Semi-Final – March 5
  • Final – March 12

What do you think of the new changes that SVT will implement, from this year and on, at Melodifestivalen? Let us know in the comments below!

Source: Aftonbladet