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Eurovision 2024: Stockholm’s football teams don’t want to move out for Eurovision!

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The first problems regarding the hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 have already arisen. Avicii Arena (Globen) is scheduled to be under renovation in 2024 and Stockholm’s football teams are not eager to move out for the Contest.

Stockholm is the favourite city to host the Eurovision Song Contest next year, but three football teams have already cleared out that they won’t move out of their home ground for Eurovision. Avicii Arena that hosted the Contest back in 2000 and in 2016 is scheduled to be under renovation next year, thus leaving Tele2 Arena and Friends Arena as the most viable choices.

Mattis Fri the Chairman of Hammarby’s Men’s team which plays at the Tele2 told Dagens Nyheter that:

“I have no problem with Eurovision, but Tele2 is a football arena and that is what it should primarily be used for. We can’t help but play a quarter of a season just because it’s Eurovision, it’s impossible. Six weeks is a very long period, especially during high season such as April and May.”

Mr Fri explains that moving all three football teams to play out of the same venue is not feasible due to the number of matches and that the natural grass at the Friends Arena could not sustain such intense use. Robert Falck the Chairman of AIK who play at the Friend Arena agrees:

“We have just received the happy news and everything is very new. For Tele2 arena and Friends arena, Eurovision falls in the middle of a football season. We start dialogues about when Eurovision wants to enter in such cases and how we can plan around other events. More than that is hard to say”

Source: Eurovoix

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Sweden: These are the detailed results of all the shows of Melodifestivalen 2023!

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The Final of Melodifestivalen 2023, was broadcast by SVT and SVT Play last Saturday and we now know that Loreen will represent Sweden at Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, with the song “Tattoo“, placing first in both the International Jury and the public vote!

Today SVT released the detail results of all the Melodifestivalen 2023 shows and as it seems Loreen won by a landslide! There was also a significant difference in votes between Loreen and the runner-ups of the show in Malmö, Smash Into Pieces!

But let’s see how the results were in each of the shows:

  • Heat 1: Göteborg – Saturday 4 February 2023 (Scandinavium)

  • Heat 2: Linköping – Saturday 11 February 2023 (Saab Arena)

  • Heat 3: Lidköping – Saturday 18 February 2023 (Sparbanken Arena)

  • Heat 4: Malmö – Saturday 25 February 2023 (Malmö Arena)

  • Semi-Final: Örnsköldsvik – Saturday 4 March 2023 (Hägglunds Arena)

  • Final: Stockholm – Satuday 11 March 2023 (Friends Arena)

Don’t miss out on Loreen’s first words, at the press conference after her victory at the Melodifestivalen 2023, that took place at Friends Arena! Check out our YouTube channel for more interviews, reactions videos and Melodifestivalen material!

What do you think of this year’s Swedish entry at the Eurovision Song Contest to be held in Liverpool? Leave a comment below!

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun, for all the latest developments regarding Sweden’s entry for Eurovision 2023!

Photo: Andreas Papayiannakis

Sweden: Melodifestivalen 2023 final show topped the TV ratings in Sweden!

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The Final of Melodifestivalen 2023, was broadcast by SVT and SVT Play last Saturday and we now know that Loreen will represent Sweden at Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, with the song “Tattoo“, placing first in both the International Jury and the public vote!

Saturday’s show gathered an average rating of 3.419.000 viewers, in its 120-minute duration sweeping a share of 82.85%.

Compared to last year’s edition, the final gained 149.000 viewers and almost 8.75 cents of viewing share (2023 – 82.85%, 2022 – 76.1%) 

The final show Melodifestivalen 2023 viewers number increased by 1.104.000 viewers, compared to last week’s semi-final show!

Melodifestivalen 2023 Final Results

International Jury Winner

Loreen – “Tattoo”

General  Winner

Loreen – “Tattoo”

Don’t miss out on Loreen’s performance, at the Melodifestivalen 2023 afterparty that took place at Berns Stockholm! Check out our YouTube channel for more interviews, reactions videos and Melodifestivalen material!

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun, for all the latest developments regarding Sweden’s entry for Eurovision 2023!

Photo: Andreas Papayiannakis
Source: MMS

Sweden: Loreen is the winner of Melodifestivalen 2023 and will represent the country this year in Liverpool!

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Ninety minutes ago, the show of the Final of Melodifestivalen 2023, started off on SVT and SVT Play and we now know that Loreen will represent Sweden at Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, with the song “Tattoo“!

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THEOZ: “Hopefully you will see me again at Melodifestivalen with an English song!” | Exclusive interview!

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The 17-year-old Swedish heartthrob THEOZ, who is an artist, dancer and actor with over 2 million followers from all over the world on social media, debuted last year at Melodifestivalen 2022 by placing seventh. For a second year in a row he hopes to be selected to represent Sweden , with the song ”Mer av Dig” which is one of the favourites to qualify to the final at this weeks semi-final show.

Eurovisionfun is in Stockholm and THEOZ welcomed us at the headquarters of Warner Music Sweden and spoke exclusively to Andreas Papagiannakis, one day before he leaves for Örnsköldsvik to compete at the semi-final show this Saturday March the 4th! He commented on his appearance this year, the prospect of him touring internationally and one of the writers of his song Axel Schylström who also participated at the 4th heat with his song “Gorgeous”.

He is thrilled to be back at the contest and to experience all this adventure again, getting able to do what he loves the most: music.

He has felt the change over the years and after his experience at Melodifestivalen and also mentions:

I feel much more confident both in myself and my music too. I toured throughout Sweden during the summer and that made me feel relaxed and not so nervous anymore when I am on stage.

As for the prospect of him touring internationally, he commented:

It’s one of my biggest dreams to have a tour outside of Sweden, but currently it’s hard, as most of my songs are in Swedish. So maybe in the future, I hope that this dream will come true one day.

Axel Schylström is one of the writers of his 2023 and 2022 entries. THEOZ feels glad and comfortable that he collaborates with Axel again and he adds:

We are very close with Axel and he knows me as a person, so we have a very good connection. I really like to work with him, he has also written me other songs from my disgography, I think we are a good team.

Would there be any changes in his staging in the next show? THEOZ says that most of the time it’s hard to make any changes to a number, even if they are minor and also states:

I hope I can do changes, some minor improvements. I haven’t planned anything yet. But maybe I would do a big change if I advance to the final.

It was very big for him to perform at the 2nd Heat in Linköping, which is his hometown:

I feel like I was a little bit more nervous, because I had to do my best for the crowd in my hometown. But it was very cool. I was just out there living my best life. That time on stage in Linköping was my best time on stage, was so much fun and made me have many emotions to represent my hometown right in my hometown.

He had never performed in Örnsköldsvik before and he feels excited for this first time, next Saturday.

With regards to this year’s Melodifestivalen songs, he loves “Never Give Up” by Maria Sur and of course “Tattoo” by Loreen, he was totally shocked seeing Loreen’s performance on stage.

Watch our full exlcusive interview with THEOZ below:

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Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all Eurovision related news!

Sweden: This is what the Melodifestivalen 2023 Stage looks like!

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The design of this year’s Melodifestivalen stage has been completed and SVT unveiled a sketch/working image of how the final stage looks like, before it gets constructed at Scandinavium Arena in Gothenburg. It can now be seen in a post at the official Melodifestivalen Twitter account of SVT.

Instead of two stages like last year, there will instead be one well-sized stage. The record-breaking staircase to the front of the stage is recognisable, but is split in two and offers a pointed stage where the performers can be close to the audience. The record-breaking staircase to the front of the stage is recognisable, but is split in two and offers a pointed stage where the performers can be close to the audience.

As for this year’s Greenroom, it will be similar in appearance and placement, as the big party place on the parquet in the middle of the crowd, and almost as generously scaled during the tour as well as in the final.  

The construction of the stage will be livestreaming next week starting Monday 30 January 12:00 CET, at SVT Play with the show “Den stora scenriggningen“.

Changes in voting system

As we have already informed you, the voting system of Melodifestivalen has changed following the announced changes by EBU regarding the voting format in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool!

The broadcaster now scraps the group division at the fifth semi-final and all eight contestants will now have to face each other. Points will be awarded from the viewing groups and the four entries with the highest points will advance to the final!

The dates of Melodifestivalen 2023

  • Heat 1: Göteborg – Saturday 4 February 2023 (Scandinavium)
  • Heat 2: Linköping – Saturday 11 February 2023 (Saab Arena)
  • Heat 3: Lidköping – Saturday 18 February 2023 (Sparbanken Arena)
  • Heat 4: Malmö – Saturday 25 February 2023 (Malmö Arena)
  • Semi-Final: Örnsköldsvik – Saturday 4 March 2023 (Hägglunds Arena)
  • Final: Stockholm – Satuday 11 March 2023 (Friends Arena)

We remind you that Melodifestivalen 2023 is scheduled to take place between February 4th to March 11th and will be hosted by Jesper Rönndahl and Farah Abadi.

Melodifestivalen 2022 was won by Cornelia Jacobs with the song “Hold Me Closer”, representing Sweden in Eurovision 2022 and coming 4th with 438 points.

Stay tuned at Eurovisionfun, for all the latest developments regarding Sweden’s entry for Eurovision 2023!

Source: SVT
Scene Graphics: Viktor Brattström

Sweden: The running order for Melodifestivalen 2023 is announced!

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The the running order for the semi-finals of Melodifestivalen 2023 was just revealed by SVT!

The running order is determined, each year, by the production team of Melodifestivalen, taking into consideration both the competing songs’ musical qualities as well as stage performance and other production considerations and can be read below:

First Heat: Göteborg, 4th February 2023

  1. Tone Sekelius – Rhythm Of My Show
  2. Loulou LaMotte – Inga sorger
  3. Rejhan – Haunted
  4. Elov & Beny – Raggen går
  5. Victor Crone – Diamonds
  6. Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos – Länge leve livet
  7. Jon Henrik Fjällgren, Arc North feat. Adam Woods – Where You Are (Sávežan)

Second Heat: Linköping, 11th February 2023

  1. Wiktoria – All My Life (Where Have You Been)
  2. Eden – Comfortable
  3. Uje Brandelius – Grytan
  4. Panetoz – On My Way
  5. Tennessee Tears – Now I Know
  6. Maria Sur – Never Give Up
  7. THEOZ – Mer av dig

Third Heat: Lidköping, 18th February 2023

  1. Paul Rey – Royals
  2. Casanovas – Så kommer känslorna tillbaka
  3. Melanie Wehbe – For The Show
  4. Nordman – Släpp alla sorger
  5. Laurell – Sober
  6. Ida-Lova – Låt hela stan se på
  7. Marcus & Martinus – Air

Fourth Heat: Malmö, 25th February 2023

  1. Kiana – Where Did You Go
  2. Signe & Hjördis – Edelweiss
  3. Smash Into Pieces – Six Feet Under
  4. Mariette – One Day
  5. Emil Henrohn – Mera mera mera
  6. Axel Schylström – Gorgeous
  7. Loreen – Tattoo

Jesper Rönndahl and Farah Abadi will present Melodifestivalen 2023. The Semi-Finals will follow the touring concept again, after SVT had pulled back last year due to health restrictions in Sweden, with the finals being held at Friends Arena! With the opening of the contest in Göteborg, Saturday February the 4th, Melodifestivalen will be held in Linköping, Lidköping, Malmö, Örnsköldsvik and then in Stockholm on the 11th of March.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments related to the Swedish national selection for Eurovision 2023!

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: This is what the Melodifestivalen 2022 Stage looks like!

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After the completion of the construction of the Melodifestivalen 2022 stage, at Avicii Arena in Stockholm, SVT unveiled its design. In the past, the stage design was revealed to the public long before the live shows and long before any construction work was to take place.

This year, SVT hadn’t published any CGI render of the stage before it was actually completed, but streamed the entire construction process, live in realtime on SVT Play, allowing the fans to see the stage gradually being built up.

The full CGS render but also real photos of how the final stage looks like, can be seen in a post at the official Melodifestivalen Twitter account of SVT, however, SVT has not revealed the technical specifications of the stage yet.

The process

Currently, the Swedish government guidelines and restrictions due to the pandemic, limit the crowd in indoor events to 500 people while also allowing one seat empty in each direction around one occupied seat.

Two songs will directly qualify to the grand final of Melodifestivalen 2022, which will take place on the 12th of March. The songs that will place third and fourth will have to compete again, at the fifth semi-final, held on the 5th of March. There will be four semi-finals in total.

Oscar Zia will present the Melodifestivalen 2022, while due to the outbreak of COVID-19, the shows for the national selection process that will represent Sweden in Turin this year, will be held exclusively in Stockholm!

Melodifestivalen 2022 finals will he held on the 12th of March, when we will get to know who will be selected as a representative for Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest in Turin!

The detailed schedule of Melodifestivalen 2022 is described below:

  • First Semi-Final on the 5th of February
  • Second Semi-Final on the 12th of February
  • Third Semi-Final on the 19th of Februrary
  • Fourth Semi-Final on the 26th of February
  • Fifth Semi-Final on the 5th of March
  • The Final on the 12th of March

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

Source: Eurovoix
Photo: SVT

Sweden: Tomorrow semi-final allocation and running order for Melodifestivalen 2022 to be revealed by SVT!

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It’s the final countdown!

Just a few minutes ago, the Swedish public broadcaster SVT, posted an announcement on their official Twitter account for Melodifestivalen, stating that tomorrow morning at 09:00 Greek time (08:00 CET) the allocation of all contestants to the semi-finals and their running order will finally be revealed!

https://twitter.com/SVTmelfest/status/1470414288795877377?s=20

The 28 contestants

We remind you that the line-up of the 28 contestants that will compete, in hopes of representing Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 are the following:

  • Anders Bagge – Bigger Than The Universe
  • Cazzi Opeia – I Can’t Get Enough
  • Omar Rudberg – Moving Like That
  • Klara Hammarström – Run To The Hills
  • Tribe Friday – Shut Me Up
  • John Lundvik – Änglavakt
  • Cornelia Jacobs – Hold Me Closer
  • Niello & Lisa Ajax
  • Faith Kakembo – Freedom
  • LIAMOO – Bluffin
  • Linda Bengtzing – Fyrfaldigt hurra!
  • Samira Manners – I Want To Be Loved
  • Danne Stråhed – Hallaballoo
  • THEOZ – Som du vill
  • Malou Prytz – Bananas
  • Lisa Miskovsky – Best To come
  • Browsing Collection – Face In The Crowd
  • Anna Bergendahl – Higher Power
  • MEDINA – In i dimman
  • Robin Bengtsson – Innocent Love
  • Tenori – La Stella
  • Shirley Clamp – Let There Be Angels
  • Lancelot – Lyckligt slut
  • Tone Sekelius – My Way
  • Alvaro Estrella – Suave
  • Malin Christin – Synd om dig
  • Angelino – The End
  • Lillasyster – Till Our Days Are Over

The detailed schedule of Melodifestivalen 2022 is described below:

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

Oscar Zia will present Melodifestivalen 2022. The Semi-Finals will follow the touring concept once more (after the coronavirus outbreak), as usual, with the finals being held at Friends Arena! With the opening of the contest in Malmö, Saturday February the 5th, Melodifestivalen will be held in Göteborg, Linköping, Lidköping, Örnsköldsvik and then in Stockholm.

Stay tuned to Eurovisionfun for all the developments related to the Swedish national selection for Eurovision 2022!