Melodifestivalen 2014 application process. Photograph courtesy of SVT

Just a month after hosting Eurovision 2013 – SVT – the Swedish National Broadcaster have announced the application process for Melodifestivalen 2014 (the Swedish National Selection Process)

Again there will be 32 songs selected for the 4 Heats. How will the 32 songs be selected?

Firstly SVT have imposed a new rule into the selection process.

SVT want to see more women at Melodifestivalen. Therefore 20% of the selected entries are to be written by female composers/lyricists either alone or with male colleagues. From the country that prides itself on equality this seems like a strange rule to impose. In sociological circles they call this “Positive Discrimination” . It is potentially ruling out the best candidates for the role as they do not fit the enforced criteria or gender in this circumstance – in this case a male song writer could have a better song yet he may not be selected due to SVT imposing that 20% of writers must be women.

Our suggestion – SVT should advertise in media channels that have a higher female demographic or arrange and speak to female songwriters in the Swedish music industry and educational system. It seems that the sentiment is right from SVT to encourage song writers form both genders but the methodology is somewhat flawed.

The Selection of the 32 songs will be in 2 formats. 16 songs will be selected via the general/public application process where people submit songs to SVT and then the remaining 16 songs will be based on invitations made by SVT to singers/song writers etc.

Through the Public Selection Process – The selection panel chooses up to 15 entries from the applications to the Regular contest. One prerequisite is for lyrics and music to have been written by at least one composer/songwriter who has already had a musical work published.  Then one further song is selected where the song’s composer(s)/songwriter(s) who have NOT previously had musical work published. Applicants wishing to compete can do so by uploading a sound file on svt.se  from 3-18 September.

Through the Invitation Selection Process – The remaining 16 entries will be by special invitations made by SVT or entries that SVT has selected  from the general application process. This group of contestants includes the winning artist  from the “Svensktoppen Nästa 2013” contest, who is guaranteed a place in the next year’s Melodifestival.

In the end half of the selected songs will come via an expert panel and half by the Melodifestivalen producers.

Application Dates

Submissions will be accepted by SVT from 3rd-18th September

For full information on the application process, here are the official details

http://www.svt.se/melodifestivalen/article1300677.svt/binary/Regler%20Melodifestivalen%202014%20English.pdf

In response to the new 20% female ruling by SVT, we have picked our favorite “Girl Power Act” from Melodifestivalen 2013 – who should have been in the Grand Final.

Can SVT improve on their disappointing result at Eurovision 2013?

Source – SVT.SE