SWEDEN: Melodifestivalen 2018 participants revealed

One of the most eagerly anticipated events of the Eurovision season is Melodifestivalen. It’s consistently popular, watched all over Europe, and even the venues for the semi-finals and finals sell out in record time. Broadcaster SVT always takes it around Sweden, thus generating plenty of interest from Örnsköldvik to Malmö and everywhere in between.

SVT has now revealed the 28 semi-finalists that will compete for the honour of going to sunny Lisbon next May. But who are they? Here’s the big reveal…

… and here’s the in running order (if you weren’t paying attention):

Karlstad – 3 February

Renaida – All the feels

Benjamin Ingrosso – Dance you off

Edward Blom – Livet på en pinne (Life on a stick)

John Lundvik – My turn

Kikki Danielsson – Osby Tennessee

Sigrid Bernson – Patrick Swayze

Kamferdrops – Solen lever kvar hos dig (The sun is still alive with you)

Göteborg – 10 February

Ida Redig – Allting som vi sa (Everything as we said)

Jonas Gardell – Det finns en väg (There is a way)

Margaret – In my cabana

Liamoo – Last breath

Samir & Viktor – Shuffla

Mimi Werner – Songburning

Stiko Per Larson – Titta vi flyger (Look, we’re flying)

Malmö – 17 February

Martin Almgren – A bitter lullaby

Dotter – Cry

Moncho – Cuba Libre

Méndez – Everyday

Kalle Moraeus & Orsa Spelmän – Min dröm (My dream)

Jessica Andersson – Party voice

Barbi Escobar – Stark

Örnsköldvik – 24 February

Felicia Olsson – Break that chain

Felix Sandman – Every single day

Mariette – For you

Rolandz – Fuldans

Emmi Christensson – Icarus

Elias Abbas – Mitt paradis (My paradise)

Olivia – Never learn

You’ll see a few names of note amongst the lucky 28. First is Kikki Danielsson. She performed as a soloist in 1985, finishing third in Gothenburg. Jessica Andersson was one half of Fame, who came fifth in Riga in 2003. Margaret is a Polish singer – popular in Sweden – who finished second in the Polish preselection for the 2016 contest in Stockholm. Samir & Viktor are back again for a third attempt, after previous Melodifestivalen appearances in 2015 and 2016.

As you’ll also see, six songs are in Swedish. Maybe after a non-English song winning in Kyiv, we could see something in Swedish in Lisbon next year.

Who would you like to see win Melodifestivalen? An established artist or someone new? Tell us what you think.

Author: John Stanton

Source: SVT