Melodifestivalen 2025 concludes this week and we have rehearsal #LiveBlogs ahead of the big show on Saturday evening – all coming to you live from the newly renamed Strawberry Arena, in Stockholm. The twelve finalists will be taking to the stage & for today, will be rehearsing outside of performance order.

So join me, Richard, from 08:20 GMT/09:20 CET, as we discover who will shine in Sweden. You know what to do by now, refresh regularly to see what we have to say in our #LiveBlog.

Refresh here from 08:20 GMT/09:20 CET

Nu kör vi!!!

08:20 GMT/09:20 CET: A*Teens – “Iconic”

A*Teens take me back to my school days! Sorry, had to slip that in at some point. If you are a fan of Steps, then “Iconic” is the song for you. The staging – think Ani Lorak for Ukraine (ESC 2008), hasn’t changed since the first heat. They also wear the same blue outfits.

The second run through and lets look at a few of the techy bits. Plenty of blue lighting – with hints of pink and white within the light boxes where A*Teens spend most of the performance. “Iconic” is also lit up above the light boxes in white at the start of the performance.

The third and final run through saw the pyrotechnics take centre stage – although these will only be used at the end of the performance. “Iconic” is the perfect opening number for this year’s Grand Final.

A*Teens will perform in 1st position on Saturday evening.

08:50/09:50: Meira Omar – “Dooset Daram” (I love you)

Meira is in a pale green outfit that matches her backing dancers. If you remember Turkey’s “Dum Tek Tek” from 2009, it has a similar beat to it. Meira starts the performance on a massive rock, along with their backing dancers, before they all rise up for the performance. A very turkish vibe. I’m sure it matches the routine from the heat, but I honestly can’t remember.

The second run through and lets look at a few of the techy bits. Lighting features subtle fiery colours with hints of purples and blues. This will be the first time in the running order we see the catwalk in use during the performance – what do we find at the end? Grains of sand.

The third and final run through saw the pyrotechnics take centre stage. These are used while Meira and her dancers are at the rock. Then we get more on the main stage while the performance moves to the Catwalk. “Dooset Daram” is the a safe and nice option, but I personally can’t seeing it troubling the top of the results table.

Meira will perform in 2nd position on Saturday evening.

09:20/10:20: Saga Ludvigsson – “Ain’t Today”

Saga Ludvigsson is back for a second successive final after her debut last year. “Ain’t Today” has a cowgirl vibe about it, similar to her entry last year. Saga is in black with silver accessories, while her backing dancers are in black. The set is simple, with a couple of light towers and a fan wall behind.

For her second run through of “Ain’t Today”, pyrotechnics have been added to Saga’s performance. We have sparks flying out from the fan wall sporadocally throughout the performance, while Catherine wheels are used at the end. Lighting tends to be a bit more on the brighter side.

Saga’s third run through is a formality and has been done to ensure everything is polished. Saga has a strong entry for the second year running, but again I personally can’t seeing it troubling the top of the results table.

Saga will perform in 4th position on Saturday evening.

09:50/10:50: Cimberly – “Eternity”

Cimberly is making her debut at Melodifestivalen this year. Dressed in gold, she is stood on a raised piece of stage. She is joined by a couple of backing dancers, in matching gold. Cimberly certainly adds some sass to the performance. The bright lighting is a performance in itself.

The second run through appears to have more intense lighting, which allows the cameras to enhance some special effects visually on Cimberly. One other note, the singing starts as soon as the music starts and the singing stops when the music stops. There are no notes leading in to the singing or out of the singing.

A debutant after a third run through that is aiming high in the results. This is certainly not the last time we will see Cimberly.

Cimberly will perform in 6th position on Saturday evening.

10:20/11:20: Greczula – “Half Of Me”

Greczula has one big notable difference from the heat. He is now dressed in white, rather than black. Like Cimberly, he is on a raised piece of stage. Red lighting is used – whether this differs from the heat, I honestly can remember. For those that watched the heat, “Half Of Me” sounds so familiar and yet can’t put my finger on it why. At the very end, he is risen in the air, while holding on to what looks a fireman’s pole.

Greczula certainly looks like he will know how to work the crowd. It won’t take full effect at the moment, as there is only a handful of press in the arena. At the very end, when he is risen in the air, this takes place at the end of the catwalk, so Greczula is utilising all the space available to him.

In his final run through for today, Greczula removes his jacket before been raised into the air and is joined by a sea of pyrotechnics from the main stage. After a successful debut last year, Greczula is certainly aiming for a win.

Greczula will perform in 8th position on Saturday evening.

10:50/11:50: Felicia – “My System”

We have been informed that Felicia will be resting her voice during these rehearsals and will not be singing at her full potential.

Felicia has taken to the stage, dressed in black, along with a transparent black face mask – remember those covid days? Lighting is very much red. A very modern sound and performance for what we may be used to at Melodifestivalen. You can definitely tell Felicia is resting her voice.

While Felicia is still resting her voice, she does seem to have turned up another notch to perform this run through. She will no doubt bring everything to the table on Saturday night, as one of, if not the front runner for victory and Sweden’s ticket to Vienna. I would question whether every age bracket will award her enough points, as I see “My System” as niche. How the juries will act will also be interesting after last year’s awarding of points.

Felicia will perform in 10th position on Saturday evening.

LUNCH BREAK – #JoinUs again from 14:35/15:35

Refresh here from 14:35 GMT/15:35 CET

Nu kör vi!!!

Felicia wasn’t singing after all it appears! But back on to this afternoon…

14:35 GMT/15:35 CET: Sanna Nielsen – “Waste Your Love”

Sanna Nielsen has taken to the stage in a sparkly silver ensemble. The tune sounds something similar to what we have come to expect from Arianna Grande. This is a very Sanna schlager number we have grown to expect from her. A lighting ring is hung above her, in the direction of the audience. No backing dancers or singers join Sanna on stage.

More lighting details sees pinks, purples and. blues. Sanna uses the catwalk to utilise the space available to her nearer the end of the song – with a raised piece of staging at the end for her.

This is a polished performance from Sanna and is what we have come to expect. Sadly, I believe there is too much competition for her to take that second victory. However, I hope that doesn’t put her off from returning to the competition again.

Sanna will perform in 11th position on Saturday evening.

15:05/16:05: Robin Bengtsson – “Honey Honey”

Robin takes centre stage with his guitar for the song he got through the final qualification round last weekend – another cowboy style tune. He is surrounded by his backing dancers/singers, who are dressed in denim shirts/trousers. During the second half of the song, they all move with Robin along the catwalk.

The stage is again warmly lit and the orange glow is maintained throughout the performance. There doesn’t seem to be any gimmicks here – it is a case of what you see, is what you will get.

While Robin has taken victory before, he is unlikely to trouble the top of the points table with such fierce competition this year.

Robin will perform in 9th position on Saturday evening.

15:35/16:35: Brandsta City Slackers – “Rakt in i elden” (Straight into the fire)

The Brandsta City Slackers entered the stage (minus the drummer) down a fireman’s pole. Much the same from their heat. The lead singer mimed putting out the flames, as the pyrotechnics were not in use for this run through. Without an audience, the visual rapport between the Brandsta City Slackers is missing. This rapport has to be the reason they are final in the running order.

Another run through, much the same without the pyrotechnics.

The final run through and we have the pyrotechnics. I believe there are probably more than their performance in the heat here this afternoon. Brandsta City Slackers have their fans. Stranger things like a victory could happen on Saturday night.

Brandsta City Slackers will perform in 12th position on Saturday evening.

16:05/17:05: Medina – “Viva l’amor”

Medina, dressed in red and black, have brought the party vibes to the stage. What is notable here, Medina utilise the satellite stage and catwalk from the start. Only does the main stage come into use much later into the performance. I can certainly se their backing dancers bringing the carnival vibes, while interacting with the audience.

At the end of the final run through, not only do Medina serve us some Pyrotechnics, but not necessarily on the scale of some of the others, but confetti is released as well – those poor unsuspecting audience members.

Medina have been close to winning with this style of song before. Will the public and the juries finally make their dreams come true or will they be left as the bridesmaid once again? In the UK, we have a phrase – “Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.”

Medina will perform in 7th position on Saturday evening.

16:35/17:35: Smash Into Pieces – “Hollow”

Smash Into Pieces have brought a new sound to the fore with “Hollow”. While the rock element is still there, it is not quite as heavy as “Six Feet Under” or “Heroes Are Calling” were. The neon elements are there that we’ve previously grown to love about the group, however “Hollow” sort of fizzles out at the end. The whole band is raised up at the end of the performance from the centre of the main stage.

Final run through included some pyrotechnics. However, like Medina’s, they were more of a splattering than full on explosives. While not a favourite, I think sadly for them this year they will struggle to do as well as in their last two attempts.

Smash Into Pieces will perform in 5th position on Saturday evening.

17:05/18:05: Lilla Al-Fadji – “Delulu”

Due to some slight tech difficulties, we can only hear “Delulu”, so here is a clip from the heat to give you an idea of what is to come on Saturday night:

Lilla will perform in 3rd position on Saturday evening.

Enjoy the show on Saturday night. Not only will there be the usual winner’s article, but we will have some analysis of the results across next week.

Let us know what you think about Sweden and the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest – either in the comments below or on our FACEBOOK, BLUESKY, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM and TIKTOK pages.

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Author: Richard Taylor

Source: SVT & YouTube/SVT