Sweden’s national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, Melodifestivalen, is reaching its climax. Tonight, the final takes place in Stockholm, following a series of heats across the country. The competition has already captivated audiences and generated significant buzz within the European music scene.
The second deltävling (heat) held on February 7th in Göteborg saw Felicia and Brandsta City Släckers secure direct passage to the final. Robin Bengtsson also advanced, qualifying for the “Final qual” round scheduled for three weeks’ time. This marks the 30th time Melodifestivalen has been hosted in Göteborg, highlighting the city’s long-standing relationship with the event. Eurovisionworld.com has more on the qualifying acts.
The journey to the final has taken Melodifestivalen to various cities, including Linköping, Kristianstad, Malmö, and Sundsvall. All shows are being presented by hosts Gina Dirawi and Hampus Nessvold.
A total of 30 acts initially competed in five heats. The voting system involves two rounds, with viewers able to vote via app and telephone. In the first round, the act with the most votes goes directly to the final. The second round sees viewers voting again from the remaining five participants, with app votes divided into eight voting groups based on age, each converting to 38 points. The artist with the highest total points then qualifies for the final.
Recent audience polls indicate strong support for Felicia, who won the final audience poll after also placing first in the second semi-final. According to thateurovisionsite.com, Felicia received 161 votes from 620 surveyed. Other artists receiving votes included Lilla Al-Fadji, MEDINA, Brandsta City Släckers, and A*Teens.
Experts are weighing in on who will ultimately win Melodifestivalen. Aftonbladet reports that their experts are currently predicting the final results.
Yet, Felicia has reportedly been feeling unwell, stating, “Mår sämre än i går,” which translates to “Feeling worse than yesterday,” according to Västerbottens-Kuriren. Despite this, she remains a strong contender.
Fans can chat with Dagens Nyheter’s experts about the final at Dagens Nyheter. The event promises a thrilling conclusion to Sweden’s search for its Eurovision representative.
