Sweden: Sanna Nielsen wins Melodifestivalen!

Sanna Nielsen will represent Sweden in Copenhagen.

Stockholm, Sweden - It's been an outstanding Melodifestivalen tour around Sweden arriving to the capital, Stockholm, tonight for the final of the Swedish national selection of the Eurovision Song Contest. Ten acts gave their all to win the votes of the international juries and the people of Sweden, but the one that manage to get the highest number of points, and go to Copenhagen, is Sanna Nielsen with the song Undo.

After four semi-finals, a second chance round and tonight's final, Melodifestivalen 2014 is over. For the past 6 weeks 32 acts have been fighting for the honour of representing Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest.

 

But it was all down to the votes of the 11 international jury groups, which accounted for 50% of the total result, and the telephone votes of the Swedish audience, accounting for the remaining 50%. In the end they decided that Sanna Nielsen will represent Sweden in Copenhagen with the song Undo.

The finalists

This is the order of appearance in which the artists participated tonight:

1. Anton Ewald - Natural (John Lundvik)
2. Ellen Benediktson - Songbird (Sharon Vaughn, Johan Fransson, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren)
3. Alcazar - Blame It On The Disco (Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One” Pirouzpanah)
4. Oscar Zia - Yes We Can (Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One” Pirouzpanah)
5. Linus Svenning - Bröder (Fredrik Kempe)
6. Helena Paparizou - Survivor (Bobby Ljunggren, Henrik Wikström, Karl-Ola Kjellholm, Sharon Vaughn)
7. YOHIO - To The End (Andreas Johnson, Johan Lyander, Peter Kvint, YOHIO)
8. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One" Pirouzpanah)
9. Panetoz - Efter Solsken (Johan Hirvi, Mats Lie Skåre, Nebeyu Baheru, Njol Badjie, Pa Modou Badjie)
10. Ace Wilder - Busy Doin' Nothing (Ace Wilder, Joy Deb, Linnéa Deb)

The Swedish broadcaster SVT offered yet another top entertainment show which, besides the contestants, offered other guest performances from Swedish Eurovision Song Contest singers, like that the 1999 Eurovision winner Charlotte (Nilsson) Perrelli and an interval act dedicated to another Eurovision winner from Sweden: Waterloo by ABBA that won the contest 40 years ago.
After the international juries gave their points the top 3 looked like this:

1. Ace Wilder - Busy Doin' Nothing 97 points
2. Sanna Nielsen - Undo 90 points
3. Alcazar - Blame It On The Disco 62 points

Then the Swedish public gave their results

1. Sanna Nielsen - Undo 122 points (Total 212 points)
2. Ace Wilder - Busy Doin' Nothing 113 points (Total 210 points)
3. Alcazar - Blame It On The Disco 48 points (Total 110 points)

Which means Sanna Nielsen is the winner by just 2 points.
The winner of Melodifestivalen 2014 Sanna Nielsen will go on to represent Sweden at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the first Semi-Final on the 6th of May with Undo.

Do you agree with the results of the Swedish Melodifestivalen?

Tonight: Sweden chooses for Copenhagen

The finalists in the Friends Arena.

Stockholm, Sweden - Five weeks full of exciting entertainment have led to the final of Melodifestivalen 2014, the Swedish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen. Ten acts have reached this stage but only one will be the winner. Watch it tonight, starting at 20:00 CET, from the Friends Arena in Stockholm.

After four semi-finals and a second chance round the time for the Melodifestivalen 2014 final has arrived. The line-up includes ten acts: four male and four female solo singers, an all-male group and a mixed group act. They'll fight for the honour of representing Sweden in Stockholm's stadium in Solna, the Friends Arena.

In the first semi-final YOHIO and Ellen Benediktson were the winners

The Swedish broadcaster SVT will offer a top entertainment show including other guest performances like that of the 1999 Eurovision Song Contest winner Charlotte (Nilsson) Perrelli and an interval act dedicated to another Eurovision winner from Sweden: Waterloo by ABBA who won the contest 40 years ago.

Panetoz and Sanna Nielsen proceeded to the final from the second semi-final

The finalists

This is the order of appearance in which the artists will participate in the the final::

1. Anton Ewald - Natural (John Lundvik)
2. Ellen Benediktson - Songbird (Sharon Vaughn, Johan Fransson, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren)
3. Alcazar - Blame It On The Disco (Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One” Pirouzpanah)
4. Oscar Zia - Yes We Can (Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One” Pirouzpanah)
5. Linus Svenning - Bröder (Fredrik Kempe)
6. Helena Paparizou - Survivor (Bobby Ljunggren, Henrik Wikström, Karl-Ola Kjellholm, Sharon Vaughn)
7. YOHIO - To The End (Andreas Johnson, Johan Lyander, Peter Kvint, YOHIO)
8. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One" Pirouzpanah)
9. Panetoz - Efter Solsken (Johan Hirvi, Mats Lie Skåre, Nebeyu Baheru, Njol Badjie, Pa Modou Badjie)
10. Ace Wilder - Busy Doin' Nothing (Ace Wilder, Joy Deb, Linnéa Deb)

Ace Wilder and Oscar Zia got their ticket to the final in the 3rd semi-final in Gothenburg

You'll be able to follow the 2014 Swedish final stream starting at 19:45 CET on the Melodifestivalen official website.

Alcazar and Anton Ewald went through from the 4th semi-final.

The winner of Melodifestivalen 2014 will go on to represent Sweden at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the first Semi-Final on the 6th of May.

Helena Paparizou and Linus Svenning, the winners of the Second Chance round.

What is your favourite song to represent Sweden in Copenhagen?

Melodifestivalen final line-up complete in Sweden

Participants in the Second Chance of Melodifestivalen.

Lidköping, Sweden - In a very exciting show from Lidköping the television viewers in Sweden chose the last two finalists for their popular national selection Melodifestivalen: The lucky artists are Linus Svenning with the song in Swedish Bröder and 2005 Eurovision Song Contest winner for Greece, Helena Paparizou with Survivor.

For the past four weeks Sweden has been hosting the semi-finals of their hugely popular Melodifestivalen, their national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. In each of those semi-finals two acts proceeded to the final and two to the second chance round, or in Swedish Andra Chansen.
This second chance round has just taken place in Lidköping with the following line-up:

1. Ammotrack - Raise Your Hands (Jari Kujansuu, Thomas Johansson, Calle Kindbom, Mikael de Bruin)
2. Linus Svenning - Bröder (Fredrik Kempe)
3. JEM - Love Trigger (Thomas G:son, Peter Boström, Julimar "J-Son" Santos)
4. State of Drama - All We Are (Göran Werner, Sanken Sandqvist, Emil Gullhamn, Sebastian Hallifax)
5. Ellinore Holmer - En Himmelsk Sång (Ellinore Holmer, Vanna Rosenberg, Åsa Schmalenbach, Josefina Sanner, Henrik Wikström, Amir Aly)
6. Martin Stenmarck - När Änglarna Går Hem (Andreas Öhrn, Alexander Bard, Martin Stenmarck, Peter Boström)
7. Helena Paparizou - Survivor (Bobby Ljunggren, Henrik Wikström, Karl-Ola Kjellholm, Sharon Vaughn)
8. Outtrigger - Echo (Joy Deb, Linnéa Deb, Anton Malmberg Hård Af Segerstad, Outtrigger)

There was a first round of "televoting" to eliminate three of the candidates. The least voted ones were: Ammotrack (8th), JEM (6th) and Ellinore Holmer (7th).

The duels

Then the audience was treated to a medley performed by the current Eurovision Song Contest winner, Emmelie de Forest, of her winning song Only Teardrops featuring another Eurovision Song Contest winner, Åsa Jinder from Secret Garden, and the theme of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest Rainmaker.
After this there was a second round of "televoting" to eliminate one more contestant, which turned out to be last year's finalists State of Drama (5th), leaving four acts which had to duel in the following way: the 4th ranked against the 1st ranked and the 3rd versus the 2nd (the rankings were not made public):
Duel number 1 (winner in bold):

• Outtrigger - Echo
• Helena Paparizou Survivor

Duel number 2 (winner in bold):

• Linus Svenning - Bröder
• Martin Stenmarck - När Änglarna Går Hem

The final

The winners of the duels will join the acts that went straight to the Swedish final the 8th of March in Stockholm, which now looks like this:

• YOHIO - To The End
• Ellen Benediktson - Songbird
• Sanna Nielsen - Undo
• Panetoz - Efter Solsken
• Oscar Zia - Yes We Can
• Ace Wilder - Busy Doin' Nothing
• Anton Ewald - Natural
• Alcazar - Blame It On The Disco
• Helena Paparizou Survivor
• Linus Svenning - Bröder

Do you agree with the results in Sweden tonight?

Last semi-final complete in Sweden

Alcazar and Anton Ewald won their place in the final of Melodifestivalen.

 

Örnsköldsvik, Sweden - The fourth, and last, semi-final of the Swedish national selection for the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, Melodifestivalen, just took place in Örnsköldsvik where Anton Ewald and Alcazar qualified directly to the final in Stockholm on the 8th of March.

The Melodifestivalen tour goes up north for the 4th semi-final to the town of Örnsköldsvik where the final eight songs were premiered in the following order:

1. Alcazar - Blame It On The Disco (Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One” Pirouzpanah)
2. I.D.A - Fight Me If You Dare (Albin Nicklasson, Nicklas Laine, Louise Frick Sveen)
3. Janet Leon - Hollow (Karl-Ola Kjellholm, Jimmy Jansson, Louise Winter)
4. Ammotrack - Raise Your Hands (Jari Kujansuu, Thomas Johansson, Calle Kindbom, Mikael de Bruin)
5. Josef Johansson - Hela Natten (Peter Boström, Thomas G:son, Josef Johansson, Peo Thyrén)
6. Linda Bengtzing - Ta Mig (Nicke Borg, Jojo Borg Larsson)
7. Ellinore Holmer - En Himmelsk Sång (Ellinore Holmer, Vanna Rosenberg, Åsa Schmalenbach, Josefina Sanner, Henrik Wikström, Amir Aly)
8. Anton Ewald - Natural (John Lundvik)

Alcazar came close to winning Melodifestivalen in 2003 and 2005, and its male performer, Andreas Lundstedt, represented Switzerland as part of the group Six4one in 2006. Both Janet Leon and Anton Ewald participated last year while Linda Bengtzing made her debut in the competition in 2005 and came back in 2006, 2008 and 2011.

"Vi här ett resultat!"

After the first round of voting I.D.A., Josef Johansson and Janet Leon were eliminated. An interval act featured singer songwriter Tomas Ledin, who represented Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1980.
Then the final results were announced. Anton Ewald (pictured below) danced his way to the final at the Friends Arena with the song Natural.

After that it was time to announce the two acts proceeding to Andra Chansen, the second chance round, to take place in Lidköping next Saturday:

• Ammotrack - Raise Your Hands
• Ellinore Holmer - En Himmelsk Sång

The second straight finalist was Alcazar (pictured below) with the song Blame It On The Disco and their huge flying disco ball which meant that Linda Bengtzing with Ta Mig finished 5th and was eliminated.

Andra Chansen

The second chance round will take place next Saturday in Lidköping with the following running order:

1. Ammotrack – Raise Your Hands
2. Linus Svenning – Bröder
3. JEM – Love Trigger
4. State Of Drama – All We Are
5. Ellinore Holmer – En himmelsk sång
6. Martin Stenmarck – När änglarna går hem
7. Helena Paparizou – Survivor
8. Outtrigger - Echo

In the second chance round there's first a telephone vote to eliminate three of the candidates. A second round of televoting to eliminate one more contestant, leaving four acts which must duel in this way: the 4th ranked against the 1st ranked and the 3rd versus the 2nd. The winners of the duels will join YOHIO, Ellen Benediktson, Sanna Nielsen, Panetoz, Oscar Zia, Ace Wilder, Anton Ewald and Alcazar in the Swedish final the 8th of March in Stockholm.

Do you agree with the results in Sweden tonight?

Sweden finds two more finalists in Gothenburg

Ace Wilder and Oscar Zia winners in Melodifestivalen tonight.

 

Gothenburg, Sweden - Melodifestivalen 2014, the Swedish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, is in full swing. After two amazing shows from Malmö and Linköping the tour hit Gothenburg today where Oscar Zia and Ace Wilder won the telephone voting and a ticket to the final.

The third semi-final of Melodifestivalen, moved to Sweden's second city, Gothenburg, and the 1985 Eurovision Song Contest venue Scandinavium. There the following eight songs competed for two final spots:

1. Outtrigger - Echo (Joy Deb, Linnéa Deb, Anton Malmberg Hård Af Segerstad, Outtrigger)
2. EKO - Red (Linnéa Deb, Joy Deb, Anna Lidman, Hannes Lundberg, Michael Ottosson)
3. Oscar Zia - Yes We Can (Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One” Pirouzpanah)
4. Shirley Clamp - Burning Alive (Bobby Ljunggren, Marcos Ubeda, Sharon Vaughn, Henrik Wikström)
5. State of Drama - All We Are (Göran Werner, Sanken Sandqvist, Emil Gullhamn, Sebastian Hallifax)
6. CajsaStina Åkerström - En Enkel Sång (CajsaStina Åkerström)
7. Ace Wilder - Busy Doin’ Nothin’ (Ace Wilder, Joy Deb, Linnéa Deb)
8. dr. alban & Jessica Folcker - Around The World (dr. alban, Jakke Erixson, Karl-Ola Kjellholm)

Participants in the third semi-final of Melodifestivalen. Photo: Olle Kirchmeier (SVT)

State of Drama reached the finals of Melodifestivalen 2013 with their song Falling. Both dr. alban and Jessica Folcker had international hits in the past and now join forces for this year's Swedish selection, Jessica also participated in the competition before. Shirley Clamp entered Melodifestivalen several times reaching 2nd place in 2004. EKO got a wildcard as the winners of Svensktoppen nästa back in August.

"Vi här ett resultat!"

After the first round of voting Shirley Clamp, CajsaStina Åkerström and EKO were eliminated. An interval act featured comedian Björn Gustafsson and a special sketch about the Winter Olympics in Sochi.
Then the final results were announced. Oscar Zia (pictured below) was the first one to be announced straight to the final at the Friends Arena with the song Yes We Can.

After that it was time to announce the two acts proceeding to Andra Chansen, the second chance round, to take place in Lidköping on the 1st of March:

• Outtrigger - Echo
• State of Drama - All We Are

The second straight finalist was Ace Wilder (pictured below) with the song Busy Doin' Nothing which meant that dr alban and Jessica Folcker with Around The World finished 5th and were eliminated.

The 4th semi-final will take place next Saturday in Örnsköldsvik. The Swedish final will be on the 8th of March in Stockholm.

Do you agree with the results in Sweden tonight?

Two more finalists chosen in Sweden

Panetoz and Sanna Nielsen got a ticket for the final.

 

Linköping, Sweden - Last Saturday the Swedish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, Melodifestivalen, kicked off in Malmö and the tour moved this week to Linköping where Sanna Nielsen and Panetoz just gained their place in the final.

This week's semi-final of Melodifestivalen, the Swedish national selection for the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, moved to Linköping where the following strong eight acts battled for the desired access to the final:

1. JEM - Love Trigger (Thomas G:son, Peter Boström, Julimar "J-Son" Santos)
2. The Refreshments - Hallelujah (Joakim Arnell)
3. Manda - Glow (Joy Deb, Linnéa Deb, Melanie Wehbe, Charlie Mason)
4. Panetoz - Efter Solsken (Johan Hirvi, Mats Lie Skåre, Nebeyu Baheru, Njol Badjie, Pa Modou Badjie)
5. Pink Pistols - I Am Somebody (Joakim Törnqvist, Nestor Geli, Per Ivar Hed, Susie Päivärinta, Tord Bäckström)
6. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One" Pirouzpanah)
7. Little Great Things - Set Yourself Free (Charlie Grönvall, Cristoffer Wernqvist, Felix Grönvall, Adam Dahlström)
8. Martin Stenmarck - När Änglarna Går Hem (Andreas Öhrn, Alexander Bard, Martin Stenmarck, Peter Boström)

Participants in the second semi-final of Melodifestivalen. Photo: Liam Karlsson (SVT)

As you might know Martin Stenmarck represented Sweden at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv with the song Las Vegas. Sanna Nielsen tried her luck in this competition seven times already and came closest in 2008 when she finished second with Empty Room. Panetoz scored a big hit with the song Dansa Pausa in 2012.

"Vi har ett resultat!"

After the first round of voting Little Great Things, Pink Pistols and Manda were eliminated. After that the audience was treated to a fun interval act with comedian Sean Banan singing a brand new version of the winner of the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest, Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley, featuring the original artists Herreys.
Then the final results were announced. Sanna Nielsen (pictured below) was the first one to be announced straight to the final at the Friends Arena with the song Undo.

After that it was time to announce the two acts proceeding to Andra Chansen, the second chance round, to take place in Lidköping on the 1st of March:

• JEM - Love Trigger
• Martin Stenmarck - När Änglarna Går Hem

The second straight finalist was the multi-ethnic group Panetoz (pictured below) with the song Efter Solsken, which meant that rockabilly band The Refreshments and Hallelujah finished 5th and were eliminated.

The third semi-final will take place next Saturday in Gothenburg. The Swedish final will be on the 8th of March in Stockholm.

Do you agree with the results in Sweden tonight?

Two more finalists chosen in Sweden

Panetoz and Sanna Nielsen got a ticket for the final.

Linköping, Sweden - Last Saturday the Swedish national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, Melodifestivalen, kicked off in Malmö and the tour moved this week to Linköping where Sanna Nielsen and Panetoz just gained their place in the final.

This week's semi-final of Melodifestivalen, the Swedish national selection for the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, moved to Linköping where the following strong eight acts battled for the desired access to the final:

1. JEM - Love Trigger (Thomas G:son, Peter Boström, Julimar "J-Son" Santos)
2. The Refreshments - Hallelujah (Joakim Arnell)
3. Manda - Glow (Joy Deb, Linnéa Deb, Melanie Wehbe, Charlie Mason)
4. Panetoz - Efter Solsken (Johan Hirvi, Mats Lie Skåre, Nebeyu Baheru, Njol Badjie, Pa Modou Badjie)
5. Pink Pistols - I Am Somebody (Joakim Törnqvist, Nestor Geli, Per Ivar Hed, Susie Päivärinta, Tord Bäckström)
6. Sanna Nielsen - Undo (Fredrik Kempe, David Kreuger, Hamed "K-One" Pirouzpanah)
7. Little Great Things - Set Yourself Free (Charlie Grönvall, Cristoffer Wernqvist, Felix Grönvall, Adam Dahlström)
8. Martin Stenmarck - När Änglarna Går Hem (Andreas Öhrn, Alexander Bard, Martin Stenmarck, Peter Boström)

Participants in the second semi-final of Melodifestivalen. Photo: Liam Karlsson (SVT)

As you might know Martin Stenmarck represented Sweden at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest in Kyiv with the song Las Vegas. Sanna Nielsen tried her luck in this competition seven times already and came closest in 2008 when she finished second with Empty Room. Panetoz scored a big hit with the song Dansa Pausa in 2012.

"Vi har ett resultat!"

After the first round of voting Little Great Things, Pink Pistols and Manda were eliminated. After that the audience was treated to a fun interval act with comedian Sean Banan singing a brand new version of the winner of the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest, Diggi-Loo Diggi-Ley, featuring the original artists Herreys.
Then the final results were announced. Sanna Nielsen (pictured below) was the first one to be announced straight to the final at the Friends Arena with the song Undo.

After that it was time to announce the two acts proceeding to Andra Chansen, the second chance round, to take place in Lidköping on the 1st of March:

• JEM - Love Trigger
• Martin Stenmarck - När Änglarna Går Hem

The second straight finalist was the multi-ethnic group Panetoz (pictured below) with the song Efter Solsken, which meant that rockabilly band The Refreshments and Hallelujah finished 5th and were eliminated.

The third semi-final will take place next Saturday in Gothenburg. The Swedish final will be on the 8th of March in Stockholm.
 

Do you agree with the results in Sweden tonight?

Sweden: Melodifestivalen 2014 kicked off

YOHIO and Ellen Benediktson, winners of the first semi-final in Sweden.

 

Malmö, Sweden - Finally today it was time for one of the most popular national selections in Europe to kick off: the Swedish Melodifestivalen. Last year's Eurovision Song Contest host city, Malmö, was the place were YOHIO and Ellen Benediktson won their ticked for the final.

The venue for last year's Eurovision Song Contest, Malmö Arena, played host for the first semi-final of Melodifestivalen, the Swedish national selection for the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest, where the following eight acts battled for their access to the final:

1. YOHIO - To The End (Andreas Johnson, Johan Lyander, Peter Kvint, YOHIO)
2. Mahan Moin - Aleo (Mahan Moin, Anderz Wrethov)
3. Linus Svenning - Bröder (Fredrik Kempe)
4. Elisa Lindström - Casanova (Ingela "Pling" Forsman, Bobby Ljunggren, Jimmy Jansson)
5. Alvaro Estrella - Bedroom (Jakke Erixson, Jon Bordon, Lauren Francis, Kristofer Östergren)
6. Ellen Benediktson - Songbird (Sharon Vaughn, Johan Fransson, Tim Larsson, Tobias Lundgren)
7. Sylvester Schlegel - Bygdens Son (Sylvester Schlegel)
8. Helena Paparizou - Survivor (Bobby Ljunggren, Henrik Wikström, Karl-Ola Kjellholm, Sharon Vaughn)

Of course Helena Paparizou won the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest for Greece with the song My Number One. She also represented Greece in 2001 as part of the duo Antique with the song Die For You which placed third in Copenhagen, where the next Eurovision Song Contest will take place.
Sylvester Schlegel represented Sweden at the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest as part of the band The Ark. Alvaro Estrella was one of the backing singers for Azerbaijan's Farid last year in Malmö. YOHIO finished second in last year's Melodifestivalen with the song Heartbreak Hotel.

"Vi har ett resultat!"

After the first round of voting Alvaro Estrella, Mahan Moin and Sylvester Schlegel were eliminated. Then the final results were announced. YOHIO (pictured below) was the first one to be announced
straight to the final in Friends Arena with his song To The End.



Then it was time to announce the two acts proceeding to Andra Chansen, the second chance round, to take place in Lidköping on the 1st of March:

• Linus Svenning - Bröder
• Helena Paparizou - Survivor

The second straight finalist was Ellen Benediktson (pictured below) with the ballad Songbird, which
meant that Elisa Lindström and Casanova finished 5th and was eliminated.



The next semi-final will take place next Saturday in Linköping. The Swedish final will be on the 8th of March.

Do you agree with the results in Sweden tonight?