Sweden: SVT releases the Melodifestivalen 2021 rules and dates for submission

Sweden: SVT releases the Melodifestivalen 2021 rules and dates for submission
Monday, 25 May 2020

  • SVT has kicked off the process for Melodifestivalen 2021 by releasing the rules and dates of submission for next year's edition. 

    With the Melodifestivalen, , requiring a long time to prepare the spectacular show that we all see unfolding in February and March, the organisers are gearing up and kicking off the process for next year's edition. 

     

     

     

     

    The Submission dates

    Act that interested in participating in the next Melodifestivalen should sent in their songs www.melodifestivalen.se. The submission window opens officiallly on August 24 and will close on September 16 at 11.59 am. However interested act may even now sign up in order to get a reminder when the submission period opens.

    With a total of 28 contestants being selected in each edtion since 2015, this year SVT  plans to have a 50% of the entries  with only a female composer or include both male and femaly composers or songwriters. In the 2022 edition though the Swedish broadcaster intend to require at least one female in entries that have more than one writers. 

    You can read the rules for the Melodifestivalen 2021 here.

     

    Sweden in Eurovision

    Sweden has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 58 times since making its debut in 1958, missing only three contests (1964, 1970 and 1976). Since 1959, the Swedish entry has been chosen through the annual televised competition, named since 1967 as Melodifestivalen. At the 1997 contest, Sweden was one of the first five countries to adopt televoting. Sweden is the only country to have hosted the event in five different decades, three times in Stockholm (1975, 2000, 2016), twice in Malmö (1992, 2013) and once in Gothenburg (1985).

    Sweden is one of the most successful competing nations at the Eurovision Song Contest, with a total of six victories, just one win behind Ireland. The country has the most top five results of the 21st century, with thirteen. In total, Sweden has achieved 24 top five results in the contest. After finishing second with Lill Lindfors and Svante Thuresson in 1966, Sweden went on to achieve its six victories with ABBA (1974), Herreys (1984), Carola (1991), Charlotte Nilsson(1999), Loreen (2012) and Måns Zelmerlöw (2015).

    In 2019 John Lundvik represented the country with his song “Too Late For Love”,achieving another top 5 placing for Sweden as he  finished 5th overall with 334 points. This year The Mamas won the Melodifestivalen 2020 and earned the right to represent Sweden in Rotterdam with their entry "Move" . 

    Unfortunately for them, the contest was cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak and The Mamas never had the chance to perform in Rotterdam Ahoy, while it is still not clear if they will participate in the next edition of Melodifestivalen.