Sweden: SVT scraps Melodifestivalen 2022 tour; All shows to take place in Stockholm

Friday, 14 January 2022

• The Swedish national broadcaster, SVT, has confirmed that Melodifestivalen 2022 tour will not take place as initially planned and all shows will be held in Stockholm. 

  The Melodifestivalen kicks off on February 5 and it was previously thought that it would unfold across Sweden, as before the pandemic. Now the entire Melodifestivalen will still be held in Stockholm.

  Malmö arena, Scandinavium, Saab arena, Sparbanken arena, Hägglunds arena and Friends arena would be filled with fans in the respective tour cities, Malmö, Gothenburg, Linköping, Lidköping, Örnsköldsvik and Stockholm. Now it has been decided that this will not be the case.

  Anette Brattström, project manager for Melodifestivalen, says:

  "Some things will need to be changed in the script - where you refer to the different cities, but otherwise the show will be intact. And should the restrictions be eased before the final in March, there could be a larger audience."

  And adds saying: 

  "We really want the audience to come, as many as possible, so if the restrictions are released, we will release a larger audience."

  With the omicron variant wave hitting hard the country, like in most European countries, new restrictions will be implemented from January 19 onwards. This development means that the show will feature an audience ceiling of 500 spectators with a distance of one meter between the parties - and 500 people are still supposed to be allowed in. In addition, a staff of approximately 150 people will be on site.

   

  Oscar Zia will host the next edtion of Melodifestivalen. Oscar had competed in in Melodifestivalen three times (2013, 2014, 2016). Last year he co-hosted Semi-Final 2 of Melodifestivalen with Christer Björkman and Anis Don Demina. The 2022 edition was set before the change of plan to unfold according to the following timeline and at the respective locations:  

  • 05/02/2022 –  1st Semifinal (Malmo/Malmo Arena)
  • 12/02/2022 -  2nd Semifinal (Gothenburg/ Scandinavium)
  • 19/02/2022 -  3rd Semifinal (Linköping / Saab Arena)
  • 26/02/2022 -  4th Semifinal  (Lidköping / Sparbanken Arena)
  • 05/03/2022 -  Second  Chance Semifinal ( Örnsköldsvik – Hägglunds Arena)
  • 12/03/2022 - Grand Final ( Stockholm/ Friends Arena)

   

  Sweden in Eurovision

  Sweden has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 60 times since making its debut in 1958, missing only three contests (1964, 1970 and 1976). 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. Last 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.

  This year Tusse won Melodifestivalen 2021 with his song 'Voices' and went on representing the Nordic country in Rotterdam. After qualifying from the 1st semi final, he finished 14th in the Grand final with a total of 109 points in the overall score. 

  News Source: SVT

  Image: SVT