It’s all kicking off again on Saturday February 5th, with a six-week extravaganza culminating in a grand final on March 12th – but Melodifestivalen season properly begins today with SVT’s reveal of the first 14 of the 28 artists competing.
The following 14 will be revealed next week, but for now – here’s all you need to know about all of the artists announced today.
Omar Rudberg: Moving Like That
(Omar Rudberg, Gustav Blomberg, Amanda Kongshaug, Kristin Marie)
He’s now famous on a global scale thanks to Netflix’s Young Royals series, but of course we all know him from both his boyband past as part of FO&O, and his own solo hits – which include a Melodifestivalen entry back in 2019, ‘Om Om Och Om Igen’. We can’t imagine he’d be back unless he has what he feels is a winner which will get him out to his new-found international fanbase at Eurovision, so we’re expecting big things from ‘Moving Like That’.
John Lundvik: Änglavakt
(Anderz Wrethov, Elin Wrethov, Benjamin Rosenbohm, Fredrik Sonefors, John Lundvik)
He recently went and won the whole thing with ‘Too Late For Love’, ending up in a respectable 5th-place at the Eurovision Song Contest. It’s unlikely he’d be back with anything less than top-level competitive, although the Swedish-language song might suggest he may well be content to be using Melodifestivalen merely as a platform to launch his new album/EP/era, delete as applicable. Either way, his place here is highly intriguing, potentially amazing and most welcome.
LIAMOO: Bluffin
(Jimmy ‘Joker’ Thörnfeldt, Sami Rekik, Dino Medanhodzic, Ali Jammali)
A former Idol winner, LIAMOO has since graced Melodifestivalen with his presence twice – in 2018 with ‘Last Breath’, and in 2019 with his Hanna Ferm duet ‘Hold You’, the latter of which finished in the bronze position. He’s recently signed a new record deal and has, from the his Instagram Stories, seemingly spent the majority of 2021 in recording studios. So it’s fair to assume that ‘Bluffin’ is the pick of what we already know is a very large crop.
Linda Bengtzing: Fyrfaldigt Hurra!
(Thomas G:son, Linda Bengtzing, Myra Granberg, Daniel Jelldéus)
The fact that she’s back is big news in itself. But the fact that she’s back with a song co-penned by one of THE biggest artists in Sweden right now, Myra Granberg, is major. Linda Bengtzing competing in Melodifestivalen actually feels competitive for what seems like the first time in a long time!
Klara Hammarström: Run To The Hills
(Jimmy ‘Joker’ Thörnfeldt, Julie Aagaard, Anderz Wrethov, Klara Hammarström)
Finally laying to rest that myth that there is some unwritten rule that an artist can’t compete in Melodifestivalen three times in a row, Klara Hammarström will be hoping to continue her upwards trajectory in the contest with ‘Run To The Hills’. 2021’s ‘Beat Of Broken Hearts’ ended up being a big jury favourite when it reached the final earlier this year. And we can’t imagine she’d enter ‘Run To The Hills’ unless it was likely to improve on that great result.
Cazzi Opeia: I Can’t Get Enough
(Bishat Araya, Jakob Redtzer, Cazzi Opeia, Paul Rey)
We’ve been a fan of Moa ‘Cazzi Opeia’ Carlebecker for over a decade now, since she blessed the world with pop gems such as ‘My Heart In 2’ and ‘Batman & Robin’. In recent years she’s been far more interested in focusing on K-Pop than Scandipop, as a super-successful songwriter for the likes of BTS and Red Velvet. If she’s returning to the artist game, it’s probably because she’s got a banger up her sleeve that was just too good to give away – and so we’re already very excited to hear ‘I Can’t Get Enough’.
Niello & Lisa Ajax: Tror Du Att Jag Bryr Mig
(Yvonne Dahlbom, Niklas ‘Niello’ Grahn Linroth, Jesper Welander)
They collaborated together earlier in 2021 with ‘Ingen Annan’, so it’s no surprise to see them paired up again for Melodifestivalen 2022. It’ll be Niello’s first time competing, but he’s in good hands with Lisa who has competed three times before, making the final on each and every occasion.
Cornelia Jakobs: Hold Me Closer
(Isa Molin, David Zandén, Cornelia Jakobsdotter)
Some of Sweden will know her as rock-star Jakob Samuel’s daughter, others may recognise her from when she competed in Melodifestivalen in 2011 and 2012 as part of Love Generation. And of course regular Scandipop readers will know that she’s released her own solo material since then. Still, it’s been a while since anyone heard from her. So the fact that she’s back – and on a platform this huge – something is a’stirring with ‘Hold Me Closer’.
Faith Kakembo: Freedom
(Laurell Barker, Anderz Wrethov, Palle Hammarlund, Faith Kakembo)
If you haven’t blissed out to her Melodifestivalen 2020 entry ‘Crying Rivers’, then you weren’t listening properly. More of the same please, Faith.
Anders Bagge: Bigger Than The Universe
(Anders Bagge, Jimmy Jansson, Peter Boström, Thomas G:son)
Nowadays he’s more famous in Sweden having been a judge on Swedish Idol since its inception in 2004. And before that, he wrote hits for the likes of Celine Dion, J-Lo, Madonna, Janet Jackson and Enrique Iglesias. Even Azerbaijan hired him as a songwriter for their 2010 and 2012 Eurovision entries. But now Anders Bagge is taking to the stage as an artist in his own right, teaming up with some of the very best in the Swedish songwriting universe.
THEOZ: Som Du Vill
(Tobias Lundgren, Axel Schylström, Tim Larsson, Elize Ryd, Jimmy ‘Joker’ Thörnfeldt)
He’s been releasing what many can understandably label kid-pop for the past four years – and he’s been doing quite well at it too, thank you very much. But now he’s finally at the age where the music he releases can simply be identified as just ‘pop’. And what grander platform to finally be able to use as a launch-pad for your bigger and better things?
Danne Stråhed: Hallabaloo
(Danne Stråhed, Fredrik Andersson, Erik Stenhammar)
A name that’s new to Melodifestivalen, Danne has actually been around since the ’70s. His music has been described as everything from rock and folk, to Caribbean, Cajun and Americana. So what he’s debuting with in Melodifestivalen 2022 is really going to be anyone’s guess.
Samira Manners: I Want To Be Loved
(Samira Manners, Fredrik Andersson)
The singer/songwriter released her debut single only last year, and has released two more since then. From what we’ve heard from her so far, we’d describe her sound as light indie-pop – and guess that her decision to participate may well have been influenced by Clara Klingenström’s success in Melodifestivalen 2021.
Tribe Friday : Shut Me Up
(Isak Gunnarsson, Robin Hanberger Pérez, Noah Deutschmann)
Describing their sound as a mix of indie rock, dance-pop and emo, Tribe Friday may well be Melodifestivalen’s own nod to what we’re calling “the Måneskin effect”. And that does actually make a lot of sense when you think of it.
