Sweden's bid to find a Eurovision Song Contest winning entry for 2011 steps up a gear this weekend as national broadcaster SVT's Web joker competition enters its final stage. Two places in Melodifestivalen 2011, the country's selection format for Europe's favourite tv show are to be awarded through the competition where previously unsigned and/or published singers and song writers are competing for two spots in the national final Melodifestivalen, Sweden's most watched TV show.

More than 400 songs were submitted this year and after a first elimination round done by SVT where songs with poor sound quality or songs breaking any rules were sorted out 234 songs remained and was published on svt.se about a month ago.

The public have been voting by SMS and a number of songs have been eliminated each week and in the end, one each day. Today only five songs remain and these five will perform live on Monday 8th November in a show where the public phone and SMS votes will decide which lucky two get the coveted spots in Melodifestivalen starting in February. Before the live show the demo versions on svt.se have been partly reproduced and will therefore not sound exactly alike.You can listen to the five finalists on svt.se/melodifestivalen and there will also be a webcast available from the show on Monday the 8th at 20.00 CET.

Sweden will compete in the semi finals in Eurovision 2011 after Anna Bergendahl finished 11th in the second semi final in Oslo at Eurovision 2010.

Special thanks to Anders Ringquist for contributing this article.