SVT, the Swedish national broadcaster, has confirmed the host and dates for the forthcoming 2022 Melodifestivalen edition.

Oscar Zia will have the grand honour of hosting Melodifestivalen 2022, he will be the sole host of the competition much in contrast to this year’s edition which had 10 hosts.

The Swedish national selection will run from Saturday 5 February- Saturday 12 March.  Melodifestivalen 2022 will consist of 6 shows ( 4 semifinals, 1 second chance and 1 grand final).

SVT is aiming to bring back Melodifestivalen back on its traditional tour as has been custom if the pandemic permits. This year the Swedish national selection was held without an audience and didn’t travel throughout the country.

Ms. Annette Brattrom (Melodifestivalen Project Manager) says:

The Melodifestivalen is a great party for the whole of Sweden and we are looking forward to tour  country and meet the audience again. We are hopeful, charged and believe in a tour but are at the same time compliant and humble in the face of a pandemic still going on.

Oscar Zia is a thoroughbred entertainer who with his charm, breadth and twinkle in his eye feels completely self-described as a presenter. He has competed three times, visited us as a host before and has also watched the Melodifestivalen since he was little.

Oscar Zia says:

It obviously feels like an honorable assignment – suddenly I’m in the line after Kristian Luuk, Petra Mede and Gina Dirawi. I have watched the Melodifestivalen since I was little, the whole family would watch and no one was allowed to talk, I did not want to miss a second! I am very excited to go on tour and I will do my best to lead the viewers through this party.

Melodifestivalen 2022 Agenda

• 05/02/2022 – Semifinal #1 (Malmo/Malmo Arena)
• 12/02/2022- Semifinal #2 (Gothenburg/ Scandinavium)
• 19/02/2022- Semifinal #3 (Linköping / Saab Arena)
• 26/02/2022- Semifinal #4 (Lidköping / Sparbanken Arena)
• 05/03/2022- Andra Chansen ( Örnsköldsvik – Hägglunds Arena)
• 12/03/2022- Grand Final ( Stockholm/ Friends Arena)

SVT opened the submission window for Melodifestivalen 2022 last month, artists and composers can send in their entries and proposals until 17 September.

A total of 28 acts will battle for the golden ticket to the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest in Italy.

Sweden in Eurovision

Sweden debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958 and has won Europe’s favorite television show 6 times ( 1974, 1984, 1991, 1999, 2012, 2015) and has hosted the competition thrice in Stockholm (1975, 2000, 2016), twice in Malmo (1992, 2013) and once in Goteborg (1985).

Sweden has been enjoying much success in the competition in recent years, Nordic country has achieved 8 TOP 10 placings in the contest in the past 10 years including 2 victories.

In 2021 Tusse won the Swedish national final and flew to Rotterdam with his entry  ‘Voices‘.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyJRyif6_kk

 

Source: SVT/ ESCToday
Cover Photo credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT