Melodifestivalen 2013, the so much awaited Swedish national final for the selection of the song and the artist that will represent this year’s host country to the 58th Eurovision Song Contest, kicks off tonight with the 1st heat taking place in Karlskrona.

Melodifestivalen is traditionally the most popular national selection of Europe’s favorite TV show and it is followed by thousands of fans all over the continent. The show will start at 20:00 CET and will be transmitted live through SVT 1, SVT HD, SVT World.

There will also be a webcast through the official Melodifestivalen website.or on SVT’s direct link  here

32 songs will compete in total in four heats during the following month. In every one of them the public vote will determine those two songs which will qualify for the grand final in Stockholm on March 9th, as well as those two which will make it through to Andra Chansen on March 2nd.

Tonight’s competing songs are:

1. David Lindgren – Skyline (Fernando Fuentes, Henrik Nordenback, Christian Fast)
2. Cookies N Beans – Burning Flags (Fredrik Kempe)
3. Jay-Jay Johanson – Paris (Jay-Jay Johanson)
4. Mary N’diaye – Gosa (Johan Åsgärde, Mattias Frändå, Mary N’diaye)
5. Eric Gadd – Vi kommer aldrig att förlora (Eric Gadd, Thomas Stenström, Jacob Olofsson)
6. YOHIO – Heartbreak Hotel (Johan Fransson, Tobias Lundgren, Tim Larsson, Henrik Göranson, YOHIO)
7. Anna Järvinen – Porslin (Björn Olsson, Martin Elisson)
8. Michael Feiner & Caisa – We’re Still Kids (Caisa Ahlroth, Michael Feiner)

Songs will be available to listen from 14:00 CET onwards here, where you can also find more info about all the participating artists (in Swedish).

This year’s presenters are Gina Dirawi, one of last year’s presenters and one of the Eurovision 2012 commentators  for Sweden, along with well known singer and song writer Danny Saucedo who tried to represent his country to the Eurovision Song Contest three times in the past: once as a member of the group E.M.D (2009) and twice as a solo artist (2011 and 2012).

During the interval act of tonight’s show viewers will have the chance to enjoy Lena Philipsson along with Kristian Luuk, in a show that is kept secret by the organisers.

You can have a look at the stage of this year’s edition of Melodifestivalen here.

Sweden is hosting the 58th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest this coming May, in Malmö.