The hugely popular Swedish selection for Eurovision, Melodifestivalen, will have its final on 9 March 2019. Meanwhile, the first semi-final participant has also been selected: synthpop duo The Lovers of Valdaro.

Swedish broadcaster SVT has recently revealed the dates and venues for the country’s Eurovision selection Melodifestivalen 2019. No need to change a successful format, as the upcoming edition of Melodifestivalen will again consist of four semi-finals, a second chance round and a grand final.

Melodifestivalen 2019 Semi-finals

The semi-finals of Melodifestivalen 2019 will kick off in the city of Gothenburg and will take place in venue Scandinavium on 2 February 2019.

The Malmö Arena in Malmö will host the second semi-fianl on 9 of February.

The third semi-final will be held at the Tegera Arena in the city of Leksand on 16 Febraury, while Lidköping and its venue Sparbanken Arena will host semi-final four on 23 February 2019.

Andra Chansen and Melodifestivalen 2019 final

The famous second chance round, or Andra Chansen, will take place in the Nyköpings Arena in Nyköping on 2 March.

And after the four semi-finals and the Second Chance round, Melodifestivalen 2019 will culminate in the grand final, all set for 9 March 2019 in the Friends Arena in Stockholm.

The Lovers of Valdaro are the first semi-finalists

Meanwhile, the first act to participate in one of the semi-finals of Melodifestivalen 2019 was selected in August: the electronic pop duo The Lovers of Valdaro, consisting of Erik Gabriel and Adam Warhester, who take their band name from a prehistoric couple famously found embracing each other. The duo recently released their new album Euphoric Melancholic Electronic.

The duo was selected through the regional music competition P4 Nästa, an initiative of Sveriges Radio. Although The Lovers of Valdaro where not the factual winners of the competition, the victory going to the trio Spring City, the jury chose the duo as best potential Melodifestivalen candidates. The duo performed the song Lost forever in P4 Nästa, but will partake in Melodifestivalen 2019 with a novel song.