Melodifestivalen has well and truly opened its curtains and as of tonight, a long trip around Sweden is waiting for us! The event’s very first show has just concluded in the city of Gothenburg, taking two entries to Stockholm’s final and giving a further two a second chance!

Following an impressive start of the show with its 4 hosts Marika Carlsson, Eric Saade, Sarah Dawn Finer and Kodjo Akolor, we then enjoyed the first 7 acts of the live shows taking to the stage and fighting to keep chasing their Eurovision dream. The outcome of each of the 4 semi-finals emerges exclusively by the public, which votes either by the event’s official app, or by phone calls.

The newly-introduced voting system of Melodifestivalen gave the following results:

Qualifying directly to the Grand Final of 9 March are:

• Wiktoria – Not with me
• Mohombi – Hello

While these two acts will perform again at the Second Chance round on 2 March:

• Nano – Chasing rivers
• Anna Bergendahl  – Ashes to ashes 

Therefore, these 3 acts are bidding farewell to Melodifestivalen 2019:

• Zeana feat. Anis Don Demina – Mina bränder – 5th place
• High 15 – No drama – 6th place
• Arja Saijonmaa – Mina fyra årstider – 7th place

Melodifestivalen 2019 schedule

The event will be returning next Saturday with its second semi-final, live from Malmö!

• 2 February – Semi-final 1 – Scandinavium, Gothenborg
• 9 February – Semi-final 2 – Malmö Arena, Malmö
• 16 February – Semi-final 3 – Tegera Arena, Leksand
• 23 February – Semi-final 4 – Sparbanken Lidköping Arena, Lidköping
• 2 March – Second Chance – Nyköpings Arenor, Rosvalla, Nyköping
• 9 March – Grand Final– Friends Arena, Stockholm