Composers wishing to participate at the forthcoming 2014 Melodifestivalen, in order to represent Sweden at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen can submit their applications as of today until the 18 of September to SVT.

We are expecting to receive many entries, a lot of new of material . We would also like to remind the authors that they should submit quality and not on quantity- Mr Christer Bjorkman, the producer for  the  Melodifestivalen 2014  has added.

The mechanism to select the 32 competing entries will consist of 2 different selections methods : A Regular/ Public contest and SVT selection of songs.

A new rule has been introduced by the Swedish broadcaster this year, they would like more girl power in the competition. Hence at 20% of the selected entries are to be written by female composers/lyricists either alone or with male colleagues (this applies to the Regular Public contest).

Composers/ Songwriters who have already published their music before are eligible to enter the Regular Contest whilst composers/songwriters who have no music or lyrics published before are eligible to enter the Public Contest.

A total of 32 songs will compete in the 2014 Melodifestivalen edition: half selected by a panel and half by the festival producers. The panel of judges will make their selection from the submissions for the Regular contest.

The Regular/Public Contest 16 entries- How will the songs be selected?

The selection panel chooses up to 15 entries from amongst the submissions to the Regular contest,for which both lyrics and music must have been written by at least one composer/songwriter who has already had a musical work published. The selection panel also selects at least one entry from the submissions to the Public contest, which only accepts songs by composer(s)/songwriter(s) who have NOT already had a musical work published. Applicants wishing to compete can do so by uploading a sound file on svt.se from 3-18 September.

SVT will select another 15+1 remaining songs. How will the songs selected?

The remaining 16 entries comprise special invitations made by SVT or entries that SVT has selected from amongst the submissions. This group of contestants includes the winning artist (though with a different song) from the “Svensktoppen Nästa 2013” contest, who is guaranteed a place in the next year’s Melodifestival.

You can read the full rules and regulations for the 2014 Melodifestivalen here.

If you wish to compete as a composer in the competition you can submit your application here or here.