Introduction

This year’s national final, which is called “Melodifestivalen” has brought a lot of great songs. A lot of former participants took part again. This music festival is one of the biggest TV shows in Sweden with the highest viewing rates. It even has higher viewing rates than the ESC itself. In other words, the entire country is following this mega event, which takes place with four semi finals and a second chance show, all ending up in a grand final in Stockholm.

One of the big favourites from the beginning was Måns Zelmerlöw with his song “Heroes”. Måns has already tried it twice in the Melodifestivalen with “Cara Mia” and “Hope & Glory”. Måns is one of the most popular celebrities in Sweden. He also hosted the yearly music festival “Allsång på Skansen” three times in a row. Therefore he also gained a lot of popularity with his charming personality and music affinity.

Måns Petter Albert Sahlén Zelmerlöw was born in Lund, Southern Sweden, 1986. His mother Birgitta Sahlén is a professor at Lund University and his father Sven-Olof Zelmerlöw is a surgeon. Måns loved the music of Michael Jackson and Elton John, played the piano and the guitar. Later he went to a music focussed high school in Lund, where he specialized in choir music. In 2005 he participated in the Swedish version of “Idols” where he became 5th. Måns also won the “Let’s Dance” show, played in musicals like “Grease” and “Footloose”. In 2007 he entered the Eurovision World, with his song “Cara Mia” he made a great 3rd place. This song topped the Swedish charts for several weeks and is still a Swedish evergreen. Two years later he came 4th with “Hope & Glory”. He also co-hosted the Melodifestivalen in 2010 together with Dolph Lundgren. By now he has released 5 albums.

The song “Heroes” in this year’s Melodifestivalen has won with a record number of 288 points, he convinced the international juries as well as the Swedish televoters. His extraordinary stage performance with a very funny and sweet computer animation has captured the hearts of the Swedes by a storm. The choreography is absolutely perfect. The anthem-like song has a very strong optimism, is energetic and full of power. Måns really enjoys his performance and convinces with is sympathetic attitude and good looks. The English bookmakers do already see him to win this year’s ESC in Vienna. Probably, he is the strongest candidate for Vienna with the most powerful and convincing song. This is probably the strongest entry Sweden has send, after Loreen with “Euphoria”.

History

Debut: 1958
Participations: 55
Finals: 53
Top 10: 36
Chance for Top 10: 65%

Sweden had its debut in 1958 with “Lilla Stjärna” sung by Alice Babs, which made a fabulous 4th rank in Hilversum. With the great victory of “Waterloo” by ABBA, the Eurovision hype has started in Sweden and Scandinavia and even beyond. Abba made a world career, they have had #1 songs even in the USA and Australia. The style of ABBA music has often been copied and many Swedish songs sounded like ABBA. Not many people know that ABBA have even tried to enter the ESC with “Ring Ring”, which only came 3rd in the Melodifestivalen 1973.
After that big success the popular Swedish music, called “Swedish Schlager” has captured the entire world. Especially in Sweden there are “Schlagerkvälls” in discotheques and bars everywhere and many ESC songs and “Melodifestivalen”- songs are played and sung with great enthusiasm. Sweden has won five times: ABBA with “Waterloo” in 1974, “Digi-loo Doggy-ley” by the Heresy’s in 1984, “Fanged Av End Storming” by Carola in 1991 and “Tsuen ouch end natty” by Charlotte Nilsson in 1999 and “Euphoria” by Loren in 2012. There were a lot of other Top 10 songs, which especially were very successful in the Scandinavian countries: “Framing” by Carola Häggkvist in 1983 (3rd), “End Dag” by Tommy Nilsson in 1989 (4th) and “It Hurts” by Lena Philipson in 2004 (5th).

In the meantime Sweden has become one of the most successful countries in the Eurovision Song Contest with five victories. This is still topped by Ireland with seven times and the UK, France and Luxembourg with another five victories each. The Swedish entries are always the highlights in the ESC and the Swedes always set new standards.