Just days remain until we embark on the second semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2017 as the artists prepare to face the stage in Malmö arena. Today, rehearsals have taken place and now one-minute clips of the competing songs of semi-final two have been released.
Semi-final two of Melodifestivalen 2017 takes place on Saturday night in Malmö arena with a selection of well established and unknown artists alike taking to stage for the first time this year. Returning to the contest this year are Mariette, Roger Pontare and Lisa Ajax. New to the contest; Etzia, Allyawan, Dismissed and Benjamin Ingrosso. Mariette Hansson came third in 2015 to Jon Henrik (also competing this year, in semi-final four) and Mans Zelmerlow who went on to win the Eurovision Song Contest. Roger Pontare is no newcomer to the contest, even winning Melodifestivalen in 2000 with the song; ‘When Spirits Are Calling My Name’. Lisa Ajax also returns in 2017 after reaching the final of last year’s contest. Debuting in 2017 is Benjamin Ingrosso, one of this year’s favourites.
1. A Million Years
Artist: Mariette
Song: Thomas G:son, Johanna Jansson, Peter Boström, Mariette Hansson, Jenny Hansson
2. Himmel och hav
Artist: Roger Pontare
Song: Thomas G:son, Alexzandra Wickman
3. Up
Artist: Etzia
Song: Johnny Sanchez, Hanif Sabzevari, Simon Gribbe, Erica Haylett
4. Vart Haru Varit
Artist: Allyawan
Song: Masse Salazar, Samuel Nazari
5. Hearts Align
Artist: Dismissed
Song: Ola Salo, Peter Kvint
6. I Don’t Give A
Artist: Lisa Ajax
Song: Ola Svensson, Linnea Deb, Joy Deb, Anton Hård af Segerstad
7. Good Lovin’
Artist: Benjamin Ingrosso
Song: Benjamin Ingrosso, Louis Schoorl, Matt Pardon, MAG
Nu Kör Vi!
Välkommen till Malmö
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A total of 2,478 songs were submitted to SVT, up by twenty-eight from last year but is still 1,400 short of the 2011 record when 3,832 songs were submitted. This year a total of 362 songs were submitted through the public contest, this was for singers or songwriters who had not released a song commercially before. This figure is the lowest it has been since the public were given a separate round in 2010.
Clara Henry, Hasse Andersson and David Lindgren will host this year’s edition. The trio were announced during a fifteen-minute broadcast and press conference on SVT Play late last year. Introduced as “SVT’s flagship show”, Melodifestivalen enters its 58th year as the selection process used to select Sweden’s Eurovision Song Contest participant. It remains Sweden’s favourite television show and one of the most watched national selection shows in Europe.