The first semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2019 has dropped over 200,000 viewers compared to the same show in 2018.
3,038,000 viewers watched live on Saturday night as Melodifestivalen commenced in Gothenburg. The competition which is among the most watched television programs of the year in Sweden, dropped 255,000 viewers compared to the same show in 2018. Despite the drop interest remained high with 73.9% of all TV viewers watching the show, 82.8% of all TV viewers aged 20 to 59 watched the contest.
Seven acts took to the stage in the Scandinavium Arena. The competing entries, alongside the final results, were:
- Nano – Chasing Rivers (Andra Chansen)
- High 15 – No Drama (6th Place)
- Wiktoria – Not with Me (Final)
- Zeana feat. Anis don Demina – Mina bränder (5th place)
- Arja Saijonmaa – Mina fyra årstider (7th place)
- Mohombi – Hello (Final)
- Anna Bergendahl – Ashes to Ashes (Andra Chansen)
Many of the performers will be familiar names to fans of the contest. Anna Bergendahl already won Melodifestivalen in 2010 with This Is My Life. However, she is the only Swedish artist who failed to qualify for the Grand Final of Eurovision after winning the national selection. She finished in 11th place in the second-semi final that year in Oslo, narrowly missing qualification for the final.
he final of Melodifestivalen 2019 will take place on Saturday 9 March at the Friends Arena in Stockholm. The remaining schedule is as follows:
- Semi-Final 1 – Gothenburg – February 2
- Semi-Final 2 – Malmö – February 9
- Semi-Final 3 – Leksand – February 16
- Semi-Final 4 – Lidköping – February 23
- Andra Chansen/Second Chance – Nyköping- March 2
- Final – Stockholm – March 9
This years contest is has four hosts: Eric Saade, Sarah-Dawn Finer, Kodojo Akolor and Marika Carlsson.
Source: Aftonbladet / Image Source: Schlagerprofilerna – QX
Sweden debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958 and has gone on to be one of the contest’s most successful countries. The country has won the contest six times, the most recent being in 2015. Sweden’s first victory came in 1974 when ABBA won the contest in Brighton with “Waterloo”. Since missing out on the final in 2010, Sweden has gone on to finish 3rd twice and has won the contest twice, only in 2013 did the country place outside of the top 10 in the final.
