SWEDEN – Melodifestivalen 2021 is the 61st edition of the Swedish music competition Melodifestivalen. The competition will be organised by Sveriges Television (SVT). Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, all shows of this edition will take place in the Annexet in Stockholm, and without an audience. The winner will be crowned on 13 March 2021 and will represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam.

Due to pandemic precautions, SVT will not hold the usual Melodifestivalen tour around six different Swedish cities. Instead, all shows will be held at Stockholm’s Annexet hall, one of the venues in Stockholm Globe City (in which the host venue of Eurovision 2000 and 2016, the Ericsson Globe, is located). The shows will not have a live audience.

On 4 January 2021, the presenters of the 61st edition of Melodifestivalen were announced. Christer Björkman, Melodifestivalen’s contest producer for the past 20 years and head of the Swedish delegation at the Eurovision Song Contest, will serve as the main presenter for all six shows. Björkman will be joined by guest co-hosts during each show: Lena Philipsson (semi-final 1), Oscar Zia and Anis Don Demina (semi-final 2), Jason Diakité (semi-final 3), Per Andersson and Pernilla Wahlgren (semi-final 4), Shirley Clamp (Second Chance round), Shima Niavarani and Måns Zelmerlöw (final).

The third semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2021 will start at 20:00CET on February 20. Two songs will qualify for the final and two songs will be sent to the second chance round.

LISTEN TO THE SNIPPETS

• Charlotte Perrelli – “Still Young”
• Emil Assergård – “Om allting skiter sig”
• Klara Hammarström – “Beat of Broken Hearts”
• Mustasch – “Contagious”
• Elisa – “Den du är
• Alvaro Estrella – “Baila Baila”
• Tusse – “Voices”

WATCH THE REHEARSALS

• Charlotte Perrelli – “Still Young”
• Emil Assergård – “Om allting skiter sig”
• Klara Hammarström – “Beat of Broken Hearts”
• Mustasch – “Contagious”
• Elisa – “Den du är”
• Alvaro Estrella – “Baila Baila”
• Tusse – “Voices”