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 second semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2021 will start 20:00CET on February 13. Two songs will qualify to the final and two songs will be sent to the andra chansen (second chance) round.

LISTEN TO THE SNIPPETS

• Anton Ewald – “New Religion”
• Julia Alfrida – “Rich”
• WAHL feat. SAMI – “90-talet”
• Frida Green – “The Silence”
• Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos – “Rena rama ding dong”
• Patrik Jean – “Tears Run Dry”
• Dotter – “Little Tot”

WATCH THE REHEARSALS

• New Religion – Anton Ewald
• Rich – Julia Alfrida
• 90-talet – WAHL feat. SAMI
• The Silence – Frida Green
• Rena rama ding dong – Eva Rydberg & Ewa Roos
• Tears Run Dry – Patrik Jean
• Little Tot – Dotter