The final of Melodifestivalen 2025 will take place tonight live from Stockholm’s Strawberry Arena. Twelve acts have reached the final of the popular show after five weeks of competing rounds.
The line-up:
- Voice of the Silent – John Lundvik
- YIHAA – Dolly Style
- Believe Me – Greczula
- On and On and On – Klara Hammarström
- Sweet N’ Psycho – SCARLET
- Show Me What Love Is – Erik Segerstedt
- Kamikaze Life – Maja Ivarsson
- Hush Hush – Meira Omar
- Revolution – Måns Zelmerlöw
- Hate You So Much – Saga Ludvigsson
- Life Again – Annika Wickihalder
- Bara bada bastu – KAJ
Interesting facts about the acts
1. John Lundvik – “Voice of the Silent”
Text & music: Jimmy Jansson, John Lundvik, Peter Boström, Thomas G:son
• John Lundvik went straight to the final for the fourth time in a row, which placed him second in this particular category in the record book.
• Lundvik’s fourth final appearance earned him a shared sixth place on the list of artists with the most final appearances in the modern Melodifestivalen.
• John Lundvik and Måns Zelmerlöw have several things in common. Both have competed with four entries, all of which went directly to the final, and one of which won.
• Additionally, both John Lundvik and Måns Zelmerlöw have historically received a total of 9 twelve-point scores from the international jury. Loreen leads with 13 twelves, meaning Lundvik and Zelmerlöw need 5 more to surpass her.
2. Dolly Style – “YIHAA”
Text & music: Caroline Aronsson, Herman Gardarfve, Patrik Jean, David Lindgren Zacharias, Mikaela Samuelsson, Melanie Wehbe
• Dolly Style is celebrating ten years since the group first appeared in Melodifestivalen 2015, and for the first time, they have made it to the final. Of the group’s previous three entries, two advanced to the Second Chance round, while one – “Habibi” (2019), which later became the most played – was eliminated in the heats.
• For the first time since Malou Prytz‘s “I Do Me” (2019), a song with three or more female songwriters has reached the final. Dolly Style’s entry “YIHAA” was written by Caroline Aronsson, Mikaela Samuelsson, and Melanie Wehbe, along with Herman Gardarfve, Patrik Jean, and David Lindgren Zacharias.
3. Greczula – “Believe Me”
Text & music: Kristofer Greczula, Amanda Nordelius, John Russell
• In Melodifestivalen 2025, three entries were written solely by debuting songwriters: “Vår första gång” (Adrian Macéus), “Believe Me” (Greczula), and “I’m Yours” (Vilhelm Buchaus). Among them, Greczula was the only one to advance from the heat. The song was written by debutants Amanda Nordelius, John Russell, and the artist himself.
• The last time a song entirely written by Melodifestivalen debutants reached the final was Lisa Ajax‘s “Torn” in 2019. Since then, debutant entries by Malin Christin, Tribe Friday, Uje Brandelius, Klaudy, Adrian Macéus, and (after Greczula) Vilhelm Buchaus have missed the final. However, there are exceptions—both in 2017 (Nano) and 2018 (Felix Sandman), songs written entirely by debutants finished in second place in the final.
• Among songs written solely by new songwriters between 2002 and Heat 5 of 2025, 37 have reached the final, 25 have exited through the second-chance round, and 96 have been eliminated in the heats. During this period, depending on the rules, between 50% and 66% of competing entries have advanced from the heats, while 39% of debutant entries have progressed. Of the final entries during this time, between 10% and 7.7% have won, while only 1 of the 37 debutant entries that made it to the final has won—“The Worrying Kind” by The Ark—equating to 2.7%.
4. Klara Hammarström – “On and On and On”
Text & music: Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy Jansson, Klara Hammarström, Moa ”Cazzi Opeia” Carlebecker, Peter Boström, Thomas G:son
• Klara Hammarström reached the final for the third time, placing her 17th on the list of artists with the most final appearances in the modern Melodifestivalen.
• Both of her previous final entries, “Beat of Broken Hearts” (2021) and “Run to the Hills” (2022), finished in sixth place.
5. SCARLET – “Sweet N’ Psycho”
Text & music: Dino Medanhodzic, Scarlet Hunts, Thirsty, Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt, Anderz Wrethov
• In 2025, SCARLET had the closing spot in the final heat. Since the introduction of the heats in 2002, the entry in this position has won Melodifestivalen about one in four times, or 26% of the time.
• In the 2024 final, two duos took first and second place—Marcus & Martinus and Medina. SCARLET is the only duo in the 2025 final.
6. Erik Segerstedt – “Show Me What Love Is“
Text & music: Erik Segerstedt, Mattias Andréasson, Pontus Söderman
• Erik Segerstedt previously provided off-stage backing vocals for Robin Bengtsson on the winning entry “I Can’t Go On” (2017) and the final entries “Take a Chance” (2020) and “Innocent Love” (2022). Now, Bengtsson is returning the favor by singing off-stage for Segerstedt’s “Show Me What Love Is.” Bengtsson has competed as an artist four times, always going directly to the final. Now, with Segerstedt, he also made it straight to the final in his debut as a backing vocalist.
• The song’s co-writer and on-stage performer, Mattias Andréasson, returns to the final after his successful debut with E.M.D. (2009). Since then, he has contributed as an artist, songwriter, backing vocalist, and/or musician in eight entries before “Show Me What Love Is.” The last time Segerstedt and Andréasson shared the stage in a Melodifestivalen broadcast was with E.M.D.’s bronze-winning entry “Baby Goodbye” (2009). However, they also appeared together during a rehearsal for Andra chansen in 2013, when Segerstedt’s duet partner Tone Damli (who competed in Norway’s Melodi Grand Prix 2025) was unavailable, and Andréasson stepped in.
7. Maja Ivarsson – “Kamikaze Life”
Text & music: Andreas ”Giri” Lindbergh, Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt, Joy Deb, Linnea Deb, Maja Ivarsson
• Maja Ivarsson, 45, is the oldest artist in the final. When she advanced to the final alongside John Lundvik from the first heat of the year, it marked the first time in history that all artists who went directly to the final from a single heat were over 40 years old.
8. Meira Omar – “Hush Hush”
Text & music: Anderz Wrethov, Dino Medanhodzic, Laurell Barker, Meira Omar
• Meira Omar is the only finalist from this year’s host city, Stockholm. She grew up in Botkyrka, south of Södermalm, where she currently lives.
• Meira Omar’s spot in the final meant that songwriter Dino Medanhodzic set a new record, having reached the final with 12 consecutive entries (based on starting position) from 2019 to 2025. He surpassed Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt, who had 11 consecutive finalists from 2022 to 2024.
• The lyrics of Meira Omar’s entry “Hush Hush” contain words in Dari (spoken in Afghanistan), marking the first time the language has appeared in Melodifestivalen. (An earlier claim suggested that the lyrics also included Hindi, which is not entirely accurate.) However, Farsi (Persian), which is closely related to Dari, has previously appeared in Sheida’s “I mina drömmar (Mani armani taha)” (2007) and Mahan Moin’s “Aleo” (2014).
9. Måns Zelmerlöw – “Revolution”
Text & music: Sebastian Atas, David Lindgren Zacharias, Ola Svensson, Måns Zelmerlöw
• Måns Zelmerlöw has reached the final as the first announced qualifier in all four heats he has competed in, placing him in a shared second place in this category in the Melodifestivalen record book, alongside Mariette. He is one advancement behind Danny Saucedo, who holds the top spot.
• He has now gone directly to the final four times in a row, placing him second in that record category.
• His fourth final appearance puts him in a shared sixth place on the list of artists with the most final appearances in modern Melodifestivalen history.
• Måns Zelmerlöw returns as a competing artist after 10 years, marking the longest gap for a returning Melodifestivalen winner since Carola in 1991. She waited 15 years before returning in 2006 and winning again.
• Melodifestivalen winners from 2000 to 2015 who have made a comeback have waited an average of 4.7 years after their victory.
• Among Swedish Eurovision winners who have returned to the competition, the average comeback wait time is 9.8 years, placing Måns Zelmerlöw close to the average. In two out of three cases, a returning Eurovision winner has won again—Carola (2006) and Charlotte Perrelli (2008). The third, Loreen, was eliminated in Andra chansen in 2017.
• Since 2002, Melodifestivalen-winning artists who have made a comeback have reached the final 13 times, while four have been eliminated in Andra chansen, and two (Charlotte Perrelli 2012 and Marie Bergman 2015) were eliminated in the heats. Only Carola (2006) and Charlotte Perrelli (2008) won again. Among Melodifestivalen winners since 2000, none have won upon returning. The best result in a comeback so far is The Mamas’ third place in 2021.
• Måns Zelmerlöw reached the final alongside the male trio KAJ. In 2015, he also reached the final with a male trio—JTR. A similar pattern occurred with Loreen, the other returning Eurovision winner from the 2000s, when she reached the 2023 final with Smash Into Pieces, after advancing in 2012 with Dead by April.
• Måns Zelmerlöw has historically received 9 twelve-point scores from the international jury. Loreen leads with 13, meaning Zelmerlöw needs 5 more to surpass her.
10. Saga Ludvigsson – “Hate You So Much”
Text & music: Lisa Desmond, Herman Gardarfve, Saga Ludvigsson
• The youngest artist in the final is 19-year-old Saga Ludvigsson. She is 5 years younger than Annika Wickihalder, who is the second youngest finalist.
• Saga Ludvigsson will perform in position 10 in the final, which is the starting number that has won the most times – 4 times – since the final was expanded to 12 entries in 2015. The average placement for this starting number across these 10 finals is 3.6.
11. Annika Wickihalder – “Life Again”
Text & music: Herman Gardarfve, Patrik Jean, Annika Wickihalder
• Annika Wickihalder went directly to the final from the heat with “Life Again”. In 2024, she won Finalkvalet, a step she didn’t need to take this time. The artist was born in Switzerland, the host country for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
12. KAJ – “Bara Bada Bastu”
Text & music: Kevin Holmström, Jakob Norrgård, Robert Skowronski, Kristofer Strandberg, Anderz Wrethov, Axel Åhman
• The success of KAJ means that entries performed by foreign nationals have advanced to the final for the third consecutive year, following recent successes by Marcus & Martinus and Maria Sur.
• After previous attempts by Arja Saijonmaa (2005 and 2019) and Krista Siegfrids (2016 and 2017), a Finnish entry has now advanced to the final for the first time since the introduction of the semi-finals in 2002.
• Previous Finnish contributions to Melodifestivalen include Arja Saijonmaa, Krista Siegfrids (Finnish-Swedish), Markoolio (Finnish-Swedish), Lleucu Young in High15 (2019, Finnish-Swedish), Paul Rey (Finnish father), Johan Hirvi in Panetoz (Finnish father), Lisa Miskovsky (Finnish mother), Mark Levengood (Finnish-Swedish, host in 2003 and in the final 2005), and most recently Käärijä (who appeared in the interval act in Heat 1 of 2025), as well as the winner Lill Lindfors, who moved to Sweden from Finland at the age of eight. Additionally, Swedish Sandra Estberg from SCHLAGERZ (2025) lives on Åland.
• In the 2025 final, only one of the twelve entries, KAJ, has Swedish lyrics, meaning 8%. The only entry performed by foreign artists is thus the only one sung in Swedish. In contrast, nine of the entries in the entire festival this year have Swedish lyrics, making up 30%. Having just one final entry sung in Swedish is a tied record for the lowest number, matching 2019, 2020, and 2024. From 2021 to 2023, three entries in the final were sung in Swedish. In 2024, Medina was the only group to sing in Swedish in the final, finishing in second place.
Voting in the final – how it works
Tonight, the winner of Melodifestivalen 2025 will be decided as 12 entries compete for the love of viewers and the jury. The power is equally divided between the viewers and an international jury, with 50% of the points coming from viewers’ votes via phone and the Melodifestivalen app, while the remaining 50% is awarded by an international jury. If two entries receive the same score, the number of viewer votes will determine the winner.
This year’s international jury consists of representatives from France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Norway, Switzerland, and Serbia. The jury groups are made up of individuals who work in various aspects of the music industry in their home countries. The purpose of the international jury is to help select the strongest and most competitive entry to send to the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.
“The international jury is a real asset for Melodifestivalen. Having music experts from our European neighboring countries help us choose a winner gives us better chances at Eurovision”
says Anders Wistbacka, project manager and overall responsible for Melodifestivalen 2025
How the Voting Works in the Final
In the final, twelve entries compete, and viewers can vote for all entries in two voting rounds. In each round, you can vote up to five times per entry via the app and per phone number. Viewers award half of the points (464 points), and the international jury awards the other half (464 points).
Round 1: The first voting round ends before the jury groups’ votes are presented. Eight jury groups give their votes as follows: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 points are shown graphically, while 8, 10, and 12 points are announced by the spokesperson. In total, the jury groups distribute 8 x 58 points = 464 points.
Round 2: After the jury votes are revealed, viewers have a chance to react to the outcome, and the second voting round begins. Once the second voting round ends, the number of votes from each viewer group is converted into points (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, and 12) and totaled across all eight groups. In total, viewers distribute 8 x 58 points = 464 points.
The viewers’ points ultimately decide the winner, and they are revealed as a total sum at the end of the show to maximize suspense.
If two entries receive the same final score, the entry with the most points from the viewer groups wins. If both entries have the same final score and the same number of points from the viewer groups, the entry with the highest total number of votes from the viewer groups wins.
Viewer Groups
To further establish Melodifestivalen as a celebration for all of Sweden, viewer groups were introduced in 2019. This change ensures that everyone who votes, regardless of age, feels that their vote carries equal weight in the competition. Therefore, to win Melodifestivalen, an entry must have support across all viewer groups.
Votes cast through the Melodifestivalen app are divided into seven age-based groups, each represented by a color. Phone votes are counted as an eighth group.
Viewer Group Distribution:
- Green: 3–9 years
- Turquoise: 10–15 years
- Blue: 16–29 years
- Purple: 30–44 years
- Pink: 45–59 years
- Red: 60–74 years
- Orange: 75+ years
Those who vote via phone belong to the eighth viewer group, which has no color designation.
In all competitions, app voting is only available to those located in Sweden.
Voting via Phone
Each competing entry has two different phone numbers for voting.
- The number that supports Radiohjälpen costs 9,90 SEK per call, with 9,20 SEK going to aid projects worldwide.
- The alternative number costs 3,60 SEK per call. Additional carrier charges may apply.
In one voting round, you can vote five times per entry on the Radiohjälpen number and five times per entry on the alternative number. Voting from abroad is not possible.
Phone Voting – Heats 1–5 and the Final:
- 099-908 XX (XX = the entry’s starting number). 9,90 SEK per vote, with 9,20 SEK going to Radiohjälpen.
- 099-208 XX (XX = the entry’s starting number). 3,60 SEK per vote.
Voting via the Melodifestivalen App
In all six shows, viewers can cast heart votes using the Melodifestivalen app. Each viewer has five votes per entry in each voting round.
Hall of Fame
The year was 2003, and on stage stood the group Sarek, performing the song “Genom eld och vatten”. It was a love song in an etnopop style with a catchy chorus about following someone through fire and water, over land and sea. The song was written by Stina Jadelius-Engelbrecht and Mårten Eriksson, who are now being inducted into Melodifestivalen’s Hall of Fame.
The motivation reads:
In recent years, Sarek’s ethno-colored turbo schlager has made an unparalleled revival. From the highest mountains to the deepest valleys, everyone sings along to this Swedish classic, which placed sixth in the 2003 final. Today, it holds cult status and has found its way into sing-along books as well as on football stands. Of course, it has also earned its place in Melodifestivalen’s Hall of Fame.
“You don’t need to win Melodifestivalen to win a place in the hearts of the Swedish people. ‘Genom eld och vatten’ is a perfect example of that”
says Christer Björkman, honorary chairman of the Hall of Fame committee
“It’s super fun and a great honor that ‘Genom eld och vatten’ is being inducted into Melodifestivalen’s Hall of Fame. Mårten and I started creating music together during a songwriting course, which led to a folk pop project, including Sareks’ version of ‘Genom eld och vatten'”
says Stina Jadelius-Engelbrecht
The song reached sixth place in the Melodifestivalen final, but in recent years, “Genom eld och vatten” has experienced a strong resurgence.
“I understand that the mix of pop and folk-inspired melodies, along with Mårten’s direct and sing-along-friendly lyrics, are two strong reasons for the song’s success. That it has been picked up by several sports clubs, that especially those born in the 90s have brought it from their childhood into their student parties and after works, and other artists’ great interpretations and versions of it, has also contributed to the song’s remarkable upswing”
says Stina Jadelius-Engelbrecht
At the final on March 8, Medina, who has competed in Melodifestivalen twice, will perform a completely new version of “Genom eld och vatten”.
“We are so excited to be back in Mello! It’s really a curse and a blessing to be part of the final without competing. The fact that we also have the honor of interpreting ‘Genom eld och vatten’ makes it all the better. Besides being a Swedish cultural heritage, the lyrics are not far from our relationship with each other. We’re going to put on a truly powerful performance”
says Medina
With “Genom eld och vatten”, this year’s list of Hall of Fame inductees is complete.
“Melodifestivalen’s Hall of Fame continues to honor the most iconic moments in the history of the competition, and this year’s inductees are no exception. This year we have honored songwriters, artists, and interval acts who, in various ways, have written themselves into the hearts of the Swedish people”
says Christer Björkman, honorary chairman of the Hall of Fame committee
Inducted into Melodifestivalen’s Hall of Fame 2025:
- Style
- Sanna Nielsen
- Hasse “Kvinnaböske” Andersson
- Medley 2000
- “Genom eld och vatten”
Melodifestivalen 2025 – Live English Commentary
It’s time for the Grand Final of Melodifestivalen 2025, and just like in previous years, the show will also be broadcast with English live commentary on SVT Play. Behind the microphones are Mello enthusiasts Bella Qvist and William Lee Adams.
– We want Melodifestivalen to be a celebration for all of Sweden, and therefore it is very exciting that we can offer non-Swedish speakers the opportunity to follow the program with English commentary. We also have a dedicated international audience that follows Melodifestivalen every year, and now they have the chance to better experience the show itself,” says Anders Wistbacka, project manager for Melodifestivalen.
Dedicated viewers will recognize both Bella and William from last year’s Grand Final, where they provided commentary for international Mello fans around the world. Last year, viewers from 33 different countries engaged via social media during the broadcast.
Journalist Bella Qvist is commenting on the competition for the fifth time, joined by American journalist William Lee Adams, who returns for his second year.
– Melodifestivalen, to me, is an event that brings light and joy in dark times, and I am so happy that William and I get to play a part in spreading that sparkle to people watching in Sweden and across the globe, says Bella Qvist.
A new feature this year is that viewers will not only be able to hear William and Bella comment but also see them on screen. Additionally, there will be an opportunity to chat with them live during the broadcast.
– My favourite part is always all the messages that we receive from around the world during the show. Every year we love hearing from people as they tune in from phones, laptops, living rooms and watch parties from all over – and this year we are so excited to be able to invite everyone into our very own live chat, says Bella Qvist.
Short about Bella and William
William Lee Adams first attended Melodifestivalen in 2011 and he promptly fell in love with Jenny Silver and Linda Bengtzing. He’s still recovering from Love Generation’s elimination in Andra Chanse! Since then, William regularly appears on primetime selection shows across Europe, as a jury member and spokesperson, while also running the Wiwibloggs website and YouTube channel. In 2020 Will Ferrell gave him a cameo in the movie “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.”
William, an American journalist who has lived in London for nearly two decades, has written about Eurovision for publications like Time Magazine, the New York Times and VICE. His book “Wild Dances: My Queer and Curious Journey to Eurovision” was published 2023.
Bella Qvist has been hooked on Melodifestivalen ever since Charlotte Nilsson took her to Eurovision heaven in 1999, and she has been flying high on the wings of Euro love ever since.
Bella, who is based in Stockholm, has lived almost two decades in the UK and Germany and reported on Eurovision for various British media outlets before making her debut as SVT’s commentator and Eurovision expert in 2021. This is Bella’s fifth year of doing the English commentary for the Melodifestivalen Grand Final.
Note: It is not possible to vote in Melodifestivalen from abroad.
You can watch the show live at 20:00 CET via our Multi-window live feed or at svtplay.se.