The highly anticipated Melodifestivalen 2026 kicks off tonight, January 31st, with its first heat at the Saab Arena in Linköping. This year’s competition features 30 artists competing across five heats, culminating in the grand final on March 7th in Stockholm.
Heat 1 Contestants:
1. Greczula – “Half of Me“
Text & music: Andreas Weling, Karl Ivert, Kian Sang, Greczula
The musician and songwriter Kristofer Greczula performs a style of romantic rock that is related to artists such as Queen, David Bowie and ABBA. His entry “Believe Me” finished in third place at Melodifestivalen 2025 and became the highest-placed song written entirely by debuting Melodifestivalen songwriters since 2018. In Melodifestivalen 2026, Greczula competes with the glamorous pop song “Half of Me”. At the age of 16, Greczula signed a record deal with the rock band Damn Delicious and he came close to qualifying for Idol 2008. He began releasing music under his own name in 2017, and his single “You Are Not Alone” from the same year went platinum. He performed at the Grammis Awards in 2021 and Allsång på Skansen in 2022. He released his debut album Live and Let Live in 2022, followed by the album Greczula in 2025.
2. Jacqline – “Woman“
Text & music: Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy Jansson, Moa “Cazzi Opeia” Carlebecker, Thomas G:son
With the song “Effortless”, 25-year-old Jacqline made her debut in Melodifestivalen 2025. The entry won its heat and finished in 9th place in the final. The same year, Jacqline was named “Best Swedish Newcomer” at the NRJ Music Awards. She has described singing and dancing as lifelong passions and says she is driven by a constant desire to develop, with her sights set on a global artist career. She has worked in music studios in London and draws inspiration from artists such as Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar. The song “Woman” is described as a love song that also celebrates femininity, strength, sensuality and the courage to love fully. Jacqline finished second in Idol 2021 in front of a sold-out Globen arena, which marked her breakthrough. Since then, she has been working on new music and performing in concert hall settings.
3. noll2 – “Berusade ord“
Text & music: Fredrik Andersson, Jakob Westerlund, Wilmer Öberg
The pop duo noll2 from Örnsköldsvik consists of Jakob and Wilmer, both born in 2002. They first met on their way to a music lesson and began playing covers together. In the summer of 2022, they started writing original material. Shortly thereafter, they relocated to Ystad to work more closely with producer Fredrik Andersson, whom they were eager to collaborate with. noll2 made their debut in 2023 with the single “Maja”, followed by television appearances and live performances. In 2025, the duo released “Störd”, which went viral on TikTok and entered Spotify’s Swedish Top 50 chart, peaking at number 14. In Melodifestivalen 2026, Jakob Westerlund and Wilmer Öberg also co-wrote Emilia Pantić’s song “Ingenting”, a track that originated when Pantić visited them to write potential material for noll2. In January ahead of Melodifestivalen 2026, they also released the single “Det skulle varit jag” together with Emilia Pantić.
4. Junior Lerin – “Copacabana Boy“
Text & music: Fredrik Andersson
Junior Lerin, who was born in Brazil, gained widespread attention through his participation in Let’s Dance 2025, where he finished in 6th place. During the same year, he was also highlighted for his role in the SVT production Mot alla odds – Stafetten, in which Gunde Svan set out to teach him how to ski with the goal of competing in the Vasaloppet—an ambition he ultimately fulfilled. Junior Lerin had previously appeared in television programs documenting his life with artist Lars Lerin. The two first met in 2007 and married in 2009. His entry “Copacabana Boy” marks a new artistic step for Junior Lerin and represents the first music he has ever released. The song blends Brazilian rhythms with pop influences, aiming both to invite celebration and to encourage listeners to dare to live life to the fullest.
5. Indra – “Beautiful Lie“
Text & music: Anderz Wrethov, Indra, Kristofer Strandberg, Laurell Barker, Robert Skowronski
Indra Elg is a multi-creative artist from Växjö, currently based in Lund. She has been writing songs since childhood and took part in Idol 2020, where she reached the first Friday final. On stage, she is known for a fearless presence and a distinctive personal expression. Her voice has helped her gain significant traction on social media, including on TikTok, where her account had amassed more than 2.4 million likes by 2025. Her entry “Beautiful Lie” is described as a song about the struggle between leaving something you know is wrong and holding on to a beautiful lie. The song was created in collaboration with three of the songwriters behind last year’s winning entry, “Bara bada bastu”.
6. A*Teens – “Iconic“
Text & music: Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy Jansson, Lina Hansson, Moa “Cazzi Opeia” Carlebecker, Thomas G:son
A*Teens are a pop group from Stockholm consisting of Marie Serneholt, Sara Lumholdt, Dhani Lennevald and Amit Paul. The group was formed in 1998 by Niklas Berg at the record label Stockholm Records, initially with the aim of creating modern cover versions of ABBA’s songs. They soon began releasing original material as well, achieving major international success with hits in the United States, South America and Asia. The group toured alongside artists such as Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. The band announced their split in 2006, after which several members went on to pursue solo careers. Both Marie Serneholt and Sara Lumholdt have competed in Melodifestivalen.
The hosts
Gina Dirawi and Hampus Nessvold will host Melodifestivalen 2026. Two stage-savvy comedians with a great sense of timing. One veteran and one debutant. It will be Gina’s fourth time, which means she now holds the female record for the role. For Hampus, it will be his first time on the Mello stage.
Full songs are now released to all platforms!
Since last year’s edition SVT brings something that the fans were asking for! The release dates of the competing songs! All these years, SVT were very strict about the release of the songs prior to the contest. The viewers were only getting a few seconds of rehearsals and snippets and the finalists were not allowed to be streamed before the last heat was over. This changed for the 2025 edition. All six songs from each heat will be released to all platforms on Friday, one day before their competing heat and will be available throughout the entire competition. So here are the first competing songs in their full studio version!
Greczula – “Half of me”
noll2 – “Berusade ord”
Indra – “Beautiful Lie“
Jacqline – “Woman”
Junior Lerin – “Copacabana Boy“
A*Teens – “Iconic“
Hall of fame
For the sixth year in a row, unforgettable Melodifestivalen moments are being honored in the Melodifestivalen Hall of Fame. The first inductee of 2026 is Janne Lucas with his hit “Växeln hallå,” which placed second in Melodifestivalen 1980. Written by Lasse Holm and Gert Lengstrand, the song became an instant hit and has over the years established itself as an integral part of Sweden’s musical heritage.
The citation reads:
Janne Lucas (Persson)’s schlager silver medal from 1980 is a Swedish evergreen. Songwriters Lasse Holm and Gert Lengstrand truly get a full signal in this pop-infused piano boogie that has made us scream-sing “Växeln hallå hallå” for 46 years. Naturally, Janne’s telephone trauma is now connected to the Melodifestivalen Hall of Fame.
“Of course it feels incredibly fun and honoring, and it came completely unexpectedly. It’s especially meaningful because the song is still alive—we still play it when we’re out performing, and the audience always wants to hear it. You somehow never get tired of it, which is a bit strange after so many years. To see it recognized in this way is truly great fun”
Janne Lucas (Persson)
“For those of us who’ve been around since 1980, this song is eternally etched into our collective memory. Wake us up in the middle of the night and we can still recite the chorus by heart, like a mantra. The fact that it has been passed down to new generations shows how irresistible and indelible it is—and that is exactly why it has an obvious place in the Hall of Fame,”
Christer Björkman, Honorary Chair of the Hall of Fame Committee
On Saturday, January 31st, in Linköping, “Växeln hallå” will be given new life when Maja Ivarsson—frontwoman of The Sounds and finalist in Melodifestivalen 2025—performs her own interpretation of the classic on stage together with Admira and Elecktra.
“It was a no-brainer when SVT got in touch and asked if I wanted to do the first interval act of Melodifestivalen 2026—with my own interpretation of ‘Växeln hallå.’ Of course I wanted to put my own stamp on the song while still preserving what makes it a true classic. Getting to perform it together with Elecktra and Admira makes it even more fun, and hopefully we can create a new-old banger together”
Maja Ivarsson
In the Melodifestivalen app, the entire Mello archive is gathered in one place, where you can watch Janne Lucas’s performance of “Växeln hallå” from Melodifestivalen 1980.
About the Hall of Fame
Since the launch of Melodifestivalen in 1958, countless colorful artists and melodies have left their mark on Swedish music and the national soul. The Melodifestivalen Hall of Fame was established in 2020 to honor and highlight special achievements and unforgettable Mello moments throughout the show’s long history.
You can watch Melodifestivalen live on SVT at 20:00 CET.