The countdown continues as the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest approaches in Malmö, Sweden. The host country chose its representatives just a couple of weeks ago through the widely popular preselection, Melodifestivalen.
The twin brothers Marcus & Martinus have been selected to represent Sweden with the song “Unforgettable.” The duo hails from Norway and previously participated in last year’s Swedish national final, where they finished in second place with the song “Air.” Just a year later, they have claimed victory and will be flying the Swedish flag at Eurovision.
Who are Marcus & Martinus?
Marcus and Martinus Gunnarsen are a Norwegian duo, both 22 years old, born in Elverum, near Oslo. However, they grew up in Trofors, a small village with just 800 inhabitants. At only 10 years old, they gained fame by winning Melodi Grand Prix Junior in 2012 with the song “To dråper vann.” Three years later, they released their first studio album “Hei,” which reached number 1 on the Norwegian Albums chart, remaining on the chart for 35 weeks.
In 2016, they began releasing music in English, establishing themselves as teenage idols across Scandinavia. They achieved further success with their first English-language album, “Together,” and collaborations with artists like Madcon.
In 2017, the duo gave Norway’s points at Eurovision, just days before performing at the 40th birthday of Sweden’s Princess Victoria with “On This Day,” a song composed especially for her. Later that year, they released “Moments,” their third and most recent album to date. In 2022, they won the Swedish version of The Masked Singer. Afterward, they released their first single entirely produced by a Swedish team, “When All the Lights Go Out,” with Melodifestivalen veterans Herman Gardarfve, Melanie Wehbe, and Patrik Jean among the songwriters.
A year later, SVT announced the duo as participants in Melodifestivalen, where they finished second. In 2024, they returned to Melodifestivalen as clear favorites, ultimately winning the competition.
“Unforgettable” the Swedish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024
Like their previous song at Melodifestivalen, “Unforgettable” is composed by both twins along with the veteran Swedish preselection songwriters Jimmy “Joker” Thörnfeldt and the siblings Joy and Linnea Deb. Thörnfeldt won Eurovision last year as the composer of Loreen’s “Tattoo” and is also in charge of producing the song alongside Joy Deb. This marks the third time one of his songs has won the competition in four years.
With “Unforgettable,” the Deb siblings have now won Melodifestivalen four times, only surpassed by Lasse Holm and Bobby Ljunggren, who each have five wins, although Linnea is now the woman with the most victories, surpassing Ingela “Pling” Forsman. It’s the duo’s first song to reach the top of the Swedish singles charts and is about a girl whose love is unforgettable, yet at the same time dangerous, toxic, and addictive—the kind of relationship that leaves you drained and empty, but from which you can’t escape.
Lyrics of «Unforgettable»
She comes alive at night
When her prey’s asleep
Make your eyes go blind
And now you’re in too deep
She’s gonna chew you up
And leave you empty, hollow
Then she’ll spit you out
Anyway I follow
She’s gonna hurt you bad
But it feels so good
I don’t care
No I don’t care
You better know she’s dangerous
She is unforgettable
And it feels so good it hurts
She is unforgettable
Whoah
She’s unforgettable
She’s unforgettable
She’s unforgettable
Her love is venomous
It’s getting serious
She’s gonna chew you up
And leave you empty, hollow
Then she’ll spit you out
Anyway I follow
She’s gonna hurt you bad
But it feels so good
I don’t care
No I don’t care
You better know she’s dangerous
She is unforgettable
And it feels so good it hurts
She is unforgettable
Whoah
She’s unforgettable
She’s unforgettable
She’s unforgettable
Her love
Is dangerous
And I know it
It’s venomous
Cause I feel it
Inside of me
She’s unforgettable
Her love
Is dangerous
And I know it
It’s venomous
Cause I feel it
Inside of me
She’s unforgettable
Sweden’s participation in Eurovision
Sweden’s participation in Eurovision has been highly successful since its debut in 1958. The country has established itself as a powerhouse in the history of the contest, securing seven victories and numerous top-ranking positions. The selection of Sweden’s Eurovision representatives is carried out through Melodifestivalen, which attracts millions of viewers both in Sweden and globally.
Swedish musical talent has gained international recognition due to its excellent performances in the contest, with ABBA, the 1974 winners, being the most prominent example. One of the keys to Sweden’s success in Eurovision is the format of Melodifestivalen, a six-week-long event that involves both established and emerging artists.
This competition is considered one of the most significant in Europe, giving artists the opportunity to present their work to a diverse and demanding audience. Thanks to this selection process, Sweden has managed to position itself as one of the most successful countries in Eurovision history, equaling Ireland in terms of the number of victories.
Sweden holds an impressive record in Eurovision, reaching the top 10 in more than half of its participations. With artists like Loreen, who won in 2012 with “Euphoria” and in 2023 with “Tattoo,” Sweden has demonstrated its ability to stay at the forefront of musical trends.