Welcome to That Eurovision Site’s 2024 Advent Calendar! Each day at 10:00CET we’ll be highlighting one of our favourite holiday themed songs from across the Eurovision sphere! today is the 10th of December and our featured song today is Alone on Christmas Eve by Måns Zelmerlöw, who won Eurovision 2015, and is competing at Melodifestivalen 2025. Happy Holidays!
Behind the 10th door on the TES Advent Calendar is…
About “Alone on Christmas Eve”
Released back in 2020, this song is a more sombre take on festive music with Alone on Christmas Eve. The melody is rather simplistic. The backing track puts heavy focus on on the piano guiding the song, with light smatterings of bells throughout to add to the festive nature of the song. The crescendo of the song features a prominent saxophone as one would expect with a Swedish Christmas number. Lyrically, he sings from the perspective of someone lamenting the feelings of loneliness at Christmas. Reminiscing about his childhood and the feelings of excitement that a child experiences running downstairs to see the presents under the tree. Fondly remembering and yearning for the feelings of togetherness and happiness that he once felt at Christmastime.
What do we think?
This song is quintessential post-Heroes Måns; soft dulcet tones with a light easy listening backing track to accompany it. I understand why some may wish to avoid less cheery songs at Christmastime, but I think it’s important songs like this still should still be included in the mix of Christmas listening. For many this is an extremely lonely time of year, and I think we should always consider those around us in such a predicament. It’s also important to note that this song did release in 2020; the first Corona Christmas. For many this was a Christmas that did feel incredibly lonely as large swathes of us couldn’t be with our families. So a song with this sort of tone does lead the emotional weight of what is an easy listening song to be amplified.
Måns Zelmerlöw’s Eurovision Journey
A man who probably needs no introduction to anyone familiar with Eurovision; Måns Zelmerlöw is best known around the continent for winning the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest with the song Heroes. Måns first gained prominence with his participation on the Swedish version of Pop Idol in 2005 where he ultimately came 5th. The following year he had much greater success, winning the Swedish edition of Strictly Come Dancing alongside professional dancer Maria Karlsson. His foray into the Eurovision world happened in 2007 when Måns first entered Melodifestivalen in 2007; coming third with the song Cara Mia. He retuned in 2009 with Hope and Glory doing slightly worse, but still earning a respectable fourth place in the show.
He faired significantly better in 2015 when his song Heroes not only won Melodifestivalem, but went on to win the entirety of Eurovision, with one of the highest scores in the contest under the old system. Following his impressive Eurovision win he went on to host the 2016 edition of the contest with Petra Mede.
The hosting did not stop there as he went on to host the British National Final You Decide in 2017 and 2019, as well as making appearances at the 2017, 2019, 2021, and 2023 contests. Outwith his musical career Måns has ventured into the wine industry creating his own brand of Cava.
What do you think of today’s song? As always, please let us know what you think by getting involved in the comments below. Also, be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Threads, tumblr, and Bluesky for more information about Eurovision 2025!
Photo Credit – Alexander Kot-Zaitsaǔ, Gabriel Luengas/Europa Press, KEiiNO, Sarah-Louise Bennett / EBU, Jonathan Vivaas Kise, DR, Luisa Sobral, Donny Montell, Darin (Collage by That Eurovision Site)
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