All opinions expressed in this article are those of the person quoted and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the other team members or That Eurovision Site as a whole.
With less than 48 hours to go until Deltävling 2 of Melodifestivalen 2025 is due to commence, Kittens & Euan had a chance to watch some of the rehearsals for the second semi-final of the competition, where they gave their opinions and predictions for Saturday’s show.
Nomi Tales – “Funniest Thing”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
Nomi is seen appearing out of smoke with a white net covering her head. Forest images appear on the background screens and she loses the net and stands, wearing a brown outfit. Dancers pull up out of the smoke as she motions in their direction. Very spooky ethereal forest vibes. In the bridge, the lighting goes red. For the final chorus, the smoke lifts to reveal a jetty-like path into a river, and wind machines buffet the smoke and the dancers away.
| Kittens | Euan |
| Very ethereal and very Melfest – the staging is delicate and doesn’t take away too much from her singing. Very engaging presentation and confident vocally and on stage, but the song is a bit ploddy for my tastes. | It’s oddly very un-Melfest and much more intimate then expected to begin with, but the last 45 seconds are Sweden-by-numbers. I like the staging, but I feel because the song takes a little too long to get going that the visual engagement of it detracts from the song too much, and will likely cause it to struggle significantly. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Euan’s Prediction |
| Finalkval | Out |
SCHLAGERZ – “Don Juan”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
The three artists are on little stepped platforms in different types of black and silver-themed outfits with red notes, with chrome graphics on the black screens. They all have glittery silver microphones for a nice touch. The three descend from their steps for chorus, it’s very reminiscent of ABBA’s “Waterloo”, with a good sense of humour and foot-tapping involved. Lots of audience shots for the bridge, and pyro and a keychange (of course)!
| Kittens | Euan |
| This is really good fun, and I can definitely see it finding an audience at Mello. There’s nothing particularly special going on here, but neither does it need it. Your mum will be bopping to this (and you will too, but you won’t tell her that because you wanna look cool). | It’s an incredibly fun number and exactly what you’re expecting with a song from a group called Schlagerz. Yes, it’s a wee bit naff, and very dated, but it’s inoffensive enough that I could see it appealing to a wide array of people. Though, not in a way that would put it even remotely close to being in the qualifiers position. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Euan’s Prediction |
| Out | Out |
Erik Segerstedt – “Show Me What Love Is”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
The screens show a pink and red swirl as Erik sits at a colour splashed piano in a matching colour splashed denim jacket, with two guitarists and a drummer also on stage. The staging goes darker as Erik sings, the back screen patterns reducing to only isolated swirls. Gentle acoustic guitar joins in with the piano as the song progresses, and then the song swells for the chorus. The psychedelic background imagery accelerates with the song, and Erik and the guitarists run into the audience to the substage, joined by two backing vocalists. On the substage, confetti of all colours rains down on them.
| Kittens | Euan |
| It’s nice, and it’s definitely radio friendly, but it’s not anything particularly special. He’s a great confident performer, and the substage/audience moment is really good. I suspect this will go down better on the night than in this empty rehearsal arena, but I just don’t know if it’s strong enough to go through. | I think that this was likely the strongest performance of the week. I don’t see this being in contention to going directly to the final with what else is here this week, and the fact that it is such a radio friendly song, but I see there being enough of an appeal to a wide enough number of groups to put it into the Finalkval category. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Euan’s Prediction |
| Out | Finalkval |
Klara Hammarström – “On and On and On”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
We start with Klara draped across a very fancy looking ionic column-bed scenario, in a white cutout dress (supplemented by a metal bra-top for later performances). We start slow but build up quickly to a banging beat with lighting puncturing the stage. The music, led by a piano style, moves with with dancers fingers tapping away at her as she lies down, building to an EDM-style drop for the chorus. Dancers rotate the column-bed-platform, and move around her, reaching up her body at various points. The back screens show a celestial scene, until the lighting moves to red, and she lies on the floor as a ticking clock plays on the floor screen behind her. The song drops down in tempo and dancers pick her up, raising her to the stage where she joins the dancers for the final chorus, the clock appearing on the back screen.
| Kittens | Euan |
| Klara is back (she’s so back) and this is her on top form – a banging pulsing beat, with all of the dancing and movement you would expect. I can’t think for one second that it won’t go DTF, and with heavyweights like Cazzi Opeia behind the song, it’s definitely going to go far in the competition. | Aye this is DTF bait written all over it. I would say that I was rather disappointed with Klara’s performance here. Typically you’d expect her to give a lot more, but this performance and the staging was a little lacklustre. I still think that it’s the perfect make up of a song to go straight to the Melfest final, and even win this week, but I think the presentation of the song has shot itself in the foot for a chance of going to Basel. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Euan’s Prediction |
| Direkt till Finalen | Direkt till Finalen |
Fredrik Lundman – “The Heart of a Swedish Cowboy”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
White confetti falls like snow as the camera zooms in on Fredrik seated playing the guitar on a small platform in all the cowboy gear you would expect. A snowy Swedish mountain scene plays in the background, changing to horses as the verse kicks in. Lots of scenes of the Swedish countryside, delicately lit. He stands for the last verse and chorus.
| Kittens | Euan |
| Oof. Not my thing at all musically, but it’s a confident performance from Fredrik, and he’s a solid vocalist with a good growl to his voice. A strong vote from selected age brackets could still see this through, but I think it might end up struggling. | It’s certainly Swedish country. It’s extremely pleasant, and he really does have a nice voice and stage presence, but the song doesn’t really go anywhere, and I really can’t see it picking up enough votes go advance through this week. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Euan’s Prediction |
| Out | Out |
Kaliffa – “Salute”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
Kaliffa stands alone in the dark with smoke to start with, but not for long as the stage erupts into palm tree visuals and bright colours. Wearing a bright yellow ouftit, Kaliffa joins the dancers at a long platform styled with a patterned cloth. The dancers distribute to leave him alone on stage as the platform pulses with light, only to return for the chorus, where the dancers slow to accent against the music. Dancers bring out scarves and whip them around to the music, until it slows for the bridge, leaving Kaliffa lit up sitting on the platform. The stage explodes in confetti for the final chorus with a keychange, amplifying the party atmosphere. As it comes to a close, the dancers throw the scarves in the air.
| Kittens | Euan |
| This is such a party and while not quite as potent as Medina last year, it’s hard not to bring the comparisons. In an empty arena it’s hard to tell, but I’m sure this will have the energy with the crowd on the evening. A real party anthem. | I agree with Kittens in the sense that I think this is dialled back a bit, but the fact this is probably the most ‘in your face’ number of the week, and the fact that he’ll likely have the crowd enthralled, that this is definitely a strong contender for a DTF. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Euan’s Prediction |
| Direkt till Finalen | Direkt till Finalen |
The second semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2025 will air on the 8th of February at 20:00 CET. Don’t forget to follow That Eurovision Site to keep up to date with the latest coverage of this year’s selection.
What we know about Melodifestivalen 2025
As we earlier reported 30 songs will participate in Melodifestivalen 2025, two songs will directly qualify for the final from each semi-final, (which will consist of ten entries for the final)
The entry that placed third in each semi-final will still have a chance to make it to the final (which will be made up of five entries). Out of the five participants who placed third in each semi-final, the act with the highest score across all of the Semi-Finals will automatically be given a place in the final, with the remaining four acts fighting it out for the remaining spot. The act with the highest points from the vote will then be awarded the last spot in the final
As usual, Sweden’s Eurovision 2025 representative will be selected via a mixture of televoting and an international jury.
Sweden’s Eurovision Journey
In 1958, Sweden made their debut in the Eurovision Song Contest, with Alice Babs representing them with the song “Lilla stjärna” which placed fourth. Since their debut, the Scandinavian nation has managed to win seven times (1974, 1984, 1991, 1999, 2012, 2015 and 2023).
In 2024, Marcus and Martinus represented Sweden on home soil. As the host entry, their song “Unforgettable” did not need to compete in the semi-finals. At the close of voting in the grand final, they had received 174 points. 125 points were received by the juries, while the twins received 49 points by televoters.
What are your thoughts on this week’s entries? Who would you like to see represent Sweden at Eurovision in 2025? Let us know in the comments or on social media. Be sure to follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tik-Tok as we prepare for Eurovision 2025!
News Source: SVT
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
Tim J