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 3 of Melodifestivalen 2025 is due to commence, Kittens & Tim 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.
Greczula – “Believe Me”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
Greczula is seen performing in a black leather studded jacket at a white piano – which zooms out slowly to show the piano is in the air. It descends slowly to the stage, and the guitar and drums kick in more heavily – it’s a very Queen/Elton John style melody. He leaves the piano and walks onto the stage itself, collapsing down at a break in the music, using the floor graphics to good effect. For the last chorus, he stands on the piano, a camera in the piano top giving shots from below him on occasion. In the last moments, pyro and smoke goes off, before the song returns to the quiet piano we started with.
| Kittens | Tim |
| I feel very conflicted about this. It feels like I should really love it, and I think it will be served much better with a full audience in the room. But there’s something that is just a little bit missing here – and I think it might be the showmanship of the artist itself. It also really feels like it needs a band on stage, fake or not. I do truly think this one is borderline and will live or die based on crowd reaction, but for now it’s very sadly an ‘Out’ for me. | There’s something about this that gives me a nostalgic vibe. It was giving me a bit of Elton John/Damiano David vibe on my first watch of this. The only thing that concerns me is that I think its a great performance, its something that you see on a live awards show. My concern is will it stand out enough. For me personally, its difficult, and would love to be proven wrong. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Tim’s Prediction |
| Out | Out |
Malou Prytz – “24k Gold”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
Malou appears in a curtain ‘tunnel’ made of gold chain, wearing a gold outfit and holding a gold microphone (well, of course). Shots from above show the extent of the gold tunnel, and she is slowly joined by six dancers in similar outfits to hers. The dancers maneuver the curtains around, pulling them into shape as the routine progresses. Malou and the dancers leave the curtain and have a full across stage moment, before returning to the tunnel and pulling the chains around her for the bridge, and they all return to the stage for the last moment (with pyro!)
| Kittens | Tim |
| This might not be anything too new, but it is just done very well. The closeness of the dancers and the interesting staging made by the curtain is just very slick. Malou is clearly someone who knows what she’s doing, and it’s plain to see that experience on stage. Will be playlisting this tomorrow! | Malou wasn’t kidding when she told me in an interview that 24k Gold is a more mature side of her. This is the way to launch a reimagined image, she did this with a bang, she managed to show a different side to her, yet still keep the pop sound that we know her for. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Tim’s Prediction |
| Direkt till finalen | Direkt till finalen |
Björn Holmgren – “Rädda Mig”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
Björn is seen in a fake hospital waiting room, complete with clock on the wall, depressing seating and stark lighting. He’s dressed simply in a textured white shirt and brown trousers. A whistle starts the song, before guitar takes over. Even more jaunty guitar joins in for the chorus. Post chorus as the whistle comes back, he stands by a fake ‘window’ as clock hands turn at pace. On the floor, colourful lines appear (similar to those found in hospitals to get you to specific wards). He looks through the ‘window’, talking to nobody, as the song swells.
| Kittens | Tim |
| For a song about such a sensitive subject (the song is about his sister being in hospital sick for several months), the song feels very jaunty. The whistle part, along with the ‘swaying’ nature of the song, which kind of feels like a song you might sing with a load of people while drunk, sits in stark contrast to the lyrics. Still, it’s a very engaging presentation and staging, and while I don’t think it’s the kind of emotional punch that some other songs might have, it’s still probably going to tug at a few heartstrings as well as having that whistle firmly stuck in your head for weeks. | I am very for having more songs in Swedish, this staging is very artistic, and as Kittens said, it is a very sensitive subject, but you can tell how much emotion Björn puts into this performance, I am just gutted that we know how the public votes, which sucks, but I will definitely put this on my playlist. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Tim’s Prediction |
| Out | Out |
Dolly Style – “YIHAA”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
Dolly style appear on stage in distinctive pastel cowgirl outfits (of course), behind a lit up set of gates, at the Dolly Style ranch. They are flanked on stage by huge horses on the graphics, and the gates move to the sides, with the girls moving up the stage, now joined by dancers (also in cowboy hats, of course). The dancers join them in a line dance format for the second chorus, and they get out matching coloured whips for the bridge and last chorus, flailing them around their heads to the dance routine.
| Kittens | Tim |
| Well, it’s Dolly Style doing pop country. And whatever you think about that, somehow this will be stuck in your head for a minimum of four to five working days. Laser targeted at that young or at least young at heart audience, no matter what happens with this in the contest, you know a thousand TikToks will be spawned within moments of this going out. I’m so very tired of guilty pleasures discourse – but it fits the brief a bit. It’s so camp and enjoyable. | Pop country? really pop country? It’s very anthemic and definitely fits the mould of what the younger audience of Mello would watch and like. Like Kittens said, I will probably be making a TikTok when I find my hat. My only concern is that the vote may be too concentrated towards the younger age groups, but I would love to be proven wrong. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Tim’s Prediction |
| Finalkval | Out |
Angelino – “Teardrops”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
On stage, he is wearing a black top with white petals on top of a simple white vest and textured black trousers. He starts alone but soon Angelino is joined by six dancers, with flash cut camerawork and lighting being used extensively throughout this part of the performance along to the music. Rain effect falls on the performance via the screens, matching the lyrics. For the second verse, the dancers disappear, and Angelino is on a white strip of stage, and the dancers rejoin him for the chorus. In the bridge the song pulls back and the graphics shoot forward. The song kicks back in, with a keychange, and the dancers rejoin him, only to leave him again for the last shot as the song fades away.
| Kittens | Tim |
| Oh it’s hard to not be a little disappointed here for me. This feels a bit like Eric Saade circa 2011 – which is absolutely fine, but it is now 2025. The lyrics feel dated, the presentation feels dated, and the amount of flash cuts feel disorientating, pulling focus away from a very good vocalist. I’d love to see just a bit more impact here, and it will probably find a good home on radio airplay, but it’s just not quite enough for me. | Definitely feels a bit like “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake, and you can tell Tusse was part of the track based on the beat. I know he’s working hard, and I think the appeal is more spread out on this one, and personally, I hope he makes it past this time round. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Tim’s Prediction |
| Out | Finalkval |
Annika Wickihalder – “Life Again”
Photo Credit: Stina Stjernkvist/SVT for Melodifestivalen 2025
Annika is in a green dress with voluminous amounts of draped curtains behind her on stage. From a quiet low key start, drums kick in for the chorus, and the pace picks up in the song. For the second chorus, she’s joined by 4 dancers in white skirts and tan tops. The song breaks down and lifts again as the bridge kicks in – swelling to a great crescendo before the chorus comes back in, and fading to the drums as she finishes.
| Kittens | Tim |
| A big surprise for me this one – while I never doubted Annika’s vocal ability, this shows it off WAY more than her previous appearance in Melfest, and it feels so much more keyed to her specifically. The dramatics of the staging swelling and falling are simple, but very well done. I can’t see this not doing well – I have goosebumps! | It gives me a bit of Florence and the Machine vibes, and you can really see how her confidence has grown since she participated last year, it just feels right and I just get shivers when she did the high notes. |
| Kittens’ Prediction | Tim’s Prediction |
| Direkt till finalen | Direkt till finalen |
The third semi-final of Melodifestivalen 2025 will air on the 15th 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