WHEN?: Saturday 28 February March 2025 7pm UK time WHERE TO WATCH? SVT

WHERE?: Gärdehov Arena, Sundsval

The final heat of Melfest 2026 is its most competitive with the return of a former winner and the arrival of the sole American Song Contest victor.

• Read on for reasons including Bladë, Juliett and Lilla Al-Fadji 

1. AleXa Tongue Tied (Alexaundra Christine Schneiderman, Ellen Berg, Jonatan Gusmark, Ludvig Evers, Moa ‘Cazzi Opeia’ Carlebecker) PREDICTION: 3rd

This American K-pop singer based in South Korea won the American Song Contest for Oklahoma in 2022 with Wonderland. and co-writers Opeia and Berg here have credits on her winning song. Tongue Tied is tipped by many to be FELICIA‘s big competition in the final but we’re hoping for more from the full song.

2. Juliett Långt från alla andra (Far from everyone else) (David Själin, Elias Kask, Herman Gardarfve, Ludvig Alamanos, Romeo Er-Melin, Valter Wigren) PREDICTION: 5th

5-strong boy band performing an uptempo song about love, desire and grabbing the moment. This is fun and dancefloor friendly but may be out of its depth here.

3. Bladë Who You Are (Isa Tengblad, Josefina Carlbom) PREDICTION: 4th

Co-writer Tengblad has competed as a performer twice in MF before, finishing 7th in 2015 with Don’t Stop and failing to progress from the Andra Chansen in 2016 with I Will Wait. She co-wrote Malou Prytz’s I Do Me which finished 12th in 2019. Strong build and this is going to be in the mix to progress.

LISTEN to the 60-second clips at SVT Play

4. Lilla Al-Fadji Delulu (Daniel Réhn, Edward af Sillén, Lilla Al-Fadji, Fredrik Sonefors, Melanie Wehbe, Mikaela Samuelsson) PREDICTION: 6th

Novelty song from a fictional Swedish comedy character which we’re struggling to find funny.

5. Vilhelm Buchaus Hearts Don’t Lie (David Zandén, Isa Molin, Vilhelm Buchaus) PREDICTION: Qualifier

The final needs a big ballad and we think this is it. Buchaus competed last year with I’m Yours but just missed out on a final spot. Co-writer Molin wrote the maginificent Hold Me Closer with Cornelia Jakobs which finished 4th in Turin in 2022.

6. Sanna Nielsen  Waste Your Love (Jimmy Jansson, Peter Boström, Thomas G:son) PREDICTION: Qualifier

Nielsen is the 2nd former Melodifestivalen winner competing in its 66th year and finished 3rd in Copenhagen in 2014 singing the gorgeous Undo. She’s bringing the schlager this year and this should be enough to see her into next week’s final. She’s no stranger to MF and has competed a fabulous 7 times previously with our favourites being the joyous disco stormer I’m In Love (4th in 2011) and haunting ballad Empty Room (3rd in 2008)

• During February this site will predict how each heat will go on the Friday after we’ve heard the songs before the Saturday events. Heat 1 preview Heat 3 preview Heat 4 preview Heat 5 preview Heat 1 predictions Heat 2 predictions Heat 3 predictions Heat 4 predictions Heat 5 predictions Finalen predictions
• In March we’ll forecast how the finalen will go and how each of the 12 qualifiers would do in May in Vienna at Eurovision.
• Picture via Facebook courtesy Melodifestivalen and SVT
• Have you heard any of these songs or seen any of these shows? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
• Enjoyed this review? Follow monstagigz on Twitter @NeilDurham, email neildurham3@gmail.com and check us out on Instagram and Facebook