By Aline Mahrud
WHEN?: Saturday 1 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Coop Norrbotten Arena, Luleå
There’s lots of variety in the 60-second snippets we’ve heard in this opening of 5 heats with the S Club-ish closing number by Linnea Henriksson being our pick of the bunch so far.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
TRACKLIST: Audacious; Everydaydreamer; The Doctor; Hooked; Build It Up; Night Or Day; Tell Me I Should Stay; Cats; Black Eyelashes; Bar Lonely; The Birds
Franz Ferdinand only include 2 of its original line-up in the now quintet which may give a clue why this 6th album is a dramatic return to form.
By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Saturday 1 March 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Husqvana Garden, Jönköping
Last year we wrote of Scarlet’s Circus X that it boasted ‘the most thrilling climax to a song we’ve heard all Eurovision season’ and its striking visuals would foreshadow the similar styling of Ireland’s Bambie Thug which romped home in 6th beating the Swedish entry, equalling the country’s best result for 24 years.
By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Saturday 22 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Malmö Arena, Malmö
Zelmerlöw is the big favourite to win MF for a 2nd time after triumphing in 2015 with Heroes which finished 3rd in the Eurovision televote behind Italy and Russia but went on to triumph.
WHEN?: Tuesday 28 January, Thursday 30 January through Saturday 1 February 2025
WHERE?: Palau Municipal d’Esports l’Illa de Benidorm
Spain achieved its best Eurovision result for 27 years with the 1st winner of Benidorm Fest – Chanel’s SloMo was 3rd – but the last 2 years have seen finishes in 17th and 22nd.
By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Saturday 15 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: ABB Arena, Västerås
Will it be 4th time lucky for a girl band with a rotating membership to rival the UK’s own Sugababes?
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
This is the lead single from the album we are most excited for in 2025, Lady Gaga’s 8th studio collection expected in February.
By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Saturday 8 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Scandinavium, Gothenburg
Hammarström has made the finalen in each of her last 2 Melodifestivalens and has co-written an entry with 4 of the authors of 2023 Eurovision winner Tattoo.
By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Saturday 1 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Coop Norrbotten Arena, Luleå
Melodifestivalen turns 65 this year, in 2024 gave us Unforgettable Norwegian twins Marcus and Martinus as victors and we see them live in London in March, the biggest compliment we can pay an act.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
Next year’s 69th Eurovision Song Contest is in Basel, Switzerland thanks to Nemo, the show’s 1st non-binary winner, with a song that placed 5th in its televote but was the runaway jury winner.
