Swedish Melodifestivalen according to me ! – Semi-final 5 2025

SVT guarantee a star-studded lineup of beloved artists and 17 debutants, all vying for the Songbird title and a chance to represent Sweden in Eurovision this May.

Semi-final 5 – Malmö, 1 March 2025

1. «Ring baby ring» – Arvingarna

Origin: Stefan Brunzell, Thomas G:son

Arvingarna rose to prominence as a leading Swedish schlager band, winning the Grammis for Schlager Music of the Year in 1993, 2002, 2020, and 2022. While I usually expect catchy refrains from them, this entry fell short and failed to reach the final.

2. «This Dream of Mine» – Arwin

Origin: Anderz Wrethov, Arwin Ismail, Jimmy «Joker» Thörnfeldt, Julie «Kill J» Aagaard, Peter Boström

Arwin, 17, achieved fame in 2024 with his viral TikTok hit «För bra för att vara sant,» which also gained radio popularity. Following his participation in the Rix FM Festival tour and a solo summer tour in Sweden, he competed in the second chance round after failing to reach the final. However, his song, only released the day before, was unfairly disadvantaged against songs with weeks of airplay. SVT should address this discrepancy.

3. «Hate You So Much» – Saga Ludvigsson

Origin: Herman Gardarfve, Lisa Desmond, Saga Ludvigsson

Saga Ludvigsson, a Talang 2019 finalist at age twelve, was also the runner-up in Idol 2023. A recording artist since 2020, she released the catchy single «Hercules» (co-written by Anna Bergendahl) in 2024, which immediately qualified for the final.

4. «Love It! » – Victoria Silvstedt

Origin: Jimmy Jansson, Thomas G:son

She debuted in 1999 with the gold-selling album «Girl on the Run*, featuring the hits «Hello Hey» and «Rocksteady Love» (with Turbo B). Following appearances on Swedish Masked Singer 2021 Sweden and the «Vi som älskar 90-talet» festival in 2023, she competed in Melodifestivalen 2025, bringing a 90s vibe despite not reaching the final.

5. «I’m Yours» – Vilhelm Buchaus

Origin: Elias Edman, Jonatan Lahti, Simon Alexander Ward, Vilhelm Buchaus

Vilhelm Buchaus, influenced by Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, and John Mayer, crafts his music primarily with guitar and vocals. Following his YouTube debut of covers and original songs, he released his debut single «First Cut» in 2023 and the EP «Quiet Rooms» in fall 2024. The omission of one particular song from the Melodifestivalen final cut remains a mystery, given its beautiful voice and powerful lyrics.

6. «Sweet N’ Psycho» – Scarlet

Origin: Anderz Wrethov, Dino Medanhodzic, Jimmy «Joker» Thörnfeldt, Scarlet Hunts, Thirsty

Formed in 2018, metal duo Scarlet achieved their breakthrough at Melodifestivalen 2024 with «Circus X». Their follow-up, «Sweet N’ Psycho», encourages embracing extremes and defying norms. Though more mainstream than «Circus X» and featuring a repetitive, catchy phrase, it ultimately reached the final despite perceived lyrical shortcomings.

Following Semi-final 5, the Second Chance round was held. The inclusion of Arwin, whose song was released the day before, felt unfair as all other Second Chance contenders had been available for at least a week. Meira Omar (song released 4 weeks prior) and Dolly Style (song released 2 weeks prior) secured the final two spots.

The Melodifestivalen 2025 final is scheduled to be broadcast on Saturday, the 08 of March, via SVT, starting at 20.00. Be sure to tune in for this exciting event!