Sweden: SVT opens song submissions for Melodifestivalen 2016

The Swedish national broadcaster, Sveriges Television (SVT), has opened for song submissions for Melodifestivalen 2016. Today the submission period began, and will close on 16 September 08:59.

Like last year, 28 songs will compete in Melodifestivalen 2016. One of the 28 songs will be picked from the competition " Svensktoppen Nästa".

Melodifestivalen 2016

The format for next years Melodifestivalen is the same as last year:
A total of 28 songs will compete in Melodifestivalen 2016
There will be 4 heats with 7 songs in each heat
Each of the 4 heats qualifies 2 songs directly to the final
Each of the 4 heats qualifies 2 songs to the "second chance"-show
In the "second chance" 4 songs will be selected for the final

The winner of Melodifestivalen 2016 will represent Sweden on home soil at Eurovision Song Contest 2016 in Stockholm.

Sweden in Eurovision Song Contest

Since 1958 Sweden has participated 55 times in Eurovision Song Contest with great succes. They have won the contest 6 times:

• 1974: Abba - "Waterloo"
• 1984: Herreys - "Diggi-loo Diggy-ley"
• 1991: Carola - "Fångad Av En Stormvind"
• 1999: Charlotte Nilsson - "Take Me To Your Heaven"
• 2012: Loreen - "Euphoria"
• 2015: Måns Zelmerlöw - "Heroes"

They came last two times ( 1963 and 1977), and since the introduction of the Semi-finals in 2004 Sweden managed to qualify for the Grand Final 11 out of 12 times! (only skipped the qualification in 2010).