Sweden: Robin Bengtsson Wins Melodifestivalen 2017

Tonight the final of Melodifestivalen, Sweden's selection process for the Eurovision Song Contest, took place in Friends Arena, Stockholm. Six weeks ago, seven of twenty-eight artists took to the stage in Goteborg to perform their contributions for this year's edition of the contest. Each week for four weeks, two of the seven songs qualified directly to this week's final, joining a selection of third and fourth place entries chosen during last week's 'Andra Chansen' (second chance round) to make up the final twelve.

Tonight's show and this year's series of the contest was hosted by Hasse Andersson, David Lindgren and Clara Henry. Hasse and David are both chart topping artists in the country, Hasse entered Melodifestivalen in 2015 finishing fourth, while David's most recent entry to the contest was last year with 'We Are Your Tomorrow'. Clara Henry is a Swedish vlogger, comedian and talk show host. Clara frequently speaks out about feminism and equal rights, releasing her first book 'Ja jag har mens, hurså?' (Yes, I have periods, so what?) in 2015.

This series of Melodifestivalen, the fifty-seventh edition, saw the return of two former Eurovision winners; Charlotte Perrelli and Loreen. Charlotte first won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1999 with 'Take Me To Your Heaven', entering again in 2008 with 'Hero', and attempting a third entry in 2012 with 'The Girl'. Loreen has previously entered Melodifestivalen twice, in 2012 her song qualified and won the main Eurovision itself in Baku that May. This year, with the songs 'Mitt Liv' and 'Statements', neither of the artists qualified to the final.

Tonight's result was generated in a similar way to the new format of voting for the main Eurovision Song Contest, with jury votes and televotes being announced separately. Eleven countries gave jury votes to the twelve songs, presented by Iveta Mukuchyan (Armenia's 2016 representative), Victoria Romanova (former executive producer of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017 and the Ukrainian head of delegation) - along with many other heads of delegation and leading international figures relating to the contest.

1 Ace Wilder - "Wild Child" 2 Boris René - "Her Kiss" 3 Lisa Ajax - "I Don't Give A" 4 Robin Bengtsson - "I Can't Go On" - 1st 5 Jon Henrik Fjällgren feat. Aninia - "En värld full av strider" - 3rd 6 Anton Hagman - "Kiss You Goodbye" 7 Mariette - "A Million Years" 8 FO&O - "Gotta Thing About You" 9 Nano - "Hold On" - 2nd 10 Wiktoria - "As I Lay Me Down" 11 Benjamin Ingrosso - "Good Lovin'" 12 Owe Thörnqvist - "Boogieman Blues"