2022 was the 62nd edition of the Swedish music competition Melodifestivalen, which was organised by (SVT) and took place over a six-week period between 5 February and 12 March 2022. The winner of the competition was Cornelia Jakobs with the song "Hold Me Closer", who represented in the Eurovision Song Contest 2022, where she came fourth with 438 points. All shows were hosted by Oscar Zia.
Format
The event was planned to return to its traditional tour around six cities of the country (namely Malmö, Gothenburg, Linköping, Lidköping, Örnsköldsvik and Stockholm) with venues available for spectators, after the previous edition was entirely held in one place and without an audience due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, due to tightening restrictions in light of the spread of the Omicron variant, SVT announced on 14 January 2022 that all shows would instead be held in Stockholm. On 4 February, SVT announced that the first three heats would be held in the Avicii Arena, while the remaining one heat, the semi-finals and the final would be held in the Friends Arena.
As usual, a total of 28 entries took part in the competition, 12 of which made it to the final. For this edition, the wildcard spot given to one of the artists in the P4 Nästa competition organised by Sveriges Radio P4 was not used.
Proceeds from the voting in the fourth heat, semi-finals and final were donated to aid relief efforts during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
+ Competition ScheduleShowDateCityVenueHeat 15 February 2022StockholmAvicii ArenaHeat 212 February 2022Heat 319 February 2022Heat 426 February 2022Friends ArenaSemi-finals5 March 2022Final12 March 2022
Format changes
New changes to the format were announced on 26 January 2022.
Heats Two rounds of voting take place. The song with the most votes in the first round directly qualifies for the final, while in the second round, the remaining six songs are decided on largely as it was prior – the top-placed song qualify for the final, while the songs that placed second and third go to the semi-finals, using a system of age groups that has been in place since 2019. Each age group's vote carries a score of 12, 10, 8, 5, 3 and 1. For the first time, the full breakdown of the results, including points given out by each age group, is shown on screen. In contrast to previous editions, the two finalists do not reprise their songs at the end of the broadcast.
Semi-finals The semi-finals show was introduced to replace the previously held Second Chance round. In a draw held on 1 March 2022, the third- and fourth-placed songs from each of the previous four heats (eight songs in total) are placed into two semi-finals. No differences are made on whether the entries placed third or fourth in their respective heats. The top two songs from each semi-final proceed to the final, using the age group system. Each age group's vote carries a score of 12, 10, 8, and 5. For the semi-finals, no full results breakdown is shown on screen.
Final After the international jury groups have cast their votes, all viewers are provided with new votes, in order to continue to influence the results even after the international jury has had its say. The public voting results are determined using the age group system. Each age group's vote carries a score of 12, 10, 8–1.
Presenters
On 7 September 2021, Oscar Zia was revealed to return as the main presenter for the show in 2022, after hosting the second heat of . Radio and television host Farah Abadi served as the artists' interviewer along the course of the competition and co-hosted the final. Guest co-hosts included Eva Rydberg (heat 2) and Johanna Nordström (heat 3). For the final, a commentary in English was provided by Olivia Le Poidevin and Bella Qvist on a separate stream on SVT Play.
Competing entries On 27 August 2021, SVT opened a public submission window (with the deadline on 17 September 2021) to select one half of the contestants, the other half being made up of artists specially invited by the broadcaster. Upon closing the submission period, SVT announced that over 2,500 applications had been received, to be reviewed by a professional jury chaired by producer Karin Gunnarsson.
The first half of contestants were officially announced by SVT on 26 November 2021, while the second half was revealed on the following 1 December. Several participants had previously competed at : Cornelia Jakobs (2011 and 2012, as part of Love Generation), Alvaro Estrella (2014, 2020 and 2021), Robin Bengtsson (2016, 2020, and winner in 2017), Lisa Ajax (2016, 2017, and 2019), Omar Rudberg (2017, as part of FO&O, and solo in 2019), Liamoo (2018 and 2019), John Lundvik (2018 and winner in 2019), Malou Prytz (2019 and 2020), Anna Bergendahl (2019, 2020, and winner in 2010), Faith Kakembo (2020), Klara Hammarström (2020 and 2021), band Lillasyster (2021), Sami Rekik, member of Medina (2021, with WAHL), Danne Stråhed (1992, as part of Wizex) and veterans Linda Bengtzing (2005, 2006, 2008, 2011, 2014, 2016 and 2020) and Shirley Clamp (2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2011 and 2014).
Artist Song Songwriter(s) Alvaro Estrella "" Linnea Deb, Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Joy Deb, Alvaro Estrella Anders Bagge "Bigger than the Universe" Anders Bagge, Jimmy Jansson, Peter Boström, Thomas G:son Angelino "The End" Angelino Markenhorn, Julie Aagaard, Melanie Wehbe, Thomas Stengaard Anna Bergendahl "Higher Power" Anna Bergendahl, Thomas G:son, Bobby Ljunggren, Browsing Collection "Face in the Crowd" Carolina Karlsson, Mimi Brander, Moa Lenngren, Nora Lenngren, , Cazzi Opeia "I Can't Get Enough" Bishat Araya, , Cazzi Opeia, Paul Rey Cornelia Jakobs "Hold Me Closer" Isa Molin, David Zandén, Cornelia Jakobsdotter Danne Stråhed "Hallabaloo" Danne Stråhed, , Erik Stenhammar Faith Kakembo "Freedom" Laurell Barker, Anderz Wrethov, , Faith Kakembo John Lundvik "" Anderz Wrethov, Elin Wrethov, Benjamin Rosenbohm, , John Lundvik Klara Hammarström "Run to the Hills" Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Julie Aagaard, Anderz Wrethov, Klara Hammarström Lancelot "" Lance Hedman, Niklas Carson Mattsson Liamoo "Bluffin" Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Sami Rekik, , Ali Jammali Lillasyster "Till Our Days Are Over" Jimmy Jansson, , Ian-Paolo Lira, Martin Westerstrand Linda Bengtzing "" Thomas G:son, Linda Bengtzing, Myra Granberg, Lisa Miskovsky "Best to Come" Lisa Miskovsky, David Lindgren Zacharias Malin Christin "" Jonathan Lavotha, Oliver Heinänen, Malin Christin Malou Prytz "Bananas" Alice Gernandt, Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Joy Deb, Linnea Deb Medina "" Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, Sami Rekik, , Ali Jammali Niello & Lisa Ajax "" Yvonne Dahlbom, Niklas Grahn Linroth, Omar Rudberg "Moving Like That" Omar Rudberg, Gustav Blomberg, Amanda Kongshaug, Kristin Marie Robin Bengtsson "Innocent Love" David Lindgren Zacharias, Victor Sjöström, Victor Crone, Viktor Broberg, Sebastian Atas Samira Manners "I Want to Be Loved" Samira Manners, Fredrik Andersson Shirley Clamp "Let There Be Angels" Mats Tärnfors, Pelle Nylén, Shirley Clamp, Tenori "" Dan Sundquist, , , Bobby Ljunggren, Sarah Börjesson Wassberg Theoz "" Tobias Lundgren, Axel Schylström, Tim Larsson, Elize Ryd, Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt Tone Sekelius "My Way" Anderz Wrethov, Tone Sekelius Tribe Friday "Shut Me Up" Isak Gunnarsson, Robin Hanberger Pérez, Noah Deutschmann
Heats Heat 1 The first heat took place on 5 February 2022 in the Avicii Arena, Stockholm. 3,135,000 viewers watched the heat live. A total of 207,996 votes were cast, using 92,275 devices. Due to a technical fault, app voting did not work during this heat and only telephone voting was counted.
Artist Song Round 1 Round 2 Result 1 Malou Prytz "Bananas" 11,666 7 4,407 6 Out 2 Theoz "" 18,593 4 7,119 3 Semi-final 3 Shirley Clamp "Let There Be Angels" 12,290 6 4,606 5 Out 4 Omar Rudberg "Moving Like That" 15,034 5 6,143 4 Out 5 Danne Stråhed "Hallabaloo" 22,611 3 7,827 2 Semi-final 6 Cornelia Jakobs "Hold Me Closer" 57,790 1 colspan="2" Final 7 Robin Bengtsson "Innocent Love" 27,167 2 12,743 1 Final
Heat 2 The second heat took place on 12 February 2022 in the Avicii Arena, Stockholm. 2,845,000 viewers watched the heat live. A total of 10,514,804 votes were cast (which is a record for a heat), using 541,541 devices.
Artist Song Round 1 Round 2 Result 1 Liamoo "Bluffin" 1,251,962 1 colspan="3" Final 2 Niello and Lisa Ajax "" 729,173 7 394,603 21 6 Out 3 Samira Manners "I Want to Be Loved" 918,801 6 483,416 35 4 Out 4 Alvaro Estrella "" 1,101,316 3 632,112 69 2 Semi-final 5 Browsing Collection "Face in the Crowd" 934,656 5 488,204 33 5 Out 6 John Lundvik "" 1,203,899 2 778,736 92 1 Final 7 Tone Sekelius "My Way" 946,861 4 671,065 62 3 Semi-final
+ Round 2 detailed televoting results Song Age groups 39 1015 1629 3044 4559 6074 75+ 2 ""105111111 3 "I Want to Be Loved"33335558 4 ""121081010883 5 "Face in the Crowd"51583335 6 ""812121212121212 7 "My Way"181058101010
Heat 3 The third heat took place on 19 February 2022 in the Avicii Arena, Stockholm. 2,958,000 viewers watched the heat live. A total of 9,485,644 votes were cast, using 556,791 devices.
Artist Song Round 1 Round 2 Result 1 Cazzi Opeia "I Can't Get Enough" 814,904 4 496,428 67 3 Semi-final 2 Lancelot "" 701,151 6 388,513 35 5 Out 3 Lisa Miskovsky "Best to Come" 885,647 3 551,025 75 2 Semi-final 4 Tribe Friday "Shut Me Up" 665,176 7 368,861 19 6 Out 5 Faith Kakembo "Freedom" 1,076,213 2 685,512 79 1 Final 6 Linda Bengtzing "" 729,974 5 404,576 37 4 Out 7 Anders Bagge "Bigger than the Universe" 1,717,664 1 colspan="3" Final
+ Round 2 detailed televoting results Song Age groups 39 1015 1629 3044 4559 6074 75+ 1 "I Can't Get Enough"1210588888 2 ""55833335 3 "Best to Come"8811012121212 4 "Shut Me Up"111011113 5 "Freedom"312121210101010 6 ""103355551
Heat 4 The fourth heat took place on 26 February 2022 in the Friends Arena, Stockholm. This heat was originally going to take place at Avicii Arena, but had to be moved because the arena was already booked for a concert by singer Tomas Ledin. 2,778,000 viewers watched the heat live. A total of 8,423,843 votes were cast, using 534,683 devices.
Artist Song Round 1 Round 2 Result 1 Anna Bergendahl "Higher Power" 878,089 4 519,678 73 2 Semi-final 2 Lillasyster "Till Our Days Are Over" 921,658 3 560,382 65 3 Semi-final 3 Malin Christin "" 520,201 6 217,215 16 6 Out 4 Tenori "" 508,062 7 259,361 37 5 Out 5 Medina "" 1,071,508 2 736,280 84 1 Final 6 Angelino "The End" 679,799 5 367,428 37 4 Out 7 Klara Hammarström "Run to the Hills" 1,184,182 1 colspan="3" Final
+ Round 2 detailed televoting results Song Age groups 39 1015 1629 3044 4559 6074 75+ 1 "Higher Power"88588121212 2 "Till Our Days Are Over"1010101012535 3 ""53131111 4 ""1131310108 5 ""12121212108810 6 "The End"35855353
Semi-finals The semi-finals took place as part of one show on 5 March 2022 in the Friends Arena, Stockholm. 2,540,000 viewers watched the show live. A total of 6,415,609 votes were cast, using 584,876 devices.
Semi-final 1 Artist Song Votes Place Result 1 Tone Sekelius "My Way" 1,185,407 86 1 Final 2 Alvaro Estrella "" 1,045,540 71 3 Out 3 Danne Stråhed "Hallabaloo" 640,928 46 4 Out 4 Anna Bergendahl "Higher Power" 863,838 77 2 Final
+ Detailed televoting results Song Age groups 39 1015 1629 3044 4559 6074 75+ 1 "My Way" 10 12 12 12 10 10 10 10 2 "" 12 10 10 10 8 8 8 5 3 "Hallabaloo" 8 5 5 5 5 5 5 8 4 "Higher Power" 5 8 8 8 12 12 12 12
Semi-final 2 Artist Song Votes Place Result 5 Theoz "" 968,353 71 2 Final 6 Lisa Miskovsky "Best to Come" 898,141 68 3 Out 7 Lillasyster "Till Our Days Are Over" 813,402 65 4 Out 8 Cazzi Opeia "I Can't Get Enough" 844,189 76 1 Final
+ Detailed televoting results Song Age groups 39 1015 1629 3044 4559 6074 75+ 5 "" 12 12 12 12 5 5 8 5 6 "Best to Come" 5 5 5 5 12 12 12 12 7 "Till Our Days Are Over" 8 8 10 10 8 8 5 8 8 "I Can't Get Enough" 10 10 8 8 10 10 10 10
Final