Kaj Steams Ahead: The Sauna Showdown at Melodifestivalen Seals Sweden’s Spot
Tonight, the Strawberry Arena in Stockholm hosted the 65th Melodifestivalen final—one of the most iconic festivals and a true breeding ground for international stars. Twelve performers took to the stage, each awaiting the verdict from both the audience and the international jury.
Gala Recap
The show kicked off with Nemo, the latest Eurovision winner, who charmed the crowd with an acoustic rendition of his track «The Code». Following the brilliant performance by the Swiss artist, the hosts, Keyyo and Edvin Törnblom, welcomed the audience with «I Love Europe» before introducing the finalist acts.
- John Lundvik – “Voice of the Silent”
The 2019 representative set the tone for the night. With a shimmering ball at centre stage and dressed in a red suit, he delivered an English pop track with electronic touches. - Dolly Style – “Yihaa”
The all-female band, backed by a vibrant set evoking a rustic barn, got the audience moving with a catchy country number. - Greczula – “Believe Me”
Shifting from a rocky vibe to Elton John-inspired glam rock, the artist downed with his piano onto the stage and launched into a solo performance full of dance moves and rousing applause.
- Klara Hammarström – “On and On and On”
With a set reminiscent of ancient Greece, Klara got everyone dancing with her upbeat track. - Scarlet – “Sweet N’ Psycho”
Reminiscent of a Tim Burton film, the duo delivered a pop-gothic performance amidst flames and chains. - Erik Segerstedt – “Show Me What Love Is”
Accompanied by his band, she delivered a rock ballad as her images lit up the screens, finishing with a burst of confetti. - Maja Ivarsoon – “Kamikaze Life”
From a platform with dynamic LED visuals, she got the crowd moving with her 80s-inspired rock-pop tune. - Meira Omar – “Hush Hush”
Transitioning from punk-rock to Bollywood, Meira, alongside four dancers, dazzled with a pop track infused with Eastern flavours. - Måns Zelmerlöw – “Revolution”
The Eurovision 2015 winner and 2016 host took the stage in a dark tunnel set, delivering a pop piece with electronic and drum and bass influences that showcased his powerful vocals.
- Saga Ludvigsson – “Hate You So Much”
Another country offering, this time a purer rendition, where the artist danced in a set evoking an American Wild West diner—complete with cacti. - Annika Wickihalder – “Life Again”
Clad in an elegant white dress, the singer moved the audience with her emotive pop ballad. - Kaj – “Bara bada bastu” (Just take a sauna)
Set in a forest-like backdrop, the trio closed the night with the only finalist performance in Swedish.
And the Melodifestivalen goes to…
, following a sizzling interlude by Petra Mede and Edvin Törnblom, the moment everyone was waiting for finally arrived: the votes!
The international jury set the stage ablaze with these scores:
- Kaj – “Bara bada bastu”: 74
- Måns Zelmerlöw – “Revolution”: 76
- John Lundvik – “Voice of the Silent”: 49
- Dolly Style – “Yihaa”: 48
- Greczula – “Believe Me”: 47
- Annika Wickihalder – “Life Again”: 36
- Klara Hammarström – “On and On and On”: 34
- Scarlet – “Sweet N’ Psycho”: 31
- Meira Omar – “Hush Hush”: 26
- Erika Segerstedt – “Show Me What Love Is”: 24
- Saga Ludvigsson – “Hate You So Much”: 17
- Maja Ivarsoon – “Kamikaze Life”: 2
After a brief break, during which Medina further heated up the atmosphere, the televote came in:
- Kaj – “Bara bada bastu”: 90
- Måns Zelmerlöw – “Revolution”: 81
- Greczula – “Believe Me”: 56
The final tally, melting away all tension, stood as follows:
- Kaj – “Bara bada bastu” (Just take a sauna): 90
- Måns Zelmerlöw – “Revolution”: 81
- Greczula – “Believe Me”: 56
The Swedish-Finnish trio blazed their way to an eagerly awaited spot in Basel, becoming the successors to Marcus&Martinus, who finished ninth last year with «Unforgettable». Sweden will perform in the first semi-final on Tuesday, 13 May.
Who would have thought that in this emotional “sauna” showdown, Kaj would emerge as the hottest act of the night?
