Karin Gunnarsson, the Executive Producer of Melodifestivalen, is aiming to lead Sweden to back-to-back victories in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Sweden won Eurovision in Liverpool last year courtesy of Loreen and her song Tattoo, and Swedish broadcaster SVT is hosting the contest in Malmö as a result. 

Click to read this story at a glance…

• Karin Gunnarsson, Executive Producer of Melodifestivalen, aims for Sweden’s back-to-back victory in Eurovision, following Loreen’s win in Liverpool last year
• SVT, the Swedish broadcaster, hosts Eurovision in Malmö after Loreen’s victory, marking the first time in decades a country seeks consecutive wins
• Melodifestivalen 2024 features 30 artists competing for the chance to represent Sweden at Eurovision, with returning favourites like Marcus & Martinus and Danny Saucedo among the contenders

A country hasn’t won Eurovision two years on the trot since Ireland’s series of triumphs in the early 1990s, but Gunnarsson is aiming to help Sweden make history this year. 

Speaking exclusively to The Euro Trip, Gunnarsson said: “The ambition is to do it again, nothing less.

“It has meant so much for the Swedish music industry, songwriters and the people of Sweden that we did win, so the vibe has been very positive. 

“I thought it would be a hangover and artists would not want to compete, songwriters thinking we wouldn’t win again, and it would be a tougher season, but not at all. 

“It has ignited [Sweden] to move forward. I’m still looking for our next winner.” 

Listen to Karin Gunnarsson’s exclusive chat with The Euro Trip from midnight on Acast, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Sweden national selection show for Eurovision, Melodifestivalen, kicks off its six-week-long televised extravaganza on Saturday night in Malmö, the host city of Eurovision 2024. 

The show features 30 artists vying for the right to represent Sweden on home soil for the very first time.

Of the 30 artists, 14 are returning to the competition, but none have ever won the show before. 

The pre-show favourites include: Marcus & Martinus, who were runners-up in Melodifestivalen last year; Smash Into Pieces who came third in 2023; Danny Saucedo, who was a back-to-back runner-up in 2011 and 2012; and Dotter, who placed second by just one point behind The Mamas in 2020.