Among the 30 artists that SVT presented for Melodifestivalen, one person stood out a little extra: Victoria Silvstedt.
I "pinch" myself and ask what I'm doing here, really. But it's true. It's a big Swedish dream, you can say, says Silvstedt.
She broke through in the 1990s as a Playboy model, but has also made a TV career in Europe and worked as a fashion model. And has always been written about.
I've always been an artist. You're an artist as an actor, "tv-host" and as a model. So this is just another way to express myself, says Victoria Silvstedt.
But the multi-talented star from Hälsingland has actually also released music before. At the end of the 1990s, the singles "Hello hey" and "Rocksteady love" were released, which both became top list hits.
Spreading glamour
SVT's competition producer Karin Gunnarsson tells us that the seed for Victoria Silvstedt's participation was sown when she was in a festival for 90s music.
Then maybe the idea became more concrete. Victoria loves Melodifestivalen. She comes in with wonderful energy and is here to entertain with a fantastic song. Then she also spreads a glamour and a star glow that Melodifestivalen needs.
Meira Omar came forward in "Love is blind" on Netflix last winter and has actually previously submitted bids to Melodifestivalen. Now that she has become more known to the Swedish people, she got a spot from SVT and is betting on an artist career.
It's going to be fun to show the Swedish people what I can do besides getting married on TV. Being in Melodifestivalen has been a dream since I was little, it was just a matter of when it would happen, she says.
Longing back
Måns Zelmerlöw is a more established artist, winner of both Melodifestivalen and Eurovision Song Contest 2015. Ten years after his victory with "Heroes", he is now making a comeback.
I've been longing back and just waiting for the perfect song, he says.
Ten years ago, Måns Zelmerlöw did a big stage number with a little stick figure projected onto the backdrop. Maybe the figure will appear again.
I've thought of a way for the stick figure to be able to participate in a corner as a little cameo, says Måns Zelmerlöw and smiles.
Melodifestivalen starts on February 1 in Luleå. It is already known that Kristina "Keyyo" Petrushina and Edvin Törnblom will lead the viewers through the five qualifying rounds, the qualifying round and the final. The final takes place in Stockholm on March 8.
Qualifying round 1, Luleå 1/2:
Linnea Henriksson: "Den känslan", Meira Omar: "Hush hush", Maja Ivarsson: "Kamikaze life", Albin Johnsén feat. Pa: "Upp i luften", John Lundvik: "Voice of the silent" and Adrian Macéus: "Vår första gång".
Qualifying round 2, Göteborg 8/2:
Schlagerz: "Don Juan", Nomi Tales: "Funniest thing", Klara Hammarström "On and on and on", Kaliffa: "Salute", Erik Segerstedt: "Show me what love is" and Fredrik Lundman: "The heart of a Swedish cowboy".
Qualifying round 3, Västerås 15/2:
Malou Prytz: "24k gold", Greczula: "Believe me", Annika Wickihalder: "Life again", Björn Holmgren: "Rädda mig", Angelino: "Teardrops" and Dolly Style: "Yihaa".
Qualifying round 4, Malmö 22/2:
KAJ: "Bara bada bastu", Ella Tiritiello: "Bara du är där", Amena: "Do good be better", Måns Zelmerlöw: "Revolution", Andreas Lundstedt: "Vicious" and Tennessee Tears: "Yours".
Qualifying round 4, Jönköping 1/3:
Saga Ludvigsson: "Hate you so much", Vilhelm Buchaus: "I'm yours", Victoria Silvstedt: "Love it!", Arvingarna: "Ring baby ring", Scarlet: "Sweet n' psycho" and Arwin: "This dream of mine".
