Two weeks ago, Sami Rekik from the hip hop duo Medina didn't know if he would get out of a slump.
He took a timeout as recently as January due to physical and mental exhaustion. You wouldn't know it now. With a massive shower of red heart confetti, a torchlight parade and dancers with maximum energy, Medina has lived up to expectations.
I didn't think that two weeks ago when I was lying there thinking, "Will I even get out of this slump?" And here I am now, says Rekik.
It was like a fairy tale
Medina predicted their chances as good with the entry "Viva l'amor" considering that the competition coincided with Valentine's Day. It also went down well with the audience; the entry received the most votes.
The duo has previously come in third and second place in Melodifestivalen and have said that it would be like a "fairy tale" if they won the entire competition this year.
"We don't care at the moment how the final goes. We just want to do this one more time," says Ali Jammali from Medina after the semi-final.
Can give even more
Saga Ludvigsson was teary-eyed when it became clear that she would also make it to the final with the country pop song "Ain't today". The 20-year-old from Örby in Västergötland promised more energy after Friday's rehearsal and now it is clear that she managed to put in an extra gear.
"Everyone sings so terribly well, so you get so nervous. But it worked out," she tells TT after the competition.
I feel like I can take it one more step to the final.
Ludvigsson debuted with the entry "Hate You So Much" last year, won her semi-final and finished twelfth and last in the final. This year, she describes her entry as a little more cocky, mature and darker.
Youngest
Eva Jumatate also couldn't hold back her tears when she emerged in third place, which means she's going to the final with her entry "Selfish".
The 18-year-old from Kristianstad is the youngest participant in Melodifestivalen 2026 and has previously said that it feels nerve-wracking to debut, but that participating in her hometown of Kristianstad has calmed her nerves.
To be a debutant with a ballad and beat the odds to qualify for the final, when you're the youngest, that goes without saying.
She will celebrate by partying with her friends in her hometown of Kristianstad.
I'll see if I can get a few more in at the after party.
Directly to the final:
Medina – “Long live love”
Saga Ludvigsson – "Ain't today"
For the final qualifiers:
Eva Jumatate – "Selfish"
Eliminated:
Patrik Jean – “Dusk till dawn”
Emilia Pantic – "Nothing"
Crossed – “King of rock 'n' roll”
