“Melfest WKND 2026” in Stockholm kicked off the Eurovision pre-party season. Held during the local selection weekend, the event featured various Eurovision 2026 contestants and past fan favorites performing live.
With less than two months remaining until the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 week commences in Vienna, Austria, the promotional season is officially underway. During this period, various host cities welcome participating artists for “pre-parties” alongside contest veterans and national selection contestants. For the artists, these events provide a vital platform to promote their entries, engage with international fans, and conduct interviews with various international media outlets.
The Tradition of Melfest WKND in Stockholm
Following long-standing tradition, the season’s inaugural pre-party was held at the Nalen venue in Stockholm, Sweden. The event coincided with the high-stakes weekend of the local national selection final—Melodifestivalen 2026. This gathering serves as a bridge between the intense local competition and the upcoming international stage.
International Talent and Local Stars Take the Stage
On March 6-7 (Friday and Saturday), the Swedish party hosted Eurovision 2026 artists, past participants, and contestants from both the local selection and other national finals across Europe.
The lineup of performers at “Melfest WKND 2026” included:
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Tamara Živković – Montenegro’s representative for Eurovision 2026 with the song “Nova Zora”. She previously competed in the 2025 Montenegrin national selection with “Poguban let”, finishing in ninth place.
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Alis – Representing Albania in Eurovision 2026 with “Nân”. He also participated in the 2025 Albanian national selection with the song “Mjegull”, reaching third place.
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AIDAN – Malta’s representative for Eurovision 2026 with “Bella”. He is a frequent national final participant, having competed in 2018 with “Dai Laga”, in 2022 with “Ritmu” (placing second), and in 2023 with “Regina” (from which he was disqualified due to rule violations).
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Atvara – Latvia’s representative for Eurovision 2026 with the song “Ēnā”.
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Antti Paalanen – Competed in the 2026 Finnish national selection with “Takatukka”, finishing in second place. During the party, he also performed “Bara Bada Bastu” by KAJ, Sweden’s representatives at Eurovision 2025.
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Silke – Participated in the 2026 Norwegian national selection with “Forevermore” (9th place) and previously provided backing vocals for Jone in the 2023 Norwegian selection with “Ekko inni meg” (5th place).
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AleXa – Winner of the “American Song Contest” with “Wonderland” and a Melodifestivalen 2026 contestant with “Tongue Tied”, which did not qualify for the final.
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Dolly-Style – A girl group known for their distinct aesthetic. They have appeared in Melodifestivalen four times: in 2015 with “Hello Hi”, in 2016 with “Rollercoaster”, in 2019 with “Habibi”, and in 2025 with “YIHAA”. They reached the final only with “YIHAA”, finishing fifth.
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Jacqline – Competed in Melodifestivalen 2024 with “Effortless” (9th place) and in 2026 with “Woman”, which did not reach the final.
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Awrin – Participated in Melodifestivalen 2025 with “This Dream of Mine” and in 2026 with “Glitter”.
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Scarlet – Competed in Melodifestivalen 2025 with “Sweet N’ Psycho” (7th place) and in 2024 with “Circus X” (did not reach the final). They also performed “My System” by Felicia, Sweden’s 2026 Eurovision representative.
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Caroline af Ugglas – A veteran of the Swedish stage, she competed in Melodifestivalen 2007 with “Tror på dig”, in 2009 with “Snälla snälla” (2nd place), and in 2013 with “Hon har inte”.
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Laila Adèle – Competed in Melodifestivalen 2026 with “Oxygen” and in 2006 with “Don’t Try To Stop Me”.
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Tess Merkel and Martin Rolinski – Members of the groups Alcazar and BWO, respectively, both of which have competed in Melodifestivalen multiple times. Alcazar is known for hits like “Alcastar” and “Blame It On The Disco”, while BWO competed with “Lay Your Love on Me” and “Temple of Love”.
During the weekend, Alis, Atvara, Tamara Živković, and Silke filmed a humorous video where they intentionally performed out-of-tune renditions of “Stay With Me” by Sam Smith. The caption jokingly asked: “Should we quit our jobs?”
הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם
Watch performance clips on the “Melfest WKND” Instagram page!
Upcoming Eurovision Pre-Parties: In the lead-up to Eurovision 2026, several auxiliary events are scheduled across Europe. At these parties, contestants present their entries to the public. For the artists, this is an excellent opportunity to promote their music and interact with the broader European audience.
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Melfest WKND in Stockholm, Sweden: March 6-7 -
Eurovision Party SKG in Thessaloniki, Greece: March 12
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Nordic Music Celebration in Oslo, Norway: March 21
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Eurovision in Concert 2026 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands: April 11
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London Eurovision Party in London, United Kingdom: April 19
Sweden at Eurovision 2026:
“My System” is the song that will be performed by the singer Felicia, which will represent Sweden at Eurovision 2026 to be held in Vienna, Austria, on May 12th, 14th and 16th. The song was written by the artist herself Felicia Eriksson, together with Audun Agnar, Emily Harbakk, Julie Bergan and Theresa Rex. This is the first Eurovision entry by all songwriters.
Sweden is currently ranked 7th in the betting odds table.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Sweden’s 65th appearance in the competition. Sweden joined Eurovision in 1958 and has won the contest seven times over the years. The country’s most recent victory came in 2023, when Loreen won with the song “Tattoo”.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +972-50-9441919
Tal Dahan – Journalist, radio broadcaster, and Eurovision content creator.
Tal Dahan is an Israeli journalist and editor specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest, working with the EuroMix editorial team for four years. Since 2022, she has provided regular on-site coverage of Eurovision from the host city, and from 2023 has also reported directly from the press room—offering the Israeli audience live updates, exclusive interviews, and in-depth commentary.
Tal is a member of the Eurovision tribute and parody band “EuroFalsh,” a radio broadcaster, and a student of political science and communications.
She is considered one of Israel’s leading young Eurovision experts. In addition to covering the main contest, Tal has reported from Eurovision pre-parties and national selection events across Europe (in Thessaloniki, Stockholm, Madrid, and more), been interviewed by major media outlets in Israel and internationally, and presented Eurovision-themed podcasts and radio shows.
