Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest - 1996

The Swedish Final was held at the Victoriahallen in Älvsjömässen on February 24th, hosted by Siw Malmqvist & Pontus Gårdinger. The winner was chosen by regional juries who initially reduced the songs from 10 to 5, and then once the final 5 had been performed again, chose the winner.

The winner was Den vilda, performed by One More Time. It was written by group members Peter and Nanne Grönvall.

Results:

01. Den vilda - One More Time, 71 points
02. Driver dagg faller regn - Andreas Lundstedt, 48 points
03. Juliette & Jonathan - Lotta Engberg, 45 points
04. Förlorad igen - Mårten Eriksson, 41 points
05. Tårar från himlen - Frank Ådahl, 26 points

other participants:

Gör någon glad - Janne Bark, Nick Borgen, Lennart Grahn, Lasse Kroner and Peter Lundblad
Finns här för dig - Ellinor Franzén
Gråt inte - Inger Nordström
Du är alltid en del utav mig - Henrik Åberg
Va' e du? - Mårten Eriksson

At the contest, held in Oslo, Norway, One More Time performed last of 23. At the close of the voting it had received 100 points, placing 3rd behind winner Ireland and runner-up Norway.

***

One More Time is a Swedish pop group. Members are Peter Grönvall, the son of ABBA's Benny Andersson, his wife Nanne Grönvall and Maria Rådsten. A forth member, Thérèse Löf, left the group shortly after the first album was released. In 1992 they began their international career with the release of the single and album Highland. The single became an international success, entering #1 in the hit charts of 10 countries and awarding them prize for Best Foreign Group in Belgium. The Highland album went gold in South Africa. Turn Out the Light was a further single release off this album. Their second, self-titled album followed in 1994 but wasn't as successful as the previous album.

The group never dissolved and there are plans of a fifth album. Nanne Grönvall has a successful solo career in Sweden since her first solo album in 1998.

One More Time have participated in two Melodifestivalen, the Swedish selections for the Eurovision Song Contest. At the Melodifestivalen 1995, they entered as composers of the ballad Det vackraste , interpreted by Cecilia Vennersten. The song was runner-up of Jan Johansen and Se på mig . Det vackraste was awarded a Grammis for Best Song of 1995. The group later recorded the song in English, named Living in a Dream. At Melodifestivalen 1996 the group composed and performed the etno ballad Den vilda, which won the selections and propelled them to third place in Eurovision Song Contest 1996 in Oslo, Norway.