# Melodifestivalen 2003

Melodifestivalen 2003 was the 43rd edition of the Swedish music competition Melodifestivalen, which was organised by Sveriges Television (SVT) and took place over a five-week period between 15 February and 15 March 2003. The winner of the competition was Fame with the song "Give Me Your Love", who represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003, where they came fifth with 107 points.

## Format

The heats for Melodifestivalen 2003 began on 15 February 2003. Ten songs from these heats qualified for the final on March 15, 2003. This was the second year that a heat format had been used for the competition. "När löven faller" composed by Carola Häggkvist and Ingemar Åberg was disqualified prior to the competition due to Carola's refusal to participate as an artist with no replacement singer found, while "Someone, Somewhere, Someday" composed by Peter Ågrenwill and Mattias Holmlund to be performed by Nathalie Family was disqualified due to the singer being under the required age of 16 years old at the time the Eurovision Song Contest would be held.
Competition Schedule :
| Show | Date | City | Venue |
| Heat 1 | 15 February 2003 | Jönköping | Tipshallen |
| Heat 2 | 22 February 2003 | Gothenburg | Scandinavium |
| Heat 3 | 1 March 2003 | Luleå | Arcushallen |
| Heat 4 | 8 March 2003 | Sundsvall | Nordichallen |
| Viewers' Choice | 9 March 2003 | Stockholm | SVT Broadcasting House |
| Final | 15 March 2003 | Stockholm | Stockholm Globe Arena |
The Winners' Choice round was replaced by the Viewers' Choice round where the public could now vote for the top two songs among the third- and fourth- placed ones from the heats.

## Competing entries

| Artist | Song | Songwriter(s) |
| Afro-dite | "Aqua Playa" | Marcos Ubeda [sv] |
| Alcazar | "Not a Sinner nor a Saint" | Lotta Ahlin [sv]Bobby LjunggrenTommy Lydell |
| Aleena | "Better Believe It" | Aleena GibsonBobby LjunggrenTommy Lydell |
| Alive [sv] feat. Jesse Martin | "Ingen annan" | Lars EdvallMattias Reimer |
| Andrés Esteche [sv] | "Just Like a Boomerang" | Johan Fransson (artist) [sv]Niklas Edberger [sv]Tim LarssonTobias Lundgren |
| Barbados | "Bye, Bye" | Lotta AhlinBobby LjunggrenTommy Lydell |
| Brandsta City Släckers | "15 minuter" | Gustav Eurén [sv]Karl Eurén [sv]Niclas Arn [sv] |
| Bubbles | "TKO (Knock You Out)" | Fredrik LenanderLars ErlandssonPaul Rein |
| Crosstalk [sv] | "Stronger" | Lars EdvallMattias Reimer |
| Da Buzz | "Stop! Look! Listen!" | Joakim UddPeter BoströmPär Lönn [sv]Urban Robertsson |
| DeDe | "Someone, Somewhere, Someday" | Mattias HolmlundPeter Ågren |
| Fame | "Give Me Your Love" | Calle Kindbom [sv]Carl Lösnitz [sv] |
| Fernando Brito | "No dudes en llamarme" | Fernando BritoJohan Larsson |
| Jill Johnson | "Crazy in Love" | Larry Forsberg [sv]Lennart WastessonSven-Inge Sjöberg |
| Kerli & Locatellis | "Let's Go" | Johan EkmanJonas Liberg |
| Lina Hedlund | "Nothing Can Stop Me" | Aleena GibsonTorbjörn Petersson |
| Liverpool [sv] | "Love Is All" | Larry ForsbergLennart WastessonSven-Inge Sjöberg |
| Maarja | "He Is Always on My Mind" | Lars EdvallMattias Reimer |
| Markus Landgren [sv] | "Television" | Pernilla SahlinPeter Sahlin [sv] |
| Méndez | "Carnaval" | Gustav JonssonLeopoldo MéndezMarcus SepehrmaneshPatrik HenzelTommy Tysper |
| Mikael Erlandsson [sv] | "Tills jag mötte dig" | Christian Antblad [sv]Tommy Denander |
| Nanne Grönvall | "Evig kärlek" | Nanne GrönvallPeter Grönvall [sv] |
| Östen med resten | "Maria" | Larry ForsbergLennart WastessonSven-Inge Sjöberg |
| Pandora | "You" | Jan JohansenShirley ClampTania Clamp |
| Pernilla Wahlgren & Jan Johansen | "Let Your Spirit Fly" | Anders Dannvik [sv]Ola Höglund [sv] |
| Sanna Nielsen | "Hela världen för mig" | Thomas G:son |
| Sahlene | "We're Unbreakable" | Aleena GibsonBobby LjunggrenRobert Olausson |
| Sarek | "Genom eld och vatten" | Mårten Eriksson [sv]Stina Jadelius [sv] |
| Shanna Smith | "Tonight's the Night" | Richard Evenlind [sv] |
| Shirley Clamp | "Mr. Memory" | Lotta AhlinBobby LjunggrenTommy Lydell |
| Sofia Källgren & Robert Wells | "My Love" | Marcos Ubeda |
| Style | "Stay the Night" | Brian HobbsChrister SandelinJonas StadlingOlle TörnströmThomas AxelssonTommy Ekman [sv] |

## Contest overview
### Heat 1

The first heat took place on 15 February 2003 at the Tipshallen in Jönköping. 2,977,000 viewers watched the heat live. A total of 429,810 votes were cast, with a total of SEK 3,653,385 collected for Radiohjälpen. The heat was hosted by Mark Levengood, Charlotte Nilsson, and Lena Philipsson.
| R/O | Artist | Song | Votes | Votes | Place | Result |
| R/O | Artist | Song | Round 1 | Round 2 | Place | Result |
| 1 | Crosstalk | "Stronger" | 14,651 | — | 6 | Out |
| 2 | DeDe Lopez | "Someone, Somewhere, Someday" | 5,386 | — | 7 | Out |
| 3 | Méndez | "Carnaval" | 26,836 | 34,576 | 3 | Viewers' Choice |
| 4 | Alive feat. Jesse Martin | "Ingen annan" | 5,341 | — | 8 | Out |
| 5 | Jill Johnson | "Crazy in Love" | 42,697 | 48,786 | 2 | Final |
| 6 | Da Buzz | "Stop! Look! Listen!" | 16,817 | — | 5 | Out |
| 7 | Markus Landgren | "Television" | 19,997 | 25,998 | 4 | Viewers' Choice |
| 8 | Pernilla Wahlgren & Jan Johansen | "Let Your Spirit Fly" | 95,703 | 90,302 | 1 | Final |

### Heat 2

The second heat took place on 22 February 2003 at the Scandinavium in Gothenburg. 3,180,000 viewers watched the heat live. A total of 632,206 votes were cast, with a total of SEK 5,373,751 collected for Radiohjälpen. The heat was hosted by Mark Levengood and Carola Häggkvist.
| R/O | Artist | Song | Votes | Votes | Place | Result |
| R/O | Artist | Song | Round 1 | Round 2 | Place | Result |
| 1 | Andrés Esteche | "Just Like a Boomerang" | 29,223 | — | 5 | Out |
| 2 | Sanna Nielsen | "Hela världen för mig" | 46,841 | 79,015 | 2 | Final |
| 3 | Kerli & Locatellis | "Let's Go" | 15,334 | — | 7 | Out |
| 4 | Pandora | "You" | 10,496 | — | 8 | Out |
| 5 | Brandsta City Släckers | "15 minuter" | 42,354 | 52,459 | 4 | Viewers' Choice |
| 6 | Fame | "Give Me Your Love" | 69,283 | 125,975 | 1 | Final |
| 7 | Aleena | "Better Believe It" | 26,285 | — | 6 | Out |
| 8 | Alcazar | "Not a Sinner nor a Saint" | 63,702 | 69,859 | 3 | Viewers' Choice |

### Heat 3

The third heat took place on 1 March 2003 at the Arcushallen in Luleå. 2,914,000 viewers watched the heat live. A total of 340,882 votes were cast, with a total of SEK 2,897,497 collected for Radiohjälpen. The heat was hosted by Mark Levengood and Barbro Svensson.
| R/O | Artist | Song | Votes | Votes | Place | Result |
| R/O | Artist | Song | Round 1 | Round 2 | Place | Result |
| 1 | Barbados | "Bye, Bye" | 36,287 | 38,144 | 2 | Final |
| 2 | Shanna Smith | "Tonight's the Night" | 5,861 | — | 8 | Out |
| 3 | Nanne Grönvall | "Evig kärlek" | 11,771 | — | 7 | Out |
| 4 | Sarek | "Genom eld och vatten" | 55,934 | 58,138 | 1 | Final |
| 5 | Sofia Källgren & Robert Wells | "My Love" | 22,381 | — | 5 | Out |
| 6 | Liverpool | "Love Is All" | 23,105 | 19,615 | 4 | Viewers' Choice |
| 7 | Shirley Clamp | "Mr. Memory" | 11,962 | — | 6 | Out |
| 8 | Style | "Stay the Night" | 37,145 | 19,708 | 3 | Viewers' Choice |

### Heat 4

The fourth heat took place on 8 March 2003 at the Nordichallen in Sundsvall. 3,047,000 viewers watched the heat live. A total of 444,972 votes were cast, with a total of SEK 3,782,262 collected for Radiohjälpen. The heat was hosted by Mark Levengood and Roger Pontare.
| R/O | Artist | Song | Votes | Votes | Place | Result |
| R/O | Artist | Song | Round 1 | Round 2 | Place | Result |
| 1 | Sahlene | "We're Unbreakable" | 20,817 | — | 5 | Out |
| 2 | Fernando Brito | "No dudes en llamarme" | 7,526 | — | 8 | Out |
| 3 | Bubbles | "TKO (Knock You Out)" | 37,669 | 44,994 | 3 | Viewers' Choice |
| 4 | Maarja | "He Is Always on My Mind" | 14,221 | — | 6 | Out |
| 5 | Östen med resten | "Maria" | 69,716 | 86,354 | 1 | Final |
| 6 | Lina Hedlund | "Nothing Can Stop Me" | 20,878 | 27,581 | 4 | Viewers' Choice |
| 7 | Mikael Erlandsson | "Tills jag mötte dig" | 10,581 | — | 7 | Out |
| 8 | Afro-dite | "Aqua Playa" | 51,974 | 51,378 | 2 | Final |

### Viewers' Choice

The Viewers' Choice round took place on 9 March 2003 at the SVT Broadcasting House in Stockholm. 2,282,000 viewers watched the show live. A total of 341,866 votes were cast, with a total of SEK 2,905,861 collected for Radiohjälpen. The show was hosted by Marianne Rundström and Rickard Olsson.
| R/O | Artist | Song | Votes | Place | Result |
| 1 | Méndez | "Carnaval" | 33,315 | 5 | Out |
| 2 | Markus Landgren | "Television" | 21,763 | 7 | Out |
| 3 | Brandsta City Släckers | "15 minuter" | 44,191 | 3 | Out |
| 4 | Alcazar | "Not a Sinner nor a Saint" | 102,240 | 1 | Final |
| 5 | Liverpool | "Love Is All" | 28,060 | 6 | Out |
| 6 | Style | "Stay the Night" | 21,490 | 8 | Out |
| 7 | Bubbles | "TKO (Knock You Out)" | 55,596 | 2 | Final |
| 8 | Lina Hedlund | "Nothing Can Stop Me" | 35,211 | 4 | Out |

### Final

The final took place on 15 March 2003 at the Stockholm Globe Arena in Stockholm. 3,813,000 viewers watched the show live. A total of 1,230,751 votes were cast, with a total of SEK 10,461,384 collected for Radiohjälpen. The show was hosted by Mark Levengood and Jonas Gardell.
| R/O | Artist | Song | Juries | Televote | Televote | Total | Place |
| R/O | Artist | Song | Juries | Votes | Points | Total | Place |
| 1 | Fame | "Give Me Your Love" | 108 | 229,753 | 132 | 240 | 1 |
| 2 | Jill Johnson | "Crazy in Love" | 100 | 116,440 | 22 | 122 | 4 |
| 3 | Östen med resten | "Maria" | 10 | 92,722 | 11 | 21 | 8 |
| 4 | Afro-dite | "Aqua Playa" | 48 | 59,520 | 0 | 48 | 7 |
| 5 | Sanna Nielsen | "Hela världen för mig" | 27 | 136,984 | 66 | 93 | 5 |
| 6 | Barbados | "Bye Bye" | 7 | 37,132 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| 7 | Sarek | "Genom eld och vatten" | 11 | 127,143 | 44 | 55 | 6 |
| 8 | Pernilla Wahlgren & Jan Johansen | "Let Your Spirit Fly" | 90 | 156,702 | 88 | 178 | 2 |
| 9 | Bubbles | "TKO (Knock You Out)" | 10 | 91,979 | 0 | 10 | 9 |
| 10 | Alcazar | "Not a Sinner nor a Saint" | 62 | 182,376 | 110 | 172 | 3 |
Detailed jury votes :
| R/O | Song | Luleå | Umeå | Sundsvall | Falun | Karlstad | Örebro | Norrköping | Gothenburg | Växjö | Malmö | Stockholm | Total |
| 1 | "Give Me Your Love" | 6 | 12 | 4 | 6 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 108 |
| 2 | "Crazy in Love" | 12 | 10 | 12 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 10 | 6 | 100 |
| 3 | "Maria" | | 2 | 6 | | | 1 | 1 | | | | | 10 |
| 4 | "Aqua Playa" | 8 | 8 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 4 | | 1 | 4 | 48 |
| 5 | "Hela världen för mig" | | | 2 | 1 | 4 | | 4 | 8 | 8 | | | 27 |
| 6 | "Bye Bye" | | 1 | | | 2 | | | | 2 | 2 | | 7 |
| 7 | "Genom eld och vatten" | 4 | | | 4 | | | | | 1 | | 2 | 11 |
| 8 | "Let Your Spirit Fly" | 2 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 6 | 10 | 90 |
| 9 | "TKO (Knock You Out)" | 1 | | 1 | | | 2 | | 1 | | 4 | 1 | 10 |
| 10 | "Not a Sinner nor a Saint" | 10 | 4 | | 8 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 62 |
| Jury spokespersons ||||||||||||||
| Luleå – Maria Sjölund Umeå – Sandra Warg Sundsvall – Joachim Vogel Falun – Anders Rosén Karlstad – Karin Mannberg Örebro – Antoni Matacz Norrköping – Victoria Dyring Gothenburg – Tina Nordström Växjö – Grynet Malmö – Anne Lundberg Stockholm – Karin Falck ||||||||||||||

## Ratings

Viewing figures by show :
| Show | Air date | Viewers (millions) |
| Heat 1 | 15 February 2003 | 2.977 |
| Heat 2 | 22 February 2003 | 3.180 |
| Heat 3 | 1 March 2003 | 2.914 |
| Heat 4 | 8 March 2003 | 3.047 |
| Viewers' Choice | 9 March 2003 | 2.282 |
| Final | 15 March 2003 | 3.813 |