A day before the next group of artists were released by SVT it had been rumoured that two former Eurovision participants would compete in a duet – Estonia's 2002 participant Sahlene, and Norway's 2008 participant, and current host of Norway's equivalent of Melodifestivalen, Melodi Grand Prix, Maria Haukaas Storeng. The following day, on 9 December, SVT confirmed the news, and also announced the names of four more artists: Susanne Alfvengren, the Thorleifs, Nina Söderquist and Cookies 'n Beans.