Sweden's Gospel Choir Gambit Comes Fifth

MAY 15 2019 · 12:10

John Lundvik · "Too Late for Love" · Sweden · 2019 Placement: 5 · Score: 334 · Language: English · Composers: John Lundvik, Anderz Wrethov, Andreas 'Stone' Johansson · Venue: Expo Tel Aviv · Host: Tel Aviv, Israel · Type: performance innovation · Broadcast: streaming era Lundvik, a Black British-Swedish songwriter and former 800m sprinter, stands alone until the second chorus when The Mamas — a five-woman gospel choir in floor-length red — rise behind him on risers. The song modulates, the choir drops into the hook, and Expo Tel Aviv gets on its feet. The jury scores Sweden second overall; the televote drags them to 5th. Lundvik had also co-written the UK's entry that year, the first time a single composer represented two Big 5 countries simultaneously. Context Lundvik was 36, a former Team Great Britain sprinter who switched to songwriting and eventually onstage performing. He'd been a backing vocalist for Måns Zelmerlöw's 2015 win. The Mamas were assembled specifically for the Tel Aviv stage but gelled into a standalone act that went on to win Melodifestivalen 2020. Legacy Lundvik's dual-country composer credit sparked Big 5 rule discussions (he was cleared). The Mamas became a working Swedish gospel act through 2024. Lundvik's second Swedish attempt came in 2023 ('Queen of Kings' era) without qualifying from heats. The 2019 staging is cited as the model for modern Swedish 'gospel + pop' Eurovision entries.