Every year, Sweden chooses its representative forEurovision thanks to its Melodifestivalen. In 2025, this flagship music show, organized by Sveriges Television (SVT), celebrated its 65th edition! At the end of a 12-candidate final held in Stockholm on March 8, KAJ triumphed and took first place. The trio received the most votes, and will represent Sweden this spring in Basel, Switzerland, at the 69th Eurovision Song Contest.
But then, who is KAJ, the band currently ranked number one by the bookmakers thanks to their song " Bara Bada Bastu "? KAJ is made up of Kevin Holmström, Axel Åhman and Jakob Norrgård. The band's name refers to the first letters of each member's first name: Kevin, Axel and Jakob.
One of KAJ 's particularities lies first and foremost in its origins. KAJ was formed in 2009 in Vörå, a municipality in Finland's Ostrobothnia region. But as lovers of Nordic countries know, Finland shares 614 kilometers of land borders with its neighbor Sweden. Finland has two official languages, Finnish and Swedish.
This year, KAJ becomes the first Finnish group to represent Sweden at Eurovision, and " Bara Bada Bastu " is also the first Swedish song to take part in the contest since 1998! In recent years, English has been Sweden's preferred language for the contest.
Another of KAJ 's distinctive features? Its musical style, blending humor and satire with several genres such as pop, rock, rap and disco. To date, KAJ has released 7 albums, including"Karar i arbeit", the latest of which was released in 2024 and features the singles " Firmans man " and " Dansgolv ".
The trio, who celebrate Finnish and Swedish cultures through songs infused with Nordic folk melodies, modern pop and theatrical performances, have also written and performed two musicals at the Wasa Theatre in Finland.
This spring, they intend to make their mark with their song " Bara Bada Bastu ", a tribute to Finnish sauna culture.
For the moment, this choice seems to appeal to die-hard Eurovision fans. According to the bookmakers, KAJ currently has a 23% chance of winning the contest this spring (as of March 25, 2025). But things could change in the coming weeks. Austrian candidate JJ is hot on his heels with 22% (as of March 25).
This spring, we'll find out whether the bookmakers were right, and whether KAJ will win the 69th Eurovision Song Contest. However, the country will have to make it through to the semi-finals. Sweden will defend its place in the first phase of the semi-finals on May 13.
Sweden is no stranger to Eurovision victories. The Scandinavian country has already won the contest seven times. The last time was in 2023, thanks to its representative Loreen and her song " Tattoo ".
Official website
eurovision.tv
