Our Melodifestivalen interview series continues, as we got the chance to speak with artist Vilhelm Buchaus, who will compete in this week’s fifth and final heat, taking place at Gärdehov Arena in Sundsvall.
Vilhelm is originally from Sigtuna, a municipality within Stockholm County, Sweden. Born in 2001, he has been active in the music scene from a young age. He competed twice in Lilla Melodifestivalen: in 2013, solo with the song “För alltid och en dag”; and in 2014, as part of the boy band Skyscraper, with the song “Här är vi nu”. On both appearances, he placed second.
As an adult, he came back onto the scene, competing in Melfest last year with the song “I’m Yours”. This year, he’s back with his entry “Hearts Don’t Lie” (comes out tomorrow, February 27).
Eurovision Fam: To help our international audience get to know you better, how would Vilhelm describe himself and his music project?
Vilhelm Buchaus: I would describe my music as an outlet for my thoughts and feelings. I grew up playing guitar, so a lot of my songs therefore become guitar-based, which makes the music more often than not very organic.
Eurovision Fam: You’ve been part of the Swedish music scene since a very young age. How have you navigated growing up in the public eye while maintaining a long-term career in music?
Vilhelm: I wouldn’t say that I grew up in the public eye. I was in Lilla Melodifestivalen twice, when I was 11 and 12. But after that, I worked on finding my voice in the space of songwriting and released my first songs about 2 years ago now.
Eurovision Fam: Back to the present day, you participated in Melodifestivalen last year. What motivated you to say yes to returning to the competition this year?
Vilhelm: I had so much fun last year, and it was also amazing to see how my song “I’m Yours” reached and connected with people after Melodifestivalen. That made me excited to do it again this year.
Eurovision Fam: How was the creative and production process behind developing your entry, “Hearts Don’t Lie”?
Vilhelm: I wrote it with my friends Isa and David which I’ve written a lot of songs with prior to this one. First, we came up with the chorus, and then we meticulously wrote different verses until we had one that fitted the chorus. Then we spent a lot of time figuring out the best way to record the song by trying different recording techniques and instruments.
Eurovision Fam: We’re just days away from seeing you take the stage in Heat 5 in Sundsvall. What can audiences expect from your performance?
Vilhelm: The song is sonically bigger than last year’s, so I wanna focus on putting on a live performance for the people in the arena and at home watching on TV. I’ll try to bring in more of the audience than I did last year.
Eurovision Fam: Your music has continued to evolve over the years. Which artists, genres, or personal experiences are currently influencing your sound the most?
Vilhelm: Right now, I’m listening a lot to Fleetwood Mac, Kate Bush, Prince, and music from that era. I try to incorporate it in my sound, which is really fun, and to me feels fresh.
Eurovision Fam: Competing in a high-profile national selection, like Melodifestivalen, can be a highly intense experience. How do you usually prepare ahead of performances like this?
Vilhelm: I think the only way to prepare for a performance like this is just to practice over and over again until the day arrives.
Eurovision Fam: Looking at your fellow Melodifestivalen artists this year, are there any you’d like to collaborate with in the future—and why?
Vilhelm: I don’t know a lot of the contestants in this year’s Melodifestivalen, but I love Timo Räisänen’s guitar playing, so I think it would have to be him.
Eurovision Fam: Finally, we’d like to know what’s next for your career in 2026?
Vilhelm: A lot of new music that I have been writing over the past years, and a lot of live shows where you can hear that music. I love playing live, and I’m really looking forward to getting up on stage again soon.
We’d like to thank Vilhelm for his time answering our questions and sharing his thoughts with us. We wish the best of luck for this week’s Melfest heat.
Here you can catch his 2025 entry, “I’m Yours” live from Jönköping.