Annika Wickihalder

With gospel as her guiding star, 22-year-old Annika Wickihalder from Sweden has always found her strength in music. Her hometown has recently fluctuated between Örnsköldsvik and Söderhamn, but despite the variation of cities, her spiritual anchorage has always been a universal place for music – the stage. With a powerful, yet vulnerable, voice as her main expression, it is in the spotlight she feels at home, and belongs.

In May 2023, her debut EP "Hollow" was released, showcasing what soul and gospel in harmony with pop music can achieve. She is now ready to take the next step in her career by debuting in Melodifestivalen. The entry she competes with is titled "Light" and was born out of her participation in TV4's Idol in 2021. Participation that brought an influx of opinions on social media about how one should be and act, signed Karen – the internet's pundit on the other side of the screen. Over time, the insight that sometimes it is best to overlook others' opinions and instead listen to oneself emerged, which laid the foundation for the message in "Light", something Annika elaborates with the following words:

– I sing about being lost in others' versions of me and how it helped me to instead listen inward. To dare to feel one's own emotions and to trust oneself when adversity visits.