Martin Stenmarck

Early Life and Musical Beginnings

Martin Stenmarck was born in Täby, near Stockholm, and moved to Örebro as a child. He grew up in a large family with 11 siblings and developed an interest in music early on. As a teenager, he even sang in a rock band. In the 1990s he performed in musicals and shows, honing his craft on stage. He toured with the show Rhapsody in Rock and played lead roles in musicals like West Side Story. These experiences gave Martin a solid background in live performance before his recording career took off.

Music Career and First Albums

Martin released his debut album One in 2002. In his early career he mostly sang in English, with pop-rock style songs. He released follow-up albums in 2003 and 2004, building a fan base in Sweden. A major turning point came in 2006 when he put out his first Swedish-language single “Sjumilakliv” (meaning “Seven Mile Step”). This song was a huge hit – it spent 10 weeks at #1 on the Swedish charts and went double platinum. “Sjumilakliv” even won Sweden’s Grammis Award for Song of the Year 2006. Its success helped the 2006 album 9 sanningar och en lögn (Nine Truths and One Lie) reach #1 and gold status. Martin continued to release popular music, producing a total of nine studio albums (in both English and Swedish) as of 2025. His notable songs include “Las Vegas”, “100 år från nu (blundar)”, and a Swedish cover of “Everybody’s Changing.” Martin has also headlined live tours – from solo concert tours to the famous Ladies Night revue (an annual live tour in Sweden from 2006–2012 that he joined). His energetic live performances have made him a beloved Swedish pop/rock singer over the decades.

Eurovision Song Contest 2005 – Las Vegas

In 2005, Martin Stenmarck achieved international recognition. He entered Melodifestivalen 2005, Sweden’s national selection for Eurovision, with the song “Las Vegas.” The swinging Las Vegas-themed pop song won Melodifestivalen that year. This meant Martin got to represent Sweden at Eurovision 2005 in Kyiv. Thanks to Sweden’s good result the year before, Las Vegas went directly to the Eurovision final. The song finished 19th in the final. “Las Vegas” has since become part of Swedish Eurovision history, often mentioned in discussions of Sweden’s entries (it even caused some controversy in Sweden for beating a fan-favorite in the national final). His Eurovision appearance boosted his career and introduced him as Eurovision 2005 Sweden’s entrant to international audiences.

Other Melodifestivalen Appearances

After 2005, Martin Stenmarck returned to Melodifestivalen several times, showing his continued passion for the contest. In Melodifestivalen 2014, he competed with the Swedish song “När änglarna går hem” (“When the Angels Go Home”). He advanced to the Second Chance round (Andra Chansen) but was eliminated in a head-to-head duel. Martin tried again in Melodifestivalen 2016 with “Du tar mig tillbaks” (“You Take Me Back”), a melodic pop number. That time he did not advance from the semi-final (placing 6th in his heat). Stenmarck’s most recent try was in Melodifestivalen 2019 with the song “Låt skiten brinna” (roughly “Let the Crap Burn”). He managed to reach the Second Chance round again in 2019, but was knocked out in a duel and didn’t make the final. Although these later Melodifestivalen entries didn’t win, they kept Martin in the public eye and showed his versatility in music styles.

Acting, Voice Acting and TV Hosting

Aside from singing, Martin Stenmarck has explored acting and voice work. He has appeared as an actor in Swedish films and TV series. For example, he had a role in the drama Lyckoviken (2020) as a character named Danne, and appeared in the international thriller Zero Contact (2022). Earlier in his career he also starred in stage musicals, as mentioned, playing leading roles which required acting as well as singing. Martin is also known as a voice actor for animated movies. Notably, he provided the Swedish voice for Lightning McQueen (the race car character) in Disney’s Cars films. He also lent his voice to the Swedish version of Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, voicing the main horse character. His warm and expressive voice made him a good fit for dubbing family movies.

Martin Stenmarck has worked as a TV host as well, bringing his charm to television. Since 2011, he has been the host of the TV show Kvällen är din (“The Evening Is Yours”), a Swedish entertainment program. In this show, Martin helped ordinary people achieve dreams or perform surprises for loved ones, showcasing his friendly and personable side. In 2021, he also hosted a music gala on TV4 called Don’t Stop the Music, underlining his status as a respected figure in the Swedish music scene. Whether singing on stage or presenting on television, Martin has proven himself a multi-talented entertainer.

Public Image and Recent Activities

In his personal life, Martin is known as a family man (he was long married to singer Hanna Hedlund). He is also a sports enthusiast – in 2010 he even participated in a tough mountain bike race in Nepal, finishing impressively and later turning that adventure into a documentary project called Kaffe på Everest. Martin has appeared at charity events and was seen performing at Stockholm Pride 2014, showing support for the LGBTQ community.

In late 2024, Martin launched a special concert tour called “Martin Stenmarck lirar Elvis”, where he pays tribute to Elvis Presley by singing Elvis’s songs live with his band. This Elvis-themed tour across Swedish cities in fall 2024, highlights Martin’s enduring love for classic rock ‘n’ roll and his ability to reinvent himself on stage. He also occasionally releases new music and performs on television. With a career spanning more than two decades, Martin’s public image is that of a seasoned performer who has successfully transitioned from Eurovision star to a versatile all-around entertainer.