Swedish singer Måns Zelmerlöw has broken a long silence by publishing a very personal book. In his diary-style book published on Wednesday When everything falls (Fin. When everything falls, Bokfabriken) he talks about his stormy divorce, infidelity, lies and drug use.
Zelmerlöw, who was one of the number one performers in the Swedish entertainment world for years, disappeared from the public eye after Melodifestivalen in the spring of 2025. At that time, the Finnish band KAJ was chosen as Sweden’s Eurovision representative, which was a big disappointment for Zelmerlöw.
The singer, who usually performed impeccably in public, vented her frustration by crying and kicking her things immediately after the competition. It later emerged that he had tested positive for drugs after the final.
Audience did not know that at the same time the private life of the former Eurovision winner was in turmoil, as his marriage was falling apart. The matter became public a little later, when the ex-wife said on Instagram that they had both filed for divorce. He accused Zelmerlöw of mental and physical violence, infidelity and a hostile atmosphere.
In his book, Zelmerlöw writes about the unpleasant twists and turns related to the collapse and separation, such as the child custody dispute, but also about what it has been like to fall aside from the center of the Swedish entertainment world.
Today’s News in the interview, Zelmerlöw says that he did not write the book to seek some kind of compensation or because he wanted to return to the limelight. She started journaling and found it therapeutic.
“I’m glad that the book exists and I can tell my own perspective on the story that led to all the gossip and rumours,” Zelmerlöw tells the magazine.
Writing was therapeutic.
Zelmerlow says that he regrets his broken relationships the most.
He says that the use of cocaine was recreational, and that “it’s been a long time.” Drugs and infidelity were part of everyday life despite the established family life.
“Unfortunately, the challenges of the relationship made me want to run away, and it manifested itself in exactly that way. I wasn’t happy. I didn’t feel safe with myself. I had lost touch with my true self,” explains Zelmerlöw.
He says that he was “very lost”.
“I hadn’t stopped to think about things once in 20 years. I understand how difficult it is to live with a man like that. One who doesn’t let people near him. Who resorts to sarcasm as soon as things get deep.”
He says that only after a year of writing, therapy and working on himself did he realize that he himself had a part in the fact that everything in life collapsed at the same time.
Vocalist finally says that he saw in himself a person who had been shaped by the expectations of the environment into a polished and polished version of himself.
Zelmerlöw rose to prominence from the 2005 Idols program, where he finished fifth. The following year, he won Sweden’s Dancing with the Stars – competition. After that, Zelmerlöw performed in several musicals and several times in Melodifestivalen.
In 2011, he was promoted to the host of Allsång på Skansen. He enjoyed that role for three years, until finally in 2015 the jackpot came after Zelmerlöw finally won Melodifestivalen and Eurovision with the song Heroes.
For a long time, Zelmerlöw was also a regular judge on the TV show Masked Singer, until he had to leave because of the scandalous publicity.
He admits in an interview with DN that he misses the stage.
“It’s sad that that phase of my life ended this way. It involved twenty years of performing,” he says.
“I don’t know if I can or want to return to the life of a performer. However, I know I want to do creative work again. It’s a feeling I haven’t experienced in a year and a half.”