After a gruelling six-week selection process, 17-year-old Frans Jeppsson-Wall's song ‘If I Were Sorry’, a firm favourite of Melodifestivalen fans, was voted the winner of this year’s competition to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest, won last year by Swede Måns Zelmerlöw.

However, according to Swedish tabloid Expressen, there has been a plagiarism controversy bubbling away for a few days.

Several music industry observers have apparently suggested that the winning song is very similar to Matt Simons' ‘Catch & Release’, which was a minor hit in Sweden in 2014 but a bigger hit in the rest of mainland Europe.

“I've only had time to listen quickly once but can state pretty quickly that the similarities are striking,” Henrik Nyström, general manager of the Nordic branch of Simons' record, Pias, told Expressen.

“The two songs are incredibly similar. We are looking into the matter.”

Paul Connolly, The Local’s music critic, was less sure: “There is a similarity in the melody of the verse but the choruses are quite different.”

“If I’m honest, however, I find both songs terribly anaemic – neither tune could fight its way out of a paper bag.”

Måns Zelmerlöw performed a special acoustic version of his 2015 winning song Heroes at the interval.

A nostalgic medley of hits from the last 15 years of Melodifestivalen was also performed while the votes were being cast.

Frans emerged as the winner just ahead of Oscar Zia and his song Human.

What do you think?  Listen to both songs below. 

Frans – If I Were Sorry

Matt Simon – Catch and Release