Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

Ulrikke Brandstorp (24) is a singer, songwriter and musical actress. She's one of those seeking for notoriety in various talent shows having done Idols (2013), The Voice (2015) and Stjernekamp (2018). In 2019 she starred in The Sound of Music in Oslo. She's also wellknown from various television productions in Norway. The 2020 MGP was her second after placing fourth in 2017 with Places . She has no album released yet but Attention is her eighth single already.  After the cancellation of Eurovision 2020 NRK apparently offered her a spot in the MGP 2021 line up but so far she has declined the offer for the time being. This blogger thinks Attention was one of the strongest contenders for the trophy in Rotterdam....

  If I couldn't care less about the Armenian winner the other two national finals in Norway and Lithuania ended with my favorites winning. All didn't go as planned in Norway what comes to voting. The online only voting experience ended with a total crash of the system and a jury of 30 had to pick up the top-4 gold finalists instead. That has caused quite a stir when artists and their managers and media in general has attacked NRK as they say they were never informed on the Plan B existing. The 30 random tv-viewers based on age and region were also not voting based on the live show but the studio versions of the songs.... Oh my. NRK however says there will be no other voting. Ulrikke, one of the main pre-final favorites won and that's it. Off to Rotterdam! Ulrikke (24) is no stranger to MGP having placed 4th in 2017 and became a superfavorite (also mine) after her stellar live performance in the 4th semi-final. Her song is co-written by Kjetil Mørland of ESC 2015 f...

Norway is having its Melodi Grand Prix 2020 final this Saturday after five regional semi-finals and five pre-qualified finalists. For the first time (anywhere?) there will be only online voting happening. Raylee is the big fan favorite but Ulrikke has a song and a vocal performance that could win it all in Rotterdam if chosen. There is a risk Norway goes for the nonsense aka Rein Alexander. I would be a bit surprised if anyone else is going to win this, despite Magnus having a song co-written by Alexander Rybak and there's even Tone Damli taking part and such.  Raylee – Wild  *** Didrik & Emil – Out of Air  ** Magnus Bokn – Over The Sea  *** Akuvi – Som du er  ** Kristin Husøy – Pray For Me  *** Rein Alexander – One Last Time  * Tone Damli – Hurts Sometimes  ** Sondrey – Take My Time  * Ulrikke Brandstorp – Attention  ***** Liza Vassilieva – I Am Gay  * Raylee offers a little tun...

Fan favorite Keiino has won the Norwegian national final with Spirit in the sky. First international jury and televoters voted 50-50 four songs to the Gold Final. In Gold Final there were two duels (KEiiNo Vs. D'Sound and Adrian Vs. Anna-Lisa, and the winners KEiiNO and Adrian met in the final golden duel and KEiiNO emerged as the winner... with only televoting. KEiiNO is Sámi rapper and joiker Fred-René Buljo and singers Alexandra Rotan and Tom Hugo Hermansen, and it was formed for Eurovision. KEiiNO - Spirit in the Sky  D'Sound - Mr. Unicorn Gold Final Adrian Jørgensen - The Bubble Gold Final Anna-Lisa Kumoji - Holla Gold Final Chris Medina - We Try Eliminated Mørland "En livredd mann Eliminated Erlend Bratland - Sing for You Eliminated Ingrid Berg Mehus - Feel Eliminated Hank von Hell - Fake It Eliminated Carina Dahl - Hold Me Down Eliminated

Norway is one of the six countries selecting their entry for Eurovision song contest 2019 in Tel Aviv tonight. Ten songs made the internal jury's cut to be featured to the public and there will be two rounds of voting. First the international jury votes and the top-4 goes to the super final where only televote decides the winner.  Eurovision veteran Mørland is back with self penned song, that is pretty similar to his previous one aka movie like dramatic ballad, but not at all as strong. He has also written Adrian's song which I prefer. When Erland hits the chorus I'm always thinking Robbie's Feel , but here Feel is sung by Ingrid who brings in the obligatory violin in the Norwegian final. The pre-contest fan favorite is by far Keiino.  Chris Medina – We Try  *** D’Sound – Mr. Unicorn  * Mørland – En livredd mann  ** Anna-Lisa Kumoji – Holla  * Erlend Bratland – Sing for You  *** Ingrid Berg Mehus – Feel  *** Hank von Hell – ...

Norway has also made public its finalists. Many familiar names among the artists and songwriters from Eurovision veterans Aleksander Walmann and Kjetil Mørland and even Sennek (Laura Groeseneken) and Laurell Barker who comes up everywhere these days. American Idol Chris Medina is in as previously rumored, and last year's Tom Hugo. Alexandra Rotan has worked previously with Alan Walker and joins now Hugo and Sami Fred Buljo in KEiiNO. Mørland is the only one singing in Norwegian.  Generally rather mediocre selection. None is real bad but missing a serious highlight as well. A lot of good ideas and some orignality but .... in th end KEiiNO all the way! Followed by both Mørland songs. Adrian Jørgensen - The bubble **** (Jonas McDonnell, Aleksander Walmann, Kjetil Mørland) Anna-Lisa Kumoji - Holla ** (Ashley Hicklin, Jeroen Swinnen, Maria Broberg) Carina Dahl - Hold Me Down ** (Ashley Hicklin, Jeroen Swinnen, Pele Loriano, Laurell Barker, Laura Groese...

Just like Swiss Reyes also Norwegian Fuentes is Chilean born. If Reyes only flirted with the Latin sound Fuentes goes full blast into Cubaton/Reggaeton with his Tengo otra in the national final . Not very Norwegian but out of that context this works as well as the original ones from the Caribian!

  Norway has it's Melodi Grand prix final tonight and the songs are picked out of over 1200 submissions. Among them three previous Eurovision stars, Stella Mwangi, last year's Alexander Walmann this time solo and with his own name instead of credited only as JOWST,  and Alexander Rybak who won the while contest for Norway back in 2009. International jury and Norwegian televotrs will decide on the winner 50-50.  I have three favorites: Talk to the hand follows last year's Grab the moment nicely, and sounds like a song that wasn't written Eurovision in mind which is like a bit of a fresh air these days. Vidar Villa's urging for MILF is just a good feeling bomb I just love to hear it and then Rybak - not the best song in the world but cool idea, well written and constructed with a tongue on cheek and it works. Nicoline, Charla K and Tom Hugo all have decent songs but just missing something extra to make them really stand out. And then we have Tengo otra . Love...

NRK released the names and songs of MGP 2018 on January 15 and among them we have Alexander Rybak (Eurovision 2009 winner), last year's JOWST is back at it, credited as the singer Alexander Walmann this time, Roxette 's Per Gessle has co-written Charla K 's song. Kjetil Mørland (ESC 2015) hs written Rebecca 's song. Stella Mwangi (ESC 2011) is another veteran re-trying. Only one song in Norwegian this time.  This blogger loves Chilean Alejandro Fuente 's Spanish language entry Tengo otra with it's beat - must be the recent Cuban influence and the beat is pure Gente De Zona . Love it! But maybe it's not the way to go, even if Norway has sent some Latin stuff before. Other ones to look out Walmann , Rybak (but I doubt this groovy number would set European wide audiences to voting frenzy.... or would it? Hmm...), Charla K and Vidar Villa .  All in all a good selection of songs a quite many potential winners :-) Alejandro Fuentes - Tengo otra ...

The Norwegian final is over, too and the winner is Jowst featuring Alexander Walmann with Grab the moment. The song, as the rest of the Norwegian offering this year, leaves be rather indifferent. After a couple of hearings I don't hate it, it doesn't annoy me, I don't love it.... Let's see whre it lands in the end.... Then I didn't really find any real favorite among them so it's kinda indifferent for me at this point who won. Could have been a lot worse, too, I suppose... Superfinal: 1. Jowst - Grab the moment 72.821 2. Ammunition - Wrecking crew 53.072 3. Elin & The Woods - First step in faith 46.778 4. Ulrikke - Places 39.356

Norway has its Melodi Grand Prix tonight. Ten entries are in the running and compared to Sweden there's much more variety and originality. That doesn't though mean it's great. I kinda like Ulrikke, Ammunition would be a great variety to the ESC line up if it only was a bit better as now it's a bit meh. Elin & The Woods could be great, too, just I want to see how they stage it. Kristian, even if I'm not a big fan, sounds like a winner (MGP, not ESC!). Mamma boy is just annoying. Annoying enough to win this in the end....? Ulrikke – Places Jenny Augusta – I go where you go Rune Rudberg Band – Run Run Away JOWST – Grab the Moment Kristian Valen – You & I In Fusion – Nothing Ever Knocked Us Over Amina Sewali – Mesterverk AMMUNITION – WRECKING CREW Elin & The Woods – First Step In Faith / Oadjebasvuhtii Ella – Mamma Boy

NRK has revealed their cards today with short snippets of the songs and sadly at least so far there's nothing to become very excited about. (Have a listen here .) Listen to the songs in full here . The Norwegian final takes place on March 11, 2017 in Oslo Spektrum.  Ammunition - Wrecking crew Ulrikke - Places Amina Sewali - Mesterverk JOWST - Grab the moment Kristian Valen - You & I Elin & The woods - First step in faith (Oadjebasvuhtii) Jenny Augusta - I go where you go Ella - Mamma boy Rune Rydberg band - Run run away In Fusion - Nothing ever knocked us over

February is coming to an end so are the national finals. This weekend we will get at least seven new entries, and other selections are still going on in Israel, Sweden and Lithuania. All this after having had the pleasure to discover the German and British entries in the last days (and maybe the French , too). And it's not over: during next week we will discover Armenia, Israel, Australia, Romania, Netherlands, Montenegro, Estonia, Poland and Russia! But let's enjoy this weekend and it's offerings first! This post will be updated while things happen so do come back and check the links. Have a lovely weekend! Saturday, February 26 18.40 Moldova - O melodie pentru Europa - FINAL Watch here - Read more here  and here 19.40 Hungary - A Dal - FINAL Watch here - Read more here  and here 20.00 Finland - #UMK16 - FINAL Watch here - Read more here , here , here , here   LIVE BLOG  and here 20.00 Slovenia - EMA 2016 - FINAL Watch here - Read...

Agnete took an easy win in the Norwegian Melodi grand prix tonight. Funny how her song and look is similar to Ylona's Blazing fire in #UMK16.... But that's another story. Ylona was amazing anyways, she should have been in the #UMK16 final. Anyways, this is co-written by Gabriel Alares, who also won in Modova tonight. He's becoming a regular Eurovision writer now. Last year he was co-writing the Russian runner-up and this year for example Krista Siegfrids' Melodifestivalen entry. And let's not forget Agnete is a MGP winner, the Nordic Junior Eurovision original version.... Check out the other top songs after the jump

Norway has its final tonight as well. Ten songs in the running. From irresistible Laika with to Moscow marching lesbians to chrystal clear musicalesque vocals in Traces , 60's girl pop in Stand up , summer hit sounding Feel da rush that will sound propably amazing when a bit tipsy and sunburned, mysterious  Afterglow , boyband pop of Anna Lee  in real Satin Cirkus style and Icebreaker that sounds first like a perfect package but is it in the end? Quite frankly I'd be very amused to see Laika winning, but I doubt that will happen so let it be Icebreaker or Anna Lee . Or even Feel da rush .  The Hungry Hearts feat. Lisa Dillan – Laika Stage Dolls – Into The Fire Stine Hole Ulla – Traces Makeda – Stand Up Pegasus – Anyway Freddy Kalas – Feel Da Rush Laila Samuels – Afterglow Elouiz – History Suite 16 – Anna Lee Agnete – Icebreaker

NRK has published today online full versions of their ten finalists, listen here . Icebreaker that was kinda by favorite thanks to the snippet turns out to be a mix up from at least three different songs.... Not sure anymore. Feel the rush takes us via Romania to Africa. Suite 16 sounds even more Norway's Satin Cirkus that I expected. But in this uninspired medicore group of songs it's only a good thing. Walking the streets of Moscow with my girlfriend..... that has just maybe become my favorite. Can't wait to see those angry ladies belt this out live dancing to the disco! Agnete - Icebreaker Elouiz - History Freddy Kalas - Feel the rush Laila Samuels - Afterglow Makeda - Stand up Pegasus - Anyway Stage Dolls - Into the fire Stine Hole Ulla - Traces Suite 16 - Anna Lee The Hungry Hearts feat Lisa Dillan - Laika

Freddy Kalas has found himself in a trouble soon after his participation with Happy rush was published. It seems the chorus is a bit too similar to a song five years ago he was involved in. Fredrik Auke aka Freddy Kalas was close to being disqualified but then the emergency meeting by NRK MGP team allowed him to participate but he must find another song. More details are expected tomorrow. At the same time MGP boss Jan Fredik Karlsen denied this was a promotion move to attract more attention..... 

NRK has also revealed their finalists this year for MGP 2016 and below they are with their introduction videos where you can also here a bit of their song. The full songs will be released in January while the Norwegian final takes place on the SuperSaturday on February 27, 2016. Agnete - already familiar to MGP Junior watchers like me as the singer of The BlackSheeps in 2008 - seems to be one to watch. Laila Samuels, Elouiz and boyband Suite 16 might be ok, too, while Norway's got Talent winner Stine could go either way, and then we have the weird (Hungry Hearts) and the ugly (Pegasus, Stage Dolls)....  Agnete - Icebreaker Elouiz - History Freddy Kalas - Happy rush Laila Samuels - Afterglow Makeda - Stand up Pegasus - Anyway Stage Dolls - Into the fire Stine Hole Ulla - Traces Suite 16 - Anna Lee The Hungry Hearts feat. Lisa Dillan - Laika

Finland sent monsters back in 2006 and won, Norway sings about monsters and is one of the favorites, mainly thanks to a very fabulously memorable Ibsen inspired video for A monster like me .. Can they win? All depends if they can create that magical atmosphere on stage, too.  Kjetil Mørland and Debrah Scarlett created the duo for this song and ended up in Vienna and have not worked together before. Both have though a lot of experience on their own. Both have also recently moved back to Norway after having been living and working abroad, so this is particular act in many ways.

And the last national final is over. After Swedish heroes Norway has chosen monsters or Mørland & Debrah Scarlett with A Monster like me .  The superfinal included Tor & Bettan with All over the world, superfavorites Mørland & Debrah Scarlett with A Monster Like Me, another superfavorite Staysman & Lazz with En godt stekt pizza and Erland Bratland with Thunderstruck. So, a very variable top-4. Sweden must make changes to its act before Vienna for sure (those backing vocals at least) but Norway would have been a real trouble with several acts, as there were so many people on stage with even superfinal acts Tor & Bettan and Staysman & Lazz.