Latest: Subwoolfer are this year’s winners, and will represent Norway in Eurovision.
TV: Tonight it will be decided who will get a ticket to Turin in May. Will it be the duo in yellow wolf masks, the song about the torshammer or maybe a little Elton John-like ballad-pop that will represent Norway in “Eurovision”? In a short time we will get the answer.
We review the contributions song by song.
Oda Gondrosen: “Hammer Of Thor”
Lyrics and melody: Morten Franck, Elsa Søllesvik, Torgeir Ryssevik and Oda Kristine Gondrosen.
I may have been overly negative to Oda and the torshammer in the past. This is primarily due to the fact that no clichés have been spared, and the overly clear message can quickly be perceived as a bit excessive. That said, the Melodi Grand Prix is not a scene for the subtle. It drums in drums and it flashes in visual effects. It is dramatic so it lasts and relatively well-functioning when you first accept the somewhat easy solutions. The main character himself, also sings impeccably.
Northkid: «Someone»
Lyrics and melody: Helge Moen, Alex Charles, Sandra Lyng and Jim Bergsted
Bilal Saab and Northkid have a good enough song so far, but is it really a relatively straight forward semi-ballad this competition needs? Bilal sings brilliantly. The song gets to the point quickly, the chorus is nice and soft. But, does it tend to outperform the other elements that place more emphasis on circus and scenography? We will get an answer in just a few hours.
Anna-Lisa Kumoji: «Queen Bees»
Lyrics and melody: Olli Äkräs, Alan Roy Scott, Elsbeth Rehder and Anna-Lisa Kumoji
It should not be on the energy when Anna-Lisa Kumoji is on stage. She has previously shown that she is a singer with a lot of vitality. On top of it all, she is the holder of a voice that can park most people. “Queen Bees” is a languorous R’n’B with a lot of gunpowder and a fairly immediate chorus. Maybe that’s what it takes to please the audience this time? At least Anna-Lisa has enough charisma and musical impact.
Farida: «Dangerous»
Lyrics and melody: Farida Bolseth Benounis, Rasmus Simon Vedvik Thallaug and Atle Pettersen, Peter Newman and Hannah Dorothy Bistow
Farida has all the focus on the song and drops effects and fireworks. “Dangerous” is not a song that leans forward and pushes you in the chest, but it has a nerve that gives you a little to work with. Farida sings beautifully when she first finds a foothold. Unfortunately, she struggles more in the low registers. Although this one is unlikely to reach, we like the James Bond-like vibe.
Sofie Fjellvang: «Made Of Glass»
Lyrics and Melody: Sofie Fjellvang and Kjetil Mørland
Sofie enjoys the Melodi Grand Prix expertise of Kjetil Mørland. It’s about the big emotions, and there is no doubt that Sofie has the voice to carry the load. She does not have a long career to show for, but appears to be relatively confident on stage here. The song’s strength is undoubtedly the big chorus, where Sofie also gets to show all the nuances of her voice. Overall, this is not groundbreaking work. But we do not say no thanks to some good old-fashioned vocal acrobatics in competitions like this, right?
Frode Vassel med «Black Flowers»
Lyrics and melody: Frode Vassel, Benjamin Larsen, Niklas Rosström and Celine Alette Pedersen Breivoll
Frode obviously has a penchant for the baroque rock of Matthew Bellamy and Muse. “Black Flowers” is like cheated out of the nose of the British big hit, “Uprising”. Frode has buckets of experience from both the Melodi Grand Prix and other competitions, which shows again in the routine. He is in every way a very skilled singer. Unfortunately, there is a lack of personality and nerve here.
Christian Ingebrigtsen: «Wonder Of The World»
Lyrics and melody: Christian Ingebrigtsen, Michael Hunter Ochs and Henrik Tala
Christian Ingebrigtsen has been praised by Elton John himself. You do not have to spend many seconds in “Wonder Of The World” before you realize where Ingebrigtsen has taken his inspiration from. This sounds unmistakably Elton John at his most sweet like that around the end of the 80’s. Ingebrigtsen is a professional at his fingertips, then it’s a little extra pity that he goes to work so cheaply from time to time. The text is parodic cliché. But it should not be denied that it fits well in the ear.
Maria Mohn: «Fly»
Lyrics and melody: Maria Mohn, Einar Kristiansen Five and Jan-Tore Saltnes
Maria went on from the last chance. People obviously have a penchant for people and the Nordic countries. Maria gives them just that: Bombastic pop music, saturated with fiddle technique and folk music-inspired vocal melodies. The show elements are in place as well, the flames dance from the stage edge and dark images accentuate the drama of the song. Maria sings well, but in sum it becomes too unimaginative.
Subwoolfer: «Give That Wolf a Banana»
Lyrics and melody: Keith and Jim
The hype surrounding this duo has not abated in recent weeks. The circus element and the mystery are obviously something that tickles people’s enthusiasm. It is of course perfectly OK and fully understandable. Circus and MGP go hand in hand and I would not be terribly surprised if this aspect sends the duo on. In terms of song, there are relatively thin cases. It sounds most of all like poor man Ed Sheeran. But you should not shy away from Sheeran’s success either, so if they manage to please some of his many fans, then you have a good starting point.
Elsie Bay med «Death Of Us»
Lyrics and melody: Elsa Søllesvik, Jonas Holteberg Jensen and Andreas Stone Johansson
Elsie undoubtedly has the evening’s finest song. Despite her young age, she has already accomplished quite a lot, both as a songwriter and one half of Elsa and Emilie. It is clear that she has turned the vocal performance another notch since the qualifying round, now the performance is cast from the first sod. “Death of Us” is a magnificent ballad that really makes the neck hair stand up with its showy and magnificent arrangement. It also helps that Elsie has plenty of personality and nerve in her voice.
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