TV: It’s Melodi Grand Prix time again and on Saturday the first semi-final will take place. Here is our assessment of the first seven songs to be tested on the public.
Ulrikke Brandstorp: «Honestly»
Text and melody: Jim Bergsted, Helge Moen, Ben Adams, Ulrikke Brandstorp, Joshua Oliver and Christoffer Gunnestad
Ulrikke Brandstorp has managed to become one of our most popular singers in just a few years. There is nothing strange about it. She has a far above average good voice and she usually uses it expertly. In 2020, she won the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix final, but was never allowed to participate in the big “Eurovision” final for obvious reasons. As you know, it was canceled due to corona. Now she seizes the chance again. She does that with a magnificent ballad that showcases Ulrikke’s vocal talent in an exemplary way, but leaves a little to be desired in terms of song. It’s symphonic and powerful, but even though the chorus settles in well over time, it still feels a bit too traditional to attract attention.
Eirik Næss: «Wave»
Text and melody: Viktor Ljungqvist, Amalie Olsen and Eirik Næss
Eirik has written a song about seizing life’s opportunities. He has done that himself by traveling around the world and working on his music. You might recognize his face from the band “Stjernekamp”? In Melodi Grand Prix, he himself is at the center. “Wave” is an uptempo and relatively easily digestible affair that does not take too many chances musically. Here there is a high level of energy and good vibes from beginning to end, with a real boost in the chorus in good Avicii spirit. Not very original, but equally functional. I wouldn’t have written this one off.
Kate Gulbrandsen: “Tears in Paradise”
Text and melody: Kjetil Mørland and Kate Gulbrandsen
If you were born before 1994, you have surely heard Kate Gulbrandsen preach “Welcome to Lillehammer”. The song was written together with MGP icon Rolv Løvland in connection with the Olympics in Lillehammer. Kate herself has participated in most singing competitions on and off the screen, MGP included. Now she is back with “Tears in Paradise”. There is not much to complain about Gulbrandsen’s vocal prowess, the song is worse off. This sounds like MGP stuff with a penchant for 80’s swell arrangements. The clichés literally stand in a queue for the measured three minutes the song lasts. You don’t necessarily have to challenge the established if you do it with profit, but when you follow the book it has to be done with more resilience than this.
Rasmus Thal: “TRESKO”
Text and melody: Rasmus Simon Vedvik Thallaug, Farida Louise Bolseth Benounis and Robin Alexander Vedvik Helmersen
This sounds like an absurd combination of Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust”, Lars Vaular’s party icon “Rett opp og ned” and the Lars Kilevold and Torstein Bieler country plague, “Out to lunch”. No offense to anyone involved. Is Rasmus Thall’s “Tresko” a hit? In any case, it has character, but the lyrical absurdities are in danger of falling on rocky ground if it were to continue. Arrangement-wise, it’s quirky and it has a much-needed twinkle in its eye, but it lacks a puff to lift it all up a level. Well?
Alessandra Mele: «Queen of Kings»
Text and melody: Henning Olerud, Stanley Ferdinandez, Alessandra Mele and Linda Dale
So here we were, at the great MGP melting pot. Here, folk tunes, electropop, opera-inspired vocals and everything in between will be blended into a powerful witch’s brew according to all the rules of Eurovision art. Cross-genre, silly and quite fun – all at once. This is really the kind of song you can roll any dice on. It can just as easily end up in the top or bottom layer, depending on what you prefer. This is not a song you listen to in private, but in this context it is quite functional. Not in spite of, but because of its over the top corny nature. We are waiting.
Byron Williams Jr & Jowst: «Freaky For The Weekend»
Lyrics and melody: Byron Williams Jr and Joachim With Steen
Tospannet Jowst and Byron Williams Jr live for the weekend, like so many others. The transport leg there is like a party bus out of fuel. This is semi-slack electronica that cannot be saved by Williams’ occasionally gorgeous soul touch. The text is so cliche-heavy that you simply get distracted. Jowst has done very well in the same competition before, but this time I’m afraid that both he and his partner will have to go empty-handed to the nachspielet. This is simply for sordid matters.
Umami Tsunami featuring Kyle Alessandro, Kristian Haux & Magnus Winjum: «Geronimo»
Text and melody: Torgeir Ryssevik, Carl-Henrik Wahl, Bjørn Olav Edvardsen, Sindre Timberlid Jenssen, Lasse Midtsian Nymann and Kristian Lund.
And the boy band era wasn’t over. This trio reportedly comes from three different musical backgrounds, but here they have drummed together to show the MGP audience how to rap at record speed and “set fire to” the dance floor. Where on the scale between New Kids on the Block and BTS should one place Umami Tsunami, you say? Good question. The problem for the collective is that “Geronimo” appears to be more of a stunt than real songcraft. This goes into one ear, makes a little noise, and sneaks out the other, without anything actually sticking.
ALL PHOTOS: JULIA MARIE NAGLESTAD / NRK
