NORWAY -Norway is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the Melodi Grand Prix this year, and NRK, the country’s national broadcaster, has prepared several changes for this anniversary edition compared to previous years, as we had informed you earlier this year (see here). Specifically, the MGP 2020 version will consist of five semifinals and one major final. The semifinals will take place at the H3 Arena and the final at the Trondheim Spektrum. Each semifinal will feature artists from the following areas:
Northern Norway
Central Norway
Western Norway
Eastern Norway
Southern Norway
NRK had scheduled the standard press conference for the start of the MGP on January 3, and we would also learn the five finalists of the February 15 final that were selected by the jury in charge of the project. Ari Behn’s death and his funeral that day transmit the scheduled press conference for January 6 today along with the scheduled presentation of the participants of the first semifinal (January 11). A panel attended last year by Tom Hugo (a member of KEiiNOs), after commenting on Norway’s history at the Eurovision competition, spoke to MGP2020 presenters.
Kåre Magnus Bergh, Ingrid Gjessing Linhave and Ronny Brede Aase presented the top five finalists of the MGP2020 final and the participants in the first semifinal.
The five finalists of the Melodi Grand Prix 2020 final are:
Didrik & Emil – “Out Of Air” (to present their song at the Eastern Norway Semi-finals)
Ulrikke Brandstorp – “Attention” (will present her song at the Central Norway Semi-finals)
Akuvi – “As You Are” (to present her song in the Western Norway Semi-finals)
Sondrey – “Take My Time” (to present his song at the Southern Norway Semi-finals)
Tone Damli – “Hurt Sometimes” (will present her song in the Northern Norway Semi-finals)
The four artists who will compete in the first semifinal on January 11 and their songs were then presented. In the first semifinal, we will have the opportunity to see artists representing Southern Norway.
The four participants of the first semifinal (Southern Norway) are:
Kim Rysstad- “Rainbow” (lyrics – music: Knut Bjørnar Asphol)
Raylee – “Wild” (lyrics – music: Andreas Stone, Anderz Wrethov and Laurell Barker)
Geirmund Hansen- “Come Alive” (lyrics – music by Eric Lumiere, Jonas H. Jensen and Niklas Rosstöm)
Lisa Børud- “Talking about us” (lyrics – music: Jimmy Jansson, Anderz Wrethov, Maia Wright and Laurell Barker)
You can hear the songs of the first semifinal on the NRK special page for MGP 2020 (here)
Recall that in each semifinal, artists will compete in pairs up to one, a process reminiscent of the “Golden Duel” we knew until last year. The opponents of each duel will be determined by lot. It should be emphasized that in each semifinal, it is only the audience that determines the outcome.
One of this year’s voting innovations at MGP 2020 is the use of electronic voting. Those who want can subscribe to the special page created by NRK (see here) and vote their favourite membership up to three times. As Stig Karlsen, head of the MGP said, “this way is more direct than traditional SMS, faster, younger people are using it more and reduces the risk of over-voting due to system overload”.
THE DATES
First semifinal (Southern Norway): 11 January
Second semifinal (Eastern Norway): 18 January
Third Semifinal (Central Norway): 25 January
Fourth Semifinals (Western Norway): 1 February
Fifth Semifinal (Northern Norway): February 8
Grand Final: February 15th
