Ulrikke Brandstorp was supposed to be Norway’s entry in this year’s annual Eurovision song contest that was cancelled because of the Corona virus threat. State broadcaster NRK has decided to mount a whole new qualifying round for next year’s Eurovision and offered Brandstorp a spot in its final, but Bransdstorp has turned it down. “As […]
Norway loses a ‘national treasure’
February 25, 2020
Jahn Teigen was mostly known as a pop singer, perhaps even a laughable one at that, not least when he dressed up in skeleton costumes or green tights. He became all but immortal for scoring zero points when representing Norway at a Eurovision Song Contest, but that only made him even more endearing at home. […]
MGP winner keeps her eye on the prize
February 16, 2020
Amidst all the turmoil, anger and scandal following state broadcaster NRK’s voting system breakdown at the MGP national song contest Saturday night, Ulrikke Brandstorp claims she’s still thrilled that she was named as the winner. She thinks all the fuss will further motivate her when she represents Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest in May. […]
Scandal envelopes Eurovision run-up
February 16, 2020
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) named a winner Saturday night to represent Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest this spring, but her victory was bittersweet. A “scandalous” breakdown of NRK’s system for voting by the public meant that a back-up jury of just 30 people chose Norway’s four finalists, and voting for them was only available through […]
‘Correction’ hits Eurovision result
May 23, 2019
Norway has ended up in 6th place instead of 5th after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) felt compelled to “correct the results” of last weekend’s final in the Eurovision song contest. The change also put Sweden ahead of Norway, if only slightly. Voting tallies for Norway’s entry, Spirit in the Sky performed by the trio […]
Eurovision ‘winners’ credit Sami joik
May 19, 2019
No other country’s entry at the huge if hotly debated Eurovision Song Contest won as many votes from the public as Norway’s trio known as KEiiNO late Saturday night. Two of KEiiNO’s members are crediting their Sami colleague Fred Buljo for catapulting them from 15th- to 5th place in the finals. Norwegian fans and not […]
Norway advanced to Eurovision final
May 17, 2019
Norway’s entry at the annual European song contest known as Eurovision gained enough points at the second semi-final Thursday night that it advanced to the final competition on Saturday. Both the jury and viewers voting around Europe clearly liked the Norwegian group KEiiNO’s song that features a Sami joik. Culture Minister Trine Skei Grande has […]
Missile attacks worry Eurovision
March 27, 2019
Heightened tensions between Israelis and Palestinians and retaliatory missile attacks are worrying the world again, also the organizers of the huge Eurovision Song Contest. Since Israel won the contest last year, Eurovision is supposed to be broadcast from Tel Aviv later this spring, but its Norwegian boss is concerned. “This is a serious escalation of […]
MGP winners deny they’re copycats
March 5, 2019
They’re bound for the Eurovision Song Contest, while fending off charges that their winning number in Norway’s Eurovison preliminary Melodi Grand Prix (MGP) sounded similar to other songs. The three members of the Norwegian-Sami group KEiiNO deny any plagiarism, and have won support in high places. “There are a lot of pop songs that have elements […]
Rybak takes his loss with a smile
May 13, 2018
At least Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) won’t have to spend as much as NOK 150 million producing and hosting the Eurovision Song Contest next year. The money would have been found, but Alexander Rybak’s 15th-place finish in Saturday night’s final takes the strain off NRK, and him. “Now I’m just glad I can sleep in on […]
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