It’s_been_84_years.gif. Yes, it does seem like it’s been going on for quite some time. But after five heats, we’re finally at the last stage of Norway’s Melodi Grand Prix – the final.
It’s all been of questionable quality, right? The heats, by and large, have been a slog. But now that they’re out of the way, we’ve got ourselves a pretty strong final line-up.
What have we got to look forward to? Two clear front-runners, a few more fan faves, some decent also-rans, and a bizarre song in which a heteresexual woman comes out as gay, but not really, lol, ok then.
And when does Norway decide? This Saturday! Meaning that we’ll have the first Nordic Eurovision entry of 2020.
Ok. Let’s have it, then. Below, you can find the final line-up, in the order they’ll be performing, plus a few more stats and facts to take into the final with you on Saturday night.
Representing Norway at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest will be one of these lot;
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Song 1: Raylee – Wild
Spotify streams: 1.3m
Bookies odds: 5.75/1
Scandipop says: The biggest pop song of Eurovision season so far. Polished to perfection, and banging as hard as a song with that title should. And we all know by now that Raylee can perform the living daylights out of it. And yet, despite all of this, and the fact that it’s miles ahead in the streaming stakes (‘Wild’ has amassed more streams than all the other 9 songs COMBINED!!!), it’s not a clear winner. Skip to song number 9 for a quick explanation.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOkU3NyqJW0
Song 2: Didrik & Emil – Out of Air
Spotify streams: 115k
Bookies odds: 6/1
Scandipop says: This has gotten lost in the shuffle of undeniably BIGGER songs, but we still hold a candle to ‘Out Of Air’. It’s an epic in its mere three minutes, its chorus elevates us to levels we rarely feel when sober, and those harmonies just straight-up finish us off. Whatever happens on Saturday, this is one we’re not letting go of anytime soon.
Song 3: Magnus Bokn – Over The Sea
Spotify streams: 102k
Bookies odds: 9/1
Scandipop says: The song with Alexander Rybak’s grubby little paws all over it actually has bags of charm to it, quite annoyingly. We couldn’t help but love this – even before that key change arrived.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGpmRvT4BGE
Song 4: Akuvi – Som Du Er
Spotify streams: 69k
Bookies odds: 30/1
Scandipop says: ‘Som Du Er’ is the cooler older sister of Raylee’s ‘Wild’. And as a result, could well gobble up a lot of ‘Wild’s votes – leading the way for a clear win for song number 9. Alas, whatever happens, those similarities to song 1 probably mean song 4 won’t be managing the win on Saturday night.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=carp7Rju0No
Song 5: Kristin Husøy – Pray For Me
Spotify streams: 138k
Bookies odds: 30/1
Scandipop says: This song has gone somewhat under the radar, but does benefit somewhat from repeated listens. And given that Norwegians have had three weeks now to wrap their heads around it, it could well surprise on Saturday night. As a winner, probably not. But as an upset – most possibly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT2nvr6TTuM
Song 6: Rein Alexander – One Last Time
Spotify streams: 186k
Bookies odds: 7.5/1
Scandipop says: The wild card of the contest, the dark horse of the line-up, and the clear number 3 in terms of fan faves. If Norway wanted the same energy that got them the public televote win at Eurovision 2019, then this is the song that they will send.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaXxHVA-RnA
Song 7: Tone Damli – Hurts Sometimes
Spotify streams: 95k
Bookies odds: 10/1
Scandipop says: It’s a bit of an event that Tone Damli has returned to Melodi Grand Prix 11 years on. But unfortunately, while it’s perfectly decent, this song just isn’t enough of an event to give her the win that so many thought she deserved in 2009.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2v16AhyPPc
Song 8: Sondrey – Take My Time
Spotify streams: 110k
Bookies odds: 25/1
Scandipop says: Probably the most contemporary song in the line-up, given that it’s in much the same vein as the current UK number 1 single. But such is the monster we’re dealing with here (Nordic Eurovision pre-selections), that even sounding like the current UK number 1 single just isn’t good enough in this line-up!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4ClwK4Z2Dk
Song 9: Ulrikke Brandstorp – Attention
Spotify streams: 177k
Bookies odds: 1.75/1
Scandipop says: Quite simply, the best ballad we’ve heard in a very long time. And given that Ulrikke pulls off the rare Dami Im effect of turning in a live vocal performance even better than that on record, the potential of this song doesn’t stop at Melodi Grand Prix. This could give Norway its best result at Eurovision since 2009. Powerful stuff.
Song 10: Liza Vassilieva – I Am Gay
Spotify streams: 36k
Bookies odds: 10/1
Scandipop says: Well yes, after seeing Raylee’s performance of ‘Wild’ in heat one, we were gay too. Wait, no, we mean straight. Hang on, what? What exactly’s going on here? Yeah, that. Bye.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1d_7a7-2xQU
