Tooji

The Norwegian selection Melodi Grand Prix has normally been a huge hit with TV viewers, giving NRK viewing figures that most channels can only dream of. This year's edition however got off to a catastrophic start, but finally managed to turn defeat into victory at the weekend.

You give a little, you take a little...Norwegian artists Tone Damli and Maria Haukaas Mittet are both participating in the second semi in Gothenburg in their own way this weekend and as a token of thanks, Norway get to borrow Sweden's very own queen of Eurovision, Loreen for a spectacular interval act in this year's Melodi Grand Prix final.

Vivi Stenberg was recruited to supervise Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix following Per Sundnes' departure from NRK after Baku in May. She certainly has a tough job ahead, but is quietly confident that the selected entries will easily improve on Norway's dismal fortunes of late.

Tickets for one of the most eagerly anticipated televised events of the year in Norway went on sale today : it's time once again for the 2013 edition of Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix. Alongside the release of tickets, a few more details became known about the national selection.

Norwegian broadcaster NRK are apparently eager to put the disappointment of Tooji's result with Stay at this year's Eurovision Song Contest behindf them and choose instead to look to the future as they opened today for submissions to find Tooji's successor in the national selection Melodi Grand Prix 2013

Never one to be kept down, the bubbly and optimistic Tooji has licked his wounds from the last place at this year's Eurovision Song Contest and is ready to release his newest single, a tribute to his mum.

Stockholm has Allsång På Skansen and Gothenburg has Lotta På Liseberg. In Sweden they like sing a long programmes and all through the summer plenty of well known names will join Lotta Engberg in the amusement park Liseberg in Gothenburg.

Earlier in the week, broadcaster NRK and production company Dinamo Eyeworks held a press conference, presenting a new host venue for one of the preliminary heats in the Norwegian national selection. We now also know who will take over the repsonsibilities of Per Sundnes following NRK's confirmation today.

Norway came 26th and therefore claimed stake on the jumbo position in this year's final of the Eurovision Song Contest, coming last for a record 11th time. Critics have attributed the poor placing to an average song but Tooji's mum however claims there are far more darker reasons behind her son's dire result.

The Eurovision has always had a firm following in Norway, with broadcaster NRK practically guaranteed solid viewing figures and the final show has more often than not figured at the top of the statistics among the most watched programme of the year. NRK were in for quite a shock this year.