Melodi Grand Prix

With Margaret Berger yet to see action in Malmö, Norwegian broadcaster NRK have just confirmed their plans to give the national selection Melodi Grand Prix a major makeover for next year, making some drastic changes.

La Meg Være Ung, Wenche Myhre once sang way back in 1964 aged just seventeen. Little did she know then just how prophetic her song would turn out to be. Turning 66 this week, she shows no sign of slowing down, with the recent release of both a biography and a CD with the same name. The megastar has just announced that she is to embark on a tour, too!

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.

For Norwegians and Eurovision fans alike, a year is finally over. The evening has finally arrived where we will find out just who will be the successor of last year's winner, Tooji. There were some convincing performances earlier today that should make for compelling viewing and to make this a close race to the finish line.

Pulses begin to race as all acts take to the stage in Oslo Spektrum for a final run through their stage shows. Dance moves have to be perfected, lines have to be practiced, nerves to be calmed. Eurovisionary was on hand to watch the preparations, hoping for some indication as to the outcome of tonight's grand final.

Just who will follow in the footsteps of last year's victor Tooji? Will the result be a shocker like last year, when hotly tipped Plumbo were defeated? Thankfully, we don't have to wait that long, with the Norwegian final of Melodi Grand Prix just around the corner.

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.

With Adelén, Sirkus Eliassen and Gaute bagging the final three spots in the Norwegian final this coming Saturday, there was one space left reserved for NRK's wildcard. You can imagine the scenes of jubilation, when NRK contacted the act in question yesterday evening.

In tonight's third preliminary heat Norway gave us skelletens and gravestones fighting against Duracel rabbits! The show that took place in Larvik had the assignment to pick three more finalists for Oslo next Saturday after six songs already were ready. 

Saturday sees the last semi final from Larvik, before the grand final in Oslo Spektrum the following Saturday. Will the brothers in Sirkus Eliassen manage to mobilize all of the fans that bought their last few hits? Or will the goth group Gothtastic pull out all the stops and give us a spectacular stage show that will have the votes pouring in?