On Saturday, 27 January, NRK hosted the third and final semi-final for Melodi Grand Prix (MGP), the Norwegian national selection for Eurovision 2024 in Malmö.
The semi was stacked with 6 songs, each with high production value, vying for the final 3 spots in the 3 February final in Trondheim.
Opening the show was Vidar Villa with his song Mer, an upbeat pop song in native tongue (the sole entry of the evening), which gave us competent vocals and a staging package reminiscent of Czechia 2019, with multiple camera angles depicted in separate squares on screen.
Second was Mistra with Waltz of Death, a low tempo ballad of sorts. Although the guitar man’s face was painted on theme with week 1 qualifier Gothminister, there was generally no rock sound to this song at all, and no guitar solos to speak of. The plastic sheet staging was giving fumigation zone, or Dexter 2.0. It was not giving the level of “umph” we’ve come to expect from Norway.
Third was Thomas Jenssen and Take Me to Heaven, a flashy, europop dance number with outfits straight out of hola mi bebebe, and fabulous choreography. The vocals were possibly the weakest of the evening, but was still a memorable entry with a catchy hook.
Fourth, we saw Annprincess and Save Me. The performance came with the best choreography of the night, along with some pre-chorus lyrics that possibly unintentionally gave a nod to Ariana Grande. A current, easy listening pop song with captivating staging.
Fifth was a performance of Green Lights by MIIA. This was a mid-tempo ballad with powerful vocals and a performer who used the full stage to her advantage. An excellent overall performance.
Finally, can we say BUDGET? Fan favourite and returning group KEiiNO closed out the show with their third MGP foray, Damdiggida. Going into the semi, the trio had received some flack from the fandom for not living up to the “standard” they set with previous entries Spirit in the Sky and Monument, however this performance had the best staging of the evening. The group is always upbeat, delivers fantastic, powerful vocals, and provides a fun experience to the viewers. They know how to deliver the full package.
The final result was the same as the second semi-final, with the third, fourth, and fifth songs moving on to the final.
Will Annprincess, MIIA, or KEiiNO win Norway’s ticket to Malmö in May? We will find out on Saturday, 3 February!