Norway: Melodi Grand Prix 2022 format changes under consideration

Norway: Melodi Grand Prix 2022 format changes under consideration
Monday, 25 October 2021

  • The Norwegian national broadcaster, NRK, is considering some potential changes for next year's Melodi Grand Prix, the competition that determines the nation's Eurovision act and entry. 

    Following the confirmation of the MGP 2022 dates, the Head of Melodi Grand Prix, Stig Karlsen, during the  Norwegian Grand Prix club autumn meeting over the weekend, confirmed that a number of changes are under consideration for next year's national selection. 

    Karlsen confirmed that a bigger percentage of the availiable space of Fornebu’s H3 Arena will be used for next year's shows which means a bigger venue comparing to the last edition of the show. In addition he confirmed that an audience will attend the event next year (last season no audience was allowed due to covid-19 restrictions) without the size of it decided yet. 

     

    Potential changes

    On the other hand, the MGP head talked referred to possible changes in the competition's formula but without anything confirmed yet. Namely, a new type of jury more close to the Eurovision one is on the table to replace the international jury of the first stage of the Grand final night . Further on, a change to the way the songs and artists are presented, a new voting system along with new hosts are some of the issues under consideration the present time. 

    The next national selection will consist of six shows, five semi final rounds and one Grand final show. The first semi final will take place on Saturday, January 15,2022 while the final show will be held on February 19, 2022. 

     

    Norway in Eurovision 

    Norway has been taking part in the Eurovision Song contest since 1960 and has won the contest three times, in 1985, 1995 and 2009. However the country has marked some records , as it has finished in the last place most times than any other country, finishing in the last placing on the scoreboard 11 times. A total of four times it has received zero points, while in 2009 victory it received the remarkable number 16 sets of 12 points and was voted by every single country, reaching the impressive winning score of 387 points! Norway hasn’t qualified two times in the final the last decade, in 2011 with Stella Mwangi and in 2016 with Agnete

    In 2018 the country was represented for the second time by Alexander Rybak and his song That’s How You Write A Song, which finished in the 15th place of the grand final. Last year the three member group KEiiNo with their entry “Spirit in the Sky” defended the Norwegian colors in Tel Aviv achieving a remarkable 1st place in the televoting while they finished 6th on the overall scoreboard.

    Ulrikke won Melodi Grand Prix 2020 and was set to go on and represent Norway at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam with her entry “Attention” . Unfortunately the contest was cancelled due to the covid-19 pandemic  and the female act never saw her Eurovision journey completed.

    This year TIX was crowned winner in the national final with his song 'Fallen Angel' which he performed on Rotterdam Ahoy's stage achieving to qualify to the grand final, where he finished 18th. 

     

    News Source: ESCNorge

    Image: NRK