The second semi-final of this year’s Melodi Grand Prix starts on Saturday. Seven new artists are ready to showcase their song, and among them we find Sandra Lyng (35).
Lyng is celebrating 20 years as an artist this year, and in other words can say that she is celebrating her anniversary by participating in MGP. Her career started when she participated in the second season of Idol, where she ran away with fourth place.
On Saturday, Lyng participates in MGP with the song “Drøm d bort”.
STRONG MESSAGE: Sandra Lyng participates with the touching song “Drøm d bort”. Photo: Martin Habbestad
Participated before
Lyng visited the circus last year as well.
– I was involved as a songwriter together with Northkid. We were almost at the top, when we got second place. Then we got a bit of the MGP feeling, and I noticed how big it is and how much excitement is happening. I noticed how much it means, not only to the artists, but to the people as well.
– I thought maybe it was a fun reason. My twentieth year as an artist, then I will join MGP, she adds.
STRENGTH SONG: When the son heard the song, he wanted to call it “Strength Song”. Photo: Martin Habbestad
Standing on the Idol stage
During this year’s Melodi Grand Prix, the semi-finals will be held at NRK’s studios in Nydalen in Oslo, but the final will be held in Trondheim Spektrum.
Lyng can say that she is nervous before Saturday, because she will be standing on the same stage as she did when she participated in Idol in 2004.
– Even though it’s my twentieth year as an artist, I still have the same feelings as when I was 16 and stood on the Idol stage. Now it’s happening in the same room, 20 years later.
– It’s very nerve-wracking, I’m extremely nervous.
NERVOUS: Sandra Lyng is excited and nervous before the 2nd semi-final of Melodi Grand Prix Photo: Martin Habbestad
One condition
When Lyng was asked to participate in this year’s Melodi Grand Prix, she had one condition for saying yes to the circus.
– That I would get to write the song myself. So that when I stand on stage, the song comes straight from me, straight from the heart.
The 35-year-old says that the song only took about an hour to write, and the lyrics came naturally.
– I started humming a theme in the studio, I also linked the hum to a feeling when you are a child. When you put your fingers in your ears and just “nananana, don’t want to hear”. It could be because something bad happens around you, or that you are bullied, or children at war. It can be as much as you want to cover your ears for then.
Dramatic song
When NRK was to reveal the 21 artists who would join the MGP circus, Lyng revealed that his son would have called the song something other than “Drøm d bort”.
– My son says that the song is a bit reminiscent of lava, stone and other strong things. Let me be honest: The song is dramatic. If I’m going to be in the MGP first, I’m going to run with all the clichés. “Go big, or go home”. I’ve done “simple” pop songs before, now I’m going to do something new.
Her son calls the song the “strength song”.
– It shows that you can go from being sad and weak, to being strong and showing that you can handle it.
When Lyng is not in the studio or playing concerts, the 35-year-old works as a mental coach. She says that being able to combine mental health and music is incredibly nice.
– The aim was that if someone is having a hard time, or if you need a reminder that you are strong and “You got this!”, then you can just put on the song, says the artist to God kveld Norge.
MENTAL HEALTH: Sandra Lyng is a mental coach and artist. Photo: Martin Habbestad
– Already feel that I have won
Even before Lyng has performed the song on the MGP stage, there is a lot of engagement on social media. At the time of writing, over 550 videos have been made on TikTok with the song in the background.
– You see that people are vulnerable and cry, that they are holding their teddy bear, and then it changes to: “I can do this, and I am me and proud of it, I am strong”.
She is moved by the response.
– I already feel that I have won something with this song.
Before she takes the stage on Saturday, she cannot reveal much about either the outfit or the stage show.
