Seven artists fought to run away with the final tickets, including Sandra Lyng, JONE, Swing’it, Ella, Alejandro Fuentes, Bjørn Olav Edvardsen and Elsie Bay.
This is how Melodi Grand Prix 2023 will be
The finals in Melodi Grand Prix (MGP) are organized as follows:
- Delfinale 1 is Saturday 14 January in Oslo.
- Delfinale 2 is Saturday 21 January in Oslo.
- Delfinale 3 is Saturday 28 January in Oslo.
- The gold final is on 4 February in Trondheim.
In this year’s edition of MGP, a number of changes have been made, including:
- Fewer and larger semi-finals, with more songs in each semi-final.
- There will be no pre-qualified artists and no last chance.
- The final will return to Trondheim with an international jury.
It is Arian Engebø and Stian “Staysman” Thorbjørnsen who will be the presenters for Melodi Grand Prix 2023.
The winner of the gold final will represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) the same year. The ESC is held in Liverpool in Great Britain.
- The first ESC semi-final is 9 May.
- Second semi-final is May 11.
- The grand final is May 13.
These are through to the final
In the second final, it was SWING’IT, JONE and Elise Bay who secured the three final tickets. Thus, they are still in the fight to represent Norway in the Eurovision song contest 2023.
The first final ticket went to the band SWING’IT.
BAND READY FOR FINAL: The band SWING’IT is one of this year’s finalists. Photo: Maria Rypdal / Good evening Norway.
Band member Martin Jarl Velsin could tell that the band felt euphoria, but also surprise.
– I don’t think we were fully prepared for Norway to send jazz on to the final of the Melodi Grand Prix. It’s absolutely wild.
– It is completely surreal
The other participant who will be seen on stage in Trondheim is JONE.
– I’m about to start laughing, said the 26-year-old from the stage.
To Good evening Norway, the finalist tells that it is difficult to put into words what he had just experienced.
– It is completely insane. It is completely surreal, he says.
– I don’t think I fully understood it, but as soon as it dawned on me, I just screamed.
READY TO FIGHT: JONE and Elsie Bay are ready for the final in Trondheim. Photo: Maria Rypdal / Good evening Norway
He further says that he will take a short break and relax for a few days before he starts his preparations for the final in Trondheim.
Had professional dancers on stage with him
The last final pass went to Elsie Bay. In an interview with God kveld Norge, the artist says that she is grateful to everyone who voted.
– I was so stressed last year. This year I’m actually a little surprised at how calm I was, she shares to Good Evening Norway.
Professional dancer and “Master of Masters” participant Helene Spilling was to be seen on stage during Elsie Bay’s performance.
To Good evening Norway, she says that she got goosebumps the first time she heard the song, and knew immediately that she wanted to work with Bay.
– It is super fun. This is right up my street, says Spilling.
Further from the first semi-final
Last Saturday, Ulrikke Brandstorp, Umami Tsunami and Alessandra Mele secured the first final tickets.
When Good Evening Norway met Ulrikke Brandstorp before the first dolphin final, she could tell that she was ready for revenge.
In 2020, Brandstorp was supposed to be on stage in Rotterdam and represent Norway in the Eurovision song contest, but due to the pandemic, the song contest was cancelled.
– It means everything in the world, now I’m starting to laugh again. That means a lot. Many, many thanks, said Brandstorp from the stage last Saturday.
Final in Great Britain
This year’s winner of the Melodi Grand Prix will be announced in Trondheim Spektrum on Saturday 4 February.
See all 21 participants in this year’s Melodi Grand Prix here.
Last year, it was Ukraine that ran away with the victory in the world’s biggest music competition. Due to the ongoing war, Great Britain will host this year’s competition in Liverpool.
