Anti Social Media. Lighthouse X. Anja Nissen. Denmark’s past three Eurovision entries have not exactly been one for the ESC history book — unless you’re writing a chapter on countries losing their mojo. But Danish broadcaster DR is determined to remedy the recent string of poor results and has just announced that the mission for 2018 is to get Denmark back in the Eurovision top 10 in Lisbon.

The statement comes in connection with a Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2018 workshop, which was held on Wednesday and involved a mixed group of DMGP fans, music experts and ordinary music lovers. They met and shared their opinions about 30 pre-selected songs for the upcoming Grand Prix in Aalborg.

According to Dansk Melodi Grand boss Jan Lagermand Lundme, the workshop was put in place to demystify the selection of the Danish grand prix songs.

“There has always been some mystery surrounding the selection of songs, and there is actually no reason for that, because there is nothing mystical about it”, the Dane tells DR’s Grand Prix Website. “So last year we decided to do everything we could to open up the process and that’s what we are doing this year too.”

And with the mixed group of workshop participants, DR is hoping to get the best possible songs selected for Dansk Melodi Grand so Denmark once again can get a top 10 result.

“By listening to a broad combination of fans, people from the music industry and ordinary Danes we get a lot of people’s opinions and we thereby secure that we select the best 10 songs”, Jan Lagermand Lundme explains.

One of the participants was Linda Andrews, a former Danish X Factor winner and backing singer for Anja Nissen at this year’s Eurovision. She was very impressed by the high standard.

“I think there were some really exciting and strong songs in the pool,” she says. “Songs which reflect what is happening in the music that is popular these days – for instance the country element was something we heard”.

The 10 songs and artists that will battle for the victory in Aalborg in February will be decided at a later date, but DR sure has put all its energy into finding the best for the show. It will be exciting to see if they can live up to the expectations they’re laying down.

What do YOU think? Do you think that 2018 will be the year that Denmark gets a new top 10 ranking? What kind of songs are you hoping there will be at DMGP? And do you think that the Danes should call on a foreign jury or consultants to help them determine what might work at Eurovision? Let us know in the comments box below.

READ MORE DENMARK EUROVISION NEWS HERE

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brunowskii
brunowskii
6 years ago

Medina would be perfect for Denmark…

Miros?awa Štern®
Miros?awa Štern®
6 years ago

I am not sure if Denmark will make it to the Top 10 next year in Lisbon, but I will be looking forward to a better selection of songs. I want to listen to songs with a meaning that have an impact on us Eurofans and Europe not just the latest one-hit-wonder money-maker.

CookyMonzta
CookyMonzta
6 years ago

Indeed, Anja is a step in the right direction. I thought she would finish in the top 10.

Get Nabiha or Medina for starters. Problem solved. 🙂

Craig
Craig
6 years ago

While this is all very good, I think Denmark’s issue is DMGP’s voting system. Certainly I think in 2015 and 2016 there were competing songs that would have wound up on the left-hand side of the scoreboard (‘Suitcase’ is on that springs to mind), but for some odd reason the Danish public voted for those dire boy bands instead. Anja this year was a small step forward, with the right singer, just not a very good song.

Msig
Msig
6 years ago
Reply to  Craig

Recently, DMGP’s voting system has been changed every year. In 2015, the winner was chosen by regional jury voting (50%) and a public vote (50%) in one round of voting. In 2016, an expert jury (50%) and the public (50%) voted in the first round. The top 3 qualified to the superfinal, in which only the public voted to choose the winer. This year, there were also two rounds of voting, with a jury of ESC fans and the public voting in both rounds. Technically, the split was 50/50, but the voting system was constructed in such a way that… Read more »

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

Hope it’s not just words and we hear sth good from Denmark!

Denis
Denis
6 years ago

He said the same thing in 2015, 2016 and 2017: We have songs that are top 10 worthy. We all know what happened..

I’m willing to give it a chance but not until we hear the songs first.

Michael
Michael
6 years ago

We’ll see. Every year Denmark says this, but the songs end up flopping.

Colin
Colin
6 years ago
Reply to  Michael

Anja Nissen passed into the finals. I would not call that a flop. Maybe not an extraordinary result, but certainly a decent one.

Jo
Jo
6 years ago

They wanted Top 5 last year, but 5 was the amount of points they’ve got from the televoting in the semi-final.

HarpyDarper
HarpyDarper
6 years ago

Not to get off topic, but all the money they spent on the B&W hall, what’s it like now (or since a few months after the contest)? Is it in the same derelict state they found it in? I think I read they weren’t allowed to use their money to make it permanent.
Reading this headline, it looks like they want a few top ten results for a few years, then aim for a win. They have a perfect venue at last (a new arena in Copenhagen)

Evridiki
Evridiki
6 years ago

Yeah, yeah… enough talking and give us some good songs for a change 😉