The Melodi Grand Prix 2021 wildcard round, the Siste sjanse, has taken place in Norway, and now the grand final line-up is complete. It’s been a long time coming. We started with six pre-qualified finalists. The winners of the five heats then took us to eleven. And tonight the 12th and final ticket went to the wildcard winner — Jorn, with the song “Faith Bloody Faith”.

The Siste sjanse show, held on 15 February, featured 15 pre-recorded performances from the semi-final shows. The running order was chronological based on when entries were eliminated. So the loser of the first duel of semi-final 1 went first, followed by the loser of the second duel in semi-final 1, followed by the loser of the gold duel in that semi. This repeated through each of the semi-finals.

On top of that, the hosts of the show were seen discussing the entries and the contest in the NRK Radio studio. The show was essentially a radio show. So naturally fans on social media found the three-hour special a bit lacking. But it was all worth it when the announcement finally rolled around. Eventually, we got a winner, and the final 12 were complete.

Melodi Grand Prix 2021: Sistesjansen Results

The betting odds’ favourite to win the show before February 15th was Stina Talling with her pop ballad “Elevate”. However, the fan favourite (according to our pre-show poll) was Jorn with the hard rock number “Faith Bloody Faith”. Due to being in semi-final one, the running order placed them in uncomfortable spots — #2 and #3 of 15, respectively. Jorn eventually overcame this obstacle and picked up enough votes to win the show.

Following criticism from fans and the media about the 2020 system of MGP, NRK made small tweaks to the show. While only one song still qualified from each semi-final, the Siste sjanse round gave another song a golden ticket. It also helped build drama and suspense, while keeping the public interested in the eliminated songs. This year the regional concept for the semi-finals was eliminated. This gave producers greater freedom to mix songs by genre and style, rather than by the artists’ hometown.

Who should win on Saturday? How will Jorn do in the final? Sound off in the comments below!

67 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Eurovision fan
Eurovision fan
3 years ago

This might sound too ambigitous, but he’s one of my two hot favourites to win MGP 2021 🙂

Okt
Okt
3 years ago

Is this a joke comment?

Lena
Lena
3 years ago

wow , its amazing how good it is

Anita
Anita
3 years ago

I am glad the Norwegians chose this song. It is really quality, lyrics, music, performance. So a great addition to the finals.
I still have the impression that Keiino would be the entry with really good chances even to win Eurovision. I love the song and the performance from IMERIKA, but still think Keiino is the full package. They don’t need any prerecorded backing vocals, they have everything on board and they slay and the song is really good. It is a Eurovision package ready to go.

Last edited 3 years ago by Anita
Teddi
Teddi
3 years ago

Perfect choice! I honestly thought he’ll qualify straight from his Semi Final but… anyhow, there’s some good songs here! Keiino, Tix, and Jorn are my favorite.
But if I had to pick one it would beKeiino! Not just for MGP but it’s giving me Eurovision winner vibes! Finger crossed! GO KEIINO!

Sol
Sol
3 years ago

Mi favorito es Jorn, después me agradan las canciones de Keiino y Atle.

dfafa
dfafa
3 years ago
Reply to  Sol

Hola Sol. Entiendo que quizás tus capacidades para hablar en ingles no sean las mejores, pero este sitio (al igual que casi cualquier cosa internacional) usa el ingles para comunicar a gente de todo el mundo. Al hablar en español haces que mucha gente no te entienda.

Hi Sol. I understand that maybe your English capacity isn’t the best, but in this site (as in almost every international thing) uses english to communicate people allover the world. Speaking in Spanish makes many people not to understand you

Alex
Alex
3 years ago

Nice song, happy that he qualified as it adds to the diversity of genres.

Reverb
Reverb
3 years ago

Any idea as to when we’re getting the final running order?

Daniel García
Daniel García
3 years ago

Awesome news!
My favorites for the victory are Jorn, KEiiNO and Blasemafian <3

Last edited 3 years ago by Daniel García
Guest
Guest
3 years ago

I get that this song has fans but it’s really not at all my cup of tea, good luck to everyone in the final

Joe
Joe
3 years ago

Hooray!

Stian F
Stian F
3 years ago

Now lets replace: Atle with Big Daddy Karsten, replace Kaja Rode with Stina, and replace that pretentious preachy mess by Rein Alexander with Royane. Then i would have been very happy 😀

Grft
Grft
3 years ago
Reply to  Stian F

Leave Kaja alone!!

Janet
Janet
3 years ago
Reply to  Grft

Everyone is hating on her and I have no idea why. Her voice is out of this world

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
3 years ago
Reply to  Stian F

No, no and heck no.

Grft
Grft
3 years ago

Honestly all the songs in the final are good… almost every one of them has some potential to rank well at ESC. Congrats Norway!! My favourites for Saturday
1. IMERIKA (9.5/10)
2. KEiiNO (9/10)
3. Kaja Rode (8/10)
4. Emmy (7.5/10)
5. Raylee (7/10)
6. TIX (7/10)
7. Blåsemafian (6.5/10)
8. Stavangerkameratene (6.5/10)
9. Jorn (6/10)
10. KiiM (6/10)
11. Atle (5.5/10)
12. Rein Alexander (5/10)

Last edited 3 years ago by Grft
Chr
Chr
3 years ago

‘Feel again’ is a great song and a well deserved aq. I’m sad that ‘Psycho’ is not in the final, but there are only 12 spots and a lot of good songs in this selection.

Andi
Andi
3 years ago

Yes yes yes! And there is a god!!

Joe
Joe
3 years ago
Reply to  Andi

And you thought he was done!

Andi
Andi
3 years ago
Reply to  Joe

Haha, I will never curse start number 2 again 😀

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago
Reply to  Andi

Very nice what you have done there! I hope it was deliberate, but even if not, it is still very apt and made me chuckle!

Bob
Bob
3 years ago

Nice!

Jonas
Jonas
3 years ago

I like it and it deserves its place in the final, but I think Jorn is as guilty of pre-recorded vocals as Anton Ewald. None of that chorus sounded live to me.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Evidence?
To be fair, I just tried to scream that Chorus out, and I can’t do it justice. Plus the neighbours got genuinely scared.

Last edited 3 years ago by Purple Mask
Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

This is true, sadly. He looks so pretty though.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Yeah. Atle… I can’t speak.

Nils
Nils
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

I don´t understand the sense of pre recorded backing vocals at all. It´s so boring.
It feels like it´s not about to add backing vocals. It´s more about replacing the main singer.
What sense does it have when you can´t hear the main singer in any way ?

Daniel García
Daniel García
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Because you have never seen Jorn perform live. He is a great metal singer, highly respected in the metal community

RennyWest
RennyWest
3 years ago
Reply to  Jonas

Don’t worry – Jorn doesn’t need pre-recorded vocals. I heard him live and he was awesome every time.

Colin
Colin
3 years ago

Amen to that! I’d add Elevate and Smile for sure.

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

Ha ha ha

I’ll also add that for me Feel Again isn’t my last among the AQs, though. It’s still not as good as several of the semifinalists.

Colin
Colin
3 years ago

I tried, but I really *cannot* find a bad song in this year’s MGP. There was one I found boring (you’ll find out when I list my top 26), but nothing bad. I enjoyed almost the whole line-up today and I wish there was a place for more than one on Saturday. I actually enjoyed several entries here more than a few of the guaranteed finalists. I voted for TuVeia and Maria Solheim, and while I was dwelling on who to give my third vote, the time suddenly ran out. Oh, well.. Congrats to Jorn! I did place him high… Read more »

Jakub
Jakub
3 years ago

The best choice
Good job Norway!

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago

Welcome back. Yeah, Norway are stunning this year. To be fair to Denmark and DK, they have tried hard for many years and had some great National Finals; and they often qualify for the ESC Grand Final, so they must still be doing something right. x

Sabrina
Sabrina
3 years ago

That’s a great addition to the final, completely different from the other qualified songs. And one of the best songs of the whole MGP in my opinion.

esc_fl
esc_fl
3 years ago

No I was hoping Stina would make it to the final! A big congrats to Jorn though, the final is going to be really interesting to watch!

Stian F
Stian F
3 years ago

At least the grand final has some proper diversity now. That said… I am sure there will be discussions about the advantage of early exposure now as both the favorites of the bookies are the prequalified entries presented in the first semi – maybe the only 2 names and songs that didnt need the early exposure as all. And now another song from semi 1 goes to the final after having had the longest time of public exposure. Songs in semi 4 and 5 had no chance at all in other words. I wouldnt be surprised if the gold final… Read more »

Meow
Meow
3 years ago

Justice for Stina!

David
David
3 years ago

Imagine if Norway picked Jorn, Sweden picked Lillasyster and Finland picked Blind Channel. Scandinavia would rock hard 😮 Love all of these songs, hope atleast 2 of them make it to ESC

Janet
Janet
3 years ago
Reply to  David

That won’t happen

Carmen
Carmen
3 years ago
Reply to  David

Blind Channel makes violent/emo pop, not rock.

Stian F
Stian F
3 years ago
Reply to  Carmen

Its literally just like Linkin Park… It is rock… They can call it whatever they want but it falls into the rock genre.

James
James
3 years ago
Reply to  Carmen

Alternative music.

LaVoixCZ
3 years ago
Reply to  David

Imagine if Norway picked Kaja Rode or Raylee, Finland picked Teflon Brothers x Pandora, Estonia Gram-of-fun and Sweden… well

Last edited 3 years ago by LaVoixCZ
Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago

Tonight is a night for sadness thinking of all the great songs we need to leave behind.

But many congrats to Jorn, I am sure they are going to have one hell of a blast in the final!

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago
Reply to  Kosey

We need a second Euorovision Song Contest at this rate!

Kosey
Kosey
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

It’s crazy, my playlist is already filled up with over 20 songs I really like and we’ve only got 6 in the actual contest so far!

Sam
Sam
3 years ago

It’s a great song and he has a fantastic voice, it’ll be something different in the final, I was rooting for Ole but this is great and excited to see it again

Stef
Stef
3 years ago

He totally deserved it!

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago

Yaaass! An angry song about bloody faith. Perfect. The Norway MGP Final 2021 is so strong, it’s like all my favourite entries arrived in the same final in the same year.

P.S. I feel sorry for Finland’s UMK, which clashes with the MGP final. (Although it’s a strong UMK year too.)

You
You
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

I think Finland and Norway have the strongest national finals of the Nordic countries this year, and I’ll be watching both this saturday! It’s going to be a thrilling evening

Jimmy Smit
Jimmy Smit
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

UMK’s not even in the same building as MGP, let alone the same room drinking the same champgane!

Salem
Salem
3 years ago

Very happy for Jorn. And this is really good for the diversity in Saturday’s final! 🙂

Janet
Janet
3 years ago

I’m kinda surprised . Stina was literally in the Norwegian top 50 charts so it seems a bit odd that she hasn’t won. Oh well.. well done jorn. I know he had a fanbase Facebook page so many they have all made numerous accounts to qualify him, seems weird to me anyway

Candy
Candy
3 years ago
Reply to  Janet

Jorn has a very big and dedicated fanbase.

Grft
Grft
3 years ago

RIP Elevate

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago
Reply to  Grft

Can the BBC purchase that song? 😀

Sam
Sam
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Knowing BBC in the last few years they’ll buy Ketil first

Janet
Janet
3 years ago
Reply to  Sam

Hahaha

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago
Reply to  Sam

LMAO. I can imagine Electro Velvet covering “My Life is OK.”

Janet
Janet
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

yep. It’ll come 26th because of BrExIt

Stian F
Stian F
3 years ago
Reply to  Sam

The sad truth is that you are probably right ;-D

Last edited 3 years ago by Stian F
Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

The sad part is that BBC would do MUCH better with Elevate, Where’d You Wanna Go, Ocean of Love, She’s Like a Dream or any of the English-language UMK songs than with what they’d sometimes settle for. I mean, any of these would dance circles around Electro Velvet, Storm (2018) or Joe & Jake in terms of results. But people are right – They would probably pick Ketil, ney, they’d purchase that trainwreck Bojan and Ashley sung at Dora. Why is BBC not the best when it comes to promotion for ESC?

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Purple Mask
Purple Mask
3 years ago
Reply to  Colin

I’ll let you know, if or when I ever work for the Beeb. There are some others on Wiwibloggs who do work for them, so they can probably answer better than I can. I suppose the short answer is: A long broadcasting history with Eurovision combined with the British stigma of Eurovision and combined with a highly successful pop music industry that does not want to take the risk of being unsuccessful at Eurovision and potentially destroying a career. Yes, that’s really the short answer. 😀

Colin
Colin
3 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

I think that fear of failing at ESC shouldn’t stop people from applying. I mean, if a good song fails, people are still embracing it. Finland 2017, San Marino 2013, Portugal 2013 and such still have many fans despite their NQ. UK doesn’t even have to worry about that, as the finals is guaranteed. The artist doesn’t *need* to be already famous, but BBC should give them resources to *feel big* at that moment and give their all. If we in Croatia can stack Doras with our A-listers, I am sure you could find many quality artists with a good… Read more »

Last edited 3 years ago by Colin
Lolek
Lolek
3 years ago

So happy with this choice!!! Well earned Jorn! I am a bit sad for some of the other great songs that would have been awesome in the finals as well.