Yesterday we brought you the news that NRK has given the blessing to each of this year’s Melodi Grand Prix 2015 artists to release their entries. You will no doubt play the songs on loop on Spotify until the MGP final on March 14. Norway’s newspapers and online gossip sites have taken the opportunity to review each of the songs. So what has Norway been thinking?
The critics already have their favourites, but there isn’t unanimity on who should win #nrkmgp this year. The critics have focused purely on the songs they think the public will choose to represent Norway at Eurovision this year.
NRK P3‘s Mats Borch Bugge has already declared that both Ira Konstantinidis (We Don’t Worry) and Mørland & Debrah Scarlett (A Monster Like Me) will have their songs listed and played on P3’s radio station. According to Mats, A Monster Like Me has appeal for many people across the country and will be a hit regardless of the outcome of this year’s final, whilst We Don’t Worry has the advantage of Ira’s voice and catchiness.
Dagbladet doesn’t agree. Whilst they favour Jenny Langlo‘s Next To You, they have also knocked down any hope for Bettan & Tor‘s All Over The World and Staysman and Lazz‘s En Godt Stekt Pizza. They describe Langlo’s entry as dark, elegant and tantalising, and believe her experience on Norwegian Idol will boost her chances for a win.
The paper describes Staysman and Lazz’s ode to Italian fast food as a song comparable to a terrible hangover. Uff. Well, considering how much bouncing up and down we’ll be doing as they perform, alcohol might be the only thing to calm us down…
Verdens Gang has also gotten behind Ira Konstantinidis, as well as Alexandra Joner (Cinderella) – they’ve evaluated each of their songs as a potential winner in the final. Erlend Bratland (Thunderstruck), has, again, been compared to 2014’s winner Conchita Wurst (it appears to be a tradition at VG HQ) whilst Karin Park (Human Beings) is criticized for presenting a weaker song than the one she wrote for Margaret Berger in 2013.
They’ve given Alexandra and Ira the green light because of their modern appeal. Joner has had extensive experience as a dancer which could help with the performance on the night, and Ira’s song has been called a heartwarming feel-good entry which could potentially surprise us and win the whole shebang!
Aftenposten‘s Robert Hoftun Gjestad has also given his two cents on this year’s entries. He considers Karin Park’s song the best choice to represent Norway, though he suggests she may be passed up for Erland Bratland. This hasn’t stopped him, however, from giving critical reviews of the other entries. He says Alexandra’s entry ‘could have been sung on Ariana Grande’s latest album’, that we should forget about Contrazt’s chances with their song Heaven, that Ira smacks of Justin Bieber’s heyday, that Marie Klåpbakken’s Ta Meg Tilbake lacks international appear (most likely because it’s sung in Norwegian) and that Raylee’s vocals appear to be too weak to carry her song Louder.
He’s also given scathing criticism to duos Staysman & Lazz and Bettan & Tor. En Godt Stekt Pizza will only get the attention of party-going drunk students who have just finished school, whilst All Around The World would have been better placed as an entry in 1989, not in 2015. He seems all very direct about this…
Have the critics been fair? Which song is currently your favourite? Will you be ordering a pizza on the night of the final? Let us know in the comments below.
Follow all of our Norway Eurovision news here.
Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen, NTB scanpix/ANB [cover photo], NRK
When Russia, Spain, Sweden, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Australia picks their entries; THE ESC IS OVER! Norway better hop on or fall off like Finland will and Denmark did.
Prepare! Prepare! Prepare! Or beware.
ScandiPop! Here we come!
If it were #Melfest, ppl wouldn’t be as mean. Lol But it’s the truth. It’s gonna be a good MGP this year.
A weak year for Norway! Bad songs!
Eurovision needs more quality original songs like A Monster Like Me (which is my absolutely favourite from Norway this year)
Ireland has Demi Lovato and Norway has Ellie Goulding – Karin Park’s song is just so fake,I got no goosebumps after listening to it. Europe won’t be impressed with her song,believe me.
you people are weird
at first most of you were like ‘Norwegian selection best selection!’ and now you are saying it’s shit. Decide for f’s sake.
Human beings is just a cheaper version of I feed you my love.
Seriously such a bad line up Norway.
A monster like me is the only good song.
Mario Vision of Gay Love ELSKE, like seriously why are all your comments about homosexuality?
I agree with Mario.
Thunderstruck
A Monster Like Me
Human Beings
Honestly,my most liked songs is the ones from the gay norwegian beautiful boys Erlend + Morland <3 My most favorite is *Thunderstruck* of the hottie babe Erlend…<3 If he wins the Norsk Grand Prix then his song will be automatically my no1 and hot favorite 4 the victory in Vienna.. <3 My 2nd most favorite song is *Monster Like Me* of the super hottie babe Morland.. <3 About the most of the rest ones in the bunch im not really impressed though.. One exception is *Human Beings* of Karin Park { that was the composer that penned Norway's entry *I… Read more »
Tor and Bettan for me, so catchy song
Melissa: All of the songs are on youtube so you can listen to them on there. I think that Karin Park has an amazing song that could do very well in Eurovision.
I´m so suprised only one of these mention “A Monster Like Me”. It´s my runaway favorite from this rather average selection.
I actually really like Marie Klåpbakken’s song, but I’m a sucker for a good Norwegian tune. Spotify has region locked both Karin Park’s and Jenny Langlo’s songs for me, so I can’t judge on them yet. It’s a pretty good year for MGP, so I think Norway has a lot of good choices.
Oh, the press/critics have the time of their life commenting on these songs. Hahahah
Honestly, it is like listening to 4 year olds squabbling because I’ve never heard so much **** in my life! They should not be trying to give an extra chance to one act because they like it or make one seem bad because they dislike it! Norway, scrap the crap newspapers and just choose your favourite and not all this rubbish about a potential winning act, just your favourite one and that’s it!