After undergoing a complete overhaul to celebrate its 60th anniversary, Norway’s Melodi Grand Prix is well on its way to becoming the talk of national finals season. Norwegian producers have now revealed more details about their selection process.

Melodi Grand Prix 2020: Artist reveal date delayed

As you’ll be fully aware, five artists will qualify directly to the Melodi Grand Prix final without competing in the semi-finals. They were meant to be revealed on Friday, the 3rd of January. But as ESCNorge reports, the press conference has been postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. That’s because the funeral of Ari Behn, the former husband of Princess Märtha Louise, has been scheduled for the same time as the MGP reveal. His funeral is a major event and one that NRK will broadcast. Head of Delegation Stig Karlsen has now confirmed that the reveal will take place on Monday, 6 January at 12:30.

Twenty-five contestants will participate in this year’s national selection. Four acts will compete in each one of the five semi-finals (so that’s 20 acts). The acts will face each other in duels until one winner is decided from each semi, giving us five of the finalists. They will then meet the five preselected artists who are sent directly to the grand final. These five finalists will each perform their song over the course of the semi-finals (so one per week). Norway’s representative for Eurovision 2020 will be selected during the ten-act grand final.

Melodi Grand Prix 2020: Rumoured Artists

Tone Damli

Whispers and theories run wild about who could be on the list of 25 artists in the running to succeed 2019’s televote winners KEiiNO. One of those recently said to be unofficially confirmed is Idol runner up Tone Damli.

She participated in Melodi Grand Prix 2009 with the bubbly pop number “Butterflies”, finishing as runner-up to eventual Eurovision landslide winner Alexander Rybak. Tone also participated in Sweden’s Melodifestivalen four years later. Joined by Erik Segerstedt, she sang the Måns Zelmerlöw penned country ballad “Hello Goodbye”. She reached the Andra Chansen round. With many years and many hits between then and now, many say 2020 is Damli’s year.

Raylee

Another heavily rumoured name is Raylee.

She last competed with the big pop number “Louder” in 2015. The singer and Skal vi Danse finalist allegedly let the fact slip by creating the secret Facebook group titled “Secret: Melody Grand Prix 2020”. Apparently she made it visible publicly for a few hours before removing it.

Other rumoured acts

Other rumoured acts — please note that does not mean confirmed! — include glam rock band Wig Wam and former contestants Elin and the Woods, Hanne Mjøen and Jannike Kruse.

The shows will be hosted by Ingrid Gjessing Linhave, Ronny Brede Aase and Kåre Magnus Bergh, with the first weekly semi-final to take place on 11 January 2020. It will run until the grand final on 15 February 2020.

Follow all of our Norway Eurovision 2020 news.

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Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago

Ah, so it was a royal funeral that spoiled the reveal party. Not much else they could do about that.
Best of luck to NRK, and to everyone involved in the shows this year. I am really looking forward to it! 🙂

Yodenman
Yodenman
4 years ago

As a person who has listened to a lot of Tone Damli, I know she can deliver live.She has consistently produced high quality music. Norway could and should send this excellent singer.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
4 years ago

MGP has been a top three national selection for a few years now and one of the reasons is that there is rarely any filler, all the entrants are good and it becomes a proper competition. Will be interesting to see if they can maintain that with more songs being entered.

Colin
Colin
4 years ago

MGP is usually one of those NFs which has high standards. It’s big, expensive, but also quite fun. I love how they don’t enforce the 6 person rule, giving their uptempo numbers an opportunity to go all the way! Especially since we have a lot of reduced formats this season, I am truly grateful for this Norwegian expanded adventure. Will follow them. All the best to MGP participants in advance.

Mr Vanilla Bean
4 years ago

I like this MGP logo a lot.