Once again four more acts graced the Melodi Grand Prix 2020 stage during the fourth semi-final of Norway’s Eurovision selection. And in the end it was Magnus Bokn who won the ticket to Trondheim with the song “Over the Sea”.

Supported by two songwriters who are former Melodi Grand Prix winners, Magnus was our readers’ favourite and he also attracted the most Spotify listens of this week’s songs. Magnus’ performance of “Over the Sea” took us back to the countryside and featured traditional dance. His amazing vocal also helped him sail through.

Norway’s Melodi Grand Prix 2020 Results

Tonight’s semi-final was the fourth out of five. It focused on artists whose origins lie in Western Norway, which is regarded as one of the world’s wealthiest regions. And there was a wealth of music to choose from tonight as well for the Norwegians in this semi-final.

It saw Hege Bjerk, Magnus Bokn, Nordic Tenors and Oda Loves You battle for a spot in the final, while automatic qualifier Ulrikke Brandstorp performed her power ballad “Attention” for the first time.

In each semi-final, only one act can qualify for the MGP 2020 final. In total, twenty artists will sing for five tickets to the grand final, where they will meet five automatic qualifiers.

To earn that ticket for the final, each of the semi-finalists has to battle another semi-finalist first. The two winners of the battles proceed to the “Gullduel” (“Golden duel”), and the winner wins the right perform in Trondheim during the Melodi Grand Prix final. Unlike previous years, the winner is determined by online voting through the Norwegian broadcaster’s website.

MGP 2020 Semi-final four duels

First duel: Magnus Bokn vs Oda Loves You

The first duel of the night was Magnus Bokn against Oda Loves You. Magnus — whose song was written by MGP winners JOWST and Alexander Rybak — came out on top. That meant Oda Loves You had to leave the competition.

Magnus Bokn with “Over the Sea” at Melodi Grand Prix 2020

Oda Loves You with “Love Who We Love” at Melodi Grand Prix 2020

Second duel: Nordic Tenors vs Hege Bjerk

In the evening’s second duel, we saw Nordic Tenors battle it out with Hege Bjerk. Nordic Tenors obtained the last ticket for the Gullduel.

Nordic Tenors with “In This Special Place” at Melodi Grand Prix 2020

Hege Bjerk with “Pang” at Melodi Grand Prix 2020

Gullduel: Magnus Bokn vs Nordic Tenors

Having both won their respective duels earlier that night, Magnus and the Nordic Tenors progressed to the Gullduel. There could only be one winner, and tonight that was Magnus. We’ll see him again at the grand final.

Ulrikke Brandstorp with “Attention” at Melodi Grand Prix 2020

The second of five pre-qualified acts also performed — songstress Ulrikke Brandstorp with “Attention”.

Melodi Grand Prix 2020 semi-final four scoreboard

1. Magnus Bokn with “Over the Sea” – advanced to the final
2. Nordic Tenors with “In This Special Place” – eliminated
3/4. Oda Loves You with “Love Who We Love” – eliminated
3/4. Hege Bjerk with “Pang” – eliminated

Are you happy that with tonight’s result? Should someone else have made the final instead? Let us know in the comments.

Follow all of our Norway Eurovision 2020 news.

Picture credit: NRK

55 Comments
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Swedish Mouse Mafia
4 years ago

The best two acts never made the final. The selected song was really naff and cheesy. There are much better songs in the grand final that I hope will win. One last time or Wild please.

T.J.
T.J.
4 years ago

VERY deserved winner! Love it!

Ashton Schier
Ashton Schier
4 years ago

pang deserved the win

Mr X
Mr X
4 years ago

Ulrikke was fantastic and more and more I like Magnus´s song.

pp77
pp77
4 years ago

Till now Rein (my favorite from four SF) or Magnus is best choice for Norway.

BREXIT CAREER WOMAN
BREXIT CAREER WOMAN
4 years ago

norxit

bastian
bastian
4 years ago

For me its between Over the Sea and Attention. Magnus has the total package right now (for me at least) while Ulrikke is missing some spark. I need more from her next time. She needs to improve her performance. Vocally she was strong.

Colin
Colin
4 years ago

Magnus winning this semi is a good thing, but I am perplexed that Pang wasn’t in a gold duel. Not only that it’s a more interesting song, but it also had a more captivating staging.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
4 years ago

Ulrikke. Wow. Stop the bus, I want to get off. Probably the first song from live performances this year that made me think possible ESC winner.
Regarding the SF, how did Pang not win this? The other three songs were all pretty poor.

Norway, your NF is ridiculous. Stop making everyone else look bad.

Mr X
Mr X
4 years ago
Reply to  Briekimchi

Ulrikke to Rotterdam !

Kosey
Kosey
4 years ago

The right choice for the winner. Fun, catchy and memorable. This would do well at Eurovision.

Thorbeta
Thorbeta
4 years ago

Oh great, Ulrikke sings nicely and looks captivating! They just need to polish the staging, but that should be easy to do. First goosebumps moment of the year!

Jo.
Jo.
4 years ago

wow, rybak&jowst?! that’s scary

Lolek
Lolek
4 years ago

I don’t really get the hype so many have around Alexander Rybak, unfortunately.

Paulius
Paulius
4 years ago

Hege Bjerk was so good !!!!

Malmklang
Malmklang
4 years ago

It’s quite funny; for a couple of weeks I’ve been laying all my trust in the combination Tone Damli + descent song , as I’ve found most of the songs till now quite mediocre. But Attention has my full attention from now on. Now I suddenly fear Tone Damli. She is the most known of this years artists here in Norway, and I’m so afraid that she will bring on a beige/toothless song, and take the victory because of her fame alone… One can say things have changed in my expectacions the last couple of days:-D

Lolek
Lolek
4 years ago
Reply to  Malmklang

I hear you. I felt that Rebecca’s song two years ago was much better than Alexander Rybaks, yet he went on to represent Norway again.

Azaad
Azaad
4 years ago
Reply to  Lolek

Who We Are wasn’t as impactful or striking as Attention, and MGP 2018 was really weak so a big name would have more sway then. If you just consider the winners of the semis and the pre qualified acts then the top 10 lineup is going to be much stronger.

Mr X
Mr X
4 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

Yes, Attention is even better than Who we are. I appreciate a lot Morland as a songwriter. I´m very sick of Barker etc,

Malmklang
Malmklang
4 years ago
Reply to  Lolek

I’m still in mourning over Rebecca’s loss…

Maxim
Maxim
4 years ago
Reply to  Malmklang

Omg me too. ‘Who we are’ is a song I’m still listening too.

It had a strong message and the lyrics were really unique. “Hating me won’t find you love” gives me chills every time. Not that I don’t like Rybak, but Rebecca should have won that year.

Mr X
Mr X
4 years ago
Reply to  Lolek

She was my favourite at norwegian final 2018.

Azaad
Azaad
4 years ago
Reply to  Malmklang

Tone’s not a Markus Riva/Aiste/Samanta type of artist who enters national selections almost for the sake of it- she’s entered with the intention of winning and doing well at ESC so she would have genuinely made the effort, even if the song isn’t to most people’s taste.

Malmklang
Malmklang
4 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

She’s a good artist, I agree on that. But I hope her song is a good one, and not just a radio friendly tune that doesn’t have the impact that is needed. I think many common norwegians still remember 2009, Butterflies and her big loss to Rybak, and therefore feel it’s her turn now. Therefore I’m wishing and praying for a really strong song. Cause to be honest, it may be that Ulrikke has a greater voice, but when it comes to charisma Tone slays it;-)

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago

I just watched this back, and I have to ask Norwegians this question:
Why did the Nordic Tenors beat Hege Bjerk?
:S

Malmklang
Malmklang
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

I guess it’s the Haldor Lægreid-syndrome that kicked in. A lot of norwegians tend to like musical acts like this, no matter how dull and tiresome the songs are…

MrJeffster
MrJeffster
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Truly mysterious. I’m Norwegian, and I think many of my countrymen are skeptical about a Norwegian language song going to Eurovision. Really think that might explain it.

Malmklang
Malmklang
4 years ago
Reply to  MrJeffster

That could be. Maybe that’s the explanation why Kjetil Mørland didn’t even reach the super final last year? I appriciated En Livredd Mann a lot, and though I wasn’t expecting it to beat Keiino, I was really surprised it didn’t reach top 4.

Ashton Schier
Ashton Schier
4 years ago
Reply to  Malmklang

en livredd mann was my winner, I’m still sad that keiino won over it (keiino wasn’t my style)

pp77
pp77
4 years ago
Reply to  Malmklang

Last year Morland has one song in super final

Malmklang
Malmklang
4 years ago
Reply to  pp77

Yes, but that was the english one with Adrian…

Norwegian esc lover
Norwegian esc lover
4 years ago

I was live in the arena and Pang was epic! I talked to Hege later and she was so humble and amazing<3

Kris
Kris
4 years ago

But even during the results reveal , it seemed the studio people wanted the Nordic tenors to go through cause that’s what they were shouting

keith mawson
keith mawson
4 years ago

She was very very good. sounded so much better than her video. Not sure why the tenors won nostalgia and a long career maybe.

...
...
4 years ago

Nordic Tenors, Norway?! Really?!

Azaad
Azaad
4 years ago

Attention’s staging could be a bit more impactful, but Ulrikke was very good tonight. If they elevate even further during the next two weeks this could win MGP and be a real contender in Rotterdam.

Sabrina
Sabrina
4 years ago

Unless some big surprise comes from the last semi, I’m pretty much sold on as Ulrikke as the winner. Great song (the more I listen to it, the more I like) and performance. I just think it needs a little more staging to avoid the risk of something more visually appealing stealing its thunder. But even if she was there in a t-shirt and jeans, singing in the dark, I would pick her. I was already expecting Magnus to qualify, but I would prefer Hege. I had my concerns about “Pang”, but she convinced me tonight.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

I just watched Ulrikke. Yes, she is very suited to this song. It’s very extreme and dramatic though. I fear she may end up sharing the fate of Rebecca’s “Who we are” in the final.

Sabrina
Sabrina
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

That’s exactly my fear. And I’m not even saying they need to do crazy things with staging, but better camera work and playing with the lights would help a lot. Think about Salvador or Conchita. Even John Lundvik.

NickC
NickC
4 years ago
Reply to  Sabrina

I agree with both of you. They should put her in a simple white dress, and do something similar to Sonja Alden staging tonight.

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  NickC

@NickC: That would certainly grab my “attention,” haha. 😉

Sabrina
Sabrina
4 years ago
Reply to  NickC

That could work. That shadow effect in the end of Sonja’s performance was beautiful. The people who take care of lighting in Melfest are brilliant.

DALTH
DALTH
4 years ago

Poor pang was always going to struggle personally loved it but would get nowhere at eurovision not got enough broad appeal. I turned down the guff on melodifestivalen to watch it on my phone now that’s multi tasking.

Lolek
Lolek
4 years ago
Reply to  DALTH

Haha same. I was watching melo on my laptop and tune into MGP on my phone.

NickC
NickC
4 years ago

It was obvious that Magnus had this in the bag, especially with the big names behind him. It has a bit of ‘Higher Ground’, bit of ‘Me and my Guitar’, bit of ‘Silent Storm’ and bit of ‘Fairytale’ in it, and I think this is the problem, there is not enough consistency in the composition to draw you in- it tries too much and ends up overshooting. So, it will not win- but it will bring some musical diversity into the final. ‘Attention’ on the other hand, is simply fantastic. It really looked like top 10 song in the ESC… Read more »

Lolek
Lolek
4 years ago

Personally would have preferred Oda Loves You or even Hege Bjork to the final. The style of Magnus’ song really isn’t my thing (I realize it was composed by Alexander Rybak who, while incredibly talented, I was never able to appreciate his music as much as most people). Imo Magnus’ song is the weakest of the qualifying acts of the semi finals. Nevertheless, I think Ulrikke is going to win MGP this year (unless a truly amazing song comes out of the next semi final).

Idksmth
Idksmth
4 years ago

This went through because of the songwriters being Alexander Rybak and Walmann. If the songwriters weren’t them, this probably wouldn’t have gone thorugh. My fave from the semi-final competitors was “Pang”.
The best was Ulrikke. She freaking slayyyyed. Loved it. The staging seemed a bit unpolished but this was just the presentation, not the final performance. 3 minutes of vocal slayage and amazing stage presence. I hope the final stage has a LED because with that this could really elevate.

Lolek
Lolek
4 years ago
Reply to  Idksmth

agreed 100%

Azaad
Azaad
4 years ago

Nordic Tenors winning the duel over Pang is ridiculous. Granted it doesn’t really matter as they didn’t win overall, but Pang was possibly the best (and easily most sophisticated and mature) semi finalist competing.

MrJeffster
MrJeffster
4 years ago
Reply to  Azaad

Preach

filipko54
filipko54
4 years ago

All I want to say is that Ulrikke is my winner already and I doubt anything will change it next week

Alo
Alo
4 years ago

Why didn’t they choose pang.. The winning song is not so good

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago

Yey. Thanks Norway. Finally one of my favourites qualified. 🙂

Kris
Kris
4 years ago
Reply to  Purple Mask

Attention was already qualified to final

Purple Mask
Purple Mask
4 years ago
Reply to  Kris

Thanks for completely missing my point. Very amusing 😀
Congratulations Magnus. JOWST at al.