National final season is well underway. Today, on the eve of semi-final one of Norway’s Melodi Grand Prix 2020, the first two of six pre-qualified entries have been released. KEiiNO’s “Monument” and TIX’s “Ut Av Mørket” both dropped just after midnight local time on Friday 15 January.
The two acts will receive their live premieres during the first semi-final of MGP 2021 on Saturday 16 January. Unlike the four semi-finalists, however, KEiiNO and Tix won’t need to compete for a place in the final. They will showcase their tracks as guaranteed finalists.
KEiiNO “Monument” (Melodi Grand Prix 2021)
KEiiNO — that’s Fred Buljo, Alexandra Rotan and Tom Hugo — won the 2019 edition of MGP with “Spirit In The Sky”. At Eurovision, their dance-pop Sami joik fusion song proved popular with fans, winning the televote and placing sixth overall with 331 points. Since then, KEiiNO have released 14 new songs, amassing a whopping 60 million streams worldwide.
Songwriters: Tom Hugo Hermansen, Alexander Nyborg Olsson, Fred Buljo, Alexandra Rotan og Rüdiger Schramm
In an interview with wiwibloggs, the trio spoke about the meaning of “Monument”:
“‘Monument’ is about the most important moments and people in a lifecycle. The song honours those who enrich other people’s lives without receiving medals or having streets named after them.”
“Monument” is described as a more adult version of “Spirit In The Sky”, with less euro-schlager influence. “We’re not mad if people prefer ‘Spirit’ over ‘Monument’. But it didn’t make sense for us to do it all over again,” Fred says. “We’ve grown both as a band and songwriters, and we feel “Monument” represents the group in a better way.”
TIX “Ut av mørket” (Melodi Grand Prix 2021)
TIX – also known as Andreas Haukeland – hails from Bærum, Norway. TIX’s first album “Dømt og Berømt” spent over 70 weeks on the Norwegian album chart. In May 2020, he had 11 songs in the Norwegian top 200 chart, including “Karantene”, “Skål” and “Kaller På Deg”.
Songwriters: Andreas Haukeland
In his first press release, TIX told NRK that he wants to share music with people via MGP:
“It has been a different year, and my life is about making music for the people. What better place than MGP?”
Andreas named himself TIX after his experience growing up with Tourette’s syndrome, taking ownership of his “ticks” and using the name to create his character. He is well known for his signature look: a headband, large rounded sunglasses and a fur coat.
He is also known internationally for his songwriting successes. TIX is one of the songwriters behind Ava Max’s hit “Sweet But Psycho”, which topped charts all over the world.
Melodi Grand Prix 2021: Semi-Final One
In addition to the two pre-qualified finalists, four more acts will compete in semi-final. They are:
- Beady Belle – “Playing with Fire”
- Jorn – “Faith Bloody Faith”
- Blåsemafian feat. Hazel – “Let Loose”
- Stina Talling – “Elevate”
We are yet to learn the names of the remaining semi-finalists from heats two, three, four and five. However, we do know the remaining pre-qualified finalists. They are:
- Rein Alexander – “Eyes Wide Open”
- Atle Pettersen – “World on Fire”
- Kaja Rode – “Feel Again”
- Stavangerkameratene – “Barndomsgater”
They will be joined by the winners of each semi-final. The remaining pre-qualified finalists’ entries will be revealed one by one every Friday before the semi-finals.
What do you think of “Monument” and “Ut av mørket”? Are they deserving pre-qualifiers? Let us know in the comments below.
Keiino’s song is anthemic! I’hope they have a strong performance prepared.
Mark my words, Monument will come to life on stage.
It didn’t xD
A hot mess indeed. They think they put everything in one song and people will think it’s EUROVISION winner. Hell no. Jury will bury this again.
LOL of 26 songs a jury selected Monument and 5 other songs as a pre-qualified song for the MGP final
Keiino Monument is more heart warming and belong to the stage kind of song, spirit in the sky was rather more like a poem, poem style songs don’t really do much for winner, e.g. azerbaijan 2015, armenia 2010 and many more, hard to understand and audience and all eurovision viewers pay attention something that is easy to understand and rock the stage in meaningful way both in terms of music and lyrics, but trying to sing poem style song nope sorry, it’s seems that keiino and it’s deligation have taken into account this factor and this time they pick something… Read more »
I liked it better after a second listen but it’s not anything new or original. It doesn’t scream ‘winner’. I’m sure it will have more impact live but it does not give me goosebumps or a big smile or any lasting connection that you should get from an ESC winner.
Monument is currently on Itunes in both Norway (no 1), Denmark, Sweden and UK. Interesting! Great song, wouldn´t mind it winning MGP!
I love Keiino, but Monument is a bit underwhelming. Agree with some other comments that the hook is lacking. Tom is underutilised and the joiking feels detached.
They’ve moved on from Spirit in the Sky but other tracks from them like Praying or Would I Lie have left a much bigger impact.
Idk if it’s only me but I listened to this song twice and I don’t remember a single line of it. I was not a fan of ‘Spirit in the sky’, but have to admit this is way better than that song. Also, I think it was way too soon for them to come back and Norway has a lot of different singers that they can offer so, at this point I would go for someone else. But who knows, maybe this will grow on me and we already know that KEiiNO are capable of winning the televoting.
“Spirit in the Sky” sounds better I don’t even like tbh. But, yeah, I’ve prepared myself for Keiino winning a being overrated for the rest of the season.
I was reading the translated lyrics while listening to the song and Fred rapping that everything we hear is the echo of yesterday gave me goosebumps. Still not sold on the “Thunder and gloria”, but I like all the rest of it (I’m fine with the “minor symphony” now) and love Fred’s participations.
Minor symphony, like a symphony in a minor key – meaning a great life, but with sadness. Not a small symphony, like I stupidly thought on first listen. The thunder lyrics are the same – good times, bad times, they’ve lived through it all.
I understand it differently, “minor symphony” as an idea of something that’s meaningful and complex but small compared to existence. “Like a shadow whisper in the night”. It’s a beautiful way to see it and it fits the meaning of the lyrics. The “thunder and gloria” probably has the intention you mentioned, but “gloria” is quite a strong word, so I would need to know what exactly they wanted to say with thunder. Maybe mythology explains it. For now, it sounds like an odd pair of words to me. Though if my whole problem is just with a single word,… Read more »
We’re all right, lyrics can mean whatever the listener wants them to. 🙂
Like I’ve read an artist (maybe it was even an Eurovision one) saying once: the moment the song is out, the listeners will find it new meanings. We had a great example last year, “Fai rumore” was a song about a broken relationship that became an anthem of the social isolation times.
To me, Monument is “fine” and for a Keiino song that means, it could have all the potential in the world. So far, none of their songs really got me in the studio version. I cannot exactly put my finger on it, but there is something about their voices that just gets lost, when put on tape. I think that is especially true for Fred. Somehow his joik and rap sound a lot weaker to me on record, while when he is performing it live on stage he has this strong and almost a bit rough sound in there. Judging… Read more »
OMG this sounds epic on the first listening. With a great staging and singing it can definitely leave a good impression and possibly win it all.
Spirit In The Sky was a cheezy hot mess, and this one is even more so. So.. Progress?
I am sorry, but imo Monument is a hot mess. It tries to be anthemic and powerful, to please the public and general viewers, and on the other hand it has some music elements for example the violin, which feel out of place in an upbeat pop dance song, and it feels like those elements are just there to please the juries, and the one think most of all that bugs me is that the song itself doesn’t have a HOOK! All and all imo Spirit in the sky was a much better song which was instanly memorable and this… Read more »
You mention the audience needs to remember it in order to vote. Well that’s the problem for me I listened to the song 2 times and I can’t remember it’s melody at all. How it comes of visually on the stage it’s another story so far it’s forgetable to me. And the violin that you mentioned that gave them victories that is true, but in a song like this it does seem a little bit out of place.
Sale, You’re absolute right! As a composion or song Spirit in the Sky was better! Monument is too calculating, seems to be cut/pasted from different songs incl. Euphoria and hear even Darude ‘Feel the beat’ at some point.
As a norwegian i am 100% sure tix will win just because the huge status he has in norway. Im sorry everybody. I Don’t like him myself, but i think he will win.
His song is excellent.
I like the Tix entry- it’s better than Keino!
Couldn’t agree more – Tix’ song is a thumb down!
Didn’t Tone Damli have big status as well though?
Tix fans will not watch MGP. LOL
As you said! 😀
Why do I feel like Monument is going to be the overhyped entry of the year that doesn’t win its national final…
I so wanted Keiino to win ESC 2019. And now it bugs me that out of 6 songs released for Norway , it’s already not leading for me.
I like it enough to listen again, but don’t love it…yet.
Monument, that is.
I also remember that you are not in favour of returning performers, so you are probably very conflicted right now…
12!
I made myself a promise, I will only listen to the songs who actually will represent their country at eurovision. Maybe I will miss a few good songs, maybe I won’t..
You can listen afterwards, honey.
I love the song, it has the typical Keiino arrangement/pattern but I am not sure if it can win in the national final. It will do well nevertheless.
If it goes to ESC, i think it won’t do as good in televoting as they did with Spirit for obvious reasons. It also has to do with the competition. But juries will appreciate them this time.
Monument was a disappointment for me….it isn’t BAD, but they hyped it up as this modern uptempo pop song that would show growth from Spirit in the Sky, and it isn’t that. It falls flat in comparison because – as others have said – it isn’t as catchy, it doesn’t have a hook. The lyrics are….questionable. Without the europop/schlager element, you’re sort of just left with this kind of dated song. I wasn’t expecting to prefer Tix over Monument, but there ya go. His song is a sort of love note to 90s pop ballads which is enjoyable, not what… Read more »
Although I don’t dislike Monument (I really enjoy it), I do agree with you that it seems to lack a hook. Those parts where you’d really expect the song to take off just don’t. Still, it is a very strong song.
Monument is not dated song lmao
Monument is a masterpiece! Different from Spirit in the sky. Love how music changes in different parts.
This is is top 10 material for sure, and why not winning Eurovision!?
Would be amazing!
Go Keiino, fingers crossed in Buenos aires 🙂
Monuments isn’t that monumental at all.
Very similar to the Spirit but a bad copy of it.
The structure of the song is the same. Don’t feel any improvement or research to show to us a different angle.
This song seems the B side or the minor sister of Spirit, and we have had enough Spirit.
On the other hand TIX offers a very mainstream song in Norwegian, but this fact is the only positive thing.
Seems a bit bland.
But these are only firs impressions.
Are you kidding me, the melody structure is not the same in this to songs. LOL.
As much as I like Monument, the lyrics are??? They put every random word they were thinking about lol
Monument: Love love love it!! However I don’t think it would be a winner at ESC. It’ll do high in Televote but still not convinced the juries will go for it.
On First listen it has elements of “Rasmussen – Higher Ground”, “Ira Losco – Walk on Water” & “Loreen – Eurphoria”
Love it! SITS is legendary, but this has something cinematic about it!
Monument would be the perfect Eurovision song if it had a hook. And by that I mean a chorus that you can sing along to after just one listen. I cross my fingers they adjust it!
Monument really is – monumental! I had zero doubts that Keiino would go big. If they win MGP, it’s not a question on whether they’ll qualify, but how high they’ll go in the finals. 😉
TIX’s song is also really nice and it’s refreshing to hear more songs in Norwegian. I hope the lyrics are good too.
It will likely be long before one of the Nordics picks a song in their national language, but it’s always nice to have that option (Monument has parts in Sami, so there’s that).
I really got that happy goosebump, teary feeling listening to keiino, they had a lot to live up to, and they have delivered! Really trying not to over listen, 4 months till will be hopefully be seeing them live on stage! Does the rap parts remind anyone else of igranka the Moldovan entry 2013 hehe?
Haven´t thought of Igranka (legendary!) but you´re absolutely right! imho its a mashup of a lots of the best elements of the best esc songs =)
It really is, was definitely my guilty pleasure of 2013 and the most memorable for me!
Monument is awesome. I definitely see Keiino on the top this year!
Wow, first time I have gotten shivers in this season – KEiiNO, you have done it again! So epic, so melancholic, so mystical – I can imagine this looking fantastic on stage – well done! Someone is going to have go very far to beat you now!
And TIX, what a surprisingly nice addition as well – maybe I am in a good mood but I’m feeling your entry too.
Well, Norway, it looks like we might have a contest on our hands!!
The eurovision-tramp in me has woken up again! Monument is not a typical eurovision song and I like it way more than spirit in sky. And I liked that song. Did not know what to expect when I started listening and now Monument is on repeat x10. Flawless and on point vocals. Mystical nordic whipsering. Perhaps you not immediately will jump totha dancefloor, more rather listening. Well done, Keiino.
Monument made me cry from the 1st listen. Thank you Keiino!
Love love love Monument.
Keiino’s is a very good song. Not sure if it will repeat the impact of Spirit.
Ut av Mørket is very good! I would love Norway sending a song in norwegian!!
No doubt KEIINO offers us a bop here. In some way the song reminds me on “Volcano Man” from the Eurovision movie. It is high class “Euro Pop”. In my opinion that song has not the same sing along chorus hook as “Spirit in the Sky” had. Could this song score with the audience = Yes. Could that song get many points by the ESC juries = I don’t think so. Overall it is a very good and catchy song and not a “Spirit In The Sky Part 2”. Well done Keiino.
Monument sounds it could lend itself to really good staging. I wonder if the low jury score KEiiNO attracted was in part due to relatively underwhelming staging? Like if they had more stuff on stage I feel they would’ve finished 15th-16th on the jury count and made the top 5 ahead of Sweden
I actually prefer Monument than Spirit in the Sky. My only concern with the song is that it seems like it peaks at least 3x within 3 mins, which can be anti climactic.
Vol-can-ic protec-tor maaannn #2
This is a good track and if it was one of their songs in their their album I wouldn’t mind to listen to . Fans of the group will add it to their play list and enjoy it as it is . As for a Eurovision entry if chosen it will not go anywhere , the instant hook appeal is lost completely. Neither the juries or the public will give a high score to this . Spirit in the sky was all more pop and dancy and had an instant appeal that is why the public voted for it .… Read more »
Keiino brings Keiino! This is just as expected!! Love it! Euro Pop BOP!
I always failed to like Spirit in the sky. Monument is not my cup of tea either but I think it is still somewhat better (than sitk) so perhaps they have improved chances with the juries, should the make it to Eurovision.
Monument lacks the impact the Spirit definitely has.. Besides for me it’s too soon to see Keiino back in Eurovision.. Haven’t missed them as I’ve played Spirit in my car so often, even more than Arcade and I’m Dutch haha
With monument , I definitely find it more vocally versatile than Spirit in the sky . And Fred’s abilities are well used .
However , the song completely lacks a memorable hook. I don’t think it gains enough jury points as much as televote points the song will loose for lacking a hook.
But it’s a certain qualifier , yes .
But Kudos to Keiino for bringing a different side of them .
I liked TIX’s song , especially the first two minutes. The key change was not needed.
I think monument will do better than spirit in the sky (not cause I like it more but… I like it more lmao) I doubt it would win televote but top 5 I could feel very confident about and I feel like it could be a way more jury friendly song…
It’s possible ,but like you said “it’s doubtful it will win the televote “
I am shocked by the effusive compliments that Monument is getting. I fell in love with Spirit in the Sky at first listen and this left me slightly cold. I think SITS was such an earworm and while I appreciate the instrumentation and the voices in Monument, it really lacks a hook. It just feels epic and anthemic but I couldn’t even remember or singalong to the chorus. I’m sure if Rybak easily scored another victory with that horrible write-a-song silliness then the country’s love for Keiino can see them to another victory. I just wonder if the producer of… Read more »
Exactly my concern. Absolutely lacks a hook and they have a dedicated space for a hook and instead say * something harmony ” .They build up to it and then leave us cold
Lol , I meant ” something symphony “But it illustrates my point. Lacks the sing along hook
I said it about Finland earlier today, and I think I can say it again: we don’t really need to hear the rest. Barring a masterpiece from Rein or a knockout performance from Stina, I think KEiiNO has locked up the MGP win here and now. This is a knockout song whose televoting potential could devastate the competition at Eurovision. As opposed to “Spirit in the Sky”, this one could prove to be a jury darling as well, as it’s much more mature and well-conceived than the former. My one very minor gripe with this song is the drum patterning… Read more »
You do realize that there are a lot more than half the songs left and half the artists haven’t even been announced. The mgp hod said that there would be four potential winners, likely keiino being the only one we’ve heard so far.
This is not a televote guarantee at all. Spirit in the Sky did so well because of its fun crazy nature, not its production value as the juries reflected. The same people voting for spirit in the sky will not vote for this, especially if dadi has a banger and if little big do indeed return. Sure this could 100% score much better with the juries especially if they give it a cohesive professional staging this time. And if they angle said staging right they could target a different televoting audience and still do well, but I feel its a… Read more »
Monument is so beautiful I’m literally crying and I wish you guys all the best
These aren’t like, super outstanding nor do they scream “winner” or anything, but I like them both on first listen so I guess that’s a good thing.
It reminds me of Vampires are Alive by DJ Bobo but worse.
Why TIX why… You could’ve pick Tusen Tårer which is way better
I actually think this one , which he sent to MGP has a broader appeal. I heard both of them.
I am a non Scandinavian