The date of the grand final of Melodi Grand Prix 2022 has been confirmed. Norway will select its Eurovision 2022 act on Saturday, 19 February.
Norway’s Head of Delegation Stig Karlsen confirmed the news to Norwegian Eurovision site ESC Norge.
As in 2020 and 2021, the contest will air on six consecutive Saturdays. Semi-Final 1 kicks it all off on 15 January.
Curiously, Stig did not confirm the exact format of the show. Over the past two years the semi-finals involved four acts competing in two duels. The winner of each duel then faced off in a final duel to see who would advance to the grand final, where they faced off against the other acts that qualified to the final and a series of “pre-qualified” artists who did not have to compete in the semis.
This year the show also included a second chance round, which produced one of the strongest line-ups of the season.
Norway was one of the first countries to confirm for Eurovision 2022, announcing the song submission process way back in May. And it’s clear that Stig is very excited.
He spent last week attending The Woods Norway songwriting camp, which he detailed on his Instagram.
“This week I moved my office to the small town of Rena for our annual songwriting camp with the amazing people at @thewoodsnorway,” he wrote.
“I had the privilege to spend a week with 60 talented songwriters, producers and artist at our two MGP camps, resulting in 33 songs that will be evaluated and considered for MGP 2022. I was there, doing my best to inspire, guide and support the group throughout the week.”
“I’m blown away by their talent, their work ethic and their ability to come up with amazing material within a rather short time frame. Norwegian music is in a good state at the moment, and it’s an honor to give the spotlight to some of the fantastic people that gives us the soundtrack to our lives.”
Back in May, NRK said that any participant could submit up to three songs. NRK also “recommended” that the submitted entries have at least one Norwegian composer, as they want to promote local music. Acts that follow the recommendation have performed well of late: their five most recent entries have been completely created and performed by Norwegian nationals.
Stig added that they’re “open to every kind of music” from sophisticated entries to hard rock to bubblegum pop. Considering their previous winners included heart-felt ballads, Euro-bangers and mid-tempo numbers, he’s not blowing hot air.
Which artists surprised you last year? Who do you hope to see back in 2022? Let us know own below!
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Efentix is still a thing btw?
it was always a publicity stunt
Fingers crossed that those countries have a better or great national finals in 2022.
I think I might be one of few who actually liked TIX and thought he was the best act in MGP. There was something honest, pure about him. Especially the Norwegian version.
unpopular opinion but I think that last year’s MGP was weak. I loved only Imerika and let’s say Raylee. Keiino and Tix were enjoyable but both dated and not perfect packages (especially the wardrobe). Atle, River, and Stina were also fine but kinda lackluster. All other songs were basic, dated, or dull. They need some sort of jury system in order to prevent what happened last year – an act that didn’t have the best song won because of his fame. And act like Imerika didn’t even make the final because she was completely unknown to the public. We shall… Read more »
Unpopular opinion: MGP should revert to a 10 song national final. A lot of songs that competed last year were not strong enough to justify a six week process.
I share the same opinion with you… what’s the point of having such a long final if 80 % of the songs are either just bad/dull/dated.
pick a good song that’s good and not just because the artist is popular this time please
Norway definitely need a win again now – so hoping for some amazing entries and not any popular silly acts like TiX again which will win because of their huge fan base and not because of a great entry.
I seriously believe Norway could have won in 2020 as well – by far the best ballad of the year.
Given how well France did this year, Norway had a very good chance. Ulrikke was one of the few acts in 2020 who would’ve appealed to the juries and public. She was the one unambiguous ESC fan favourite who managed to win her national final.
Just because someone is a fan favourite doesnt mean they will do well. Take a look at Senhit..
I think Ulrikke would have done really well with juries and lesser with audiences.
Please add some kind of juries for the final! Although I liked Tix, there were much better options.
After KEiiNO won the televote in 2019, but lost because of the juries, they are never going to bring them back to MGP.
well good luck with winning the whole thing then
!!! EXTREMELY UNPOPULAR OPINION INCOMING !!!
Norway got a small streak of 2 last places in my ranking (2020&2021) so I hope that changes! A positive thing is that MGP was SO STRONG this year so I’m hoping we get a nice result in 2022!
Please come back in 2022, Big Daddy Karsten. We need more songs like yours. Songs about gay love that aren’t afraid to use pronouns.
How about that girl that got 2nd in 2020? She was nice!
That was a woman singing about a man, and asking us to pray for her – kinda the opposite of what I’m talking about.
Whatever. It’s about quality of the song and the rest of the package. The MGP of my childhood was and I miss that. It shouldn’t be a forced kind of pride parade. But, it is for everybody who can bring us good music, no matter orientation.
Whatever you’re talking about is not what I’m talking about. Of course songs should be judged on quality… but before we can do that, they need to actually exist.
Yeah! Kristin should return!
agreed, but the song has to good. bdk’s was not
The song was good, the staging maybe not.
And that matters because?
I rather they go for talent, competence and even experience over choosing someone just for using pronouns
It matters because people shouldn’t feel they need to hide their identity. Can you name even one gay Eurovision song? Songs like Arcade don’t use one pronoun, we have no idea if the song is about a man or a woman from the lyrics. Switzerland from that same year even had a pronoun in the title, but that’s okay because it’s hetero and won’t frighten anyone.
Rise Like a Phoenix….??
There’s nothing gay about that song. The lyrics can apply to anyone who has been bullied, for whatever reason – the listener can attach whatever meaning they like to it. You can’t actually see Conchita if you hear it on the radio.
Maybe the song wasn’t originally meant for that purpose (I honestly have no idea), but the performance and its subsequent reception say otherwise. Also, Neuwirth’s little speech after winning the contest (“we are unity…”)
Yay, now give me two men or two women singing adoringly at each other like Spain 2018 or Slovenia 2019 or Azerbaijan 2011 or Denmark 2010 or Romania 2017 or Lithuania 2015.
To be fair according to Love Love Peace Peace many of those were “pretending [they’re] in love” XD
So? Why is it important for you that songs are about gay love? I think singers want their songs to be universal and reach out to all, not just the gay crowd. It’s about being able to relate. If you are not gay, how can you relate to a song about gay love? Do you share the same experiences as the gay people in the song?
Denis, please. Think about what you’re saying. Gay people should not need to conform. Love is love.
Krista’s kiss.
Hatari waving LGBTQ flags.
The whole song for UK in 1959 (I think)
Iceland 2011 and Lithuania 2015 as well. Also, 1961 winner Nous les amoreux is supposed to describe a homosexual relationship.
No. You still don’t get it. Songs. Not staging. Kisses and flags are not lyrics, and last for one night. They are seen, not heard.
UK 1959 was a husband and wife singing to a little bird. I have no idea what Sot is talking about. Luxembourg 1961 is the closest you have come to giving an actual example, but even then it is not obvious from the lyrics. The juries and listeners probably had no clue.
Maybe we’re splitting hairs at this stage? Songs like that have appeared in national finals too, like “My Guy” for Lithuania 2021 and “I am gay” for Norway last year, and she won her semi-final!
Yes, the next thing to happen is for one to actually get to represent their country and make it to a Eurovision final. After 65 years, that has still not happened.
Quality of NRK MGP is awesome! i looking forward to see what’s Norway brings to us next year!
Stig is truly amazing, isn’t he?
I love how NRK is taking MGP and Eurovision seriously. The quality of MGP 2021 was amazing. I still hear both Fallen Angel and Monument being played regularly on Norwegian radio. In 2020, when the final was held in Trondheim, the enthusiasm was huge in the city. I just remember how the audience was cheering so loud for Kristin (the participant who was from Trondheim). All the final tickets were sold out for the first time in years, and it was great to be able to attend one last major event before Covid shut everything down. I both hope and… Read more »
It will be 13 years since Norway last won Eurovision, so the time could be right for another Norwegian victory. That said, I still would prefer to see a first time winner next year or in the near future, but if Norway sends a song worthy enough to win Eurovision for the fourth time, then they deserve it. But we don’t know what the quality of the national final will be like until MGP starts airing in early 2022. It could be great or it could full of crap. Norway could have a winning entry, or they might fail to… Read more »