Denmark’s beloved and long-running song contest Dansk Melodi Grand Prix is about to clock its 53rd edition next year. It will serve, once more, as Denmark’s Eurovision selection process.
On Tuesday Danish Broadcaster DR announced that DMGP 2023 will take place on February 11 in the city of Næstved. Entries for the contest are now open.
DR has released the rules for the 2023 contest. Eight acts will again compete to fly the Danish flag in the United Kingdom during Eurovision 2023. That continues the trend that started in 2021, when the broadcaster decided to have eight finalists rather than 10 (as it had done between 2000 and 2020).
The eight acts will be selected by a professional committee. They’ll choose from the public song submissions as well as directly liaising with artists, songwriters and producers within the Danish music industry.
As last year, at least one songwriter or performer must be a Danish citizen or have a strong connection with Denmark, such as being a resident or being married to a Dane. Danes living in the Faroe Islands or Greenland are also eligible to participate.
Despite the fact that pre-recorded backing vocals will be allowed in Eurovision 2023, in DMGP 2023 performances need to be 100% live. In certain circumstances, pre-recorded backing vocals may be used.
Entries for DMGP are already open and can be submitted via DR’s song submission page. Entries for DMGP 2023 close on 28 October 2022.
Næstved will have the honour of hosting DMGP 2023.
It will welcome DMGP and Eurovision fans from all over the world in its Næstved Arena.
It’s a first for the city 44,000, which is located in the south of the island of Zealand. It’s the country’s second-fastest growing city behind only Aarhus. Its Stor Center is a well-known shopping mall with a large garden centre and several shops that celebrate Danish design. Celebrate the music, leave with some hygge furnishings.
Denmark’s recent Eurovision results worry many fans
Since 2019, Denmark has not made it back to the Grand Final. The Scandinavian country, which won Eurovision in 2013 with Emmelie de Forest’s “Only Teardrops”, has only qualified four times since that momentous edition. Now fans and experts are wondering what’s going wrong.
Speaking to DR, some say that DR is too focused on choosing songs that might work exclusively in the Danish market. DMGP expert Morten Madsen feels that everything stops after DMGP ends. “You want to make a good Grand Prix for the Danes, but then it kind of stops there,” he says. “You need to open your eyes. It is no coincidence that we have been knocked out two years in a row.”
DR’s ex-commentator Ole Tøpholm also feels the gap between DGMP and Eurovision. As he tells DR, you won’t succeed in Eurovision if you are planning only on succeeding on Danish radio. He suggests the bosses look over to Sweden.
“It’s not Reddi’s fault [ESC 2022 Denmark], or that of Eastern Europe [voting bloc]. It’s also not about sending a wild show. There’s a structural problem and it seems that, now, we have started losing every year at Eurovision instead of doing well.”
“If we keep focusing on what will do well in Denmark, then we won’t do well at Eurovision next year, nor the next one. It’s embarrassing because we have the quality, the talent and what it takes to do well at Eurovision. You will simply not be allowed to enter Dansk Melodi Grand Prix [if so].”
DR: “Of course we listen”
DR acknowledges the above-mentioned concerns. However, DR doesn’t think its strategy should be written off.
Erik Struve Hanse – DMGP boss – doesn’t think the show should focus on serving Europe’s taste. As he explains:
“At Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, I think we are very faithful to what the Danish sound and the Danish music scene is like. Of course, we also have to think about it in terms of a big musical festival like Eurovision is, and how we can optimize the Danish music scene to make it work in a Danish context, but hopefully, in Eurovision next year.”
“Of course, it’s something we have to work on now. At the same time, I don’t think it’s embarrassing [echoing Ole Tøpholm words] that Denmark is not making it to the Eurovision Grand Final, since around 7 countries in each semifinal won’t qualify. That’s around half. Also [not embarrassing], especially when you compete with a very different sound, with an original structure that dares to be as radical as ‘The Show’ by Reddi.”
What do you think? Are you excited about Denmark using DMGP for Eurovision next year? Who would you like to see competing in DMGP 2023? Let us know in the comment section below!
Denmark is a country that regularly serves the blandest national selections year after year so I am not sure if I can expect anything different in 2023.
We should send Nabiha.
Denmark is one of my least favourite countries in Eurovision, which is funny because the Danish music scene is great!
I just think Dansk Melodi Grand Prix has served its time and they either need to revamp the national final or select internally. A drastic change is needed either way.
I have the same opinion, DMGP has been unremarkable in the last years and isn’t making any justice to Denmark’s great music scene 🙁
I agree. I’ve been really disappointed with the last two editions of DMGP And while I haven’t listen to every single Danish Eurovision song in full, I have only liked one or two entries since I got onto Eurovision in 2016. The last Danish song I enjoyed was 2018’s higher ground, though I would give yes from 2020 an honorable mention and I believe it would’ve qualified has the contest not been canceled.
Overall, I don’t have high expectations for Denmark next year and I will be surprised if anything really blows my socks off in 2023.
Denmark should change broadcaster. Denmark deserves to be the powerhouse we know they could be. DR aren’t taking this serious so why not give TV2 a chance just like DR gave up on X Factor in 2018.
I think it is due to DR changing policy. During the previous right- wing government led by the infamous Dansk Folkeparti DR and other public broadcasters had to change course and become less general, more specific. Focus on news, documentaries and less entertainment. Stuff DF thought public service is about. Many entertainment shows had to go. I can only assume that affected MGP as well with focus being stritcly Danish to please the government
De er sgu da for gode til at ville have noget med Grand Prix at gøre
I can understand what DMGP boss is trying to get through here, in other Nordic countries such as Sweden & Finland the songs that have competed in their selections have stayed on the charts even after the show, bringing the show more impact as it could be the starting point for a hit song that will be played years to come.
All in all, DMGP still has had quite solid viewing figures, but every country has their highs and lows. Maybe next year Denmark will have enough strong song for it to qualify for the Grand Final.
But the songs in Sweden are also made for ESC which is the difference
I mean, it doesn’t matter if the songs are made especially Eurovision in mind or not, but they’d need to be more impactful that they stay on the charts even after the show is over.
DR has to understand that there can be songs that do well in Denmark and Eurovision. Not just in one of them.
Could be. Here in Sweden the songs from this year’s Mello are still played and heard. Almost every one of them. Not to mention Cornelia herself who is busy having tours and being nominated for awards.
In Denmark it seems the songs gets forgotten immediatly after the MGP. Something needs change
Wrong choice many time in DMGP final, from 2013. For me 2015,2016,2020
I would be concerned too for the fans. That words from the DR boss comes off as bit rude. Sort of like ” it works for us and we have no plans to change the process. Expect same thing next year”. Why is he not asking why is every Nordic country except Denmark in the finals every year?
Denmark has a interesting music scene yet none of it is represented in MGP.
I see what you say, but come on. We haven’t qualified in 2 years. Many other countries fail more. However, I agree that DR should take it more seriously.
Well you also did not qualify 2015- 2016 and even those years were better than now. If I were a Danish fan I would love for my broadcaster to step up and change the game. If Denmark fails to qualify next year as well peoples interest in ESC will fall and ask what are we doing?
I don’t understand the argument that it should be bad not to qualify for 2 years. Many other countries take several years before they qualify. After 2015 and 2016, we qualified the following 3 years – and we would also qualify in 2020.
But as i said before, I agree that DR should step up the game, and take it more seriously.
Well I think not qualifying is more a question about interest and legitimation. How can you legitimize using public money to take part in a expensive show if you are not in final? And why would Danes care about ESC if they are not in it? You can argue people would loose interest quickly if Denmark fails to qualify..
I don’t think it has anything to do with whether we qualify or not. ESC has always been something that the Danes has not had the biggest interest in. Especially in the last several years. With that said , many Danes actually like to watch ESC (including myself), whenever we are in the final or not, but it’s not something you talk about. ESC is kind of “embarrassing” to watch for many here. But to say that because you have not qualified for 2 years, the interest falls. I don’t buy it. It also has a lot to do with… Read more »
Yes, but could the lack of interest be due to not doing well in the contest?
And the ratings for ESC this year was not great for DR I read.
Nope I dont think its the main reason. We qualified from 2017-2019 and the lack of interest started there too. It hasn’t just disappeared in two years.
Same day as the final of Eesti Laul, Saturday February 11th is already a Super Saturday!
And Malta
I still believe Denmark would be better off with an internal selection. Every one of their entries since 2019 have been insufferable
I hope Fuld effekt will try their luck this time again!
’80s synth pop music has had a huge comeback this year and Denmark is really good at retrowave! Tobias Rahim is a living proof. Finger crossed for Denmark!
Tobias Rahim is so overhyped.
I’ve heard some of his songs and I’ve liked what I heard, but I agree that he’s so so so over hyped in Denmark at this poing
But isn’t that what Danmark did in 2021?
Not really: Reddi is a live post-punk band, they make no usage of synthesizers
2021?
Well we kinda deserved to qualify in 2021 – and we almost did.
Apologies, i read 2022. Yes, like 2021; indeed, as i pointed out, Denmark has experience with 80s pop music. And i can they make good use of this new momentum the genre is living.
The only thing I want from Denmark at this point is a song that isn’t the textbook definition of mediocrity.
No more bad retro songs in DMGP next year, please!
Would they PLEASE send Ben & Tan this time
denmark is along moldova, montenegro and n. macedonia, one of the countries, for whom I never had any expectations.
At least Moldova sometimes surprises positively, Denmark can’t even do that xd