Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 explained

Year:2024
Country:Norway
Preselection:Melodi Grand Prix 2024
Entrant:Norwegian: [[Gåte]]|i=no
Song:Norwegian: [[Ulveham]]|i=no
Sf Result:Qualified (10th, 43 points)
Final Result:25th, 16 points

Norway participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden, with "Norwegian: [[Ulveham]]|i=no" performed by Norwegian: [[Gåte]]|i=no. The Norwegian broadcaster Norwegian: [[NRK|Norsk rikskringkasting]]|i=no (NRK) organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix 2024 between January and February 2024 in order to select the Norwegian entry for the contest.

Background

See main article: Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest. Prior to the 2024 contest, Norway had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest sixty-two times since its first entry in .[1] Norway had won the contest on three occasions: in with the song "Norwegian: [[La det swinge]]|i=no" performed by Bobbysocks!, in with the song "Norwegian: [[Nocturne (Secret Garden song)|Nocturne]]|i=no" performed by Secret Garden and in with the song "Fairytale" performed by Alexander Rybak. Norway also had the two dubious distinctions of having finished last in the Eurovision final eleven times, more than any other country, and for having received French: [[nul points]] (zero points) four times, the latter being a record shared with . Following the introduction of semi-finals for, Norway had finished in the top ten ten times. In, "Queen of Kings" performed by Alessandra qualified to the final and placed fifth, the best result for the country in ten years.[1]

The Norwegian national broadcaster, Norwegian: [[NRK|Norsk rikskringkasting]]|i=no (NRK), broadcasts the event within Norway and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. NRK confirmed its intention to participate at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in April 2023, as it opened a songwriting camp for the national final Norwegian: [[Melodi Grand Prix]]|i=no, which had selected the Norwegian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest in all but one of its participations.[2]

Before Eurovision

Melodi Grand Prix 2024

See main article: Melodi Grand Prix 2024.

Norwegian: Melodi Grand Prix 2024 was the 62nd edition of the Norwegian national final Norwegian: [[Melodi Grand Prix]]|i=no (MGP) which selected Norway's entry for the 2024 contest. The competition consisted of three semi-finals on 13, 20 and 27 January 2024 at the NRK studios in Marienlyst, and a final on 3 February 2024 at Trondheim Spektrum.[3] In each semi-final, six songs competed and the top three entries were selected to proceed to the final.[3] [4]

Submissions were open between 9 June and 31 August 2023, with the list of 18 selected entries announced on 5 January 2024.[3] [5] These included four past Norwegian Eurovision representatives: Benedicte Adrian as part of Mistra (1984, then part of Dollie de Luxe); Margaret Berger (2013); Keiino (2019); and Gaute Ormåsen as Super Rob (2022 as part of Subwoolfer).

Semi-finals

Final

The final took place on 3 February 2024.

Draw! scope="col"
ArtistSongJuryTelevoteTotalPlace
1Keiino"Damdiggida"981462442
2Annprincess"Save Me"1617339
3Gothminister"We Come Alive"35801154
4Ingrid Jasmin"Norwegian: Eya|i=no"2220428
5Miia"Green Lights"5422766
6Margaret Berger"Oblivion"2619457
7Dag Erik Oksvold and Anne Fagermo"Judge Tenderly of Me"58471055
8Norwegian: [[Gåte]]|i=no"Norwegian: [[Ulveham]]|i=no"761742501
9Super Rob and Erika Norwich"My AI"451201653

Promotion

As part of the promotion of their participation in the contest, Norwegian: Gåte|i=no attended the Melfest WKND event in Stockholm on 8 March 2024,[6] the PrePartyES in Madrid on 30 March 2024 (though not in person),[7] the Barcelona Eurovision Party on 6 April 2024,[8] the London Eurovision Party on 7 April 2024,[9] the Eurovision in Concert event in Amsterdam on 13 April 2024,[10] and the Nordic Music Celebration's Eurovision Night in Oslo on 20 April 2024.[11] In addition, they performed at the Eurovision Village in Malmö on 4 May 2024.[12]

Calls for boycott

The inclusion of in the list of participants for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 despite the ongoing humanitarian crisis resulting from Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip during the Israel–Hamas war sparked controversy in Norway as well as several other participating countries, with calls and petitions for broadcasters to boycott the event., head of entertainment at NRK, initially stated that the broadcaster was following the decisions of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU),[13] [14] ultimately commenting that it would not seek a "cultural boycott" of Israel in order not to "compromise integrity" in response to demonstrations outside of NRK's headquarters on 5 January 2024, during the presentation of the MGP contestants.[15] [16] Further demonstrations took place before the first and second semi-final of the event on 13 and 20 January, reiterating the calls for the exclusion of Israel in light of the number of casualties among journalists since the outbreak of the war and denouncing the targeting of Palestinian children; one of the protesters of 13 January, identified as Oslo city council member, broke in during the live broadcast saying that "Norway can do more".[17] [18] In addition, a petition asking NRK for a boycott was launched by singers Marthe Valle and Marte Wulff, which was to be handed to the broadcaster after the third semi-final of MGP on 27 January; 530 artists were among the signatories by 12 March, including several past MGP entrants.[18] [19] [20] The winners of MGP, Gåte, also expressed initial uncertainty to take part in the competition due to the participation of Israel, but ultimately confirmed their presence at the contest.[21] [22]

While not mentioning Israel's participation in the contest, on 29 March 2024, Norwegian: Gåte|i=no released a joint statement with other Eurovision 2024 entrantsnamely Bambie Thug, Iolanda, Megara, Mustii, Nemo, Olly Alexander, Saba, Silvester Belt and Windows95man calling for "an immediate and lasting ceasefire" in Gaza as well as the return of the Israeli hostages held by Hamas.[23]

In early April 2024, three NRK authors announced their refusal to write the broadcaster's annual Eurovision review due to Israel's participation in the contest, demanding that NRK pressure the EBU to exclude the country.[24] [25]

At Eurovision

The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 took place at the Malmö Arena in Malmö, Sweden, and consists of two semi-finals held on the respective dates of 7 and 9 May and the final on 11 May 2024. All nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big Five" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete in the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. On 30 January 2024, an allocation draw was held to determine which of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show, each country would perform in; the EBU split up the competing countries into different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot.[26] Norway was scheduled for the second half of the second semi-final.[27] The shows' producers then decided the running order for the semi-finals; Norway was set to perform in position 15.[28]

In Norway, all three shows are being broadcast on NRK1, as well as on the broadcaster's streaming platform, with commentary by ; the final will be aired on radio via NRK P1, with commentary by Jon Marius Hyttebakk.[29] Ahead of the contest, NRK organised and broadcast the traditional Eurovision preview show Norwegian: {{ill|Adresse (TV programme)|lt=Adresse|no|Adresse-programmene, under the title Norwegian: {{ill|Adresse Malmø|no|Adresse Malmö (2024); hosted by Stokstad, it consisted of five shows between 13 April and 4 May 2024, each featuring a panel composed of television personalities and members from the public who discussed and evaluated the competing entries, ultimately decreeing a favourite[30] [31] namely 's Angelina Mango with "Italian: [[La noia (song)|La noia]]|i=no".[32] As part of the Eurovision programming, NRK also cooperated with DR and SVT alongside other EBU member broadcastersnamely ARD/WDR, the BBC, ČT, ERR, French: [[France Télévisions]]|i=no, NTR, RÚV, VRT and Yleto produce and air a documentary titled ABBAAgainst the Odds, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of with "Waterloo" by ABBA.[33]

Performance

Norwegian: Gåte|i=no took part in technical rehearsals on 30 April and 3 May, followed by dress rehearsals on 8 and 9 May.[34] The staging of their performance of "Norwegian: Ulveham|i=no" at the contest features smoke, lasers, and a spinning platform for the lead singer; the colour green is predominant.[35]

Semi-final

Norway performed in position 15, following the entry from and before the entry from the .[28] At the end of the show, the country was announced as a qualifier for the final.

Final

Following the semi-final, Norway was drawn to perform in the second half of the final.[36] Norway performed in position 14, following the entry from the and before the entry from .[37]

Voting

See also: Voting at the Eurovision Song Contest. Below is a breakdown of points awarded to and by Norway in the second semi-final and in the final. Voting during the three shows involved each country awarding sets of points from 1-8, 10 and 12: one from their professional jury and the other from televoting in the final vote, while the semi-final vote was based entirely on the vote of the public.[38] The Norwegian jury consisted of Daniel Owen, Lars Horn Lavik, Annprincess Johnson Koffa, Lisa Stokke, and Gunilla Süssmann.[39] In the second semi-final, Norway placed 10th with 43 points, marking the country's seventh consecutive grand final qualification. In the final, Norway placed 25th and last with 16 points, resulting in the country's record-extending twelfth last place finish in the final, and first since . Over the course of the contest, Norway awarded its 12 points to in the second semi-final, and to (jury) and (televote) in the final.[40] [41]

The spokesperson for the Norwegian jury at the final was initially intended to be Alessandra Mele, who represented .[42] Mele later withdrew from her role, with Ingvild Helljesen replacing her as spokesperson.[43] Mele cited Israel's participation in the contest despite the Israel–Hamas war as the reason for her withdrawal.[44]

Detailed voting results

Each nation's jury consisted of five music industry professionals who are citizens of the country they represent. Each jury, and individual jury member, is required to meet a strict set of criteria regarding professional background, as well as diversity in gender and age. No member of a national jury was permitted to be related in any way to any of the competing acts in such a way that they cannot vote impartially and independently.[45] The individual rankings of each jury member as well as the nation's televoting results were released shortly after the grand final.

The following members comprised the Norwegian jury:[39]

+
DrawCountryTelevote
RankPoints
0114
0213
0310 1
044 7
058 3
069 2
072 10
086 5
095 6
1015
1112
1211
137 4
141 12
15
163 8
+
DrawCountryJuryTelevote
Juror AJuror BJuror CJuror DJuror ERankPointsRankPoints
0113 8 12 5 5 8 3 2 10
026 9 6 14 3 7 4 3 8
038 3 4 12 6 5 6 15
0411 12 11 19 14 16 20
05 25 5 2111 10 14
062 6 3 23 2 3 8 6 5
0720 25 18 13 17 21 8 3
0821 13 23 9 12 17 13
0924 10 14 22 13 18 14
1016 11 25 24 25 20 7 4
115 20 9 18 7 11 9 2
124 14 10 6 18 9 2 18
1317 16 24 17 19 24 21
14
153 17 7 2 15 6 5 11
1618 21 13 20 20 22 19
1723 24 22 25 22 25 10 1
187 15 16 4 21 12 23
199 2 2 8 11 4 7 12
2014 18 17 21 23 23 17
211 4 1 7 1 1 12 5 6
2215 19 20 16 16 19 24
2322 22 5 15 8 13 1 12
2412 23 15 3 9 10 1 22
2510 1 8 1 4 2 10 4 7
2619 7 19 10 24 15 16

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Norway. Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 2023-08-09.
  2. Web site: Grace . Emily . 11 April 2023 . Norway: Melodi Grand Prix 2024 Songwriting Camp Begins In Oslo . 11 May 2023 . Eurovoix . en-GB.
  3. Web site: Norway's Melodi Grand Prix is heading back to its roots!. Eurovision.tv. EBU. 2023-11-07. 2023-11-07.
  4. Web site: Tangen . Anders Martinius . 21 October 2023 . Mona Berntsen er ny sceneregissør for MGP og det bli finale 3.februar . Mona Berntsen is the new stage director for MGP, and the final will be on February 3 . 22 October 2023 . ESC Norge . nb.
  5. Web site: 2023-06-09. Stephenson. James. Norway: Submissions Open For Melodi Grand Prix 2024. 2023-06-21. Eurovoix. en-GB.
  6. Web site: Sweden: Gåte Joins the Melfest WKND 2024 Line-Up. Granger. Anthony. Eurovoix. 5 March 2024. 5 March 2024.
  7. Web site: Rico. Vicente. ¡Los noruegos Gåte actuarán en remoto en la PrePartyES 2024!. Norwegians Gåte will perform remotely at the PrePartyES 2024!. es-ES. Eurovision-Spain.com. 23 March 2024. 25 March 2024.
  8. Web site: 2024-03-05. Granger. Anthony. Spain: Eleven 2024 Acts Confirmed For Barcelona Eurovision Party 2024 to Date. Eurovoix. 2024-03-05.
  9. Web site: United Kingdom: Six Artists Confirmed For London Eurovision Party 2024 So Far. Grace. Emily. Eurovoix. 20 February 2024. 21 February 2024.
  10. Web site: Gåte to perform at Eurovision in Concert 2024. Dibben. Jazzi. That Eurovision Site. 25 February 2024. 1 April 2024.
  11. nordicmusiccelebration. C4tEytdtyM9. Exciting announcement: Gåte, Norway's Eurovision 2024 representative is set to join our concert! Don't miss their performance of «Ulveham» in Oslo on April 20th!. 19 March 2024. 23 March 2024.
  12. Web site: 26 April 2024 . Andersson . Rafaell . Eurovision 2024: Competing Acts to Perform at the Eurovision Village. 26 April 2024 . Eurovoix.
  13. Web site: Losen . Sofie . 2023-12-05 . Alessandra Mele - Kjærlighet er sterkere enn hat . Alessandra Mele: Love is stronger than hate . 2023-12-06 . Se og Hør. nb.
  14. Web site: Stephenson. James. Norway: NRK is 'Following What the EBU Decides' on Israel. 6 December 2023. 6 December 2023. Eurovoix.
  15. Web site: Edland . Gyrid Friis . Visker . Nora . Christensen . Siri B. . Hoen . Espen Sjølingstad . 2024-01-05 . Demonstrasjon utenfor NRK før MGP-slipp: Ingen sier noe . Demonstration outside NRK before release of MGP artists: "Nobody says anything" . 2024-01-08 . . nb.
  16. Web site: Katsoulakis . Manos . 2024-01-06 . Norway: NRK will not boycott Israel's entry in Eurovision 2024! . 2024-01-06 . Eurovisionfun . en-US.
  17. Web site: Tjoflot . Eirin . 2024-01-13 . Raudt-politikar kuppa MGP-sendinga . Red Party politician takes over the MGP broadcast . 2024-01-14 . NRK . nn-NO.
  18. Web site: 2024-01-20 . Ny demonstrasjon utanfor NRK mot Israel si deltaking i Eurovision . New demonstration outside NRK against Israel's participation in Eurovision . 2024-01-20 . NRK . nb-NO.
  19. Web site: Alnes . Espen . Lillelien . Rikke . Muggerud . Julia . 2024-01-26 . Åge Aleksandersen om Gaza: – Det som skjer er så stygt . Åge Aleksandersen on Gaza: – What is happening is horrible . 2024-01-26 . NRK . nn-NO.
  20. Web site: Ighanian . Catherine Gonsholt . 2024-03-11 . Over 4000 artister fra Norden vil ha boikott av Israel i Eurovision . Over 4,000 artists from the Nordic countries want to boycott Israel in Eurovision . 2024-03-20 . VG . nb.
  21. Web site: Vedeler . Linda Marie . 2024-02-12 . Gåte deltar i Eurovision Song Contest . Gåte participates in the Eurovision Song Contest . 2024-02-20 . nrk.no . NRK . nb-NO.
  22. Web site: Abril . Ángel . 2024-02-15 . Gåte confirma su participación y viajará finalmente a Malmö para representar a Noruega en Eurovisión 2024 . Gåte confirm their participation and will ultimately travel to Malmö to represent Norway in Eurovision 2024 . 2024-02-15 . ESCplus España . es-ES.
  23. Web site: Mancheño . José Miguel . 2024-03-29 . Varios artistas de Eurovisión 2024 firman un comunicado conjunto pidiendo un alto al fuego en Gaza . Various Eurovision 2024 artists sign a joint statement calling for a ceasefire in Gaza . 2024-03-29 . ESCplus España . es-ES.
  24. Web site: Semb Aasmundsen . Jakob . 2024-04-08 . NRK-anmeldere boikotter Eurovision. Blir trolig ikke anmeldelser, sier kanalen. . NRK reviewers boycott Eurovision. We will probably get no reviews, says the channel. . 2024-04-08 . . nb-NO . subscription.
  25. Web site: 2024-04-08 . Trolig ikke Eurovision-anmeldelser hos NRK etter anmelderboikott . Probably no Eurovision reviews on NRK after reviewers' boycott . 2024-04-08 . NRK . nb-NO.
  26. Web site: Van Dijk. Sem Anne. Eurovision 2024: Semi-Final Allocation Draw on January 30. Eurovoix. 2023-12-13. 2023-12-13.
  27. Web site: 2024-01-30 . Eurovision 2024: Semi-Final Draw results . 2024-01-30 . Eurovision.tv . EBU . en.
  28. Web site: 2024-03-26 . Eurovision 2024: Semi-Final Running Orders revealed! . 2024-04-16 . Eurovision.tv . EBU . en-gb .
  29. Web site: Svelstad . Oda Elise . Slik følgjer du Eurovision Song Contest på NRK . This is how you follow the Eurovision Song Contest on NRK . nb . NRK Kultur og undergoldning . NRK . 30 April 2024 . 2 May 2024.
  30. Web site: Granger. Anthony. Norway: NRK Announces Adresse Malmø. Eurovoix. 2024-02-05. 2024-02-05.
  31. Web site: Granger. Anthony. Norway: Adresse Malmø Guests & Song Reviews Order Revealed. Eurovoix. 2024-03-26. 2024-03-26.
  32. Web site: Granger. Anthony. Norway: Angelina Mango Wins Adresse Malmø. Eurovoix. 2024-05-04. 2024-05-04.
  33. Web site: Record number of EBU Members unite for new ABBA documentary. ebu.ch. EBU. 2024-03-15. 2024-03-18.
  34. Web site: Eurovision 2024: Rehearsal Schedule . Eurovisionworld . 25 April 2024 . 25 April 2024.
  35. Web site: Farren . Neil . Norway: All the Details About Gåte's First Rehearsal . Eurovoix . 30 April 2024 . 30 April 2024.
  36. Web site: Eurovision 2024: Semi-Final Two Qualifiers Final Running Order Allocation . Eurovoix . 9 May 2024.
  37. Web site: Eurovision 2024: The Grand Final running order. Eurovoix . 9 May 2024.
  38. Web site: Voting Procedures 2024 . . 22 May 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240520034246/https://eurovision.tv/about/voting-malmo-2024 . 20 May 2024 . live.
  39. Web site: Grand Final of Malmö 2024 – Jurors. eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. 24 May 2024.
  40. Web site: Results of the Second Semi-Final of Malmö 2024 – Norway. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 24 May 2024.
  41. Web site: Results of the Final of Malmö 2024 – Norway. European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 24 May 2024.
  42. Web site: Løland . Tuva Mathilde . Alessandra Mele deler ut Norges stemmer i Eurovision . Alessandra Mele announces Norway's votes in Eurovision . . 10 May 2024 . 10 May 2024 . nb.
  43. Web site: Trekker seg . . Elise Violeta . Ness Aksnes . Jonathan . Gaathaug Nielsen . Ørjan . Ryland . 11 May 2024 . 11 May 2024 . nb.
  44. Web site: 11 May 2024 . Protesting Israel's inclusion, Norway singer won't announce country's points at Eurovision . 11 May 2024 . Times of Israel.
  45. Web site: How the Eurovision Song Contest works . . 22 May 2024.