Melodi Grand Prix 2020 was the 58th edition of the Norwegian music competition Melodi Grand Prix (MGP) and served as the country's preselection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. The competition was organized by NRK between 11 January 2020 and 15 February 2020, and a total of 25 songs participated – the highest number in the history of the competition.
To celebrate the 60th anniversary of Norway's debut in the Eurovision Song Contest, five heats and a final were organised instead of a single final. Each region in Norway was assigned its own heat, in which four acts from that region competed for a spot in the final on 15 February 2020. In addition, five pre-qualified finalists had been selected by the broadcaster. The heats were held in the H3 Arena in Fornebu, while the final took place in Trondheim Spektrum. This was the first time Trondheim hosted a Melodi Grand Prix final, and also the first time since 1989 that the final was not held in Oslo.
Kåre Magnus Bergh hosted Melodi Grand Prix for the sixth time, while Ronny Brede Aase and Ingrid Gjessing Linhave debuted as presenters of the competition. In the final, the pre-qualified entry "Attention" by Ulrikke Brandstorp received the most votes and was selected to represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam, Netherlands, before it was cancelled on 18 March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Format Song submissions As in previous years, NRK had invited Norwegian and foreign musicians to submit songs for the competition. Registration for Melodi Grand Prix 2020 opened on 2 March 2019, with the deadline being 31 July of the same year. Each submission had to have at least one Norwegian songwriter, and each songwriter could submit a maximum of three contributions. These changes to the rules led to a significant decrease in the number of songs submitted. In total, the broadcaster received about 800 submissions, compared to about 1,000 in previous years. A total of 25 songs were selected to participate in the competition: 20 songs were divided over the five heats, and five songs qualified directly for the final.
Shows 2020 marked the 60th anniversary of Norway's debut in the Eurovision Song Contest 1960 with the song "Voi Voi" by Nora Brockstedt. On the occasion of the anniversary, NRK decided to expand the competition with five heats. This is the first time since 2014 that NRK organised heats ahead of the finals.
Each of the five heats was centered around one of Norway's geographical regions: Northern, Central, Western, Southern and Eastern Norway. Four acts from each of these regions competed in their respective heats for a spot in the final on 15 February. The heats were broadcast directly from the H3 Arena in Fornebu, while the final was hosted by Trondheim Spektrum. This was the third time a Melodi Grand Prix final had been held outside of Oslo, and the first time since 1989. It was also the first time that Trondheim hosted the final.
The competition was hosted by three presenters. Kåre Magnus Bergh hosted for the sixth time, whereas Ronny Brede Aase and Ingrid Gjessing Linhave hosted the show for the first time.
ShowDateRegionVenueHeat 111 January 2020Southern NorwayH3 Arena, FornebuHeat 218 January 2020Eastern NorwayHeat 325 January 2020Central NorwayHeat 41 February 2020Western NorwayHeat 58 February 2020Northern NorwayFinal15 February 2020Trondheim Spektrum
Voting The audience could vote for the competing acts in each heat, with the act that received most votes after two rounds proceeding to the final. A jury led by Stig Karlsen, the Norwegian head of delegation for the Eurovision Song Contest, selected the five pre-qualified finalists. In each heat, one of the pre-qualified finalists performed to ensure equal broadcasting time for all ten finalists. Viewers could only vote through the broadcaster's website nrk.no.
In the final, the same method of online voting was used to determine the winner of the competition. Due to excessive server load caused by the emoji reaction function of the app, the four gold finalists were determined by a thirty-member backup demoscopic panel as the NRK website was down.
Competing entries The competing acts were announced during a press conference in Oslo on 6 January. Artist Song Composer(s) Akuvi "Som du er" Andreas "Stone" Johansson, Costa Leon, Amin Zana, Beatrice Akuvi Kumordzie Alexandru "Pink Jacket" Ruben Markussen, Tormod Løkling Didrik & Emil Solli-Tangen "Out of Air" Fredrik Boström, Mats Tärnfors, Niclas Lundin, Didrik Solli-Tangen Elin & The Woods "We Are as One" Robin Lynch, Elin Kåven, Ylva Persson, Linda Persson Geirmund "Come Alive" Eric Lumiere, Jonas H. Jensen, Niklas Rosström Hege Bjerk "Pang" Martin Bjerkreim, Trygve Stakkeland, Hege Bjerkreim Anna Jæger "How About Mars" Roel Rats, Synne Vorkinn, Chris Wortley, Sindre T. Jenssen Jenny Jenssen "Mr. Hello" Mats Larsson, Jørgen Andson, Jenny Jenssen Kevin Boine "Stem på mæ" Henning Olerud, Stanley Ferdinandez Kim André Rysstad "Rainbow" Knut Bjørnar Asphol, Kim André Rysstad Kim Wigaard & Maria Mohn "Fool for Love" Torbjørn Raae, Arve Furset, Kim Wigaard Johansen, Maria Mohn Kristin Husøy "Pray for Me" Galeyn Tenhaeff, Neil Hollyn, Marcia Sondeijker, Roel Rats, Kristin Husøy Lisa Børud "Talking About Us" Jimmy Jansson, Anderz Wrethov, Maia Wright, Laurell Barker Liza Vassilieva "I Am Gay" Audun Agnar Guldbrandsen, Stian Nyhammer Olsen, Myrtoula Røe, Liza Vassilieva Magnus Bokn "Over the Sea" Alexander Rybak, Joakim With Steen, Magnus Bokn Nordic Tenors "In This Special Place" Einar Kristiansen Five, Jan-Tore Saltnes Oda Loves You "Love Who We Love" Magnus Bertelsen, Oda Evjen Gjøvåg Raylee "Wild" Andreas "Stone" Johansson, Anderz Wrethov, Laurell Barker Rein Alexander "One Last Time" Erik Smaaland, Kristoffer Tømmerbakke, Rein Alexander Sie Gubba "Kjære du" Petter Øien, Magne Almås Sondrey "Take My Time" Ola Frøyen, Eric Lumiere, Terchi Pippuri Thomas Løseth & Erika Norwich "Vertigo" Idar Sørensen Tone Damli "Hurts Sometimes" Helge Moen, Jim Bergsted, Jethro Fox, Tone Damli Tore Petterson "The Start of Something New" Tore Petterson, Knut Bjørnar Asphol Ulrikke Brandstorp "Attention" Christian Ingebrigtsen, Kjetil Mørland, Ulrikke Brandstorp
Heats
Heat 1 – Southern Norway The first heat took place on 11 January 2020 at the H3 Arena in Fornebu.
+Heat 1 – 11 January 2020DuelArtistSongResultDuel 1 1Geirmund"Come Alive" 2Lisa Børud"Talking About Us" Gold DuelDuel 2 1Kim André Rysstad"Rainbow" 2Raylee"Wild" Gold DuelPromoSondrey"Take My Time" Pre-qualified
+Gold Duel – 11 January 2020ArtistSongResult 1Lisa Børud"Talking About Us" 2Raylee"Wild" Finalist
Heat 2 – Eastern Norway The second heat took place on 18 January 2020 at the H3 Arena in Fornebu.
+Heat 2 – 18 January 2020DuelArtistSongResultDuel 1 1Tore Petterson"The Start of Something New" 2Kim Wigaard & Maria Mohn"Fool for Love" Gold DuelDuel 2 1Anna Jæger"How About Mars" 2Rein Alexander"One Last Time" Gold DuelPromoDidrik & Emil Solli-Tangen"Out of Air" Pre-qualified
+Gold Duel – 18 January 2020ArtistSongResult 1Kim Wigaard & Maria Mohn"Fool for Love" 2Rein Alexander"One Last Time" Finalist
Heat 3 – Central Norway The third heat took place on 25 January 2020 at the H3 Arena in Fornebu.
+Heat 3 – 25 January 2020DuelArtistSongResultDuel 1 1Alexandru"Pink Jacket" 2Sie Gubba"Kjære du" Gold DuelDuel 2 1Thomas Løseth & Erika Norwich"Vertigo" 2Kristin Husøy"Pray for Me" Gold DuelPromoAkuvi"Som du er" Pre-qualified
+Gold Duel – 25 January 2020ArtistSongResult 1Sie Gubba"Kjære du" 2Kristin Husøy"Pray for Me" Finalist
Heat 4 – Western Norway The fourth heat took place on 1 February 2020 at the H3 Arena in Fornebu.
+Heat 4 – 1 February 2020DuelArtistSongResultDuel 1 1Magnus Bokn"Over the Sea" Gold Duel 2Oda Loves You"Love Who We Love" Duel 2 1Nordic Tenors"In This Special Place" Gold Duel 2Hege Bjerk"Pang" PromoUlrikke Brandstorp"Attention" Pre-qualified
+Gold Duel – 1 February 2020ArtistSongResult 1Magnus Bokn"Over the Sea" Finalist 2Nordic Tenors"In This Special Place"
Heat 5 – Northern Norway The fifth heat took place on 8 February 2020 at the H3 Arena in Fornebu.
+Heat 5 – 8 February 2020DuelArtistSongResultDuel 1 1Jenny Jenssen"Mr. Hello" 2Elin & The Woods"We Are as One" Gold DuelDuel 2 1Kevin Boine"Stem på mæ" 2Liza Vassilieva"I Am Gay" Gold DuelPromoTone Damli"Hurts Sometimes" Pre-qualified
+Gold Duel – 8 February 2020ArtistSongResult 1Elin & The Woods"We Are as One" 2Liza Vassilieva"I Am Gay" Finalist
Final Ten songs consisting of the five heat winners alongside the five pre-qualified songs competed in the final which was hosted by Trondheim Spektrum in Trondheim on 15 February 2020. The running order for the final was announced on 10 February 2020. In the first round, all ten finalists performed once, after which the four best songs proceeded to the gold final. After a second voting round, the two best songs from the gold final proceeded to the gold duel. A third voting round then determined the winner of Melodi Grand Prix 2020.
After the gold duel, the results of the online voting were revealed by representatives of Norway's five regions, which led to the victory of "Attention" performed by Ulrikke Brandstorp.
+Final – 15 February 2020ArtistSongResult 1Raylee"Wild" Gold Final 2Didrik & Emil Solli-Tangen"Out of Air" 3Magnus Bokn"Over the Sea" 4Akuvi"Som du er" 5Kristin Husøy"Pray for Me" Gold Final 6Rein Alexander"One Last Time" 7Tone Damli"Hurts Sometimes" 8Sondrey"Take My Time" 9Ulrikke Brandstorp"Attention" Gold Final 10Liza Vassilieva"I Am Gay" Gold Final
+Gold Final – 15 February 2020ArtistSongResult 1Kristin Husøy"Pray for Me" Gold Duel 2Ulrikke Brandstorp"Attention" Gold Duel 3Liza Vassilieva"I Am Gay" 4Raylee"Wild"
+Gold Duel – 15 February 2020ArtistSongSouthCentralNorthWestEastTotalPlaceVotes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes%Votes% 1Kristin Husøy"Pray for Me"16,75645.7751,17670.1619,93253.7537,10748.8269,69640.44194,66749.282 2Ulrikke Brandstorp"Attention"19,85454.2321,77029.8417,15246.2538,90651.18102,66359.56200,34550.721
Spokespersons Southern Norway – Tom Hugo (winner MGP 2019, as part of Keiino) Central Norway – Margaret Berger (winner MGP 2013) Northern Norway – Agnete Johnsen (winner MGP 2016) Western Norway – Bjørn Johan Muri (fourth place MGP 2010) Eastern Norway – Åge Sten Nilsen (winner MGP 2005, as part of Wig Wam)
Ratings
ShowAir dateViewers(millions)ShareHeat 10.59244%Final0.95068%
See also Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 Eurovision Song Contest 2020
References