The first semi final of Melodi Grand Prix 2008, the Norwegian national final for the Eurovision Song Contest, is over. Six songs were performed and the top two made it to the final with the third and fourth places songs entering the second chance round. Veronica Akselsen and Ann-Marie Anderson spoke to esctoday.com right after the show.
For those of you who missed the show, you can watch the video here.
The results of the first semi final:
To the final:
- Veronica Akselsen – Am I supposed to love again
- Ann-Marie Anderson – Ándagassii
To the second chance round:
- Tinkerbells – Hold on
- Podium – Lystgass
Eleminated:
- Nicholas Carlie – Colliding
- Michelle – Baby, don't stop the music
In 2007, Norway was represented by Guri Schanke who finished 18th in the semi final with Ven a bailar conmigo. It would be the first time that Norwayis not taking part in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest since the semi final was introduced in 2004.
Winners talk to esctoday.com
After getting a ticket for the Norwegian national final, Ann-Mari Andersen declared that her victory was also a victory for the Sami people. For the first time ever a song sung in the Sami native language takes partin the Melodi Grand Prix.Ann-Mari Andersen has been an artist for 15 years, but says to esctoday.com that this is the biggest thing she has experienced.
The other finalist from the first semi, Victoria Akselsen agrees: "The show is much bigger now than the last time I participated. Now there’s a lot more show, more press and a lot more glamour."The last time Veronica participated was back in 2006, when singing the ballad Like a wind. Back then she had to go through the second chance stage before qualifying for the final: "I’m glad I don’t have to do that now. I don’t think I would have the nerves. Now I will be relaxing for the next couple of weeks until the final in Oslo Spektrum the 9th of February."
Ann-Mari Andersen feels that she is representing the Sami people through her song Andagassii. Although she doesn’t know if she would have won if the song had been sung in Norwegian, she think that the language should not matter: "I don’t think the language matters that much. I think the music is the most important thing, and people vote for the melody they like the best. But of course, Sami is a more musical language than Norwegian, so it might help".
