Maria Haukaas Storeng is celebrating again this week, just 8 days after winning Norway's Melodi Grand Prix and a place at the Eurovision Song Contest, her entry, Hold on be strong has jumped to number one on Norway's music chart. It is the first Eurovision Song Contest 2008 song to top the charts anywhere in Europe.

Maria is currently tipped as one of the best entries so far chosen for the Eurovision Song Contest, and at least a place the final on Saturday 24th May in Belgrade. The song is written by Mira Craig, one of Norway's most popular artists at the moment.

Hold on be strong ran away with the Norwegian national final on 9th February at the Oslo Spektrum, topping the poll in most voting regions. The song entered the chart at number 5 last week before jumping ahead of Leona Lewis at number one. Jahn Teigen, the three time former Norway Eurovision Song Contest representative and a former 'nil pointer' took the second highest new entry with the song Det vakreste som fins. No other Melodi Grand Prix entries can be found in the top twenty.