NRK, the Norwegian national broadcaster, has appointed Tarjei Strom as the new Melodi Grand Prix Music Director, he will be replacing Stig Karslen who will be stepping down from the role to pursue a new career.
Tarjei Strom will be taking from Stig Karlsen as the MGP Music Director. Karlsen has served as MGP Music Director for 10 years and he has left his position in NRK to pursue a new venture.
Tarjei has great experience, knowledge and know how when it comes to music and the music industry. He has two main goals to achieve his new role: to give Norway another Eurovision victory and to entice artists who have never been interested in competing at MGP to enter the competition.
Tarjei Strom says:
In the beginning, it’s about getting to know the scheme, getting into the editorial team and being with the artists who have already been selected for 2025.
I have a very tough exterior, but it’s probably tougher than it really is. I listen to all kinds of music.
I have a wide network of contacts that MGP has not been missing in, with artists who may have felt a bit too ” cool ” to join. So what I want to achieve is to bring in the artists you didn’t think would be at MGP.
If I call an artist, and that artist says yes, I will be there for that artist until he or she goes home from the Eurovision final. Then you follow them all the way. I simply learned that in MGP myself.
When I got the phone I had to ask myself the question: ” Can I find the winning song that gives Norway the victory in the Eurovision Song Contest?” » And then the answer was a modest one … Yes, I have to do that! So that is the goal!
Tarjei also has great experience and connaissance when it comes to Melodi Grand Prix . In 2013 he participated with the band Datarock with the song “The Underground” and in 2015 he was the presenter of the Adresse Wien programs on NRK. He has also sat on the music jury for MGP in 2014.
Source: NRK
Photo credit: NRK
