With all the finalist for Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2007 announced, a close look on the participants, composers and lyricists reveales some interesting details. As you will see, quite a lot of the singers define themselves as Eurovision Song Contest fans. esctoday.com kindly thanks Charlotte Jensen for her brilliant review on the sixteen competing music acts.

Annette Heick (Copenhagen airport) is mainly known because of her last name. She is the daughter of the Danish Mr. Eurovision Keld Heick. She took part in the Danish final in 1991 where she sang Du er musikkeni mit liv together with the Norwegian singer Egil Eldøen. Her biggest hit however is a duet with Tommy Seebach, who represented Denmark three times in the Eurovision Song Contest,called Du skælder mig hele tiden ud. Annette Heick sang the demo on the Danish 1990 entry Hallo hallo, but due to high schools exams she would be unable to sing it at Eurovision and Lonnie Devantier was chosen instead. Annette never really got herself a career, has been the TV host on some smaller TV channels, made a handfull of songs, but never anything to start a career. Due to her parents she is however a very well known name.

Annika Askman (Fly) is not a well know name to ordinary people, but known in the music industry. For 10 years she has been playing in Sanne Salomonsen's band and recently she wrote and sang the title song for the TV-serie Nynne. Mads Haugaard, who has written the music for her song in the Danish final, also wrote Make this night forever which was performed by Kristine Blond in last years Danish final.

Aud Wilken (Husker du) is a well known name to Eurovision Song Contest fans as she represented Denmark in 1995 with the song Fra mols til skagen which came 5th. As the song is once again written by Mette Mathiesen and Lise Cabble who also wrote the big fan favourite from the Danish final in 2000 Uden Dig there seems to be no doubt that this will be a song in the same style as Uden Dig and Fra Mols Til Skagen.Lise Cabble has been busy lately writing songs for singers abroad and has latest been working with the Latvian singer Ladybird.

Cammille (It ain't for the money) is to most people an unknow name. She has latest been singing in a rockband on the Greek island Rhodes. She calls herself a Eurovision Song Contest fan whose biggest dream has always been to compete. On stage in the Danish final she will have the company of DJ. Mary who is said to be the best female DJ in Denmark. The song is written by the trio Jascha Richter, Rune Braager and Caspar Lindstad who met recently on a songwriter camp. They quickly wrote two songs for the Danish selection – and both got in! Jascha Richter is one of Denmark's best songwriters andthe leadsinger in the international famous band Michael Learns To Rock and has written songs for the Danish final before, but only won once – in 1996 with the song Kun med dig. Unfortunately, this song failed to pass the international qualification heat.

Christoffer Brodersen (Paparazzi) is educated from the Danish Musical Acadamy and has mainly been singing in musicals. He has performed with Stig Rossen (see song nr. 16) who recommended him to the songwriter Ivar Lind Greiner who also wrote Stig Rossen's song. Ivar is one of the regular songwriters for the Danish finals and wrote the winning song Shameon you in2004 which was performed by Tomas Thordarson but didn't pass through the semi final.

Danni Elmo (Meaning of life)came second in the 2006 Danish final with his own song 2 in 1 and since then he has been busy with concerts and recording his first album. The song this year is written by Thomas Edinger who plays saxophone in a Jazzband and also performs with DR's band. It is his first song for a Danish final.

Dariana Charquero Baez og Olau Finnemann Scheel (Flammer indeni) are both unknown names. Dariana's very non-Danish nameis based tothe fact that both her parents are from Uruguay. She has just decided to persuade a music career. Olau is a music student. They didn't know each-other yet.
The song is written by Niels Harboe Wissumand Carsten Henriksen who have a soundstudio together and have been performing with different Danish musicians over the years. The lyrics are written by Lis Grandt who mainly writes lyrics for children programs which match quite well with the fact that she is studying to be a teacher.

Heidi Degn (On top of the world)also considers herself being a Eurovision Song Contest fan – but never wanted to participate herself as she is not a competitive person. She has beenpart of the pop group BeePop, had an international hit with DJ Aligator and singing choir on different TV shows and for many singers. The song is written by Lasse Lindorff and Lars Halvor Jensen. Lasse is leadsinger in the rockband Cue Madison, which is becoming a success in Canada, Russia and Germany at the moment. Lars is a part of the producer team DEEKAY and together with his colleauges here he has written and produced songs for many international singers, among othersJennifer Paige and the British boyband Blue.

Jacob Andersen (Listen to love) become popular in DR's musicshow Star For A Night which also made former Danish eurovision names like Malene (Denmark 2002) and Jacob Sveistrup (Denmark 2005) popular. Jacob Andersen won the big final of this show in 2004 in a version where former winners competed against each other. He won by singing the Beatles' song Hey Jude. After this show he has got himself quite a good career and has been the warm-up on a world tour with his big idol John Fogerty.
The song is written by three brothers Thomas, Jeppe and Morten Reil. Thomas is the most well known name and has been working with Mr. Eurovision Johnny Logan.

James Sampson (Say you love me) is another previous winner of Star For A Night. He won the very first version of it. He is American, but fell in love with a Danish girl who he is now married to and the couple lives in Denmark. James has previously said no to being in the Danish final, but the signals from DR about a new and stronger competition with a wider music-aspect made him give in this year. James is not taking part in the hope to get a career outside Denmark. He never really got an education
and in August he will start studying to be a teacher. The song is written by Claus Storgaard, Mads Løkkegaard and Mogens Binderup. Claus was singing choir on five of the 10 songs in last years Danish final.

Julie Lund (Merhaba) is educated as an actress from both The Arts Educational School in London and TVI Actors Studio in New York. She has been in several musicals, made voice for Disney films and been both radio and TV hosts on smaller programs. At the moment she is taking a bachelor degree in TV production. The song is written by Dorthe Kruuse and Carsten Falkenlind. Dorthe has never made music before, but through an advert in a newspaper she was looking for someone to help her write a song for the daugther. Carsten, who has his own soundstudio responded and those two got on well together and decided to send in the song for the Danish selection.

Jørgen Olsen (Vi elsker bare danske piger) doesn't need much introduction as he won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2000 with Fly on the wings of love. That was together with his brother with whom he has been performing since the early 1960s, but this time he will be alone on stage. Jørgen has been in the Danish final 8 times already, but as he simply loves it too much he can't stay away. Fly on the wings of love was (in the Danish version) a tribute to the mature woman. This time he thinks all females, no matter what age, deserve a tribute. As the title says it is only Danish women though, but who knows – an English version might include females from other nations too.

Katrine Falkenberg (It's a beautiful day) is educated from the Royal Academy of Music in London, has been choir on a tour with Elton John. She just recently returned to Denmark. She had a part in the famous Danish film Dancer In The Dark by Lars Von Trier and has put voice to different cartoons.
The song is written by Jørn Hansen who havs had songs in the Danish final before. He wrote Stig Rossen's song in 1988 and was also a part of Neighbours song Je ne regrette rien from the 2006 Danish final.

Me & My (Two are stronger than one) are the two sisters Susanne and Pernille Georgi. They are the biggest international name in this years Danish final. Since their world hit Dub-i-Dub from 1995 they have been so busy with an international career – a lot of it in Southern Europe – that they basically haven't had the time to be in Denmark ever since. For the past 10 years they have been living in Andorra. Until this year, DR had the rule that only people living in Denmark on a regular base could take part in the Danish final. This rule has now been dropped allowing also Danes living abroad to take place.
For songwriters see the fourth song.

DQ (Drama Queen) is the nick for Peter Andersen who is Denmarks most famous drag performer. And yes, this is first time a Danish final features a drag show. Peter is one of the biggest Eurovision Song Contest fans in this country and he has all Danish finals as well as the actual contests on video. He is proud to say that Eurovision is more holy than Christmas is! He is well known as the leadsinger in the band Turn On Tina whoare a Tina Turner copy band, but has also been doing Eurovision copies before. Peter has been saying that for the Danish final he will be wearing a 'to die for' costume which will make Dana International green of envy! The song is written by Peter Andersen and Simon Munk. Simon has been in the Danish final before, in 2001, where he sang a duet with Anita Lerche.

Stig Rossen (Så nær som nu) became popular in 1988 where he took part in the Danish final with the song Vi danser rock og rul. Since that he has had a big music career, but mainly within musicals – quite different from his 1988 song! After 1988 he went to London, took his actor education at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. In 1990 he got the part as Jean Valjean in the London production of Les Miserables. He is concidered to be one of the best who ever played that part and has since played it in several countries. He sang a duet with Nana Mouskouri (she represnted Luxembourg in 1963 with the song A force de prier) on one of her albums, has been in several TV shows all over the world. Helived in London for 13 years, but returned to Denmark a few years ago to put up some of the big international musicals in Denmark. For songwriter see songnumer five.

• Click here to buy Melodi Grand Prix 2006
• Click here to buy Melodi Grand Prix 2005
• Click here to buy Melodi Grand Prix 2004
• Click here to buy Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 1957-2005 double CD

The Danish Final will be held on February 10th at the Forum Horsens, hosted by Camilla Ottesen & Adam Duvå Hall. Before the final there will betwo semi-finals on 26th January and 2nd February,each witheight songs. The topfour songs in each semi-final will qualify for the final. Two of the losing songs in the semi-finals will be chosen as 'wildcards' for the final by radio listeners.