The songs and composeres to take part in Melodi Grand Prix 2008, the Norwegian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, have been announced. For the first time in years, only Norwegian composers will be taking part in the contest.
The line-up (composers in brackets):
- A little more
(Anne Hvidsten) - Always, always
(Alexander Stenerud) - Am I supposed to love again
(Anne Takle& Lalia Samuelsen) - Andagassii
(Stein Austrud& Ann-Mari Andersen) - Baby, don't stop the music
(Fred Ball& Hannah Robinson) - Colliding
(PK Ottestad& Nate Campany) - Eastern wind
(Christian Ingebrigtsen& Eivind Rølles) - Far away
(Frode Andersen) - Get up
(Trond Holter) - Hear when I'm calling
(Jarl Aanestad) - Hold on
(Svein Gundersen, Anne Beathe Gundersen& Jan Groth) - Hold on, be strong
(Mira Craig) - I'm in love
(Robin Nordahl& Ingrid Nørsett) - Lystgass
(Terje Lennavik& Håkan Fjerdingen) - Sillycone Valley
(Ivar Winther& Kam Al Leung) - Som i himmelen
(William Kristoffersen) - Two monkeys
(Kjetil Røsnes& Kirsti Johansen) - Would you spend the night with me
(Åge Sten Nilsen)
Trond Holter represented Norway in the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest as part of the group WigWam.
Stian Malme, Head of Melodi Grand Prix at NRK: "We are very proud and happy to present an all-Norwegian list of composers for Melodi Grand Prix 2008. It's a well-known fact that we've been working strategically for several years to have more Norwegian composers participate, and we might have provoked some by including foreign entries in the national final. As before, we've welcomed both Norwegian and foreign submissions in this year's competition, but the number of Norwegian entries and their quality have increased considerably, thus allowing us to present an all-Norwegian MGP. This makes it even more exciting to see who will represent Norway in ESC 2008."
Norway has been represented in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest by Guri Schanke with Ven a bailar conmigo, but did not reach the final. It was the first time, Norway has not taken part in the final since the introduction of the semi final in 2004.
