God kveld Europa og god morgen Australia! This is Oslo calling! Tonight we’ll find out who Norway will be sending to the Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon!

Sit back and relax, and let Eurovision Ireland’s own James Scanlan entertain and inform you. As always, feel free to tell me what you think and give your opinions about tonight’s Final and who your favourites are!

Tonight’s show comes to us courtesy of Norwegian broadcaster NRK live from the Oslo Spektrum (host venue for Eurovision 1996!) in Norway’s gorgeous capital, Oslo! The winner will be selected by a mixture of televote and points from international juries.

You know the drill: Just refresh this page to get the comments and points of view!

You can watch the live show HERE from 19:55 CET.

10 acts will perform tonight, but there can only be one winner! Singing tonight we have (in order of appearance):

1. Stella and Alexandra – You Got Me
2. Aleksander Walmann – Talk to The Hand
3. Ida Maria – Scandilove
4. Nicoline – Light Me Up
5. Tom Hugo – I Like I Like I Like
6. Charla K – Stop The Music
7. Alejandro Fuentes – Tengo Otra
8. Vidar Villa – Moren Din
9. Rebecca – Who We Are
10. Alexander Rybak – That’s How You Write A Song

LIVE BLOG STARTS HERE!!

Hello my Euro-lovelies! We’re almost there! The last 3 national selections of the 2018 season start now with Norway! Will it be another Fairytale, or a Monster Like Me? Check back soon and we’ll see! 😉

Next up, Norsk Melodi Grand Prix! First, Lotto! Winning the Norwegian Lottery must provide lots of lovely kroner!

Apparently top prize is around £7000… somehow I expected more!

Almost go time… excited yet? We are!

And our hosts start us off tonight with a medley of Norwegian Eurovision entries (yes, we had to wait till they switched to English before we noticed!)

She’s in a hurry! Komm! Norsk Melodi Grand Prix er nu!

How’s that for an all singing, all dancing introduction to the show!

On with the music!

Stella and Alexandra – You Got Me

The first of tonight’s many Eurovision alumni are up first! The arena are going wild for it, and I can see why – it’s loud, dancy and has a good beat. For me, it’s almost like 2 songs wedged together, one quite generic pop and the other like a 1990s rap. It’s like a big broadway musical number gone urban… and I’m not sure it works. That being said, it would stand out a mile in Lisbon as there’s so little like this going!

Aleksander Walmann – Talk to The Hand

Another returning face! Weren’t you here just last year? 😛 Tonight’s show is like a Who’s Who of Norwegian Eurovision entries! It’s a very different sound from the song Aleksander performed with JOWST in Kyiv. The lyrics mention repetition, which is a bit on the nose as the lyrics are quite repetitive and unoriginal for me. Sorry, that didn’t do much for me…

Ida Maria – Scandilove

Listen to that reaction… wow! Starting off amongst the audience was a nice touch, that was different. The stage show is very visual with lots of red and white, but the lyrics are so trashy… “Can you make love like a Scandinavian all night long?” Oh goodness me! 😉 This is the kind of song that’ll be really divisive. People will either love the over the topness of it, or hate it as bawdy… and that swearing will have to come out if this does go to Lisbon! It seems to be a real crowd please though!

Nicoline – Light Me Up

A very polished routine from Nicoline – a uniform look and movements from her dancers works well (puts me in mind of a slightly jazzier version of Belgium’s Rhythm Inside from 2015) Musically it’s a little repetitive and dry, but that being said I’d argue it’s the most Eurovision-ready song of the night so far. Well done!

Our first trip to the Green Room, which appears to be in the centre of the arena, like Eurovision. Poor Aleksander always looks so nervous in front of a camera! Strange how he comes to life on stage!

Back to the songs!

Tom Hugo – I Like I Like I Like

Within 3 seconds of this song starting, I’m put in mind of Norway’s answer to Sweden’s I Can’t Go On from last year… and have much the same reaction! Focusing on positives, they look good together in matching suits and the audience love it, so it works as an arena song. That being said, there are clearly more than 6 people on that stage which makes me wonder if it would loose some of it’s party atmosphere with fewer performers… something to think about…

We’re meeting the jury – and Wiwiblog’s William has just got a huge cheer for the arena for telling everyone that there might be another show in Stockholm tonight, but the real party is in Oslo! I have to say, I agree! #BannedFromSwedenForever LOL

We’re already over halfway through the songs… doesn’t time fly when you’re having fun! 😀

Charla K – Stop The Music

Another entry with a cast of thousands… Norway need to read the rules a little more closely! I want to like this. I really do. But it’s like a gospel ballad and doesn’t quite meld well enough for my liking. However, Charla looks stunning in her sequinned dress and has a very powerful voice with a good message. Sounded a bit like two songs being sung at the same time. Bogdan (who is here too!) says it reminded him of a Sam Smith track

Alejandro Fuentes – Tengo Otra

Do not adjust your sets! You are still watching Norwegian television, just på spansk! Strange that Norway keep dabbling in Spanish at Eurovision… with a young singer who looks like not unlike Ricky Martin and a throbbing Latin beat, I can see what they’re going for, hoping to tap into the Despacito fanbase. Can’t tell if I like it or not though…

BOGDAN: All the other songs had so many people on stage, and he’s got no one! Don’t you think he could have borrowed someone? Looks like he doesn’t really have a show…

Vidar Villa – Moren Din

From Spanish to the only song in Norwegian tonight! And the home crowd are LOVING that! With it’s strings and brass, it does sound a tiny bit dated and a little folky, but with strong indie influences too, but it’s still really enjoyable. It’s simple, has a nice dancy melody and they’re cheering for them in the arena… honestly? This might be one to watch tonight!

Rebecca – Who We Are (EI Interview with her HERE)

Well, I literally just said we had a song to watch tonight and I’ve changed my mind already! This just screams winner to me. Beautiful and simple staging, heartfelt performance and lyrics… I liked this song from the first listen, but seeing it on stage it’s really moving… what can I say? Bravissima Rebecca! ❤

Alexander Rybak – That’s How You Write A Song

He’s back!! Norway’s highest-ever scoring Eurovision singer has decided to have another crack at the title. Taking notes from Kristian Kostov’s graphics in 2017, Alexander delivers a confident performance as he always does – to the point where it looks like he suspects he’s got it in the bag. I wouldn’t be so sure… why am I inclined to think this would work better as a Eurovision interval act than a Eurovision entry?

It’s almost voting time! So while you have a quick recap, I’ll have a think about my winners from tonight – you’ll want to come back for that! 😉

If we, like last year, come down to a final 4 I think it’ll be made up of Ida Maria, Rebecca, Vidar Villa and Alexander Rybak. These songs all got wild reactions from the arena and I think some of them represent solid opportunities for Norway to score well in May. I think Mr Rybak will place well because of his former glories, rather than because of this song, but I guess we’ll see soon enough! Do you think I have it right?

Juries here we go! France up first! And 12 points to Stella and Alexandra!

Russia gives 12 points to Alexander “born in Belarus” Rybak 😉

Czechia give to Alexander Rybak, Denmark to Rebecca!

Bulgaria give 12 to Rebecca! Yay!!

Estonia sabotaging Norway (according to Bogdan!)

Using Eurovision to flog your books… who would do a thing like that…

Sweden give another 12 to Rebecca!!

Brexit jokes.. bah!

Here’s the scoreboard as it stands now… interesting how they all went to the same few songs!

Also worth noting that the majority of Slavic countries voted for Belarusian born Alexander Rybak…

La det swinge, la det rock and roll!! ❤ this song!

Karoline Krueger is on a piano now, presumably while the votes are tallied, with her 1988 Eurovision entry For Vår Jord – simple but stunning!

Oooh, here we go… from 10 songs down to 4!

Rebecca is the first singer through!! (Bless her, she looks in shock!)

Stella and Alexandra are the next through!!

Alexander Walmann is through!! (Who was expecting to hear Rybak’s name, not his!)

Alexander Rybak is through!!

Fun fact – a third of our finalists’ names are Alexander/Alexandra

Also interesting how the only act that hasn’t been to Eurovision before is the only one not called Alex 😛

Well, I’m curious to see what Norway does next… when they do well, they do really well… when they do badly, they continue their record number of nul points placings!

Not entirely sure what’s happening… they’ve kidnapped a woman from the audience and are chanting at her on a throne… does this kind of thing happen a lot in Norway? 0_0

Now the hosts carry on as though nothing has happened while the woman sits there catatonic with shock… fun! #Traumatised

A look through other competing entries this year… Denmark, Latvia, Iceland, France, Czechia, Slovenia, Albania, Australia, the UK… does Norway have what it takes to beat these other songs to 1st place?

Belarus, Finland… (are they going through all the songs going to Lisbon?)

Nope, that’s it – that could have turned into a long segment!

Our final 4 are on stage… due to become a final 2 very soon…

Our first Super Finalist is…. Rebecca!!

Our second Super Finalist is… Alexander Rybak!!

So it comes down to the Veteran and the Ingénue…

So while we recover from the reeling shock of that, we jump to a musical Halloween party in March… I think…

Super Final – Rebecca

I’ve made no secret that Rebecca was my favourite before tonight, and everything about this performance has cemented that for me. It’s simple, powerful and pulls at your heart strings. Come on Norway – this is a high scoring Eurovision entry for you right here! I ❤ this song! ❤

Super Final – Alexander Rybak

It may do wonders, it may disappear… I think it’ll do the later if this goes to Eurovision! No disrespect intended Alexander, but you’ve had your turn at the contest – let someone new go instead 😉

I don’t think I’ve ever been so tense about the results of a super final… mind you, by the time the Sanremo Super Final rolls around I’m usually slipping into a coma…

Alexander is so over come with emotion… you haven’t won yet dear!

(In case you didn’t know, Benjamin Ingrosso is going to Lisbon for Sweden!)

Alexander Walmann is back on stage AGAIN with JOWST this time to reprise Norway’s 2017 Eurovision entry Grab The Moment. This earned Norway 10th place in Kyiv… can the song chosen tonight get them into the Top 10 again?

BOGDAN: Must be weird performing as an interval act after not qualifying for the Super Final… would have been interesting to see him perform while waiting to hear if he was going back to Eurovision for a second time!!

I’m still not entirely sure this song wasn’t designed to trigger sleeper agents… kill! kill! kill! kill!

And the winner is…

Alexander Rybak

Oh dear… well, thank you Norway for a lovely evening anyway! And thank you for reading along with my final live blog of the Eurovision 2018 national selection season! See you next year! ;D

Author: James Scanlan

Source: NRK