NORWAY: Tonight…Melodi Grand Prix 2025 #LIVE BLOG FROM 19.50 CET/18.50 GMT

By rudsar73 on February 15, 2025 • ( Leave a comment )

Good evening Europe, Good morning Australia ! Tonight it’s the turn of Norway to decide who will represent the Nordic nation at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland . The show will take place at the Oslo Spektrum in Oslo, Norway , presented by Marte Stokstad, Tete Lidbom and Markus Neby.

Nine acts will compete for the Golden Ticket to Basel. They are as follows:

Tone Damli – “Last Song”
Sondrey – “Vagabond”
Nora Jabri – “Sulale”
Wig Wam – “Human Fire”
LLL – “Parasite”
Kyle Alessandro – “Lighter”
Nataleen – “The Game”
Ladybug – “Hot as Hell in Paradise”
Bobbysocks – “Joyful”

You will see familiar faces in there. Wigwam represented Norway in 2005 and Bobbysox are back , 40 years after they won the Eurovision Song Contest for Norway in 1985

The winner will be chosen by an International Jury ( 40%) and public vote ( 60%).

As always, we at Eurovision Ireland will be bringing you our comments and opinions on the action as we see it live from Norway, so please #join us at 19.50 CET /18.50 GMT to follow us as we go through the action tonight. You know the drill by now , to follow our live blog, just REFRESH THIS PAGE .

You can watch the show live HERE

LIVE BLOG STARTS HERE

You’re too early !Join us later at 19.50 CET 18.50 CET to follow the events as they happen in Norway . In the meantime, here’s a reminder of last year’s MGP winners , Gåte , with their song Ulveham. They sadly came last in the Grand Final in Malmö.

Welcome back ! In about 10 minutes, we’ll be going live to the Spektrum, Oslo , ready for tonight’s show. So get your drinks and snacks, make yourselves comfortable and settle down for a night of fun and entertainment. Just for the record, I haven’t listened to any of the songs, so tonight will be my first impressions, based on the live performances. Let’s hope for a good show, and knowing the Nordic shows, it will probably be very slick and actually run to time , unlike some of the Southern European countries !

We are just waiting for the live link to start , then will get going !

Seems there’s a problem with the Norway live link, it came on then went off again…very odd! Fingers crossed we can connect soon .

We’re in and starting off with a performance from last year’s winner , Gåte , performing Ulveham . I still can’ t believe this did so badly in the Grand Final in Malmo!

We’re introduced to the acts competing tonight as they sing .And here come the presenters tonight , Marte, Tete and Markus .

They take us through the voting procedure for tonight and a bit of banter amongst the audience !Come on, get on with the show !

I think we’re at the point of getting down to business now. We have the first preview film for the first performer

Tone Damli – “Last Song”

Well, some slick choreography here from Tone . She’s in an all in one silver suit, showing quite a bit of leg . Joined on stage by 2 female and 2 male backing dancers who dance and connect with Tone as she sings. Her camera connection isn’t bad . I do feel it’s a bit too “safe” as a Eurovision song . It needs something that’s going to make the audience sit up and take notice. Better as a radio song, me thinks !

Sondrey -Vagabond

Sondrey is dressed in dark black casual wear, he starts off alone on stage , in what looks like a box with a cross cut out in the back , the backdrop effects look like he is in prison ! He’s then joined by four backing dancers in equally gloomy black clothing . Again, it’s a nice melody and easy on the ear but again a very “safe ” song which needs more to make it more attractive to Eurovision audiences .

Nora Jabri Sulale

Now this is a bit better . It’s a little bit like something from the East with modern influences . Nora starts alone on stage , in a short blue outfit with hood over her head, she throws down a blue silk scarf . She’s then joined by four backing dancers and they perform on a set of stairs, a very synchronised choreography . I think with some work on it , this could do something at Eurovision. Needs to improver her camera connection though at the times she has the camera near her.

I can’t help but feel that NRK have really scaled down their show this year, the staging feels a bit cheap compared to the last years .

Markus is shooting popcorn to the audience…send us some this way Markus, we’re not far away …honest !!

Wig wam Human fire

These guys need no introduction, they represented Norway in 2005 in Kyiv . Remember “come on, come on , come on ” ? It’s no surprise that they are singing a rock song. In true Wigwam style, they are dressed in black , the lead singer is in front of a screen which throws out shadows of himself . There’s pyros and a fire LED backdrop. Now, I loved their 2005 song but for me this doesn’t quite have the power and the effect that In my Dreams had . I suppose we have to take into account the band have aged by 20 years but nevertheless, a stellar performance . They could stand out amongst all the pop type entries that countries seems to be picking this year . Not bad.

LLL “Parasite”

LLL are an all girl band . They are dressed in all white with white boots that quite stand out ! They are joined by three contemporary dancers , with cloth mouth covers ,who strut and dance around them . Changing colour themes in the LED background . It’s an electro pop song and the girls perform it well,. I think the addition of pyros would help to lift it at times . Again the camera connection needs some work .

Kyle Alessandro “Lighter”

H e is the favourite to win tonight and I can see why ! He knows how to perform and engage with the camera and audience. He’s in a black knights uniform ,looking a bit like something out of the Robin hood movies , joined by four backing dancers , there’s fire effects in the backdrop and stage front and the choreography is very slick ! The best performance so far and so far stands the best chance of getting out of the semi final in Basel .

Markus is on a pop corn mission again ! That pop corn machine must weigh a ton !

Now he’s being risen into the roof ! He gets about a bit does Markus !

Blimey , we’re on the 7th song already , going quick tonight !

Nataleen -The Game

Nataleen starts off alone on stage , dressed in a silver frock, which has been through the shredder ! She’s then joined by 4 male dancers in equally shredded gear . They perform a dance routine around her . This reminds me a bit of Queen of Kings by Alessandra in 2023 . However , while there’s lights and flashing images , I don’t think it has the same effect as Queen of Kings . I also think Alessandra needs to move around the stage a bit more . otherwise, another good performance and wouldn’t be a bad choice for Basel .

Lady bug “Hot in Paradise “

Now this might be one you want to stop your Granny from seeing ! TLadybug starts singing on the stage the female backing dancers are straddled upside down on three large rings which hang from the ceiling . They also then dance and there’s some quite suggestive moves with the backing dancers stroking the legs of the lead singer . I wonder if the EBU would approve ?

Bobbysox -Joyful

Awww after 40 years they are back in NMGP ! Who doesn’t love a bit of Bobbysox ? As expected , it’s a nice, simple little song with just the two ladies on stage .Strangely enough , they are in the same purple colour and similar outfits to those they wore in 1985. It is very “joyful ” . It’s one to sing along to, the problem is that Eurovision has now moved on 40 years and where they might have done well with this in 1985 , in a time where stage gimmicks count as much as the performance, they might struggle to get out of the semi final . They might get votes for sentimentality but not many of the younger Eurovision fans will know them . The semi final running order would play a big part in how they could do , Big cheer from the crowd for them .

So that’s it, you’ve heard them all, time to get voting ( only in Norway of course ) . We now get a recap of the songs tonight . Who is your favourite ?

There’s now Markus singing a song , which introduces past MGP acts .Including Fred from KeiiNo !

They are talking with Emmy now, she is Norwegian but representing Ireland in Basel with Laika Party .

We get some clips of other countries entries already selected , including their Nordic neighbours Finland !And we’re onto another recap ! As far as predictions go , I think the two that stand out for me are Kyle Alessandro and Nora Jabri, possibly Nataleen too, but what do I know?

And the public vote is now closed !

There’s now a bit of a tribute to Rolf Løvland who has composed or been involved in many Norwegian entries in the past , including Bobbysox in 1985 , he also appeared with Secret Garden in 1995 when they won for Norway, with Nocturne and he has also composed the song “You raise me up “.

We now have Gunhild from Gåte singing a rendition of Nocturne and Marcus and Martinus singing La det swinge, which of course Bobbysox won for N.orway with back in 1985 .Bobbysox are dancing along to them !