Norway MGP 2021: Blåsemafian wins Heat 1

Melodi Grand Prix 2021 has officially begun! The first Heat of MGP took place tonight live from H3 Arena at Fornebu outside of Oslo but due to the COVID-19 pandemic this will unfortunately take place without any audience.

The winner of the evening was Blåsemafian feat. Hazel with the song Let Loose. Blåsemafian qualifies directly to the Final of MGP 2021 set for 20 February 2021.

Same format as last year, during each heat, the four songs competing were drawn into duels at the start of the show. The winner of the two duels (Stina Talling and Blåsemafian) battled it out in a gold duel. However, the other acts that didn't make it, still have a chance as being the "Wildcard" act for the final. This will be revealed 16 February 2021.

During Heat 1, two of the pre-qualified finalists gave their performances: KEiiNO with Monument and TIX with Ut Av Mørket.

The three artists from Heat 1 who didn't made it, still have a chance to get a Wildcard for the final. The wildcard will be awarded after Heat 5.

Melodi Grand Prix 2021

Melodi Grand Prix 2021 will select the artist and song that will represent Norway at Eurovision Song Contest 2021 in Rotterdam.

There will be a total of seven shows from 16 January to 20 February 2021:

• 16 January 2021: Heat 1
• 23 January 2021: Heat 2
• 30 January 2021: Heat 3
• 6 February 2021: Heat 4
• 13 February 2021: Heat 5
• 15 February 2021: Last Chance
• 20 February 2021: Final

There will be a total of 26 songs in MGP 2021, and 12 songs will compete in the final:

• 6 pre-qualified songs
• 5 winners from the heats
• 1 wildcard from the heats

On 15 February 2021, one artist will get the Wildcard in the Last Chance round for the Final of MGP which will be selected in a live broadcast on the radio and at NRK.no.

This year’s grand final will have 12 finalists, instead of the regular ten. Like last year, half of the finalists will be internally selected (pre-qualified) and half chosen through the heats.

All Heats as well as the Final will be broadcasted from the H3 Arena at Fornebu outside of Oslo. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic this will unfortunately take place without any audience.

Norway in Eurovision Song Contest

Since the debut in 1960 Norway has participated 58 times in Eurovision. They have won the competition three times:

• 1985: Bobbysocks – La Det Swinge
• 1995: Secret Garden – Nocturne
• 2009: Alexander Rybak – Fairytale

In 2009, Alexander Rybak's Fairytale was the song that has received most points with the old voting system: 387 points – got 12 points from 16 countries. But Norway holds another Eurovision record: The country that ended last most times – 10 last places!

Since the introduction of Semi-finals in 2004, Norway has been very succesful with qualification to the Grand Final 13 out of 16 times.