The news was announced live in the Debatten broadcast on Thursday evening. – I have always loved Melodi Grand Prix. There is something very special about the whole country participating in the selection of our own representative for the world’s biggest songwriting competition. I have always been in favor of the whole idea of Eurovision as a unifying peace project, says Fredrik Solvang. He adds that he takes it as a great challenge to lead news’s biggest entertainment programme, despite the fact that it is far from what he otherwise does. Solvang says he spent some time thinking about whether it would be destructive to what he has built up with the Debate, but decided that it would only be positive. – You will be more nervous there than at the Debate? – Yes, for sure. What I’m not used to is standing in front of many thousands of people. I have never done anything similar. He will do the task in collaboration with artist and Maskorama detective Marion Ravn, who is also a newcomer in this context. – This is one of the biggest things you can be a part of. I think this is going to be incredibly fun, says Ravn. Fredrik Solvang and Marion Ravn on the role of presenters for Melodi Grand Prix 2024 Will be a support for the artists Ravn has a long career in the industry and wants to use his experience in this context as well. – I want to make them safe both in front of and behind the stage, she says. Ravn is also very fond of Melodi Grand Prix. – It’s something I’ve been interested in since I was a little girl, says Ravn. She thinks it will be nice that she, as presenter, knows how the participants are feeling when she has to interview them. What are you most looking forward to? – The final. It will be incredibly fun. Marion Ravn is looking forward to being the presenter for Melodi Grand Prix. Photo: Julia Marie Naglestad / news Ravn says that she was a big fan of Elisabeth “Bettan” Andreassen who was responsible for Norway’s first Eurovision victory in 1985, as part of the duo Bobbysocks. – I met at the local shopping center in Lørenskog when she held a concert there. I have a picture of that, which is fun in hindsight now that we have both worked together and become friends, says Ravn. Marion Ravn together with Elisabeth “Bettan” Andreassen in Lørenskog. Photo: Privat Had to ask for advice Fredrik Solvang says he had to take a few days to make up his mind when he was asked. – A thousand thoughts ran through his head. I had to ask for advice from a bunch of people I trust and had to consider, among other things, whether it clashed too much with the work I usually do as debate leader, says Solvang. Fredrik Solvang is ready for a new challenge as presenter. Photo: Julia Marie Naglestad / news After an assessment, he came to the conclusion that the audience understands that there is a difference between these two roles. – And I’m going straight back to the Debate as soon as we’ve chosen a winner who will go to Eurovision. And then it will be exciting to see if I fix the new role, he says. Substitutes in Debatten There will still be Debatten broadcasts on Tuesdays and Thursdays over the New Year. – We are putting on two of our best and most experienced presenters who will alternate leading the broadcasts, namely Nina Owing and Atle Bjurstrøm. The debate is in the best hands, says news editor at news, Knut Magnus Berge. Launch and semi-finals in January On Friday 5 January, the 18 artists who will compete for a place in the finals in Melodi Grand Prix 2024 will be launched. The first of three semi-finals will take place on Saturday 13 January in news’s premises at Marienlyst in Oslo. The final will be held in Trondheim Spektrum on 3 February.
ttn-69
These will lead Melodi Grand Prix – news Culture and Entertainment
