Alexander Rybak and Ell/Nikki in Danish international jury

As we previously reported, Denmark is determined to get a good result in Baku and in order to do this they have found nine of the most talented artists and songwriters to fight it out for the right to represent their country when the 2012 edition of Dansk Melodi Grand Prix take place on the 21st of January in the city of Aalborg. 

In order to help choose the very best song to win the ticket to Baku, DR has employed four professional juries from the past four winning countries - Azerbaijan, Germany, Norway and Russia. These juries together with the Danish professional jury will have a combined 50% influence on the final result with the Danish public having the rest. 

Red carpet jury line-up in Aalborg

Two previous winners of Europe's favourite TV show, Alexander Rybak and Ell/Nikki are to take part in the international juries together with other previous participants including Aleksej Vorobjev who represented Russia last year in Düsseldorf with Get You, Roger Cicero who represented Germany in Helsinki with Frauen regier'n die Welt and Aysel who represented Azerbaijan in Moscow with the song Always. 

In addition to previous participants, the juries are also made up of other significant artists and professionals from Azerbaijan, Germany, Norway and Russia.

A Danish jury will be announced next week, whose votes will be combined with the international juries to provide a 50% influence on the final result. 

Alexander Rybak won broke records when he won for Norway in 2009 with Fairytale is also going to be making a guest appearance at Dansk Melodi Grand Prix to perform. When discussing what he is looking for in a winning song he said, "I will look at the melody and for people that can tell a story through their song. Of course the melody also has to be good". 

He also thinks the use of international juries is a good idea: "People should know that a whole group of people from Norway are going be part of the decision process so when we choose the best song, it is definitely the song that won our hearts", he explains. 

During rehearsals for Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, Alexander Rybak gave a rendition of two iconic Danish songs - New Tomorrow from 2011 and Dansevise from 1963. Why not take a look at the video!

The four juries

Take a look at the line up of artists and music professionals who will make up the international juries. The Danish jury will be announced shortly. 

Azerbaijan

• NIKKI - Foreman of the Azeri jury. Won the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011 together with Ell and the song Running Scared. 
• ELL - Won Europe's favourite TV show with Nikki. 
• ISA MELIKOV - Music producer behind big music shows in Azerbaijan. 
• DILARA KAZIKOVA - Pop princess and previous participant in the Azeri national selection.
• AYSEL - Singer who represented Azerbaijan in 2009 with Arash and the song Always. 

Germany

• OCEANA - Foreman for the German jury. R'n'B-Funk-Soul artist and TV presenter.
• RÜDIGER BRANS - Lead singer of the rock'n'roll band The Baseballs.
• PETER BERGENER - Music journalist and known Eurovision Song Contest fan from Wuppertal. 
• ROGER CICERO - Represented Germany in 2007 with Frauen regier\n die Welt
• MIKE RÖTGENS - Music producer for amongst others Kylie Minogue and Tom Jones, and the man behind Infernal's hit, "From Paris To Berlin".

Norway

• ALEXANDER RYBAK - Foreman of the Norwegian jury. Winner of Europe's favourite TV show in 2009 with Fairytale. 
• VENKE KNUTSON - Singer with a number of top-10 hits and previous participant in the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix. 
• OMER BHATTI - Pakistani-Norwegian hip pop artist and close friend of Michael Jackson. 
• KJELL PETTER ASKERSRUD - Works for Universal in Oslo and is one of the best known veterans of the Norwegian recording industry. 
• BJØRN JOHAN MURI - Norwegian singer and previous Melodi Grand Prix participant with the most sold single in Norway in 2011. 

Russia

• ALEXEJ VOROBJOV - Foreman for the Russian jury. Represented Russia in Düsseldorf last year with Get You. 
• LERA MASSKVA - Russian popsinger who was nominated as the best singer at the MTV Russian Music Awards. 
• YURI MADIANIK - Known classical musician who plays the piano and harmonica. 
• ANNA KULIKOVA - One of Russia's up and coming singers that isn't very known as yet. 
• MARIO DURAND - Well acclaimed singer and violinist as well as a tango expert. 

Dansk Melodi Grand Prix will take part on the 21st of January from the northern city of Aalborg where 9 acts will compete for the trophy. All juries apart from the Norwegian (Alexander Rybak) will broadcast their results via Skype. 

Stay tuned right here at Eurovision.tv for more news about Denmark and all other participant countries!