Meet the Norwegian artists - Part 2

Now that you know who the 15 acts that will take part in the 2014 edition of Melodi Grand Prix are, you can find out about them in more detail. As there will be 3 Semi-Finals on the 7th, 8th and 9th of March, we have split these bios over three articles.

Semi-Final 2 acts

Song 6

Cir.Cuz - Hele verden Music & Lyrics: Cir.Cuz

Mats Melbye (21) from Sarpsborg and Thomas Pedersen (24) from Skien are Cir.Cuz. The pair met on Facebook in 2011 and has since produced music in a genre somewhere between rap and pop. Streaming services have been an important factor in their success. At the present time they have achieved approximately 30 million plays on Spotify and Wimp. The song Supernova with Julie Bergan has alone been streamed over 10 million times. Cir.Cuz has released to CDs.

Joakim Haukaas has produced the duo’s Melodi Grand Prix entry in cooperation with Andre Lindal. Last year he wrote the song You that represented Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. He has also written for Britney Spears. Lindal is a Grammy-winning songwriter and producer based in Los Angeles. He has worked for big names like Justin Bieber and Kelly Clarkson.

Song 7

Martine Marbel - Right Now Music: Martine Marbel & Goran Obad. Lyrics: Martine Marbel

Martine Marbel Furulund (27) comes from Sandefjord. She studied at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA). After completing her studies, Martine returned to Norway and Oslo. Here, she started a musical partnership with producer Goran Obad and released several singles in genres pop, elektronika and soul. In 2013 her debut album Girl Can’t Swim was released, which gave Martine Marbel a Radio P3 listing for the song Get You and GAFFA nominations in the categories Best Newcomer and Best Norwegian Solo Artist.

Song 8

Oda & Wulff - Sing Music & Lyrics: Christer Wulff

Christer Wulff from Tromsø and Oda Kvingedal Larsen from Gjøvik make up the duo Oda & Wulff. Their song Sing is their first cooperation; a cheerful pop song with clear inspiration from modern folk music.

Political economist Christer Wulff (32) is originally from Tromsø and has always had music as a passionate hobby. He has released an album, and has been Radio P3 listed with the single Save Yourself. Oda Kvingedal Larsen (24) grew up in a musical home with The Beatles as an early influence. Last year she, for the first time, appeared in front of a large audience by taking part in The Voice, and subsequently appeared on Christer Wulff’s radar, who initiated their partnership.

Song 9

Knut Kippersund Nesdal - Taste of You Music: Magnus Hængsle. Lyrics: Magnus Hængsle & Jenny Moe

21 year old Knut Kippersund Nesdal grew up in Hedmark and as part of the theatre family Kippersund, it was a natural choice to orientated himself towards the stage at an early age. Today he is the front figure of the band New Brian and has also played at the Great Escape in Brighton, the Underwrood stage at Norwegian Wood (2012) and has been played on Radio P3. Together with his sister and brother-in-law, he formed the experimental pop-jazz band Ted Glen Extended, and their debut EP has had a good reception.

Songwriter Magnus Hængsle is known both as an acclaimed solo artist and as a member of the Oslo band Turns. Taste of You is Hængle’s first entry at Melodi Grand Prix, and he wrote the song together with his partner, artist Jenny Moe.

Song 10

Charlie - Hit Me Up Music & Lyrics: Lars K. Hustoft, Jon Asher & Melanie Fontana

Ski-girl Charlie (Charlotte Tepstad Carlsen) has big ambitions, and dreams of becoming a singer. During the past few months, she has managed to work with some of the best songwriters in the world and has gone to learn dance from Justin Bieber’s own dancers in Los Angeles.

Among the songwriters of Hit Me Up we find Norwegian Lars Hustoft who works as a manager, songwriter and producer for successful Norwegian artists like Gabrielle and Alida. American Melanie Fontana also wrote Shattered together with Idol-participant Astrid Smeplass.

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As mentioned above, three Semi-Finals will take place on the 7th, 8th and 9th of March before a Grand Final on the 15th of March at the Oslo Spektrum Arena. Three songs from each Semi-Final will qualify to Final.

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Norway is taking part in the second Semi-Final of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest in Copenhagen on the 8th of May. The Grand Final takes place on the 10th of May.