Nora Brockstedt represented Norway at the 1960 and 1961 Eurovision Song Contest
rockheim (flickr)
Norway’s first ever participant in the Eurovision Song Contest, Nora Brockstedt, died at the age of 92. The singer, who represented Norway in the contest in 1960 and 1961, had a career spanning seven decades.
Born in Oslo, Brockstedt began working in the music industry professionally from the age of 20. In 1960 she won the Norwegian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, Melodi Grand Prix, and subsequently represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest with her song Voi Voi. She repeated her success in the contest in 1961 with her song Sommer i Palma. Her entries finished 4th and 7th in the Eurovision Song Contest respectively.
Brockstedt enjoyed a successful career as a jazz singer following her appearances at the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1996 she was awarded the Kings Medal of Merit and in 2008 she released an album at the age of 85. Nora has been credited by former Eurovision Song Contest winner Hanne Krogh as being one of the major influences in the creation of the Norwegian music industry. The term ‘legend’ is often overused but in the case of Nora Brockstedt, this description is wholly appropriate.
Details of Nora Brockstedt’s funeral have not yet been released. On behalf of the Eurovision community, we send our heartfelt condolences to Nora’s family, friends and of course her fans.
