Review: “Melodi Grand Prix 2022” – Semi-Final 3 (Norway)

This Saturday, Norwegian broadcaster NRK will hold the third semi-final in “Melodi Grand Prix 2022″.
4 artists will compete for a certain spot in the grand final. The 3 elimianted acts will have the oppurtinity to fight for an additional spot (with all other eliminated acts).

So let’s dive into the 4 competing songs of this week!

#1. Mari Bølla – “Your Loss”

It’s a R&B – pop song.
The song starts with backing vocals and guitar playing.
The first verse has a fast rate. The melody is based on beat drum and guitar playing.
The style of this part reminded me of Meghan Trainor‘s music.
Pre-chorus permits her to show more of her vocal abilities. In the pre-chorus, we can hear a different beat alongside guitar playing. The second half of the pre-chorus was less rhythmic.
However the beat returns stronger and leads to the chorus.
The chorus is upbeat and composed of bass and guitar playing. We can hear her singing it with a stable voice. The phrase “your loss” repeats again and again in the chorus.
The second verse begins with extremely fast singing, is something that sounds like light rapping, or more like trap pop. We get some diverse accords with the guitar and the bass as well.
In the second pre-chorus we get a slightly less fast rate with classic pop singing.
The chorus arrives at the second time, but this time ends with some vocal improvisations and more “acoustic” character. The song ends with a teen spirit pop section.
I think the song is catchy, but at the same time basic.
It sounds like a combination of several different songs or styles, but however it converges to an average pop song. And maybe this is all the problem with is: average and decent, but nothing more.

#2. Oda Gondrosen – “Hammer of Thor”

It’s a dramatic and cinematic Scandinavian ballad.
The song starts with a short instrumental part composed of wind instruments.
Oda starts her singing part with a relatively low voice and dark atmosphere.
The melody is based on a deep keyboard playing alongside a bagpipe.
Towards the end of the first verse, the melody is being silent, in order to build some tension.
Then we get a long and impressive outcry from Oda with an accurate voice.
The chorus starts unplugged with no melody at all. We can hear her natural voice.
Thereafter, the dramatic beat joins alongside the bagpipe.
In the second verse, she sings in a slightly higher tone of voice. The melody is based on keyboards, violin and bagpipe. Once again we received the impressive long notes that emphasise the story behind the lyrics. This time, the melody has a faster and more tense vibe, as violin playing becomes quicker. She uses some vibrations in her voice.
On the bridge, it becomes a little bit more rhythmic and she sings it with a higher tone, accompanied by piano and backing vocals.
The atmosphere of the song is dark and mysterious. She serves it vocally. It is a song that will stand out and has the potential to shine with decent staging. Well done!

#3. Sturla – “Skår i hjertet” (Shards in the Heart)

It’s a pop ballad in the Norwegian language.
The song starts with a short instrumental part composed of the piano.
Thereafter, the singer starts singing with his airy and soft voice. The melody is basic, but it still creates the required vibe. In the first verse, we can hear guitar stringing as well.
As the first verse ends, the pre-chorus comes in, and it prepares us for the beat change in the song.
The chorus starts with an acoustic guitar, and continues with keyboards playing. The singer sings it with a higher tone of voice, and repeats the phrase “I hjertet mitt”.
The second verse is already more dynamic than the first one. The second verse is built on a mid-tempo drum beat and keyboard playing. The chorus sounds like a piece of country pop song mixed with boy-band song. The melody is built namely on guitar playing.
I found the song radio – friendly. The fact that it is performed in the Norwegian language is refreshing. There’s a good match between the airy voice of the singer and the composition.
However, it still lacks something in order to make the listener “fly”.

#4. VILDE – “Titans”

It’s a mid-tempo theatrical/ musical pop song.
The song starts with loud drums, alongside keyboards playing and choir singing.
After the introduction, we can hear monotonous keyboards playing and a light beat.
She sings the first verse with mid voice. The end of the first verse is fast and naked of any production. The chorus is a standard power pop ballad chorus that starts with powerful singing that is followed by her singing, accompanied by backing singers.
The second verse is already more rhythmic than the first one. Then the chorus comes in again, this time with more solo singing. After the chorus, we have a kind of bridge that’s composed of drums playing and something that’s trying to be a modulation but it isn’t.
What can I say? the song doesn’t make me feel comfortable, it is full of cliches.
The whole soundtrack sounds like it was taken from the “Tarzan” musical.
Vilde has nice vocal abilities, but the song isn’t impressive.

In this semi-final, we will have a chance to watch another pre-qualifier.
This time is will be NorthKid – “Someone”

Initially, SubWoolfer with the song “Give That Wolf a Banana” should have given their live performance, but it will be postponed by a week or 2 weeks.
The reason for the changes is that SubWoolfer were tested positive to Covid virus.