Soon it will be ready for the third and final semi-final in this year’s “Melodi Grand Prix”. Six new groups and artists will go out into the fire to fight for a place in the final.
This round, it is Vidar Villa (34), Thomas Jenssen (32), Annprincess (32), MIIA (26), “KEiiNO” and the new metal duo “Mistra” who will perform their contributions.
The latter duo, consisting of pop queen Benedicte Adrian (60) and metal pioneer Anders Odden (51), are ready to show off for the first time.
GENRE CHANGE: Benedicte Adrian switches pastures from pop to metal, together with metal legend Anders Odden. Photo: Julia Marie Naglestad / NRK
– For us, it will be very exciting to present a new project, “Mistra”, says Odden to Good Evening Norway.
40th anniversary
For Adrian, it will be 40 years since she last stood on the “MGP” stage. Then she sang her way to the top with the song “Long live life” in the pop duo “Dollie”, later known as “Dollie de Luxe” and “Adrian/Bjørnov”, together with her friend Ingrid Bjørnov.
The song was also Norway’s entry in the “Eurovision Song Contest” in the same year.
DOLLIE: Ingrid Bjørnov and Benedicte Adrian won the “Melodi Grand Prix” in 1984. Photo: Erik Thorberg / NTB
– There are some who joke and wonder if it is not Ingrid Bjørnov who is hiding under the make-up (to Odden, jour.anm.), laughs Adrian.
– How is it to be back?
– It has changed a lot since 1984. We didn’t have a “greenroom” at the time, it was just called a dressing room. And the press were somewhat scattered “press showers”, as I like to call it, she says and elaborates:
– This is big now. Very well directed, and very orderly. I’m glad to see, otherwise we wouldn’t have joined.
– Anders initially said no. The only reason we are involved is that we got the understanding that we are taken seriously. The metal genre is also taken into the heat. It is not just laughed at, or parodied. It’s a genre of music that many people like on the side, she says.
Unlike Adrian, Odden has a long life behind him in “black metal”. In the band “Cadaver” he debuted with the first death metal LP in Norwegian history. He has also toured the country, and has collaborated with several well-known musicians such as Ronni Le Tekrø, Ledfoot, Hank von Hell and Tony Harnell.
Promises a good stage show
There is no doubt that the duo stand out from the last time the 51-year-old participated – and not least from the other participants, with both rock costumes and dark make-up.
– The makeup is inspired by the river Mistra, which flows from the mountain, Odden says of the black and white makeup that covers his entire face.
– It is important to me that artists should not necessarily represent the boring in life, artists should represent what is fun. Something that is a bit “out there”. Dare to do things that make people be a little more crazy in everyday life – simply give people inspiration.
The pop queen, who is new to the metal genre, points out that she believes it is important to stand out.
– ABBA stood out when they were there. Standing out has always been something I want to do. In a way, that is also a driving force. You don’t want to invent gunpowder twice, she says.
STAND OUT: The metal duo stand out in the crowd. Photo: Ditlev Eidsmo / TV 2
And if Adrian is to be believed, they have a bit of a stage show in store too.
– Without revealing too much, we will then start with a death waltz, which we intend to “stage” a bit like a funeral.
– I guess we both agreed when we wrote the song. Andreas said “damn it Benedicte, this song must be played at my funeral”, and I completely agreed, she says.
– You don’t get any bigger than this
The song they will perform is called “Waltz of Death”, or death waltz in Norwegian. It’s the very first song the pair wrote together about a year ago.
– It kick-started a creative waterfall. We wrote maybe 40 to 50 songs – or more, which we made demos of. We have now recorded eleven songs that will be released on an album before the dolphin final, says Odden.
– We intend to invest in this as a new project together. MGP is a very unique opportunity to present new music. Everything else on TV is cover songs or old hits, so for us this means a kick start to the project, he adds.
– You don’t get any bigger than this, Adrian chimes in.
And if they go on to the «Eurovision Song Contest» in Malmö, they will arrive in style.
– That would be fantastic. Then we have to ask if we can borrow “Il Tempo Gigante”, and drive down to Malmö – and something crazy, says Odden.
For those who don’t take the reference, he is referring to the fictional racing car in the “Flåklypa” universe.