It’s a big day for the Norwegian duo from Trofors in Nordland.
Not only did they play in the final of the Swedish Melodi Grand Prix, called Melodifestivalen.
They became historic. Never before has Sweden sent a contribution from another country to the international final.
– There are so many emotions that have exploded inside me. I don’t know what I feel. I only know that I am proud of me and my brother, says Martinus Gunnarsen to NRK after the broadcast.
The Norwegian duo Marcus and Martinus, who will represent Sweden in the international final with the song “Unforgettable”, promise to make the Norwegian people proud.
Photo: Stina Stjernkvist / Stina Stjernkvist
The duo has a clear message for the Norwegian people:
– We will make everyone proud. Norway means an incredible amount to us. So we hope you think the same about us, and that we get some votes from you too.
It was a clearly touched father who met the twins Marcus and Martinus after the victory was theirs.
– Incredibly happy
– We are tired, we have worked so incredibly hard, so that it went all the way, we are so incredibly happy about it, says Marcus Gunnarsen to NRK.
– Dad came running, he didn’t say anything, he just cried. And then we also started to cry. Then we couldn’t stop.
Although the twins from Trofors in Nordland were favorites among the experts in advance, they were surprised to run away with the victory in the neighboring country.
Photo: Linda Marie Vedeler / NRK
– It is indescribable. They have had such a big favorite stamp, then you have to pay as well.
That’s what the father of Marcus and Martinus, Kjell-Erik Gunnarsen, says. He is incredibly proud of his two sons.
– Right now I don’t think I have any more tears left.
The twins say there is something special about being brothers and twins, and working together on music.
They believe the bond between them is an important reason why they have managed to become Sweden’s Eurovision entry.
73 points more than second place
Over a million Swedes voted for the Swedish Melodifestivalen.
Marcus and Martinus and their song «Unforgettable» got 92 points from the Swedes.
That meant that they got a total of 177 points. 73 points more than second place.
Marte Stokstad says it’s “payback time” for all the times the Swedes got to borrow Bettan in Melodifestivalen with the Norwegian duo’s victory.
Photo: NRK Heather Ørbeck Eliassen / NRK Heather Ørbeck Eliassen
– This is big! Norwegians for Sweden! Here it is “payback time” for being able to borrow Bettan in 1985, says the Norwegian MGP general Marte Stokstad.
– But if they win the whole Eurovision Song Contest, the most annoying thing is of course, because then we would have sent them ourselves. Then there will be another “Lucas Braathen situation” and that is the last thing we need. But cheers for Trofors, anyway!
It was easy to hear that the Norwegian twins were favorites when they entered the stage for the final of Melodifestivalen.
Photo: Tommy Iversen / NRK
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) also congratulates Marcus & Martinus on their victory in Melodifestivalen.
– A great achievement on an unforgettable evening! writes Støre about the twin duo with reference to the title of the winning song “Unforgettable”.
– How much fun it will be for us in Norway to follow both Gåte and M&M in Malmö in May! writes Støre in social media.
Also won international jury
Marcus and Martinus were also big favorites with the international jury.
The international jury represented 8 countries and counted 50% of the votes at the Swedish final.
Six out of eight countries gave Marcus and Martinus 12 points.
In total, the jury gave the duo 85 points. That separated 39 points from second place.
These are the points from the international jury for Marcus and Martinus
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Malta: 12 points
Seriba: 12 points
Australia: 12 points
Iceland: 12 points
Germany: 12 points
Cyprus: 12 points
Belgium: 8 points
Ireland: 5 points
There was also great cheering when the Norwegian twins entered the stage tonight.
Both the public and the press praised their performance.
– The Swedes love them! Many people wonder why they stand for Sweden and not for Norway. They have delivered on every review, including now, said Helin Pakdemir, journalist in SVT news to NRK shortly after their performance.
The duo Marcus and Martinus had their musical breakthrough as ten-year-olds, when they won MGPjr 2012 with the song “To dropar vann”.
Photo: Tommy Iversen / NRK
The Finnish journalist Jaakko Oleander-Turja from YLE, who was present at the Friends Arena in Stockholm, also agreed.
– Finland loves M&M! This is an outstanding show. They are very popular in Finland, he said.
Riddle: – The chance is doubled
The Norwegian contribution to the international final, Gåte, is very happy for the duo.
– It was absolutely raw, very good.
They only look positively on competing against Norwegians, they say to NRK.
The Norwegian winner of the MGP, Gåte, is not afraid that they may have to meet Norwegian Marcus and Martinus in the final.
Photo: Linda Marie Vedeler / NRK
– It will just be fun. They will do their thing. And then we’ll all just have fun together. So no, we’re rooting for them. The chances are doubled!
The band travels on to the after party, where they hope to meet the twins.
– It would have been nice to be able to give them a hug, then.