We are happily back again with our second interview from this year’s MGP. Thomas Jenssen, who you can see in the third heat of Melodi Grand Prix 2024, took his time to answer some of our questions. Today, we discussed his lifelong dream of competing in MGP, his homage to the local drag community, and what we can expect to see on stage on the 27th of January.
Hi Thomas, a very big welcome to ESCUnited! How are you feeling now that your semi-final is getting closer and closer?
– Hello! Thank you! I’m truly excited to be performing live in MGP this year. The semi-final is on the 27th of January and there are a lot of rehearsals and stuff going on. I feel quite proud and lucky to be part of this experience. It has been a lot of work and it’s a dream come true.
Preparation for the contest must have been exciting. Can you share some interesting or funny anecdotes from rehearsals or preparations?
– Well there are a lot of trains here and there, and I’ve been traveling a lot. Need to take motion-sickness pills so I don’t get train-sick. Doesn’t fit that well with being a musician. Also, the show is a challenge, because of the many elements involved with the stage-show. Not going to give away any more than that just now. You’ll just have to wait and see 😉
Everyone has people that they look up to and draw inspiration from. What genres, trends, or musical artists inspire your particular sound?
– In this song, I’m inspired by George Michael and Prince among others. I wanted some elements from the 80s combined with funk, gay culture, and today’s pop music. I think we nailed it, and I can’t wait to show everyone what we have come up with in the live-show.
This is not the first song you’ve released during the last couple of years. One of your other songs, “Crowd Pleaser,” features you experimenting with drag. Can you share the inspiration behind incorporating drag into your artistic expression?
– In “Crowd Pleaser” I wanted to pay homage to the drag community, so we made a video consisting of performers lip-syncing to the song. I am not in drag myself in the video, although some people believe so. The three drag queens in the video are Dinah Myte, Bambia, and Paracetia Ibuprophenia. All from the local drag community in Kristiansand, Norway.
You have mentioned in other interviews that your lifelong dream is to compete at the Melodi Grand Prix. What inspired you to go for it now?
– I’m ready for the next chapter in my life – and MGP has been the goal in that regard for some time now. When I got the call to be a part of it, I cried for ten minutes on Zoom with Stig Carlsen (Head of MGP), who conveyed the good news. I used to watch the junior version of MGP when I was little and cried to my mom because I wanted to be in the show so bad.
Hypothetically, if you could make a song with one of your fellow participants for MGP 2024, who would you pick and why?
– I would love to have worked with AnnPrincess because I treasure her as a person and like her
R&B-vibes musically.
When delving into the creation of your MGP 2024 entry, ‘Take Me to Heaven,’ could you share insights into the songwriting and production process? Could you walk us through what this song has meant for you so far?
– It is a song about daring to be vulnerable and knowing it is okay to be yourself. Like RuPaul says ”if you can’t love yourself, how the hell are you gonna love somebody else?”. That’s the main inspiration lyrically for the song. The team behind the song is a British-Swedish-Norwegian collaboration consisting of four people including myself. It was written in Malmø in August 2023.
We are a few weeks away from your appearance in the third semi-final. Without giving away too much, how would you sum up your plans for the live show’s staging and general performance in just ten words?
– We’re bringing charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent to the stage!
Finally, is there anything that you would like to tell our readers over at ESCUnited?
– Thank you for your support, and thank you for this interview! I really hope you and your readers like our song “Take Me To Heaven”. If you do, please vote! But I won’t be angry if you don’t. There are many cool acts this year.
Join us in watching Thomas Jenssen, one of the six artists competing in this year’s Heat Three of Norway’s Melodi Grand Prix. Catch the action on Saturday, the 27th, at 19:50 CET on www.tv.nrk.no, and see if he qualifies for the final.
Would #YOU like to see Thomas at Eurovision? Share your thoughts with us on social media @ESCUnited, Discord, or our forum page. Stay updated on their current and future projects by following @thomasjenssenofficial on Instagram.
