TEAM REVIEWS: Norway 2025

DISCLAIMER: All opinions stated in this post belong to the person quoted and do not represent ESCUNITED as a whole.

With another selection on the horizon, our editors have decided to critique another group of songs. Norway picks their entrant for tonight, and four of our writers have analyzed their nine hopefuls for Basel. So that you don’t have to put yourself through them.

Scroll down and read how four opinionated nerds (Boris, David, Rebecca and Roy) bicker about which entry is the least bad in Melodi Grand Prix 2025!

TONE DAMLI – LAST SONG

Boris – 5

“Tone Damli kicks off this painfully stupid selection with a song that drunks its way through Jessica Andersson’s “Party Voice”. Quite literally as Tone attempts to rhyme “Tesla” with “Messed up” and engages in all sort of “I AM SO WAAAASTED WOOOOOO” statements that feel a little bit embarrassing for a Girl Gone Wild, let alone for a woman in her mid thirties. “Last song” is kind of a banger, but only sort of. It is cumbersome and miss-shaped, like it left the artistic womb with foetal alcoholic syndrome.”

David – 4

“My mind immediately jumped to “Call on me”, and I’m just thinking, maybe we should just look ahead, rather than find inspiration from songs that are decades old by now. Admittedly, it does have a catchy tune, but it’s not quite what I’d personally like to hear. There’s just nothing specifically interesting from this song.”

Rebecca – 5.5

“The instrumental is very funky and Daft Punk-esque; the vocals are clean and solid, though they don’t take many risks and sounds slightly tuned, so I can’t say I have hope that the live will be overly impressive. If it gives us a fun little dance party staging I might like this more, but right now it’s just… very tame for a dance track. It’s fine? Yeah, it’s fine.”

Roy – 3

” “Starting off with a Daft Punk-like sample is pretty ballsy. This song is very Nordic national final filler. Nothing offensive, also nothing outstandingly good. The performance will likely be fine and the vocals will be as well. It’s just a boring choice for Eurovision and wouldn’t stand out in any sort of way in such a lineup.””

SONDREY – VAGABOND

Boris – 5

“A pale ‘After Hours’ knock off. We could end it there, and I probably should, but somehow this is near the top shelf for Norway. The problem with imitating one of the best albums in the decade is that it puts your weaknesses to the forefront. You can produce a track that sounds like a TheWeeknd number and distort your voice to resemble that of TheWeeknd, but all tracks on ‘After Hours’ were immediate bangers and/or had strong narratives. “Vagabond” trundles along on its neo-synth vibe and does nothing interesting with it, all while Sondrey blithely informs us he’s alone like a vagabond about a dozen times. This is a lazy production, piggybacking off someone else’s creative capital.”

David – 2

“I’m not feeling anything about this. Slick production, but not very memorable. Personally, I’m not quite paying attention to the song due to the simple and low tone of the song, but melodically and vocal. There’s no suspense, it’s very linear in style and sound throughout the entirety of the song, so I’m just left with nothing.”

Rebecca – 6

“It starts very sleepy, and I was hoping for more of a kick in the second half to wake me up. That didn’t really happen. Personally this song is one of my favourites in this selection, but for Eurovision it needs a little more growth and variation to stand out. People will leave the room to have a bathroom break or a drink refill while this is on.”

Roy – 8

“Easily the best song of the lineup. It reminds a bit of a The Weeknd song. Sondrey’s voice is nice and the song is mellow. A very radiofriendly poptune with great bass usage. The instrumental after the chorus is also incredibly enjoyable. I am just not sure if Vagabond is  a good word to use as your main word. I don’t think many non-native speakers know what a Vagabond is. (I didn’t at least). All that being said, this is actually a pretty nice listen and by far the best in the lineup. A bummer that it will probably be paid dust in the final..”

NORA JABRI – SULALE

Boris – 2.5

“Painfully stuck in mid-00s Eurotrash, like a demented Amambanda. And I feel like that comparison insults Treble who had a horrible time at Eurovision and still delivered somewhat of a banger. “Sulale” is boring and derivative, and makes me feeling nothing but tedium throughout its -way too long- three minute runtime.”

David – 3

“This sounds like the song wanna go full Arabic, but at the same time, it remains neutral. My dear, just go for it, not this neutralized horror. The potential there could’ve been if the flutes and drums were highlighted in the music more. All of that is just watered down, so it’s not too middle eastern, and that kills the charm more.”

Rebecca – 3

“The message of ethnic and cultural pride is far too literal here, and instead just feels like someone shouting “I’M PROUD OF MY HERITAGE!” in my face instead of actually showing me why they’re proud. The instrumental is very sparse through the whole runtime, which is fine at the beginning but I would want it to get richer and more vibrant the further in we get. Just not feeling it, sadly.”

Roy – 3

““How many words can we end on an E-sound? A lot apparently. This song had potential to be something cool and extra. Instead they decided to go for a very basic and simple execution. We don’t even get a proper chorus after the first verse and buildup. The drums are nice, but the endproduct is just lacklustre and boring.””

WIG WAM – HUMAN FIRE

Boris – 2

“I will never forgive NRK for bringing back one of my favourite 2005 acts, and giving them a horribly mixed, tame-as-fuck glam rock abortion for a song. Could it be any clearer Wig Wam were recruited last minute to fill in for MGP’s *two* quitters? The transitions between intro, verses and chorus in “Human fire” are jarring and awkward, the lyrics are borderline unintelligible (TELL MY MAKE A RACCOON’S STEAK // WALKING ON… RAISINS?), the instrumentation somehow is flat and dusty compared In My Dreams’s endorphin spike. Even the music video, normally the calling card for musicians, is spiked with AI generated nonsense. “Human Fire” is a half-baked product, and frankly NRK, if you’re struggling to scrape the bottom of the barrel (or the bottom of the petri dish given the “quality” of this lot) this badly, PICK INTERNALLY and do not tarnish legacies for the sake of padding out the numbers.”

David – 6

“This really sounds like a few songs were mixed. The music during the versus change in tone, which doesn’t quite fit the rest, the guitar solo isn’t mixing well with the drums, and lyrics aren’t that spectacular either. I really feel this needed some better arrangement, cause energetic songs like these can absolutely come to life if done properly. The chorus… fuck yea!”

Rebecca – 4

“This is the kind of entry that is undeniably bad and dated yet still feels mildly entertaining to watch, for a multitude of reasons. First of all, Wig Wam seems to be a decade or so beyond their prime, so they have that “Uncle that’s still chasing his failing dream of stardom but you love him anyway” energy about them. Secondly, what is a Human Fire? A fire caused by humans? A human on fire? I go back and forth between the two, and one seems far more likely than the other, but I really can’t be sure. Wig Wam seem to know, and I feel like they’re trying to tell me but I’m too much of a hair-metal pleb to get it. Maybe if they win MGP it I’ll finally get it. Vote for Wig Wam so I can stop scratching my head, please.”

Roy – 5.5

“This could be cool when performed live, but as a studio version it is not very strong. The instrumentals are rather weak and this kind of glamrock is not meant to be stuck in a studio. Once we see the live performance I think we could see the full potential of the song. We know Wig Wam can deliver a fun live performance, so let’s wait and see with that one! What even is a human fire btw?”

LLL – PARASITE

Boris – 1.5

“One of the nine contenders in this line-up is a girl group of three unknowns that have never performed together before, and whose vocals already sound VERY busted in the studio version. Sound like it would be a disaster, but sadly the reality is even worse. “Parasite” is an excessively stupid song, even by Scandinavian novetly standards (by comparison: both YIHAA and Laika Party are MUCH wittier and better composed than Parasite is), inventing words like parisital or paricidal like we’re in Belarus and not in a country that qualified for every final all but two times. But the worst offense of all is that, for all its bluster and point-and-laugh novelty, Parasite is incredibly boring. It should not exist in any line-up except for Moldova’s, which was mercifully cancelled.”

David – 3

“This may be a good portion over the top. It’s cool, it’s going with this futuristic sound and all, but it easily becomes obnoxious. Plus, the rhythm barely changes and then my personal interest has faded away long before the end. I don’t mind it, but I don’t care about it either. Overall, I just don’t care too much in the end.”

Rebecca – 6

“The beat is bangin’ here, and the melody has an echo of the track “Now” by Nima Fakhrara, which I absolutely love, so there’s a point in its favour. I have a love-hate relationship with these lyrics—on the one hand there’s some great lines relating to parasites, “I’ll be your host” for example, but then they give me things like “I should run from this bloodsucker under my skin” and that makes no goddamn sense. It’s under your skin, babes, you can’t run from that. And don’t even get me started on “parasital” or we’ll be here all day discussing the merits of making up your own words for the sake of rhyming schemes. Finally, the vocals could stand to make use of some more harmonies, especially in the chorus. They also sound quite heavily edited to fit with the vibe of the track, which may ruin the mood of it when the vocals have to be live.”

Roy – 6.5

“This has potential. The beat is fun and it could be a fun dynamic with the three girls on the stage. There are a lot of cliché oldschool fade-ins used to create fake tension. The parasite part could be staged nicely. I wish the song had a bit more power, but that could be fixed in the live performance and maybe a revamp. The lyrics of this song are a bit meh and tacky, but this selection is absolutely filled with terrible lyrics and this is one of the more tolerable ones.”

KYLE ALESSANDRO – LIGHTER

Boris – 4

“This selection is so hopeless that oddsmakers have defaulted to one of the Punani Salami boys as its winner. Good grief. Bookmaker success doesn’t take away that “Lighter” still is a cheaply produced eurotrash song (not inconceivable that Theo Evan will fully outclass this), with stupid lyrics, an uncharismatic lead and a poorly constructed drop. But hey, at least you MAY reach the final with this one! :gunshot: “

David – 4

“Catchy song but come on… those are some ridiculous lyrics. The way the lyrics tries to pull away everything around an actual lighter. Finding your spark, not burning down, saving your fillings… oh dear. Anyhow, it’s fine as it is, and admittedly, I could get used to the song, but it will take some time. Keep in mind that the first impression is very important in this competition.”

Rebecca – 5

“Has a very epic quality to it, which Norway has done well in the past. I’m not too fond of the classic dance-break chorus in these sorts of tracks, but I suppose it’s okay. I’m also not sure how I feel about the lyrics and metaphors, since they’re not necessarily bad, but they do come across as quite generic beyond the titular one. Being your own lighter isn’t exactly a metaphor that strikes me as particularly elegant or powerful. If I had to guess, I would say that they started with the metaphors about sparks and burning, and jumped to the image of a lighter from there. It’s… fine, but it’s not something I can connect with.”

Roy – 5

““Cute idea, bad execution.. The beat is decently fun, but I have absolutely never heard anyone ever wanting to be a lighter? I get what he is going for, but surely there would be better comparisons that you could have made. At least the beat is fun and the staging for this could be quite cool as well. Maybe a dance break as well? (ew)””

NATALEEN – THE GAME

Boris – 1

“If you’re wondering what the worst song in the worst selection* is… well, I’m not sure – several deserve that distinction- but my choice is this legally distinct “King of Queens” reboot. Rhythmically different (I suppose), algorithmically identical to both Alessandra AND Klara Hammarström. This isn’t just a general lack of ideas. This is creative bankruptcy. Artists should be afraid of AI bots taking their jobs, but they should ALSO be afraid of Norwegians bootlegging their songs with a bare minimum of alterations.”

*The worst selection is obviously San Remo, but that one is not part of the Eurovision canon.

David – 5

“I’m enjoying this very Norse-vibe I’m getting out of the tune, but oh dear me, do the lyrics not fit at all the sound of the song. I don’t know what to say, it’s quite awkward to have these game-related ideas, to a Viking-alike sound. It’s creative and interesting, and it just comes out as an awkward mix, I don’t know what else to say.”

Rebecca – 7

“It’s giving me “Queen of Kings” and “Run To The Hills”, so it has a very Scandinavian sound to me. The counting backwards sequence is very powerful, especially when it quickens right at end. Nataleen as a cool voice with a slightly deeper register than these types of songs are usually sung in, which gives it some uniqueness—but she also seems to be able to hit those high notes too. This is a solid entry, even if its sound isn’t the most unique at this point.”

Roy – 6

“Cheap Queen of Kings knockoff with way worse lyrics. What is it with this national final having such terrible and cheaply written hollow lyrics? Queen of Kings was really good, so at least this is decent as well.”

LADYBUG – HOT AS HELL IN PARADISE

Boris – 6.5

“PAINFULLY stupid lyrics, I am not going to sugarcoat that – “Eeny miny moe, catch a devil by the toe” is an unfortunate line for an adult to sing. But out of ALL the songs in this group, “Hot as hell in paradise” least has…. a palable rhythm, and doesn’t piggyback off someone else’s creative capital. It has a catchy chorus which can be carried by an energetic performance. it has a theme, a narrative direction. I’m GRASPING at straws in this MGP, the same struggle I have with finding redeeming qualities (or qualities in general) in San Remo ballads. All so that I have something I can relucantly support as a “favourite” in this dismal MGP. If there’s anyone that could provide a crumb of excitement on Saturday and in Basel though, it’s miss Ladybug.”

David – 5

“Catchy, but nothing special either. I actually wanna be impressed with this, but there’s nothing that specifically captures me personally. Would I eventually enjoy this song, I absolutely can see myself do that, but no idea when. Why am I not impressed then? Well, it just sounds like something that’s been heard one too many times before.”

Rebecca – 5

“Twisted circus funhouse vibes, and I appreciate the whole “I’m sinning but I’m enjoying it so who cares” air to it. Beyond that, I don’t have a lot of strong feelings? There’s not a lot of variation going on here, so after the first chorus it gets kind of boring.”

Roy – 1

“’Easy come and easy go.’ ‘Eenie, meenie, miny, moe. Catch the devil by the toe.’ And that are only the more noticeable terrible cliché lyrics. This song is filled with them and there is no redeeming quality in the standard backing track either. Guess she has a nice voice, but please get this song away from me. Hopefully people in Norway will start to write lyrics with a bit more passion in the future, cuz this comes straight out of a rhyming wordbook that just got mixed together at a writing camp..””

BOBBYSOCKS – JOYFUL

Boris – 5.5

“Bobbysocks are putting forty candles on the party cakes for the many years of happiness. Yeah, another demented effort that sounds like it’s been evacuated via seaking helicopter from a mid 2000s Song Contest, and somehow feels more oldfashioned than anything featured at those contests. Only Bobbysocks can get away with lyrical cancer like “Only Joy Can Keep Me Alive”. Their return to Eurovision is not a swan song, but a charming, if very outdated throwback to a time when Norway was the butt of every Eurovision joke. As the gay guy on this review team, it falls on me to (very half-heartedly) sympathize with them. Doesn’t change that Bobbysocks are somehow a contender to win MGP, which is frankly quite embarrassing for MGP.”

David – 2

“Ugh… this screams schlager… Excuse me if this may come out as rude, but I’m nowhere near that age where I’ll listen to this kind of music. Not that I mind it, but there is just this feeling that this appeals to the elderly. It’s cute, but even I would feel embarrassed if someone where to find me listening to this kind of music.”

Rebecca – 6

“Bobbysocks make me feel joyful :)”

Roy – 3

“Bless them, they are super lovely, but this song is just incredibly dated.. It might have some fans, but there is nothing new, exciting or refreshing in this song. Sending this would be solely based on nostalgia.”

And there you have it! Only Sondrey receives a passing mark from our critics with a generous 21/40! We really didn’t like any of them at all…

Do #YOU Agree with our editors? Who do #YOU think Norway should send to Basel? Let us know in the comments, or join the discussion with other readers on our Forum or in our Discord!