Norway NORWAY 2023 - Alessandra - Queen of Kings

[ESC United Mod Team]

 

[midnightsun]

The song is not bad per se but we all know what happened to Norwegian songs in Eurovision that don’t sound too "Norwegian" (Guri Schanke, Stella Mwangi, Tooji etc.) They fail. IF the songs to come are as bad as the ones that have already been released by now this one has a top 10 spot safe but otherwise - no. They can thank God there are no juries in the semis this year.

 

[ollibox]

Alessandra - MY WINNER OF ESC 2023!!!!

Can't see ANY future national song reveal would top THAT!

x points from me!

So HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY she got selected!

 

[martin]

Btw, I mentioned how NRK corruptly pushed articles promoting Alessandra and how we shouldn't vote for Ulrikke days before the final (even by a Swede no less), but they even had the gall in the middle of the final before the voting to bring up how Alessandra was trending no. 1 on Spotify. Talk about election interference.. That was blunt, but they obviously don't care.

This happen every year and NRK put always their favorites either last or next last. Already in the running order it was clear who NRK want,s to help.

Alessandra was the last songs and that after Elsie Bay slow songs. If NRK would have put Alessandra 4 and Ulrikke last. Some people in Norway would 100% scream that NRK trying to push Ulrikke up.

Still Alessandra won fair and i think we could good in eurovision. But i don,t like at all how NRK and Karlsen every trying to push up their favorites and always give them best running order. Why could not this getting drawed

 

[Neo]

It's totally unfair, even though I get their point. There was a real chance Norwegians would have selected Ulrikke and her old ballad, which would likely not even make it past Eurovision semi-final.

Just think of Tix instead of Keiino, or even 2010, which was another great MGP year, where they inexplicably chose Didrik Solli-Tangen - My Heart Is Yours, over several much better songs (f.i. Yes Man, Give It to Me, Don't Wanna Lose You Again).

 

[theditz83]

It seems from reading all these posts that NRK very much still incorporates what I know as the "X Factor sob story" into much of their coverage when it comes to MGP participants. That doesn't necessarily mean they push a sad back story to try and tug on heartstrings, they may just give more exposure or airtime to act that results in them achieving greater favouritism from the viewers. It's the scourge of all reality TV shows and talent shows, but it's clearly a conscious decision producers make.

Regardless, I hope this doesn't count against Alessandra in any way, I doubt it will since the vast majority of ESC viewers probably wouldn't be aware of NRK's reporting tactics.

 

[i anixi]

They had more options than any other Eurovision country - maybe except Finland and Sweden.

And that thing about "typical Nordic folk" - it's wrong, at best. Alessandra's song is not in that genre at all. As somebody pointed out, it's in fact more Greek than it's Nordic.

Besides, Rasmussen was not representatives of any genre. There hadn't been a song like that in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix ever. So please, try to be just a little more accurate.

Well, I'm not an expert or anything near, but the rhythm sounds very Nordic to me, as did Rasmussen, irrespective of Denmark using that type for the first time or not. I'm not keeping score. It's the kind of sound that immediately makes you think of ice, not sunshine. I'm still softly giggling at the suggestion that this could be Greek. It may come as a surprise to you and I'm sorry if it feels too violent all of a sudden, but music was invented before Eurovision came along , you know... Anyway, each to their own I guess, never mind me

 

[blackout]

It's a strong 7 for me, okayish song that we already heard douzens of times and sure qualifier.
For me this song isn't TOP 10 material

 

[jatojo]

music was invented before Eurovision came along , you know...

I'll agree to that, definitely. But in this forum and others, there are way too many generalizations and they tend to miss the target. Or they contradict each other. How can a young guy with a guitar singing a quiet midtempo pop song be "typically Danish" when it is also "typically Danish" to present a song with grunts and medieval instrumentation? These "analyses" are totally incoherent, and it's most likely the result of people wanting to categorize things that are difficult to categorize because it's diverse.

I know it's a common opinion that all pop music is "the same", but it's wrong because the whole reason for the success of pop music is that it is NOT "the same". And that's what you see in Norway and Sweden: a very broad spectre of genres mixed together which helps to explain why Scandinavia has influenced the music industry all over the world in recent decades. Does Britney Spears represent "typically Swedish" music? Most people would say no. In fact, most people wouldn't even know that her breakthrough songs were written by a Swede. Is ABBA "typically Swedish" music? I would definitely say no. But ABBA originally came from folk music, and that's probably as far as you can go with the parallels.

Of course, there are traditional folk ELEMENTS in certain Eurovision songs. Often in a couple of the Norwegian MGP songs. There are also songs with more than just folk elements. At Benidorm there were at least three songs this year with traditional music at their core. There is a world of difference between that and Rasmussen's viking vibes.

I don't mind that people find similarities between songs. In fact, I find comparisons interesting. They just need to be more specific than they usually are.

 

[midnightsun]

But let’s be real… people (not necessarily you or me or people on this forum) have always been associating certain countries with certain kinds of music or musical elements.

That’s exactly why I wrote above that all Norwegian ESC entries that didn’t sound too "Norwegian" failed in the past. It’s a natural thing, the audience WANTS something (stereo)typical from the country.
And Alessandra‘s song has Middle Eastern influences and her outfit and moves are like all the Efendis, Ronjalas or Sertabs out there. I don’t think that’s a plus for Norway. Many people are simple minded when it comes to this. Some may say ignorant. Yes, it’s ridiculous, but many people in Europe still watch to see a country represented with what they think is their stereotype of music.

So yes, to me the song sounds more Greek than Norwegian too. I don’t mind. Others do. Rasmussen was THE stereotypical act of Viking music in Eurovision. People loved it, me included. The televote speaks for itself. Had he been that high in the televote if this song came from let’s say Greece or Azerbaijan? No!

 

[jatojo]

Alessandra now FIFTH in the odds. That's the highest placing for Norway so far. Early days, but still ...

 

[lasse braun]

Alessandra now FIFTH in the odds. That's the highest placing for Norway so far. Early days, but still ...

that is the keiino routine.

 

[HarryUK]

I really can't see juries buying this in the final but we shall see

 

[Mainshow]

Queen of Kings on Spotify
#1 Norway (+2)
#30 Finland (+14)
#53 Sweden (+13)
#73 Iceland (NE)
#97 Hungary (+59)
#120 Estonia (NE)
#126 Denmark (NE)

Apple Music:
#2 Norway
#92 Hungary
#125 Finland
#189 Sweden

YouTube:
#4 Norway
#61 Finland

on iTunes
#1 Norway (=)
#2 Hungary (NE)
#10 Romania (NE)
#11 Sweden (+49)
#30 Spain (+126)
#44 Switzerland
#46 Denmark (NE)
#49 Belgium (-14)
#65 Austria (NE)
#56 Germany (+16)
#74 United Kingdom (NE)
#104 Belgium (NE)
#157 Canada (-59)

Shazam:
#19 Norway
#99 Finland
#101 Hungary

Deezer:
#1 Norway
#18 Finland
#37 Singapore
#63 Hungary
#64 Slovenia
#66 United Arab Emirates

TikTok:
#7 Norway

 

[Franco]

I love the choreography. She exudes lots of confidence and attitude for being someone so young. Strong Nina Sublatti vibes.

 

[theditz83]

Anyone have any predictions for the Eurovision staging? Do we think NRK will look to pretty much translate the MGP staging to Liverpool, or will they go all-out with the Game of Thrones references in the lyrics and give us Daenaerys Targaryen with dragons, a blonde wig and sword fights?

The main thing I want to see change is better lighting on Alessandra throughout the performance. I loved the purple backing during the intro at MGP and the flashing blue background against her silhouette in the second pre-chorus worked well too, but most of the time, particularly in the chorus, the busy flashing strobes and hectic camera work made it hard to properly focus on Alessandra and the overall choreography. I just hope she can be spotlighted better in Liverpool.

 

[FilipFromSweden]

It's gonna get a nice 14th place

 

[Deleted member 12761]

I think this will do very well with the public tbh. Norway could be a dark horse.

 

[theditz83]

It's gonna get a nice 14th place

13th minimum - there's no world I see this on the right-hand side. Public vote Top 5 I reckon

 

[jatojo]

Norway now 4TH in the odds. Remarkable.

 

[empo21]

Odds must be hungry for a fave, but I'm not feeling this as a winner.