Norway NORWAY 2024 - Gåte - Ulveham

[ESC United Mod Team]

 

[ESC94]

Ok, here we have the Norwegian entry for Malmö, Gåte with "Ulveham". For the first time since 2006 the country is singing in Norwegian. It´s sounds totally different from the entries in the past few years, and I applaud them for trying something different this time.

But do I like "Ulveham"?? I just listened to it and I have to say: Meh!!

It starts very well and builds a very tense and mystical atmosphere and I wait for an exciting chorus. But then it starts and the band leader sings in a very high and shrill kind of way which is quite offputting for me. Afterwards the song is sadly unable to held the tension high and is getting flatter and flatter, only interrupted by the screechy vocals in the chorus.

I think qualification isn´t really in danger for as it´s something different, but I doubt it´ll reach the Top 10. The juries who are in the final won´t respond well as they didn´t do to similar songs in the past and I also can´t see the big success in the televoting either since the weight of the "bubble" isn´t as strong in the final like in the semi and many newer viewers will probably find this interesting and funny to watch but will they really pick up the phone?? Call me sceptical on that matter.

In the end I give Gåte a solid , it´s not a disaster by any means but just not musically interesting enough for me to give it a higher ranking.

 

[Ajeje Brazorf]

I'm surprised that people are downplaying this songs chances mainly on the basis that juries will not react well to it.

I can almost guarantee the public support will not be overwhelming from a number of nations in the same way that Finland was supported last year, as it's just not as accessible.

I guess the thing it has on its side is that it is memorable, but will it be memorable for the right reasons to make general John/Jane want to spend their money and vote for it?

Don't know but general John/Jane wouldn't have voted for Rob or KEiiNO for sure. Rob was waaaaaaay too gimmicky and when I watched It live I saw Erika herself was uncomfortable singing It, tbh. KEiiNO? Sure they have some diehard fans, but the most of the fandom was underwhelmed by their attempt this year. I remember when Monument lost to Fallen Angel there was and uproar of angry fans everywere online, this year nobody seems to complain they lost to Gåte, because their song was simply not as loved as Monument was. And I tend to agree with them: Monument was miles better.

 

[theditz83]

Don't know but general John/Jane wouldn't have voted for Rob or KEiiNO for sure. Rob was waaaaaaay too gimmicky and when I watched It live I saw Erika herself was uncomfortable singing It, tbh. KEiiNO? Sure they have some diehard fans, but the most of the fandom was underwhelmed by their attempt this year. I remember when Monument lost to Fallen Angel there was and uproar of angry fans everywere online, this here nobody seems to complain they lost to Gåte, because their song was Simply not as loved as Monument was.

I never brought the other two acts into this conversation - was merely looking at Gåte in isolation. I don't disagree with you, they would all have been "marmite" entries, but it's what makes this song contest so interesting.

I just son't believe the public support levels for Ulveham will launch them to the top of the leaderboard. But we shall all find out together in May

 

[Citelis]

Cannot share the excitement but it's good. Maybe an from me.

 

[Neo]

.. from me. Right up my alley with heavy and ethnic. I'm also taken with Gunhild's performance.

A very good MGP this. One of the best IMO.

 

[Malagant]

I have needed some time to assemble my thoughts after our MGP-final last night.

Let me first say congrats to Gåte! Even if it was nowhere near my personal favourite. Gåte are very talented and I have enjoyed their Norwegian folk-rock for many years. They have an energy during their performances which is almost unique in Norwegian music and they are great ambassadors of Norwegian folk (music and history).

So why am I only lukewarm to “Ulveham”? Well, it’s an ok song very well performed just that I have heard much better from Gåte before, f.ex. the brilliant dark and melodic “Svarteboka” from their latest album. “Ulevham” is 20% melody and 80% performance and energy and I want more melody. That said, I give it 7p since it is decent and professionally performed and it gives a piece of Norwegian folk-culture which is always valuable in MGP (last time we had a Norwegian MGP-song in folk-genre performed in Norwegian was, I think, the much underrated “Alvedansen” in 2006 ).

I did have other favourites last night. Margaret Berger with the quality-song of the final (a sister-song to “I Feed You My Love” which for unexplained reasons in my mind was totally underrated) and Gothminister with the fun-meets-entertainment-meets catchiness song of the final (catchy as hell, tells a dark story brilliantly on stage, is different but would, I am sure, have been a crowd-pleaser in Malmö).

And that leaves KEiiNO. I have been a huge KEiiNO-fan for years, believe their ‘Monument’ should have been the Norwegian MGP-entry some years ago, and admire the group. However, this was a below-par entry for them in my opinion. It was not bad per se but a very average entry and we know they can do much better. It was KEiiNO meets 90s bubblegum-pop and while I can enjoy both those genres I thought mixing them in this way was a bit cheap and disappointing. And so I was not that disappointed that they did not win last night (the paradox is that they probably would have won had the voting been 50/50 between juries and televotes as in earlier years).

So my points here for these songs would have been:

Margaret Berger 10p
Gothminister 10p
Gåte 7p
KEiiNO 5p

I enjoyed the MGP-final though and it was fun to see the ever talented Carola have a fun appearance.

What chances Gåte have in ESC is hard to say. I see some reviewers believe this song will do somewhat better with juries than our former more televote-appealing entries while others (some also here) are uncertain if juries will give it many points. This is not a crowd-pleaser per se I think but will have its fans among viewers who wish for some authenticity and culture same as some other non-mainstream songs in ESC have had. Main thing is to get into the final and I think it should be good enough to manage that and then we shall see.

Best of luck in Malmö in May, Gåte! Give it your all for Norway!

 

[Yoozek]

The pool says it all. It's also my first 12 this season.

Didn't pay attention to this one when they released it but damn, that SF performance blew me away.

Poor Keiino tho. They knew they had 2 things to do:
- make the girl slay 80% of the song on her own
- do something with that plastic dude so he sings less. Gave him some fake instrument. Brilliant

 

[Laepo1]

oh wow, i love this. my favorite entry up to now. i do hope it qualifies.

is there any video with their Final's performance?

 

[gigi_copp3]

This is sooooo good. A really unique entry, but it sounds damn good. And it sounds really Norwegian. This might be the new Go_A

 

[Journalist]

A good winner, not quite my #1 favorite in the final, but solid. I think that KEiiNO needs to change their tactics - once they managed to win the audience in this way - they're still great, but something needs to be changed. 8 pts for Ulveham.

 

[crashworld]

Love that people are enjoying this and Norway sending something in their native language. But not for me, sorry.
Giving a generous .

 

[HarryUK]

That was an awful lot closer than I thought it would be! I thought Gåte would landslide.

Proud of KEiiNO for delivering another stellar performance and winning the jury vote!!!

 

[Israeliboy]

Sorry, 0pt

 

[pjelacki]

yessss first banger of the season for me

 

[lasse braun]

 

[NemesisNick]

I've made a video review of the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix 2024 Final, which took place on Saturday 3 February 2024. I watched Norwegian MGP 2024 Final live, online from the UK, that evening. This video includes my opinions of all nine finalist songs, in order of performance, in the MGP 2024 Final.

Nemesis Nick Talks Eurovision: MGP 2024 Final Review

 

[jatojo]

A good winner, not quite my #1 favorite in the final, but solid. I think that KEiiNO needs to change their tactics

It's hard to say what they should do differently. They made a song that was more serious than 'Spirit In The Sky'. That didn't give them another trip to Eurovision. Then they tried with a song that was less serious than 'Spirit In The Sky'. That didn't produce a win either.

Personally, I think Keiino went a step too far in creating an Aqua-like song. Alexandra's voice should be used for more 'advanced' stuff than that.

 

[aef]

I mean KEiiNO came 2nd and that by only 5 points. So it’s not right if people are now acting as if they totally underperformed. Becoming first or second with such a small margin is basically pure luck.

 

[jatojo]

The musical inspiration for Ulveham: a so-called lokk sung by a woman born 150 years ago. Identical to the intro of Ulveham:

Lokk Av Marit Jensen Lillebuen

Provided to YouTube by The Orchard EnterprisesLokk Av Marit Jensen Lillebuen · Marit Jensen LillebuenHildring - Anders Buen Til Minne℗ 2012 Buen Kulturverkst...

youtu.be

 

[shameless]

The show is bombastic but the song feels like nothing special at all, feels like I heard it about dozens of times over the years but given its Norway I am sure it will do well with the voters regardless.