Under the theme The Dream Is Alive, Denmark tonight picked it’s participant for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. 10 acts competed in what was a redefined national selection. At the end it was Anti Social Media and their Beatles inspired sound that won the ticket to Vienna.
A total of 687 songs had been received by Danish broadcaster, DR. An internal jury selected seven songs for this national final. An additional three songs were added from wildcards given to the songwriters, making it a total of 10 songs competing to represent Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest.
The songs: (You can read more about the participants in our get to know article)
Song 1. Sara Sukurani – Love Me, Love Me (Wildcard)
Songwriters: Sara Sukurani, Robert Uhlmann, Alexander Papaconstantinou & Arash
Some say bollywood, others will say My Number One volume 2. In fact it sound a bit like that Greek Eurovision winner would sound like had Sertab performed it. It is an unusual sound for the Danish music scene and it is doubtful if this works for the average TV viewer voting tonight.
Sara was dressed in colourfull leggings and a lose t-shirt. Very relaxed, but it really didn’t suit her.
Song nr 2. Tina & René – Mi Amore
Songwriters: Thomas G:son & Henrik Sethsson
Something that do work is song nr 2. Ti Amore is very Nordic in its sound, and it is one you immidiately sing a long to. After about a minute you however realise that this is not the song you are singing. The clear resemblance to In A Moment Like This (Denmark 2010) can not be hidden, but it is still catchy and a strong contender to win.
René was dressed in dark clothes and white shirt and Tina in a beautiful long white dress. Classic Eurovision all the way.
Song 3. Marcel & Soulman Group – Når Veje Krydses (Wildcard)
Songwriters: Marcel Gbelke, Jeanette Christiansen & Bjarne List Nissen
With lots of energy and a funky catchy chorus Marcel and his Soulman Group delivers a very secure performance which certainly will catch the attention of most TV viewers. This has the potential to do very well, but is it enough to win?
Marcel was dressed in black trousers, a white shirt long at the front and blue jacket. A very unusual combination.
Song 4. Cecilie Alexandra – Hotel A
Songwriters: Marcos Ubeda, Bobby Ljunggren & Kristian Lagerström
A really sweet lovely entry, which will bring most people in a good mood. Without sounding like it, it has a certain resemblence to Lena Meyer-Landrut‘s Satelite. This has been the top favourite among fans for a while, but it is strong competition with in particular Anne Gadegaard and question is who of them will steal points from the other one.
Cecilie was dressed in a short red dress without sleeves, but with plenty of sparkling. A pair of matching red high heels and the outfit was complete and very suitable for a lovely young girl.
Song 5. Andy Roda – Love Is Love
Songwriters: Andy Roda & Maria Hammer-Jensen
A pop song which you will have heard many times before. It works for some, while others will find that they are not caught by this. Question is really if this will stand out in this crowd? Andy’s voice is flawless and the stage performance great though.
Andy was dressed dark on dark and the female dancer barefoot and in white, which then makes Andy actually matching her.
Song 6. Julie Bjerre – Tæt På Mine Drømme
Sangskrivere: Lise Cabble, Maria Danielle Andersen & Jacob Glæsner
We continue with a very catchy pop song sung in Danish. It sounds like it was written in the second half of the 1980’s/early 1990’s, but it still works. Julie is extremely secure on stage for an inexperienced 16 year old and surely she is one to watch for the future.
Julie was dressed very releaxed like she just returned home from school. Dark trousers and a short blue jacket.
Song 7. Anti Social Media – The Way You Are
Songwriters: Remee & Chief1
Yet another catchy song, and yet another song with a good possibility of winning. The song makes you think of Beatles and Swedish Andreas Johnson. Absolutely a strong contender delivered by a young boyband that really knows how to make a good performance.
The boys were dressed in black, grey and white. Not identical, but it matches quite well with this song. They have two backing singers in orange dresses which adds the colours the boys are lacking.
Song nr 8. Anne Gadegaard – Suitcase
Songwriters: Mickey Skeel & Magnus Funemyr
A bit of pop and a bit of American country, this is what you get here. It sounds fresh and certainly one that will get some votes. Anne has grown up since she at the age of 11 won the Danish junior final and this now charming young lady will appeal to many.
Anne was dressed in a plain long white skirt and a white short knitted top. Her guitar player is dressed in dark and with a hat that makes you think of the Dutch entry from last year.
Song 9. Babou – Manjana
Songwriters: Thomas Sardorf, Karen Rosenberg, Lasse Lindorf, Daniel Rothmann, Johannes Loeffler & Mathias Zürkler
The third of the song tonight sung in Danish with a line in the chorus in English. This is a fresh pop song written over a well known formular. The song doesn’t appear quite as strong as many of the others, but it is a strong performance and don’t rule out that this might be enough to make a top 5.
Babou was dressed in a long white and green jacket and white trousers. His dancers in similar outfits, but in yellow and white. Relaxed and very much streetwear.
Song 10. World of Girls – Summer Without You (Wildcard)
Songwriters: Daniel Calvin, Rune Braager & Martin Fliegenschmidt
Last of the participants are this 4 piece girl band. The resemblance to Spice Girls in the constellation is clear, and they have also been together after an audition. Stastistically this is the winner of Melodi Grand Prix in Denmark and maybe that will continue this year? It is at least a very catchy song, but you aren’t equally convinced about the voice of each one of them. Fireworks in plenty has been added though.
The four girls were dressed differently, but all four of them in similar pattern shirts. Two of them in hotpants and the others in trousers.
The show:
Tonight’s national final was hosted in Gigantium, Aalborg. This is Denmark’s 4th largest city and located in the North of Jutland. It is the 5th time Aalborg hosts the Danish national final.
For the second time, first time was in 2006, Denmark went for a constellation of two male hosts. Jacob Riising was back from last year, and now he had radio host Esben Bjerre with him.
As opening act we had a small dance performance and as interval act Basim was the star. First he sang his latest single Picture In A Frame together with Aalborg’s Symphony Orchestra. Absolutely a performance to watch afterwards should it be available online. He continued with his winning song from last year, Cliché Love Song, but this time with dancers around him. At the end of the performance the participants from the Danish junior final, which will be held from the same stage as tonight, in a week, joined him. They took over and sang their joined theme song.
The voting:
For this year DR changed the voting procedure. Back was the regional juries who would be awarding points in the Eurovision style 1-7, 8, 10 and 12 points for the 10 songs. The TV viewers could vote once each via sms, and their points would be added up to the same amount of points (290 in total).
The juries consisted of three each featuring some well known names:
Copenhagen: Søren Poppe (Rollo & King, Denmark 2001), Pelle Peter Jensen (DR radio host) and Anna David (singer and former Melodi Grand Prix participant).
Rest of Sealand: Tim Schou (A Friend of London (Denmark 2011), Maria Montell (singer) and Lars Trillingsgård (music boss on DR radio).
South Denmark: Jacob Sveistrup (Denmark 2005), Trine Gadeberg (singer and former participant in Melodi Grand Prix) and Maria Theessink (music manager of Tønder Festival).
Mid-Jutland: Trine Jepsen (Denmark 1999), Claus Visbye (booker of Smukfest) and Jette Torp, singer and former Melodi Grand Prix participant).
North Jutland: Lotte Feder (Denmark 1992), Jan H. Jensen (music responsable at the local radio stadion in Aalborg, ANR and Henrik Milling (radio host).
The points:
| Act | Jury | Televoting |
| Anti Social Media | 48 | 56 |
| Anne Gadegaard | 40 | 58 |
| Julie Bjerre | 38 | 34 |
| Cecilie Alexandra | 18 | 40 |
| Babou | 35 | 22 |
| World of Girls | 34 | 23 |
| Tina & René | 20 | 24 |
| Marcel & Soulman Group | 18 | 25 |
| Andy Roda | 8 | 17 |
| Sara Sukurani | 13 | 8 |
Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest:
A total of three victories since its debut in 1957, that is Denmark’s Eurovision history in short, but in recent years the country has proven to be one of the most succesful countries at the Eurovision Song Contest. In 2004 when we first time had a Eurovision semi-final Denmark failed to qualify for the final, but since then they only missed out in 2007 and out of the past five years they reached top10 four times, and even top5 three times! Impressive numbers from a rather small country.
Denmark’s first victory came in 1963 with Grethe & Jørgen Ingmann‘s Danvise. The country decided to leave the contest after 1966 and it wasn’t until 1978 before they returned. The second victory came quite surprisingly in 2000 with Fly On The Wings Of Love by the Olsen Brothers, but no one was surprised in 2014 when Emmelie de Forest as the big favourite won with Only Teardrops.
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