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Norway's progressive folk-rock band G氓te will represent the country at the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest following their victory in the Melodi Grand Prix. For the first time in many years, Norway鈥檚 entry will be in Norwegian.

Yes, it's that time of the year again! Held since 1956, the annual event sees Europe gets together and celebrate all things pop music. Famous for its extravagent performances, Eurovision is one of those love-it or hate-it events.

So, why is that time of the year here when it doesn鈥檛 happen until May? Because countries are busy selecting their artist and song for the contest, Norway included. And at this year鈥檚 Melodi Grand Prix, Norway sprung a surprise on Europe.

Eurovision 2024: Ulveham By G氓te

Let鈥檚 get straight to it and introduce the song that will represent Norway at Eurovision 2024. The big surprise here is that it鈥檚 in the country鈥檚 native language, a relatively rare thing at modern Eurovision where English lyrics dominate.

The song draws inspiration from a medieval ballad and, similar to other historical tales, conveys a moral lesson. It narrates the tale of a young maiden facing numerous injustices. Here is 鈥淯lveham鈥� by G氓te:

Despite the challenges, she remains steadfast in her commitment to justice and virtue. Through her unwavering dedication to these principles, she overcomes malevolent forces and lifts the curse that had been cast upon her.

‘Ulveham' was written by Gunnhild Sundli, Jon Even Sch盲rer, Magnus B酶rmark, Marit Jensen Lillebuen, Ronny Graff Janssen, and Sveinung Eklo Sundli.

The win surprised many Eurovision watchers across Europe, who had expected KEiiNO to make a return to the big stage. Despite winning the international jury vote, KEiiNO fell short in the Norwegian public vote, which had a heavier weighting.

Introducing G氓te

Established in Trondheim in 1999, G氓te is far from a typical Eurovision band. Known for melding Norwegian folk music with elements of metal and electronica, G氓te鈥檚 music is perhaps best summed up as 鈥榩rogressive folk rock.鈥�

The gothic elements to some songs together with strong female vocals from Gunnhild Sundli often see some fans of Evanescence drawn to G氓te, but the two bands are very different.

G氓te use classical instruments such as violins together with guitars and drums, and are known for rearranging old Norwegian folk tales. Many of their songs are written in Nynorsk and sung in the Tr酶ndersk dialect of central Norway.

Following their win at MGP, it wasn't certain that G氓te would participate in Eurovision due to their voiced concerns over Isreal. However, the band has since confirmed it does intend to represent Norway in Malm枚 this May.

How Will G氓te Do At Eurovision?

Since their debut in 1960, Norway has participated in Eurovision 61 times. They have won three times, but finished last on 10 occasions. So, how will G氓te do with Ulveham?

It's a common belief amongst casual Eurovision watchers that non-English songs will not do well. But as Eurovision itself has said, at all.

However, most bookmakers give Norway an outside chance of triumphing at Eurovision. At the time of writing, odds of between 20/1 and 25/1 are available. This is sure to change though as a lot of countries are still to declare their song.

Although G氓te may not compete for the hearts of Eurovision fans across Europe, the song may do well with the juries. It's also likely to be one of the more distinctive songs performed at the main event, if it qualifies for the final.

Norway鈥檚 Melodi Grand Prix Explained

MGP plays a crucial role in the Eurovision calendar as it serves as the national selection process for Norway's entry.

Established in 1960, MGP is a music competition organized by the Norwegian broadcaster NRK. It selects the country's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest through a series of heats, semi-finals, and a grand final, with the structure changing often.

Over the years, MGP has been a launching pad for Norwegian artists to gain international recognition.

Are you a fan of G氓te? What do you think of ‘Ulveham'? Let us know in the comments.