Review: “The New Norwegian Megahet”: – We reviewed song after song

This week, former figure skater Helen Olafsen was at the top of the Norwegian Spotify’s number one list.

This is despite the fact that, according to herself, she does not know anything about what it takes to succeed.

It’s a group of six TV2 celebrities, who will compete each week, with each other and with the rest of the Norwegian music industry, to make the country’s next national plague.

And finally, it was Olafsen, along with the mentor Stian Thorbjornsen, who managed to create something that struck a chord in people.

The impending competition for viewers is also fierce, with the show airing at the same time as the biggest television hit in a long time: “Maskorama” on NRK.

Last week, comedian Odd-Magnus Williamson was the one who walked out of the show after declaring his pathetic love for Sylvie Listog. Comedian Oscar Westerlin participated, and tonight she will make her first stage appearance.

“Personal”

Each week, participants are given a theme on which their songs will be based. Last week, the topic was “strong opinions”.

The keyword for this week is: “Personal”.

Honesty in a reliable way can be a shortcut to the hearts of the audience. And what is the artist’s job, other than to talk about personal experiences in a way that society can benefit from?

Perhaps one should expect that openness should be upside for the participants, who are after all shaping their personalities on TV, the red carpet, and social media.

But will they be able to turn openness into good music? Will there be tears, or will the evening be filled with passion and nonsense?

Abu Bakr “Abu” Hussein – “Friendzone” (Guide: Oli Evinrude)

Behind Abu Hass’ wide smile, there is clearly a lot of longing and despair.

Last week, the entertainer criticized that he would sacrifice his children (!) for the receiver on “Hjertet går bang”. This week, Abu is down in the basement because of another girl (or herself?), who’s disappointed because she doesn’t want to give him more than a spoon and good talks.

Although Hussain is a word maker on par with graduating rappers in middle schools across the country, “Hjertet går bang” was performed so persistently that it was hard not to pull off the grinning tape.

Some energy in the reggaeton-influenced “friendzone”, although not nearly as desperate. Perhaps it would have seemed like he wasn’t anonymous if he had shouted out the text this time as well?

Maria Stavang – “Maria Maria” (Teacher: Katastrov)

Comedian Maria Stavang used most of the previous broadcasts on the treadmill as a sort of TV Shop-Gabrielle.

Stavang’s contribution this week is close to K-pop, where the verses and choirs do not hide the fact that they are composed by different producers.

Doesn’t the song’s incoherent structure match what Maria Stavang says about herself between the lines?

“Do you know who I am?” Stavang asks cautiously – though she herself is unsure of the answer. From the song “Maria Maria”, it seems that Stavang himself, to put it mildly, has a flawed image of himself.

With a dim and unfocused look, she tries to paint a picture of herself, until the chorus comes and drowns out evil thoughts.

Einar Nelson – “22” (Guide: Liz Karlsnes)

Last week, Nelson was in a scene that looked like The Weeknd 80s. A harmless song, performed by a slightly uncomfortable solo player, dressed like a retired rocker with a family with young children.

And it’s much the same this week. The song is reminiscent of Björn-Johann Morey’s “Yes man”, until the bridge comes, which almost stole the little melodic signature from The Kid LAORI and “STAY” by Justin Bieber.

Nelson also writes better logical texts than others. Its appearance is also harmless and surprisingly cute. Unlike other TV personalities, one is convinced that he has almost pure motives for appearing on screen. very happy!

No one will get hurt by the number “22”, but unfortunately no one wants to be carried either.

But what do I know about what happens when the class union party is over, the glasses are empty and the nostalgia is loose!

Plus a motorbike on stage.

Oscar Westerlin – “Harryhandel hallelujah” (Guide: Myra)

The song “Harryhandel hallelujah” comes off the assembly line at the Staysman factory.

I’m no tech savvy, but now should it be possible to program an AI that can handle the production of what the Spellemann Prize now calls “party music”? Not much of Mira is lit from here.

Westerlin enters the TV screen directly from Tiktok. The Wikipedia article describes what he does as “mental humor” – something that awarded him the Vixen Influencer Award.

In “Harryhandel hallelujah,” Westerlin looks like a foreigner trying to make himself his equal in suburban Norway, with visions of Harry never exceeding the perfectly ordinary things the average person would think of when driving across the border in search of cheap food.

Next time, Westerlin will likely look elsewhere than Gaute Grøtta Grav’s “Crispbread” for inspiration. The text is actually nothing more than a summary of the tasks.

I don’t know anything about Westerlin, but I’ve never really felt anything from reading, say, a shopping list.

Caroline Berg Eriksen – “It’s Not Easy Being A Woman On Instagram” (Guide: Daniel Kavaman)

Since Fotballfrue is in control of its own brand, and has a flair for how followers will respond to its own behavior, it should be well prepared for this week’s topic.

Last week, the soccer lady threw a demo anthem for “girl boss,” in which she asserted that she’s self-confident, self-mocking, and yes, “doing it herself.”

This week’s song, “It’s Not Easy Being a Woman on Instagram,” sounds like it comes from a fictional 2021 sequel to the kids’ CD “Barbie Hits.”

This is not a bad thing at all.

There’s almost something refreshingly contrasting with blogger Caroline Berg Eriksen’s bright pink expression as she stands on stage in a princess dress and fills the room with a flat, sharp voice.

Self-deprecating humor is perhaps not the most revealing or humiliating (its function should be preserved in the end that its function is not entirely meaningless). But the subjective insight is deep enough that the audience feels like we are being spoken to at eye level.

The level of detail in her daily life photographs makes it seem as if there is nothing but a thin layer of self-irony separating the soccer woman from the abyss. Darkness lies all the time behind the flashy soundscape.

The craftsmanship in the lines of text (“wear a pair of tights”) may not give the Fotballfrue a Spellemann way, but it does give surprising insight into life where the personal brand is in the driver’s seat.

Caroline, are you locked up in your life? Give a tag, or create a concept album that splits the critics, if you need help!

Helen Olafsen – “Swedish Night” (Guide: Kristen Danke)

In recent days, Helen Olafsen’s “Ludvig Daae” has proven to be the only song worthy of success, taking the top spot on Spotify’s Top 50, just above Adele.

Was it a sign that Norwegians secretly love to sing, and Olafsen gives us the cynical distance we need to give our singing style the love it deserves?

Once again, I made a happy ’80s song where the pop music was straightforward—perhaps a logical choice of expression when you only have a few minutes.

It’s been a few years since the union was dissolved, but according to the songs of Olafsen and Westerlin, Sweden makes up a greater part of the Norwegians’ personalities than one might think.

Famous and beloved artists like The Kids and Bryan Adams are nodded here, and while we might not be convinced that Helen Olafsen can “deliver the mystery,” the song has many qualities.

“Swedish Night” is an unabashedly silly song about the taboo that makes us all feel silly – a Norwegian’s deep desire to be somewhat Swedish.