Norway launches search for 2008 entry

Norwegian broadcaster NRK has announced the launch of its campaign for the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest, with the call for entries for the Melodi Grand Prix 2008.

Entries are welcomed from outside of Norway, in addition, NRK will be inviting songwriters to submit songs and the broadcaster reserves the right to select artists for the selected entries.

Aside from the standard song rules, such as the song having to be 3 minutes or less in length, it is interesting to note that once again the Norwegian national final is open to composers of all nationalities - despite the annual controversy over the number of Swedes in the Norwegian final, with them sometimes even winning, for example in 2007 and 2004.

All entries must be received by NRK by the 1st September 2007. NRK will also once again directly invite some artists and composers, as they did in 2007. As yet there are no dates for the Norwegian national final. Norway will use the 3 semi-final and second chance system, as they have done in 2006 and 2007.

Whoever represents Norway will have to start in the semi final in Belgrade due to Guri Schanke's failure to qualify for the final in Helsinki. For interested songwriters, the form for entry is found in English here.

source:esctoday.com