In just over a month’s time, on 28 February, Melodi Grand Prix 2026 is set to take off at Håkons Hall in Lillehammer. Having been chosen as the Norwegian national selection year after year since 1960, the contest will be returning with a slate of nine acts: eight automatic qualifiers, joined by the winner of the MGP Cup, which was conducted via radio duels in the programme Nitimen on the NRK P1 station, to take the 9th ticket to the final. This edition of MGP will be hosted this year by Ronny Brede Aase, Markus Neby, and Marte Stokstad. The victor of this edition will be following “Lighter” by Kyle Alessandro, who won the contest and got 18th place overall at Eurovision.
Winners of MGP have given the world a comfortably broad array of Norwegian musical entries, and an even wider variety of results at the Eurovision Song Contest. Six decades of competing sought for Norway three victories, ten last places, and a reputation for being fearlessly unorthodox in their approach. Below is the list of competitors, all vying to be the next to carry the tradition.
Alexander Rybak is back. A household name in European folk-pop music circles and the iconic singer of the winning song “Fairytale” in 2009, Rybak will be trying to win MGP for the third time in a row with the song “Rise.” Having already previously returned in Eurovision 2018 with 15th place entry “That’s How You Write A Song”, he is one of the most seasoned and experienced performers Norway has to offer.
Making her MGP debut is Hedda Mae, who rose to the spotlight in the 2020’s with a bright pop sound. Having released an album alongside a number of EP’s and singles, fans of hers will be delighted to hear her entry, “Snap Back”, determined to leave her imprint on the show.
Jonas Lovv is a familiar name for those who watched The Voice Norway, where this act made his first TV appearance. Also having been active on streaming services since 2020 with a mostly Norwegian-language catalog, he will be competing with the song “YA YA YA” on the night of the final.
Hailing originally from the Philippines, Leonardo Amor will take the stage with the title “Prayer”. Casual viewers may also recognize him as a The Voice Norway alumnus, and fans of Eurovision national selections may remember him as the singer of “Calling For You”, which he performed on his attempt to compete on behalf of San Marino in San Marino Song Contest 2025.
Mileo was recently a competitor in MGP, having last been an entrant in 2024 with the spooky and sweet song “You’re Mine”, which was eliminated in its heat. This time around, he will be performing the curiously named “Frankenstein”, it’s looking like Mileo is seeking to reignite the stage with grand theatrics and bold charisma.
“Forevermore” is the song that will be performed by soloist Silke, which will mark her first independent MGP entry, having previously accompanied JONE in MGP 2023 with the trad-electric dance number “Ekko inni meg”. Taking it upon herself to lighten the evening and challenge Norway to choose an entry with hope and optimism, Silke has a chance to make her sound known around the world.
Bringing “Lullaby” to the competition, Storm is the youngest entrant in the lineup, having a passion for music and a hefty online presence with his TikTok fanbase. Widening his reputation in the professional music spheres of Norway and beyond, Lullaby promises to be magnetic as a song and even challenging to the notion that anyone is too young for greatness.
Sister to the Norwegian twins and musical duo (who represented Sweden in 2024) Marcus and Martinus, we have emma. Competing on TV before as a voice in The Masked Singer Norway, she is taking the chance to enchant viewers and fans with her entry, “Northern Lights”. Having beefed up her musical career with millions of fans across her social platforms, emma plans to bring a sense of fantasy and timelessness to the show.
Eight acts competed in MGP Cup, the wildcard round that determined the 9th final spot, which was won on 27 February by Skrellex. Those who have watched the 2023 edition of the show may remember her entry “Love Again”, which is followed three years later with the dynamic dark horse “Into The Wild”. Bringing class and performance savvy, it may be time for her to cause Norway to feel a little more unrestrained.
Whose song do you think is the best? Give them a listen! Who deserves to win MGP 2026? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!