Road To Malmö: Norway
We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Norway.
Gåte
Gåte is a celebrated Norwegian folk rock band that began its journey in spring 1999 when siblings Gunnhild Sundli and Sveinung Sundli performed in Trondheim. This early gig set the stage for their collaboration with Magnus Børmark, Halvor Hoem, Martin Langlie, and later Gjermund Landrø. They released their first EP shortly after, featuring tracks like the lullaby “Byssan Lull” and the hymn “Eg veit i himmelrik ei borg.”
The band enjoyed substantial success from 2002 to 2005, highlighted by their debut album “Jygri,” which sold 40,000 copies and earned them a Spellemann Award as “newcomer of the year.” Their performance at by:Larm in Kristiansand and various award nominations marked their prominence in Norway’s music scene. However, they disbanded in 2005.
Gåte reunited occasionally from 2005 to 2017, performing live and releasing a live album and DVD. In 2017, they officially reformed, adding new members and collaborating with folk musician Knut Buen, producing new EPs and albums that embraced traditional Norwegian folk music.
In 2023, they embarked on their largest tour across Norway and Denmark, and won Melodi Grand Prix 2024 with “Ulveham.” Gåte is set to represent Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö.
Norsk Melodi Grand Prix
Already from the first moment on, the Norwegian entry has been chosen through Melodi Grand Prix. Only in 1991 the contest was cancelled and the group Just 4 Fun was chosen to represent the country. This year, 3 semifinals with 6 songs each were held. Half of the songs from each semifinal went to the final. The final contained a total of 9 songs. Familiar names in the field of Eurovision were Margaret Berger, Keiino and Benedicte Adrian (former Dollie Deluxe, now Mistra). While Keiino won the jury vote, Gåte was the favourite of the televote and the overall winner.
Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest
The first time Norway participated in the Eurovision Song Contest was in 1960. It was a long and thorny path (said 1986 host Åse Kleveland) to the first victory. It happened in 1985 when Bobbysocks won with “La det swinge”. Ten years later Secret Garden took the trophy home with “Nocturne”. The 3rd victory came in 2009, when Alexander Rybak won with “Fairytale”. But let’s not forget the forementioned Åse Kleveland, who was 3rd back in 1966. And what to think about Elisabeth Andreassen, member of Bobbysocks but also 2nd in 1996 as a solosinger?
Alexander Rybak, EBU/Thomas Hanses
The Bookmakers
Currently, Norway is in 6th place in the odds to qualify from the 2nd semifinal. In the odds to win the contest, the country is 15th. So the chances that Norway will make it to the final are high!
The song
And this is the song:
Malta: Malta’s broadcaster PBS has announced it will hold a national selection for Eurovision 2026. The Malta Eurovision Song Contest (MESC) will be held to choose Malta’s entry (Eurovoix). 
Austria: Austria is looking to organize a televised national final to pick its 2026 act. According to Kleine Zeitung, an ORF spokesperson stated that the 2026 representative will not be chosen internally, paving the way for Austria’s first public selection since 2016 (Kleine Zeitung). 
Spain: Spain has opened song submissions for Benidorm Fest 2026, its national selection event. RTVE (the Spanish broadcaster) began accepting entries on June 5, 2025 (Eurovoix, June 5, 2025). Spanish artists and songwriters have the chance to submit songs for Eurovision 2026. 
Italy: Italy’s famous Festival di Sanremo 2026 has confirmed its dates. The festival will take place from February 24 to 28, 2026, slightly later than usual to avoid overlapping with the Winter Olympics (Quotidiano.net, June 2025). These dates were announced to ensure Sanremo – which often determines Italy’s Eurovision act – does not conflict with other major events. Each of these developments shows how countries are gearing up early for Eurovision 2026. With more participants confirmed, host city bids in progress, and national finals being planned, the road to Eurovision 2026 is already taking shape. We all can look forward to further updates in the coming weeks as Europe prepares for another exciting song contest season. We will keep you updated next week with another weekly update. Share