The last of three Semifinals for Melodi Grand Prix will be held on Saturday in Florø.  The eyes of the nation will be on this small town in western Norway, where eight songs will compete for one of only three spots in the final (although one wildcard pick is still to play for).  Let’s take a quick look at this week’s candidates, shall we?

• Tooji – “Stay“
• Marthe Valle – “Si“
• Bobby Bare & Petter Øien – “Things Change“
• Yaseen & Julie Maria – “Sammen“
• Håvard Lothe Band – “The Greatest Day“
• Silya Nymoen – “Euphoria“
• The Canoes – “Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time“
• Lise Karlsnes – “Sailors“

This semifinal, in particular, has an interesting balance between fresh faces and veteran talent.  Yaseen and Julie Maria are only in their teens (barely old enough to compete in Eurovision itself!), but their entry, “Sammen”, carries a heavy emotional burden; it was written in response to the tragic attacks in Oslo and Utøya Island that occurred this past July.  Tooji is an Iranian-born former MTV presenter, and one of the song’s co-writers is the composer behind Eric Saade’s “Manboy” and Danny Saucedo’s “In the Club“.  Not a bad Melodifestivalen pedigree…

On the other end of the experience spectrum, we have Bobby Bare, who is collaborating with Petter Øien on “Things Change”.  Bare, a 76-year-old Ohio native, has been a mainstay on the Country scene since his first single, released in 1959.  (So, if you’re keeping tally, he released his first song the year that Teddy Scholten won the ESC with “Een Beetje“.  Dang.)

And if one of the voices behind The Canoe’s “Seemed Like a Good Idea At the Time” sounds familiar, you might be recognizing the voice of Chris Barron, the lead singer of the Spin Doctors. (No mix of early-90’s pop-rock is complete without “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong” or “Two Princes“, if you ask me!)

Who stands out for you this round?  Leave a comment, and let me know what you think!