No country has hit Eurovision’s heights and valleys quite in the way that Norway has.  They’ve won three times, including the most resounding victory in ESC history (with 2009’s “Fairytale”), but they’ve also come in last place a staggering eleven times, including last year’s “Stay”.  After a trio of 7-song Semifinals gave us three songs apiece, and the jury over at NRK picked a wildcard qualifier, we’ll see ten acts taking the stage in Oslo’s Spektrum Arena this Saturday.

The acts range in style from rockabilly to folk to party rock to a metal/opera mashup, with a pair of Norwegian Idol runners-up in the mix.  Let’s take a look at the contenders, shall we?

In their running order, the ten songs are:

1. Vidar Busk – “Paid My Way” Vidar’s released seven albums over the past decade and a half, mostly tending towards the country/blues sound that he’s been performing since the age of 15.
2.  Fjellfolk – “Ulvetuva” This folk-inspired entry is performed in a dialect Norwegian commonly heard in Setesdal, in the south of the country.
3. Adelén – “Bombo” Adelen is the competition’s youngest performer, at only 16 years of age.
4. Gromth feat. Emil Solli-Tangen – “Alone” Emil is the younger brother of Norway’s 2010 representative, Didrik Solli-Tangen.
5. Gaute Ormåsen – “Awake” Gaute was the runner-up in the first season of Norway’s “Idol” series, falling to Kurt Nilsen, eventual winner of “World Idol”.  He came in 4th in the 2010 MGP with his song “Synk eller svøm”, and has four albums to his name.
6. Lucky Lips – “Sweet and Heavy”  This light country-inspired number was this year’s Wild Card pick.
7. Datarock – “The Underground” Formed in the year 2000, Datarock’s music has been heard in video games, television soundtracks, and commercials the world over.  They’ve recorded three EPs and two full-length albums.
8. Annsofi – “I’m With You” Does that fiddle in the background strike a familiar chord?  It should…the song was written and composed by Alexander Rybak.
9. Margaret Berger – “I Feed You My Love” The runner-up from the second season of “Idol”, Margaret later took a job as the musical director of youth-oriented radio station NRK P3.
10. Sirkus Eliassen – “I Love You Te Quiero” These two brothers have been recording together since 2011, and have a few local hits to their name.  It’s uncertain when the dancing rabbits joined in.