Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020

Denmark originally planned to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. The Danish broadcaster DR organised the national final Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2020 in order to select the Danish entry for the 2020 contest in Rotterdam, Netherlands. However, due to 2019-20 pandemic of Coronavirus, the contest was cancelled.

Eurovision Song Contest 2020
Country Denmark
National selection
Selection processDansk Melodi Grand Prix 2020
Selection date(s)7 March 2020
Selected entrantBen & Tan
Selected song"Yes"
Selected songwriter(s)Emil Lei
Jimmy Jansson
Linnea Deb
Finals performance
Semi-final resultCancelled
Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest
◄2019 • 2020 • 2021►

Background
Main article: Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest

Prior to the 2020 contest, Denmark had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest forty-eight times since their first entry in 1957.[1] Denmark had won the contest, to this point, on three occasions: in the United Kingdom with the song "Dansevise" performed by Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann, in Sweden with the song "Fly on the Wings of Love" performed by Olsen Brothers, and again in Sweden with the song "Only Teardrops" performed by Emmelie de Forest. In the 2019 contest, "Love Is Forever" performed by Leonora came 12th in the final with 120 points.

The Danish national broadcaster, DR, broadcasts the event within Denmark and organises the selection process for the nation's entry. DR confirmed their intentions to participate at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest on 25 May 2019.[2] Denmark has selected all of their Eurovision entries thus far through the national final Dansk Melodi Grand Prix.

Before Eurovision

Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2020

Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2020 was the 50th edition of Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, the music competition that selects Denmark's entries for the Eurovision Song Contest. The event was held on 7 March 2020 at the Royal Arena in Copenhagen, hosted by Hella Joof and Rasmus Bjerg.[3] The show was televised on DR1 as well as streamed online at the official DR website. For the first time since 1999, a live orchestra was used in the final. The Antonelli Orchestra accompanied each performance in varying capacities.[4]

Format

Nine songs competed in a radio semi-final and were divided into three groups of three songs. The winning song of each group determined exclusively by an online vote via the official DR website qualified to the final. A jury also selected two songs out of the remaining non-qualifying songs to qualify to the final as wildcards. Ten songs consisting of the five semi-final qualifiers alongside five pre-qualified songs competed in the final where the winner was determined over two rounds of voting. In the first round, the top three songs based on the combination of votes from a public vote and a five-member jury panel qualified to the superfinal. In the superfinal, the winner was determined exclusively by a public vote. Viewers were able to vote via SMS or a mobile application specifically designed for the competition. Viewers using the app to cast a vote were provided with one free vote.

The five-member jury panel was composed of:[5]

  • Pelle Peter Jencel – radio host on DR P3
  • Mich Hedin Hansen (Cutfather) – songwriter and music producer
  • Ida Corr – singer
  • Lasse Kramhøft (Pilfinger) – music producer
  • Nicolai Molbech – radio host

Competing entries

DR opened a submission period between 2 October 2019 and 1 November 2019 for artists and composers to submit their entries.[6] The broadcaster received 600 entries during the submission period. A committee of regional DR P4 representatives selected nine songs from the entries submitted to the broadcaster for the semi-final, while an alternative selection committee selected the five pre-qualifying songs. The competing artists and songs for the semi-final and final and were officially presented on 20 January 2020 and 31 January 2020, respectively.

The DR P4 committee was composed of:

Semi-final

Users were able to cast one vote per group between 20 and 24 January 2020 and the song with the most votes of each group advanced to the final. The three qualifiers were "Forget It All" performed by Kenny Duerlund, "Yes" performed by Ben & Tan and "Screens" performed by Sander Sanchez. The two wildcards selected by the DR P4 committee were "Bye Bye Heaven" performed by Jamie Talbot and "Ville ønske jeg havde kendt dig" performed by Emil.

Artist Song Composer(s) Result
Group 1 – Southern Denmark
Jamie Talbot "Bye Bye Heaven" Tom Oehler, Hampus Eurenius, Aron Blom Wildcard
Kenny Duerlund "Forget It All" Henrik Tala, Mila Falls, Patrick Jean, Kenny Duerlund Finalist
Nick Jones "2AM" Jon Hällgren, Lukas Hällgren, Hampus Eurenius, George Keller Eliminated
Group 2 – Eastern Denmark
Samsara "For You" Chief 1, Remee, Kwamie Liv, Sara Amalie Gerup Eliminated
Søren Okholm "Impossible Dreamers" Tobias Stigaard Stenkjær, Peter Jantzen, Nanna Supriya Wedel, Søren Fynbo Okholm Eliminated
Ben & Tan "Yes" Emil Lei, Jimmy Jansson, Linnea Deb Finalist
Group 3 – Northern Denmark
Emil "Ville ønske jeg havde kendt dig" Esben Svane, Emil Vestergaard Klausen, Gavyn Bailey, Tim Schou Wildcard
Sander Sanchez "Screens" Jonas Thander, Liam Craig, Christopher Wortley Finalist
Mielou "We Could Be So Beautiful" Thomas Reil, Jeppe Reil, Bruce R. F. Smith, Eric Lumiere Eliminated

Final

The final took place on 7 March 2020. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the show took place with no live audience being admitted.[7][8][9] In the first round of voting the top three advanced to a superfinal based on the votes of a five-member jury (50%) and a public vote (50%). The three superfinalists were "Yes" performed by Ben & Tan, "Ville ønske jeg havde kendt dig" performed by Emil and "Screens" performed by Sander Sanchez. In the superfinal, the winner, "Yes" performed by Ben & Tan, was selected solely by a public vote.

Final – 7 March 2020
Draw Artist Song Composer(s) Place Result
1 Isam B "Bølger" Babak Vakili, Isam Bachiri, Morten Woods 9 Eliminated
2 Ben & Tan "Yes" Emil Lei, Jimmy Jansson, Linnea Deb 1 Superfinalist
3 Maja & De Sarte Sjæle "Den eneste goth I Vejle" Timo Mastrup-Andersen 4 Eliminated
4 Benjamin Kissi "Faith" Benjamin Kissi, Frederik Tao Nordsøe Schjoldan, Gisli Gislason 7 Eliminated
5 Emil "Ville ønske jeg havde kendt dig" Esben Svane, Emil Vestergaard Klausen, Gavyn Bailey, Tim Schou 2 Superfinalist
6 Sys Bjerre "Honestly" Lasse Lyngbo, Sys Bjerre 6 Eliminated
7 Jamie Talbot "Bye Bye Heaven" Tom Oehler, Hampus Eurenius, Aron Blom 10 Eliminated
8 Sander Sanchez "Screens" Jonas Thander, Liam Craig, Christopher Wortley 3 Superfinalist
9 Kenny Duerlund "Forget It All" Henrik Tala, Mila Falls, Patrick Jean, Kenny Duerlund 5 Eliminated
10 Jasmin Rose feat. RoxorLoops "Human" Erik Smaaland, Gavin Jones, Grace Risch, Lise Cabble 8 Eliminated
Superfinal – 7 March 2020
Draw Artist Song Televote Place
1 Ben & Tan "Yes" 61% 1
2 Emil "Ville ønske jeg havde kendt dig" 19% 3
3 Sander Sanchez "Screens" 20% 2

At Eurovision

According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the host country and the "Big 5" (France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom) are required to qualify from one of two semi-finals in order to compete for the final; the top ten countries from each semi-final progress to the final. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) split up the competing countries into six different pots based on voting patterns from previous contests, with countries with favourable voting histories put into the same pot. On 28 January 2020, a special allocation draw was held which placed each country into one of the two semi-finals, as well as which half of the show they would perform in. Denmark was placed into the second semi-final, to be held on 14 May 2020, and was scheduled to perform in the second half of the show.[10] However, due to 2019-20 coronavirus pandemic, the contest was cancelled.

In the Eurovision Song Celebration YouTube broadcast in place of the heats, it was revealed that the song would have performed 11th, between Switzerland and Albania[11]

References
  1. "Denmark Country Profile". EBU. Retrieved 1 February 2019.
  2. Christou, Costa (25 May 2019). "Denmark: DR confirms Eurovision 2020 participation". escxtra.
  3. Luukela, Sami (20 January 2020). "🇩🇰 First songs for Denmark's Melodi Grand Prix 2020 out". escxtra.
  4. Ten Veen, Renske (18 January 2020). "Denmark: Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2020 reintroduces orchestra to celebrate show's 50th anniversary". wiwibloggs.
  5. "Tidligere X Factor-stjerner vinder Dansk Melodi Grand Prix". sn.dk (in Danish). 7 March 2020. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  6. Jiandani, Sanjay (2 October 2019). "Denmark: DR opens the submission window for DMGP 2020". esctoday.
  7. Ritzau (6 March 2020). "Myndigheder vil aflyse arrangementer med over 1000 mennesker". Berlingske (in Danish). Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  8. Madsen, Maria Christine (6 March 2020). "Coronavirus påvirker Melodi Grand Prix: Spiller i en tom sal". BT (in Danish). Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  9. "Corona: Kommende kampe spilles uden tilskuere". FC Copenhagen (in Danish). 6 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
  10. Groot, Evert (28 January 2020). "Which country performs in which Eurovision 2020 Semi-Final". eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  11. Eurovision Song Contest (14 May 2020). "Part two of Eurovision Song Celebration". Retrieved 3 June 2020.
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