Queentastic is a group of Norwegian drag artists, established in early 2005.
Members Dean Erik Andersen, born in 1971 in Kristiansand, and Geir Lillejord, born in Skien in 1968, both have previous drag experience from their membership in Great Garlic Girls - another Norwegian drag act (two members of which backed Ketil Stokkan's Eurovision Song Contest 1986 entry as dancers. In fact, Dean had previously substituted for Geir (a founder of the group), which marked the beginning of their association. The duo competed as one of 18 acts in the Norwegian selections for Eurovision Song Contest, the Melodi Grand Prix 2006. They had previously presented their weekly show Sex, Drag & Rock 'n' Roll together at the current premium queer nightclub in Norway - the Oslo-based Naken - in company with a third drag queen and designer Cårejånni Enderud. Enderud also designed the duo's costumes for their Melodi Grand Prix performances. The show also toured to Kristiansand and Bergen. Geir has also performed as part of the Ruth & Vigdis duo along with Enderud.
Queentastic's Melodi Grand Prix entry was the Alcazar-inspired disco song Absolutely Fabulous, inspired by the British comedy series with the same name. The song was written by Gerard James Borg and composed by Thomas G:son. The duo qualified to the super final round of MGP and finished third.
In 2007 Queentastic released a song for the Norwegian pride called Drop-Dead Gorgeous also penned by Gerard James Borg and composed by Thomas G:son.
Scandinavian drag artists
Rolf Undsæt Løvland is a Norwegian composer, lyricist, arranger, and pianist. Together with Fionnuala Sherry, he formed the Celtic-Nordic group Secret Garden, in which he was the composer, producer, and keyboardist. He began composing at an early age and grew up studying at the Kristiansand Music Conservatory, later receiving his master's degree from the Norwegian Institute of Music in Oslo.
Geir Rönning is a Norwegian-Finnish professional singer-songwriter from Ålesund. He later moved to the capital Oslo in the 1980s, and later on to Stockholm, Sweden, where he found opportunity to start a musical career. He later moved to Finland, which he represented in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2005. He returned to Norway in 2006 to try unsuccessfully to represent Norway in Eurovision through a joint song with Jorun Erdal. In 2010, he had a comeback trying to represent this time Finland in Eurovision. The same year he also took part in the Swedish Idol 2010, coming seventh. Rönning has also performed multiple times together with well-known Swedish pianist Robert Wells and his international Rhapsody in Rock concept. Rönnings lives in Kauniainen, Finland.
Jorun Irene Erdal is a Norwegian singer and musical theatre artist. Her parents are from Oppstryn in Stryn, in Sogn og Fjordane county, and she has also lived there since age 12. She was raised on Snarøya in Bærum, a suburb of the city of Oslo.
Norway participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006 with the song "Alvedansen" written by Kjetil Fluge, Christine Guldbrandsen and Atle Halstensen. The song was performed by Christine Guldbrandsen. The Norwegian broadcaster Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK) organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix 2006 in order to select the Norwegian entry for the 2006 contest in Athens, Greece. 18 entries competed in the national final that consisted of three semi-finals, a Last Chance round and a final. Eight entries ultimately qualified to compete in the final on 4 February 2006 where the winner was determined over two rounds of public televoting. The top four entries in the first round of voting advanced to the competition's second round—the Gold Final. In the second round of public televoting, "Alvedansen" performed by Christine Guldbrandsen was selected as the winner with 77,568 votes.
"Nocturne" is a song recorded by Irish-Norwegian duo Secret Garden –Fionnuala Sherry and Rolf Løvland– with music composed by Løvland and lyrics written by Petter Skavlan. It represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 1995 held in Dublin, resulting in the country's second win at the contest.
Melodi Grand Prix 2007 was the television show in which the Norwegian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 was chosen.
Norway participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 with the song "Ven a bailar conmigo" written by Thomas G:son. The song was performed by Guri Schanke. The Norwegian broadcaster Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK) organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix 2007 in order to select the Norwegian entry for the 2007 contest in Helsinki, Finland. 18 entries competed in the national final that consisted of three semi-finals, a Last Chance round and a final. Eight entries ultimately qualified to compete in the final on 10 February 2007 where the winner was determined over two rounds of voting. In the first round of voting, a public televote exclusively selected the top four entries to advance to the competition's second round—the Gold Final. In the second round of voting, "Ven a bailar conmigo" performed by Guri Schanke was selected as the winner following the combination of votes from three regional jury groups and a public televote.
"Ven a bailar conmigo" was the Norwegian entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 2007, performed in English and Spanish by Guri Schanke.
Great Garlic Girls is a Norwegian drag group that has performed a number of drag shows since 1981. It was started by Morten Rudå, Olav Klingen, and Simen Sand.
Norway participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999 with the song "Living My Life Without You" written and performed by Stig Andre van Eijk under the artistic name Van Eijk. The Norwegian broadcaster Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK) organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix 1999 in order to select the Norwegian entry for the 1999 contest in Jerusalem, Israel. Eight entries competed in a show that took place on 27 February 1999 and the winner, "Living My Life Without You" performed by Van Eijk, was determined by the votes from a five-member jury panel and a regional televote.
Norway participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 with the song "Hold On Be Strong" written by Mira Craig. The song was performed by Maria Haukaas Storeng. The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix 2008 in order to select the Norwegian entry for the 2008 contest in Belgrade, Serbia. 18 entries competed in the national final that consisted of three semi-finals, a Last Chance round and a final. Eight entries ultimately qualified to compete in the final on 9 February 2008 where the winner was determined over two rounds of voting. In the first round of voting, a public televote exclusively selected the top four entries to advance to the competition's second round—the Gold Final. In the second round of voting, "Hold On Be Strong" performed by Maria Haukaas Storeng was selected as the winner following the combination of votes from three regional jury groups and a public televote.
Norway participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2003 with the song "I'm Not Afraid to Move On" written by Arve Furset and VJ Strøm. The song was performed by Jostein Hasselgård. The Norwegian broadcaster Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK) returned to the Eurovision Song Contest after a one-year absence following their withdrawal in 2002 as one of the bottom six countries in the 2001 contest. NRK organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix 2003 in order to select the Norwegian entry for the 2003 contest in Riga, Latvia. Twelve entries competed in a show that took place on 1 March 2003 and the winner was determined over two rounds of public televoting. The top four entries in the first round of voting advanced to the competition's second round—the Gold Final. In the second round of public televoting, "I'm Not Afraid to Move On" performed by Jostein Hasselgård was selected as the winner with 78,460 votes.
Melodi Grand Prix, the Norwegian selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, began in 1960, the year of Norway's debut in the contest. It has been held almost every year since.
Norway participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 2000 with the song "My Heart Goes Boom" written by Tore Madsen and Morten Henriksen. The song was performed by the group Charmed. The Norwegian broadcaster Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK) organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix 2000 in order to select the Norwegian entry for the 2000 contest in Stockholm, Sweden. Ten entries competed in a show that took place on 4 March 2000 and the winner was determined over two rounds of voting from a five-member jury panel and a regional televote. The top four entries in the first round of voting advanced to the competition's second round—the superfinal. In the second round of voting, "My Heart Goes Boom" performed by Charmed was selected as the winner.
Norway was represented by Elisabeth Andreassen, with the song '"I evighet", at the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 18 May at the Oslo Spektrum, following Secret Garden's victory for Norway in Dublin the previous year. "I evighet" was chosen as the Norwegian entry at the Melodi Grand Prix on 30 March. This was the last of four Eurovision appearances as a main performer by Andreassen, a record shared with Lys Assia, Fud Leclerc, Valentina Monetta and Peter, Sue and Marc.
Norway participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 with the song "San Francisco" written by Tor Endresen and Arne Myksvoll. The song was performed by Tor Endresen. The Norwegian broadcaster Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK) organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix 1997 in order to select the Norwegian entry for the 1997 contest in Dublin, Ireland. Eight entries competed in a show that took place on 8 February 1997 and the winner, "San Francisco" performed by Tor Endresen, was determined by the votes from a six-member jury panel and a public televote.
Norway participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 with the song "Alltid sommer" written by David Eriksen and Linda Andernach Johansen. The song was performed by Lars A. Fredriksen. The Norwegian broadcaster Norsk rikskringkasting (NRK) organised the national final Melodi Grand Prix 1998 in order to select the Norwegian entry for the 1998 contest in Birmingham, United Kingdom. Eight entries competed in a show that took place on 27 February 1999 and the winner, "All I Ever Wanted " performed by Lars A. Fredriksen, was determined by the votes from a six-member jury panel and a regional televote. The song was later translated from English to Norwegian for the Eurovision Song Contest and was titled "Alltid sommer".
Norway was represented by Anita Skorgan, with the song "Casanova", at the 1977 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 7 May in London. "Casanova" was chosen as the Norwegian entry at the Melodi Grand Prix on 28 February. This was the first of three Eurovision appearances for Skorgan.
Norway was represented by duo Dollie de Luxe, with the song "Lenge leve livet" at the 1984 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 5 May in Luxembourg City. "Lenge leve livet" was chosen as the Norwegian entry at the Melodi Grand Prix on 7 April.
Norway was represented by Grethe Kausland and Benny Borg, with the song "Småting", at the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 25 March in Edinburgh. "Småting" was chosen as the Norwegian entry at the Melodi Grand Prix on 19 February.