40 years have passed since Dollie de Luxe, consisting of Benedicte Adrian (60) and Ingrid Bjørnov (60), sang “Long live life” in the international “Eurovision” final in Luxemburg.
– Like watching yourself die!
Now Adrian is again ready for the MGP, the fifth participation in a row. Also this time as part of a duo.
– I’m on home turf here. I love working in duos. So for me it’s a bit of a feeling of coming home actually, the artist tells Se og Hør during the rehearsals ahead of Saturday’s semi-final.
Even before the second dolphin final in MGP, demonstrators have gathered outside NRK at Marienlyst. Video: Edward Stenlund / Dagbladet TV. view more
Heavy time
Adrian is a familiar face to many. Not only has she participated in MGP a total of four times (five including this year’s participation), she has also been seen as a judge in Idol and as a participant in “Stjernekamp” on NRK.
DOLLIE DE LUXE: Benedicte Adrian won the MGP in 1984 together with Ingrid Bjørov. Photo: OLE CH THOMASSEN/Dagbladet / ALL OVER PRESS Show more
However, the latter competition was the start of a difficult period for the popular artist.
– I started to doubt myself, I doubted my judgement, I doubted my song choices, I doubted the way I prepared. So I took a deep dive and thought: “I have to find this out, I have to get to know myself better, with my voice”.
In grief: – The loss will be great
Adrian says frankly that she gets sick from not being able to sing the music she likes. That difficult time turned into the book “Learn to sing in 21 days”. She says that a lot of it is about getting your head, thoughts and will.
2013: Adrian was seen as a participant in MGP in 2013 as well, that time with the duo United. Photo: Håkon Eikesdal Show more
– I felt I didn’t know who I was, and that my job had become a place where I was only supposed to make money to be a “people pleaser”. I just felt “this is not going to work, this is not going to work. I have to find out who I am and what I do for a living.”
Towards the end of the first final of the Melodi Grand Prix on Saturday, a protester tried to interrupt the live TV programme. Video: NRK Show more
– Totally fearless
This year, Adrian will be seen on stage together with hard rocker Anders Odden (51), in the fresh duo Mistra. Together they will fight for a place in the final with the song “Waltz of Death”.
The two met at an industry meeting, where they sat next to each other during a dinner.
BACK: Benedicte Adrian is back in MGP, this time as Mistra. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB Show more
– There we talked with passion and emotion about music, and about how we work. Then we found out at a point, when we looked at each other a little seriously, that we had to meet again after this, reveals Adrian, who can also say that the timing was perfect.
In armor:- Completely silly!
– I knew I was totally fearless in music. I wanted to use the music as a therapy for myself. I wanted to use my creativity, my joy, and feel like I was 17 again. Sit at the piano and play music. Experience the good world before all these “smart ice cream” thoughts entered. Before you tried to be clever and smart. Because as I said, it makes me sick. I don’t benefit from that.
– A surplus project
Today, the 60-year-old has singing lessons and conducts a children’s choir. Being part of Mistra is therefore a hobby, for both of them.
MGP: There is one move in particular that Margaret Berger makes before she goes on the MGP stage again. view more
– If I think about it like that, I can manage to do great things there. But if I think: “What we make is going to be big”, then it becomes a paralyzing thought. It doesn’t do any good, so I push that thought away. We’re just having fun.
That is also the reason why the fresh duo is part of the MGP.
NRK denies the wild rumor
– Yes, because it’s fun! I want to see how Anders looks here. We want to get to know each other through this process. See if we can handle it.
That does not mean that the duo takes it lightly, she adds in conclusion.
RUMOR STORM: On Saturday 13 January, among others, Margaret Berger and Myra will perform in the first dolphin final in MGP. A total of 18 artists are fighting for a place in the final in the Trondheim spectrum, but speculation is rife: Are we waiting for more “guests”? Just after this year’s artist release, the speculation started Show more
– We probably practice more than all the others – I think we do. But the very spirit, our motivation, is to have fun. We want to challenge each other, find meaning. If we don’t find it, I think we’ll stop in 15 minutes, then we’ll be done. Then it is pointless to continue. What we are doing now is a surplus project.
ALSO READ: – Don’t give up