Cute brother also cheers on the masked duo. – It would have been fun if it turned out that it was me, says one of the artists who is tipped to be a member of the final favorite.
Tonight, Subwoolfer is the penultimate name in the Melodi Grand Prix final, with the song “Give That Wolf A Banana”.
The duo consisting of “Jim” and “Keith” – with “DJ Astronaut” in the back – are clear odds favorites.
Coolbet and Betsson give players only 1.65 times the bet if Subwoolfer wins the final, Norsk Tipping gives 1.60, while Unibet are even more tricky with odds of 1.20. The number two is Elsie Bay, which is last in the final and has odds of 4.75 to 6.0.
Subwoolfer has also pulled the longest straw of the finalists on Spotify.
At the time of writing, “Give That Wolf A Banana” has 544,000 plays, while Elsie Bay’s “Death Of Us” has 457,000. Of the other eight finalists, only two have passed 200,000.
– Will of course not be praised
Torbjörn “Tobbe” Ek in Aftonbladet is one of Sweden’s foremost experts on the Eurovision Song Contest. He also holds Subwoolfer as a clear favorite in the MGP final.
“Subwoolfer – or” Ylvis “, as I intend to call them until proven otherwise – can be Norway’s sharpest contribution to Eurovision since KEiiNO became an audience favorite for incomprehensible reasons, says Ek.
– Subwoolfer is quirky, crazy, weird and confusing, but exactly the way a really cool circus number should be in the European final.
–I feel confident that the dice rolls Norwegian reviewers have given Subwoolfer – 3 in VG2 i Dagbladetas well as both 2, 3 and 5 at NRK itself – is a pointer to how the song will be received.
– This will of course not be praised or get the highest rating from critics. But the audience is the most important thing, and “Give That Wolf A Banana” can definitely be a talking point in Eurovision, without any stunt like the fake romance TIX a little desperately devoted to in Rotterdam, Ek thinks, and states:
– Subwoolfer is the only thing I think will guarantee Norway a place in the Eurovision final.
To this, NRK’s MGP project manager Stig Karlsen replies:
– The nice thing about MGP is that it is the people who cast their votes and decide the result.
Like many others, Ek has noted similarities between “Give That Wolf A Banana” and the Ylvis brothers’ global hit “The Fox” from 2013.
Consequently, Bård and Vegard Ylvisåker are suspected of being behind the Subwoolfer masks.
VG has been in contact with the Norwegian hitmakers in Stargate, who produced “The Fox”, with questions about whether they have anything to do with Subwoolfer. They refer to Ylvis.
– Ylvis will neither confirm nor deny that it is them, says Ylvis manager Jørgen Thue.
Refuse
However, the most talked about artist names in the Subwoolfer talk show are two former MGP contestants.
Several centrally located industry people tell VG that these are the ones in question.
One is British Ben Adams from the boy band A1, a certified Norwegian friend with a Norwegian wife and residence.
–He has had “mask suspicion” against him before: Several, including judge Rita Ora, thought it was Adams who hid behind the Viking outfit in the British response to “Maskorama”. (It was Morten Harket. A1 had a hit in 2000 with a cover version of a-has “Take On Me” where Adams sang the most demanding vocal parts.)
Adams is a co-author of an MGP contribution that reached the semi-finals – but signed up Twitter in January that he had TWO favorites in this year’s competition.
– The other favorite is obviously Christian, Adams explains to VG. He is aiming for A1 colleague Christian Ingebrigtsen, who will present his own song in the MGP final.
Adams says he has noticed that his name often appears for Subwoolfer purposes.
– The concept is exact my kind of humor, so it’s a little sad for me to have to tell you that it’s not me.
Agree that he looks like
The other name that is repeated is Gaute Ormåsen. According to Ben Adams, he and Ormåsen know each other via Christian Ingebrigtsen.
Ormåsen, who broke through in “Idol” in 2003, says that he thinks it is funny that the speculation revolves around himself.
– It would have been fun if it turned out that it was me. But unfortunately that’s not it … I think, that is.
–He also says that it is most likely Ylvis who is “behind”.
– Many point out that the voice you hear first in the Subwoolfer song is very similar to yours?
– There I agree a bit, in fact. It’s a bit similar, so I understand that many people think it’s me.
– What do you want to say to everyone who thinks you are part of Subwoolfer?
– I hope they are right! It would have been a joy, but the thing is that I have really promised myself never to compete in live TV singing competitions again. I do not have the nerves for it anymore.
The record company: Do not secure yourself
Universal Music, the largest record company, seems to have invested considerable resources in the launch of Subwoolfer, which they are releasing.
Not least, they are active in social media, where Subwoolfer shows off famous friends.
– It has been important for us that we get to show Subwoolfer’s universe and history in the right way, also visually, says artist and repertoire manager Marie Komissar in Universal.
– How long do you intend to try to keep the subwoolfer’s identity secret?
– We are certainly not sure of their own identity, but see there are many exciting proposals online.
– If they win the MGP, and their identity is not revealed then, is the plan to try to keep them anonymous throughout the ESC?
– It’s up to Keith and Jim.
–These perform in tonight’s finale, in this order and with these songs:
“Hammer Of Thor” – Oda Gondrosen
«Someone» – NorthKid
«Queen Bees» – Anna-Lisa Kumoji
«Dangerous» – Farida
«Made Of Glass» – Sofie Fjellvang
«Black Flowers» – Frode
«Wonder Of The World» – Christian Ingebrigtsen
«Fly» – Maria Mohn
«Give That Wolf A Banana» – Subwoolfer
«Death Of Us» – Elsie Bay
–
