KEiiNO

AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Song of 2024

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or 10th annual monstas if you will, of 2024.

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SONG OF THE MONTH: Damdiggida by KEiiNO (January 2024)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

We’ve heard all 18 songs vying to represent Norway at the 68th Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden in May and this is the 1 we couldn’t get out of our head on 1st listen.

  • Read on for reasons including how this leans into a novelty Aqua/Little Big sound
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GIG REVIEW: KEiiNO, Michael Rice, Laurell & Ari Olafsson at Heaven

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN?: Saturday April 15 2023

KEiiNO SETLIST: Unbreakable; Dancing In The Smoke; Would I Lie?; Praying; Mother Of The Night; Shallow; Joik solo; Nights Of Thunder; I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me); Colours; Black Leather; On A Night Like This; Monument; the Sun Always Shines On TV; Spirit In The Sky

KEiiNO may only have won the 2019 Eurovision Song Contest televote rather than the event outright but it’s testament to the band’s popularity that nearly 4 years later they can almost fill this prestigious nightclub venue in the heart of London.

  • Read on for reasons including how support acts Ari Olafsson, Laurell and Michael Rice made this a gig to remember
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PREVIEW: Second Cherry 2021 starring Charlotte Perrelli, KEiiNO and La Rappresentante di Lista

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: Friday 8 October 2021

WHERE?: Royal Vauxhall Tavern, London

Eurovision winner Charlotte Perrelli could only finish 8th in 2021’s Melodifestivalen but she is our pick of the bunch to win next month’s coveted Second Cherry.

  • Read on for reasons including KEiiNO, La Rappresentate di Lista and Suured tüdrukud
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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our best song of 2021 so far

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

We awarded 14 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2020 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2021 so far and what’s to come. Previous winners in this category are 2020 Redemption by Hurts, 2019: C U Next Tuesday by Shakespears Sister, 2018: Make Me Feel by Janelle Monae , 2017: New Rules by Dua Lipa, 2016: Can’t Stop The Feeling by Justin Timberlake, 2015: Goodbye To Yesterday by Elina Born and Stig Rästa

  • Read on for our top 8 best songs of 2021 so far and how to see each act live
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PREDICTIONS: Melodi Grand Prix finalen starring KEiiNO, Raylee & TIX

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WHEN?: Saturday 20 February 2021

WHERE?: H3 Arena, Fornebu, Oslo

HOW TO WATCH?: NRK link

Sweden’s Melodifestivalen may be the average Eurovision fan’s favourite national pre-selection show but the quality on display in Norway’s 2021 Melodi Grand Prix means it is fast following in the must-see footsteps of its rival.

* Read on for reasons including who we think will win and how each song would do at Eurovision

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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for February 2021 starring Lucy Spraggan

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Lucy Spraggan releases new album

Spraggan won our gig of the year monsta in 2020 and we said then: ‘Her warmth and empathy really shine bright in the guitar-based, folk-influenced material that she writes and performs.’ Her 6th album Choices is released 26/2/21 and includes Sober, a song of the month for us in November. Tickets were on sale for an April tour which has now been cancelled because of Covid-19 but you can watch that gig of the year. Details

  • Read on for reasons including the return of KEiiNO, Melodifestivalen 2021 and Deutschland ’89

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SONG OF THE WEEK: Monument by KEiiNO (week beginning 16/1/21)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

OUT: 15/1/21

Eurovision 2021 is already shaping up to be a song contest like no other and with Norway’s selection show Melodi Grand Prix kicking off tonight the 20/2/21 final will feature 2019 entrants KEiiNO.

  • Read on for reasons including why you should check out KEiiNO’s fine debut album

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AWARDS: MONSTAS: Our Best Album of 2020 so far

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

We awarded 14 monstas for the best pop, theatre, TV and film of 2019 in December – and here we look at the cream of 2020 so far and what’s to come. Florence and The Machine’s How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful, Lady Gaga’s Joanne, Lorde’s Melodrama, Saara Aalto’s Wild, Wild Wonderland and Sigrid’s Sucker Punch are previous winners in this category.

  • Read on for our top 5 best albums of 2020 so far and our hopes for the next three months

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ALBUM OF THE MONTH: Okta by KEiiNO (May 2020)

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

OUT: now

TRACKLIST: Take Me Home; Black Leather; Would I Lie To You?; Spirit In The Sky; Dancing In The Smoke; Roar Like A Lion; Praying; Colours; Louder; Bed With The Wolf

A year ago in Tel Aviv Norwegian trio KEiiNO won the Eurovision Song Contest televote eventually finishing sixth overall with our favourite song of that year’s competition, the soaraway pop smash Spirit In The Sky.

  • Read on for reasons including our thoughts on this album’s four new tracks

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