Erik Struve Hansen has revealed additional details on the selection of the eight finalists for DMGP 2025, as well as the genres and creation of the songs.
During an interview with Good Evening Europe, Erik Struve Hansen, DR’s manager for Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2025, talked about how the broadcaster selected the eight finalists, his ambitions for Eurovision, and how he handles the mental pressure that comes with participating in a big show like Eurovision. He also added relevant details about the participants, genres, and the creation of the songs for DMGP 2025.
When asked about the songs, Hansen stated that there has been a greater focus on variety and diversity to obtain a good result at Eurovision 2025:
I am super satisfied. We have an absolutely amazing field of songs! I will be proud to take each and every one of them to Switzerland, and believe that every one can get us to the final. We have looked at how we can optimize the songs so that they both do well in Dansk Melodi Grand Prix and have potential in Eurovision.
This year’s artists and songs will be revealed and released at a press conference on February 6, but Hansen has given away some clues. All eight artists and songs have already been selected by DR, and these include a song in Danish, a former Danish Eurovision representative, and a song described as “the biggest ballad”.
Several songs were created at three different songwriting camps with songwriters from Denmark, Sweden and Norway, while others came from the open selection (DR’s upload database). In general, songwriters and producers have a large back catalogue of hits outside of Eurovision, both in Denmark and abroad. Hansen also explained that this year, DR had the first choice of songs, and did not have to settle for entries that were not selected in other countries’ national selections.
Concerning the genres, Hansen explained that DR tried to select both songs that represent classic Eurovision style, and new global genres that have never been included in DMGP before.
The voting model will remain the same as last year, with both public voting and a jury made up of music experts that includes international representatives and Danish Eurovision experts. Ole Tøpholm will be responsible for carefully selecting the jury members.
Eventually, Hansen hopes for a top 10 placement in Eurovision, and dreams of a victory. Nonetheless, he knows that performing on an international stage is not always easy. This is the reason why DR is also focusing on preparing the Danish winner for the mental pressure of Eurovision, with psychological support and press advice.
The final of Melodi Grand Prix 2025 takes place in the Jyske Bank Boxen in Horsens on March 1. The winning song will represent Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel.
Saba represented Denmark at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with “Sand”. She finished 12th in the second semi-final with 12 points, leaving Denmark out of the final for the fourth year in a row.
Image source : Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU | Source: Good evening Europe
Denmark debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957 alongside Austria and the United Kingdom. To date Denmark has won the contest on three occasions, the first being in 1963 when Grethe & Jorgen Ingmann performed “Dansevise”. Denmark won the contest again in 2000 represented by the Olsen Brothers. Their most recent victory came in 2013 when Emmelie de Forest performed “Only Teardrops”. Denmark has not been in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest since 2019.
