Eurovoix World reports on Song Contest and international music events across the globe, find out more about performances from Denmark.
Eurovision Song Contest
Denmark made their debut in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957, being one of three countries to debut in the second edition of the contest. Denmark has since gone on to win the contest three times, most recently in 2014 represented by Emmelie de Forest.
Denmark’s results are as follows:
- 1957 – Birthe Wilke and Gustav Winckler – “Skibet skal sejle i nat” – 3rd – 10 points
- 1958 – Raquel Rastenni – “Jeg rev et blad ud af min dagbog” – 8th – 3 points
- 1959 – Birthe Wilke – “Uh, jeg ville ønske jeg var dig” – 5th – 12 points
- 1960 – Katy Bødtger – “Det var en yndig tid” – 10th – 4 points
- 1961 – Dario Campetto – “Angelique” – 5th – 12 points
- 1962 – Ellen Winther – “Vuggevise” – 10th – 2 points
- 1963 – Grethe and Jørgen Ingmann – “Dansevise” – 1st – 42 points
- 1964 – Bjørn Tidmand – “Sangen om dig” – 9th – 4 points
- 1965 – Birgit Brüel – “For din skyld” – 7th – 10 points
- 1966 – Ulla Pia – “Stop – mens legen er go‘” – 14th – 4 points
- 1978 – Mabel – “Boom Boom” – 16th – 13 points
- 1979 – Tommy Seebach – “Disco Tango” – 6th – 76 points
- 1980 – Bamses Venner – “Tænker altid på dig” – 14th – 25 points
- 1981 – Tommy Seebach and Debbie Cameron – “Krøller eller ej” – 11th – 41 points
- 1982 – Brixx – “Video-Video” – 17th – 5 points
- 1983 – Gry Johansen – “Kloden drejer” – 17th – 16 points
- 1984 – Hot Eyes – “Det’ lige det” – 4th – 101 points
- 1985 – Hot Eyes – “Sku’ du spørg’ fra no’en” – 11th – 41 points
- 1986 – Lisa Haavik – “Du er fuld af løgn” – 6th – 77 points
- 1987 – Bandjo with Anne-Catherine Herdord – “En lille melodi” – 5th – 83 points
- 1988 – Hot Eyes – “Ka’ du se hva’ jeg sa’” – 3rd – 92 points
- 1989 – Birthe Kjær – “Vi maler byen rød” – 3rd – 111 points
- 1990 – Lonnie Devantier – “Hallo Hallo” – 8th – 64 points
- 1991 – Anders Franden – “Lige der hvor hjertet slår” – 19th – 8 points
- 1992 – Lotte Nillson and Kenny Lübcke – “Alt det som ingen ser” – 12th – 47 points
- 1993 – Seebach Band – “Under stjernerne på himlen” – 22nd – 9 points
- 1995 – Aud Wilken – “Fra Mols til Skagen” – 5th – 92 points
- 1996 – Dorthe Andersen and Martin Loft – “Kun med dig” – 25th in the Semi-Final – 22 points
- 1997 – Kølig Kaj – “Stemmen i mi liv” – 16th – 25 points
- 1999 – Trine Jepsen and Michael Teschl – “This Time I Mean It” – 8th – 71 points
- 2000 – Olsen Brothers – “Fly on the Wings of Love” – 1st – 195 points
- 2001 – Rollo and King – “Never Ever Let You Go” – 2nd – 177 points
- 2002 – Malene – “Tell Me Who You Are” – 24th – 7 points
- 2004 – Tomas Thordarson – “Shame on You” – 13th in the Semi-Final – 56 points
- 2005 – Jakob Sveistrup – “Talking to You” – 9th – 125 points
- 2006 – Sidsel Ben Semmane – “Twist of Love” – 18th – 26 points
- 2007 – DQ – “Drama Queen” – 19th in the Semi-Final – 45 points
- 2008 – Simon Matthew – “All Night Long” – 15th – 60 points
- 2009 – Brinck – “Believe Again” – 13th – 74 points
- 2010 – Chanée and N’evergreen – “In a Moment Like This” – 4th – 149 points
- 2011 – A Friend in London – “New Tomorrow” – 5th – 134 points
- 2012 – Soluna Samay – “Should’ve Known Better” – 23rd – 21 points
- 2013 – Emmelie de Forest – “Only Teardrops” – 1st – 281 points
- 2014 – Basim – “Cliche Love Song” – 9th – 74 points
- 2015 – Anti Social Media – “The Way You Are” – 13th in the Semi-Final – 33 points
- 2016 – Lighthouse X – “Soldiers of Love” – 17th in the Semi-Final – 34 points
- 2017 – Anja – “Where I Am” – 20th – 77 points
- 2018 – Rasmussen – “Higher Ground” – 9th – 226 points
- 2019 – Leonora – “Love Is Forever” – 12th – 120 points
- 2020 – Ben and Ten – “Yes” – Contest cancelled due to COVID-19
- 2012 – Fyr og Falmme – “Øve os på hinanden” – 11th in the Semi-Final – 89 points
- 2022 – Reddi – “The Show” – 13th in the Semi-Final – 55 points
- 2023 – Reiley – “Breaking My Heart” – 14th in the Semi-Final – 6 points
- 2024 – Saba – “Sand” – 12th in the Semi-Final – 36 points
- 2025 – Sissal – “Hallucination” – 23rd – 47 points
Read more about Denmark’s Eurovision history below:
Eurovoice
EuroVoice European Music Contest was a Song Contest held in 2010, aimed at being an alternative to the Eurovision Song Contest. Participating songs were uploaded to the Eurovoice website, with the entries then selected from the submissions to compete in the contest.
Pil represented Denmark in Athens with “Baby Doll“, they finished 14th in the Super Final.
Read more about the contest below:
Free European Song Contest
The Free European Song Contest was organised by the German broadcaster ProSieben in 2020 and 2021. The Free European Song Contest was aired in Germany, Austria and Switzerland with viewers in those three countries voting for their favourites, all other nations were represented by one juror. The songs competing in the contest were selected by ProSieben.
Denmark competed once in the contest in 2020, Kate Hall performed “Reset” she finished last in 16th place with 20 points.
Junior Eurovision Song Contest
The Danish broadcaster DR is credited with the creation of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. Having created MGP Junior in 2000, it was used as Denmark’s selection for MGP Nordic, before the EBU decided to create a children’s alternative to Junior Eurovision in 2003. Denmark hosted the first edition of the contest but subsequently withdrew from the contest in the mid-2000s due to concerns with the format.
- 2003 – Anne Gadegaard – “Arabiens drøm” – 5th – 93 points
- 2004 – Cool Kids – “Pigen er min” – 5th – 116 points
- 2005 – Nicolai Keilstrup – “Shake Shake Shake” – 4th – 121 points
Liet International
Liet International is a song contest for regional and minority languages spoken across Europe. The contest was first held in 2002 as an evolution of Liet, a Frisian language song contest held in the Netherlands. The competition is open to singers and bands from across Europe.
Aabenraa, Denmark was selected to host the 13th edition in 2020, however the contest was canceled due to COVID-19. The competition was held in 2022. The Danish or Danish minority entries in the contest are:
- 2020 – North Schleswig Germans – 63-72 – “Mein kleines Lied”
- 2020 – Southern Schleswig Danes – Sølo – “Kærestesangen”
- 2022 – North Schleswig Germans – Martin Hørløck – “Æ Nordschleswig-Lied” – 12th – 54 points
- 2022 – Southern Schleswig Danes – Yourdaughters – “Hudsult” – 2nd – 118 points
- 2024 – South Jutlandic – Sihav – “Doppelgänger” – 10th – 24 points
MGP Nordic
MGP Nordic was created in 2002 following the creation of Melodi Grand Prix Junior by the Danish public broadcaster DR in 2000. The competition was a hit with viewers and children and in 2002 the Danish broadcaster invited the public broadcasters of Norway and Sweden to participate in the first edition of MGP Nordic. The contest would be held in 2002 and from 2006 to 2009.
Denmark’s results were:
- 2002 – Razz – “Kickflipper” – 1st – 44 points
- 2002 – Morten Filipsen – “Du er ikke som de andre pi’r” – 4th – 32 points
- 2002 – Emma – “Du er ikke som de andre pi’r” – 5th – 32 points
- 2006 – Fos’n’s – “Mit hood” – Did not qualify for the Superfinal
- 2006 – WeMix – “Få din boogie på” – Did not qualify for the Superfinal
- 2006 – SEB – “Tro på os to” – 1st – 127 points
- 2007 – Amalie – “Til solen står op” – Did not qualify for the Superfinal
- 2007 – Mathias – “Party” – 3rd – 10,882 points
- 2008 – Sandra Monique – “Hola chica” – Did not qualify for the Superfinal
- 2008 – The Johanssons – “En for alle, alle for en” – 4th – 90 points
- 2009 – Engledrys – “Familien – Min bedste ven” – Did not qualify for the Superfinal
- 2009 – PelleB – “Kun min” – 2nd – 28 points
Learn more about MGP Nordic below:
Sopot International Song Festival
The Sopot International Song Contest was first held in 1961 in Gdansk, before moving to Sopot in 1964. Since its first event, the contest has seen its format evolve, with an international song contest held intermittently as part of the festival.
Denmark’s results are:
- 1961 – Birthe WIlke – “Jamaica” – 9th – 19 points
- 1962 – Birgit Falk – “Antonius” – 10th – 13 points
- 1965 – Maggie Land – “Jeg sir ikke” – 4th – 35 points
- 1966 – Svend Asmussen – “Min violin og seg” – 14th – 28 points
- 1967 – Getrud Spliid – “Nu” – 11th – 44 points
- 1968 – Gitte Hænning – “Han kommer til mig” – 15th – 29 points
- 1969 – Gitte Kragh – “The End of the World” – 12th – 36 points
- 1973 – Olsen Brothers – “For What We Are” – 12th – 18 points
- 1984 – Jaenett – “Christopher” – 17th – 0 points
- 1986 – Hanna Boel – “One more minute” – 16th – 13 points
- 1987 – Allan Mortensen – “When they leave you” – 14th – 9 points
- 1989 – Falcon – Song unknown – 7th – 39 points
- 1990 – West’n East Men – Song unknown – 11th – 33 points
- 1995 – Nice Little Penguins – “You are” – 6th – 39 points
- 2013 – Nabiha – “Mind the Gap”
- 2018 – Christopher – “Tulips”
Viña del Mar International Song Festival
The Viña del Mar International Song Festival has been held since 1960 and is the oldest and largest music festival in South America. The event which takes place on the third week of February has seen countries from across the globe compete. There are two contests, the International Contest and the Folklore Contest, the results are determined by a jury.
International Contest
- 2012 – The Kat – “Read my hips” – 5th – 3.22 points
Find out more about European nation’s participation in Song Contests here.
Image Source: Eurovision.tv – Andres Putting