Ulveham
| "Ulveham" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Gåte | ||||
| from the EP Vandrar | ||||
| Language | Norwegian[a] | |||
| Written | 2023-2024 | |||
| Released | 12 December 2023 (EP) 5 January 2024 (single) 2 February 2024 (rerelease) | |||
| Recorded | 2023-2024 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 5:47 (EP) 3:00 (single) 3:02 (rerelease) | |||
| Label | Indie Recordings | |||
| Songwriter(s) |
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| Lyricist(s) | Traditional | |||
| Producer(s) |
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| Gåte singles chronology | ||||
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| Eurovision Song Contest 2024 entry | ||||
| Country | ||||
| Artist(s) | ||||
| Language | ||||
| Composer(s) |
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| Lyricist(s) |
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| Entry chronology | ||||
| ◄ "Queen of Kings" (2023) | ||||
"Ulveham" (Norwegian for 'Wolf Skin') is a song by Norwegian folk rock and metal band Gåte. It was originally released 12 December 2023 on the EP Vandrar as a track. It was later shortened and re-published as a single upon its selection to participate in Melodi Grand Prix 2024. The song ultimately won the selection and will thus represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. It is Norway's first Eurovision entry since 2006 to be sung in Norwegian.
The opening features a traditional kulokk, a herding call, sourced from an old recording featuring Marit Jensen Lillebuen. The lyrics are based on an almost thousand-year-old Scandinavian medieval ballad.
Background
Gåte made a modern interpretation of a Norwegian medieval ballad known as "Møya i ulveham" ("The Maid in Wolf Skin"). The initial lyrical content draws from a mid-19th-century manuscript from Telemark, reflecting a distinctive variant of the Vest-Telemark dialect.[1] Several stanzas were identical to those found in the original manuscript. In "Ulveham", the stanzas were restructured and their language simplified, moving closer to the standardised High Norwegian or Nynorsk.[2]
The main draw of the story is that a young maiden is transformed into a needle, a knife, and then a sword by her evil stepmother. However, the people continue to appreciate her throughout all of her transformations, angering her stepmother. Therefore, to punish her even more, the stepmother transforms her into a wolf. It ends with the stepmother, pregnant with child, being pounced on by the wolf. To lift the curse, the wolf drinks the blood of her unborn half-brother.
"Ulveham" opens with a traditional kulning, a herding call traditionally used to summon livestock, sourced from an early 20th-century recording featuring folk singer Marit Jensen Lillebuen.[3] The musical composition incorporates electronic beats and various instruments, such as nyckelharpa, electric guitars, and drums. It uses metal growling with lyrics as background vocalisation.
There is a prevalence of similar ballads in Danish and Swedish traditions. The Danish rendition, titled "Jomfruen i ulveham" ("The Virgin in Wolf Skin"), and the Swedish versions, where a young man undergoes transformation into a wolf in "Den förtrollade riddaren" ("The Bewitched Knight"), underscore the cross-cultural resonance of this narrative.[1]
At Melodi Grand Prix
"Ulveham" was selected to participate in Melodi Grand Prix 2024 and was the last performing entry in the event's second semi-final on 20 January 2024. The song was one of three that progressed to the final in Trondheim Spektrum on 3 February. In the weeks leading up to the final, the song advanced with the betting odds, and became the favourite to win by the time of the final.[4]
Lyric changes
In Melodi Grand Prix and Eurovision Song Contest, the rules require that both text and melody must be original and not previously published. As "Ulveham" contains lyrics taken from an almost thousand-year-old ballad, this would violate the contest's rules. In order to avoid problems with the song's possible participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, the Norwegian broadcaster NRK checked with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which organises the event.[5] After an assessment, the EBU concluded that Marit Jensen Lillebuen's kulning recording could be accepted. To be on the safe side, NRK decided that the entire lyrics of "Ulveham" would be replaced with newly-written and original lyrics.[6] MGP manager Stig Karlsen stated that "the song's title and historical theme" would remain.[3]
On 2 February 2024, a revised version of "Ulveham" was released, with reorganised and modified lyrics. It features other small excerpts from the same ballad, with altered wording to avoid resemblance. Three of the band members, Gunnhild Sundli, Magnus Børmark, and Jon Even Schärer, contributed to the writing of the new lyrics.[2]
Release history
| Region | Date | Format(s) | Label | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Worldwide | December 12, 2023 | Indie Recordings | Track from EP | |
| January 5, 2024 | Single (Original) | |||
| February 2, 2024 | Single (Rerelease) |
Notes
- ^ On the first release, most of the lyrics are based on a mid-19th-century dialect from Vest-Telemark.[1] The current release is closer to High Norwegian or Nynorsk.
References
- ^ a b c "Norske mellomalderballadar: Naturmytiske balladar". Bokselskap.
- ^ a b "Gåte er klare til dyst med ny tekst og ny energi". Folkemusikk.
- ^ a b "Gåte må skrive om teksten i MGP-bidraget". NRK. 28 January 2024.
- ^ "Odds Norway Melodi Grand Prix 2024". Eurovisionworld.
- ^ "Gåte må bytte tekst før MGP-finalen". VG. 28 January 2024.
- ^ "Gåte heiv seg rundt: - Snedig at vi skulle støte på en regel som er der for å hindre plagiering". Adressa. 28 January 2024.