The Bendik Singers were a four-member
Norwegian
Norwegian, Norwayan, or Norsk may refer to:
*Something of, from, or related to Norway, a country in northwestern Europe
* Norwegians, both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway
* Demographics of Norway
*The Norwegian language, including ...
vocal group, brought together by singer and composer
Arne Bendiksen
Arne Joachim Bendiksen (19 October 1926 – 26 March 2009) was a Norwegian singer, composer and producer, described as "the father of pop music" in Norway.
Career
Bendiksen was born in Bergen, Norway. In the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, he was a m ...
to participate in the Norwegian Eurovision Song Contest selection,
Melodi Grand Prix
Melodi Grand Prix (), commonly known as Grand Prix and MGP, sometimes as Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix ( no, Norsk Melodi Grand Prix), is an annual music competition organised by Norwegian public broadcaster Norsk Rikskringkasting (NRK). It dete ...
, in 1973.
The group consisted of
Anne-Karine Strøm
Anne-Karine Strøm (born 15 October 1951) is a Norwegian singer, best known for having taken part in the Norwegian Eurovision Song Contest selection, Melodi Grand Prix, in six consecutive years between 1971 and 1976, winning on three occasions ( ...
,
and brothers
Bjørn and
Philip Kruse
Philip Antony Kruse (born 13 May 1949) is a Norwegian orchestra leader, composer, arranger, producer, text writer, and musician (trumpet and vocals). He is the second son of Colonel Erling O. Kruse (b. 1922) and Eunice Cooklin (b. 1925).
Career ...
. They performed Bendiksen's song "Å for et spill" at the Melodi Grand Prix in
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
on 17 February 1973, and were voted the winners, earning the Norwegian ticket to the
18th Eurovision Song Contest, held in
Luxembourg City
Luxembourg ( lb, Lëtzebuerg; french: Luxembourg; german: Luxemburg), also known as Luxembourg City ( lb, Stad Lëtzebuerg, link=no or ; french: Ville de Luxembourg, link=no; german: Stadt Luxemburg, link=no or ), is the capital city of the Lu ...
on 7 April. Before the contest the song was translated into English, with words and phrases also included from other European languages, and retitled "
It's Just a Game". On the night of the contest, the song finished seventh of the 17 participating entries, Norway's first top 10 placing since 1966.
ESC History 1973
/ref>
The following year, Strøm won Melodi Grand Prix as a solo artist with "The First Day of Love
Norway was represented by Anne-Karine Strøm, with the song "The First Day of Love", at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place on 6 April in Brighton, England. "The First Day of Love" was chosen as the Norwegian entry at the Melodi G ...
"; at the 1974 Eurovision she was provided with backing vocals by Anne Lise Gjøstøl
Anne Lise Gjøstøl ( born 6 July 1952) is a Norwegian singer, actress and visual artist. She was born in Oslo. She made her record debut in 1965 with the single "Nå er karnevalet over", and album debut in 1971 with ''Ta min drøm''. She was aw ...
and the Kruses, and the performance is sometimes credited to 'Anne-Karine Strøm featuring the Bendik Singers'. Nikolaysen represented Norway in the 1975 Eurovision, and Strøm made her third appearance in 1976, meaning that for four consecutive years at least one member of the 1973 group appeared at Eurovision.
References
{{Authority control
Norwegian pop music groups
Musical quartets
Eurovision Song Contest entrants for Norway
Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 1973
Melodi Grand Prix winners
Musical groups established in 1973
1973 establishments in Norway
Musical groups disestablished in 1973
1973 disestablishments in Norway
Musical groups from Oslo