A EUROVISION hopeful wrote what could be this year’s winning track in Shoreham.

Inspiration came to Kjetil Morland when he was living in West Street five years ago with his girlfriend Nicola.

The pair married three years ago and now live in Oslo. This week they have been in Vienna preparing to represent Norway for the competition.

Mr Morland hopes to seize the Eurovision trophy for his Scandinavian homeland from reigning champions Austria with the song he wrote called A Monster Like Me.

The 34-year-old performs with singer-songwriter and former Norwegian The Voice contestant Debrah Scarlett.

They beat off hundreds of other entrants to be voted through by the Norwegian public to represent the country.

But they need to win more public votes in the semi-final tonight on BBC Three for a hope of performing in Saturday’s final.

He said: “England has really shaped my musical direction and style. The song is about facing up to your inner demons – a dark secret from your past that has been haunting you.

“You don’t feel good enough for the person you are with and not worthy of their love.”

Best known as the front man of British rock-pop band Absent Elk, Mr Morland has loved music since the age of seven when he discovered how to dub his voice over a song on a double cassette player.

He hopes his experience gives him a good chance of taking the Eurovision title, adding: “I am extremely proud to represent my home country. I have love in my heart for both the UK and Norway.

“I think I think simplicity is key, which will help people focus on the lyrics and the melody. Conchita Wurst won for all the right reasons last year, he had a great song.

“I have met him a couple of times and he has an amazing presence. I love the fact so many countries take part in Eurovision.”

Mrs Morland, 31, who was born and bred in Shoreham, said: “I am extremely proud of Kjetil. He is a fantastic songwriter and I am just so happy to see other people enjoying his music as much as I do.

“We have received countless messages from all over the world from people enjoying the song. I also love Graham Norton’s commentating. I just hope he is kind to Norway this year.”

Mrs Morland went to Kings Manor School, then Worthing Sixth Form College to study photography and design, before an art course in Brighton.

After graduating from Kingston University she worked as a graphic designer in London and Brighton and briefly worked for Shoreham-based Dreamshock Design Studios.

Factfile

THE Eurovision Song Contest is one of the longest running television shows in the world with the first competition broadcast in 1956.

Brighton hosted the 1974 contest in the Dome where Swedish pop band ABBA won, going on to become the most successful winner ever.

Every year around 180 million people watch the competition.

Ireland has won seven times; Luxembourg, France, Sweden and the United Kingdom have all won five times.