1. The winners of the video selections are selected by the jury through first narrowing the candidates down to 20 with a simple yes/no system. Without conferring with each other, they then award each of the 20 candidate points from 0 – 3. The 8 candidates with the highest average score are nominated as winners of the video round. If there is a tie for the last place, there will be a revote between the candidates sharing that position.

2. To secure the desired level of quality, the jurors will have the opportunity to discuss between themselves before giving a final YES/NO vote on whether the nominated candidates qualify. All jurors vote, and a simple majority of YES votes (3 or more) qualifies each of the eight.

3. The winners will be notified, but the final number score for the video round will not be revealed to the contestants.

4. For the live competition rounds in Bodø, the candidates will receive coaching by the jurors

5. For the two live competition rounds the candidates will be judged in three categories with the point 0 – 3 for each:
   – Vocal quality (timbre, clarity, intonation, technique, suitability of repertoire)
   – Stylistic quality (phrasing, rhetorical awareness, pronunciation, rhythm, ornamentation, chamber musicianship)
   – Stage performance (communication, delivery, bodily and facial awareness, acting qualities)

The candidate with the highest total average wins.

6. The results of round 1 in Bodø won’t be announced until the award ceremony after round 2

7. The two rounds are judged individually, so for round 2 all candidates start from zero.

8. For all rounds the jurors will give their vote to the jury chairman without conferring with each other. The jury chairman collects all the points and calculates the average. The individual votes are confidential. Only the jurors, the jury chairman and the NBS board will have access to them.

9. For all rounds, a draw can be resolved with a revote between the tied candidates, if the jury doesn’t decide to declare two winners

10. The rule against bias will exclude relatives, close friends, current individual students, previous individual students for 6 months or more over the last 2 years, or for 2 years or more 2 – 5 years ago. If a juror finds themself biased, they will refrain from voting and the points will be divided by four instead of five.