Credits
News
© NRK
"I had a story to tell"
A year after Alexander Rybak's victory towards Moscow
Norway kept a low profile despite being the hot favourite even amongst the bettings and fans. Infact when asked during the rehearsal week that he is the top favourite, Alexander Rybak avoided any comments that could add more pressure on him. Rybak was the first male soloist since representing the country in 2003.
After his over whelming victory in the winning press conference, Alexander Rybak admitted that it felt really exciting and highly positive to be a favourite and become the overall winner. In Moscow since the act was revealed during the first rehearsal he strenghtened his top position with the fans and journalists.
Alexander Rybak was declared as a winner of the 54th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest before all countries cast their votes. The gap between him and second place Yohanna was 169 points. Last year Norway received the biggest victory in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Norway won the Eurovision Song Contest three times and this year the country will be hosting the contest once again in Oslo. In total 39 countries will compete for the 55th Eurovision title.
Alexander Rybak’s performance in the Norwegian final:
Related polls
- Norway: Vote for your favourite song in the final of Melodi Grand Prix
- Azerbaijan: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Milli Seçim Turu
- Hungary: Vote for your favourite act in the final of A Dal
- Iceland: Vote for your favourite song in the final of Songvakeppni Sjonvarpsins
- Malta: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
- Hungary: Vote for your favourite act in the second semifinal of A Dal
- Norway: Vote for your favourite song in the third semifinal of Melodi Grand Prix
- Sweden: Vote for your favourite act in the first semifinal of Melodifestivalen
- Malta: Vote for your favourite act in the semifinal of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
- Bulgaria: Vote for your favourite act in the Bulgarian national final 2012
- Latvia: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Eirodziesma 2012
- Belarus: Vote for your favourite act in the final of EuroFest 2012
Go directly to the reactions
Recent news about Norway
Norway: Alexander Rybak to perform at Norwegian final 24
Norway: Lise Karlsnes completes MGP final line-up 23
Norway: Three more qualifyers selected 116
Watch now: Third semifinal in Norway 130
Norway: Running order for MGP final decided 26
Reactions
When reacting to a news item, please stick to the topic. Inappropriate messages (swearing, racism, hate, etc.), messages in other languages than English and spam (which includes URL advertising) will be deleted and you risk your account being removed. Reacting on newsitems is only possible when logged in as a member. Still don't have member account?
Click here to react Click here to become a member (free!)
Yeah Alexander did well, but now it's a new year. It is Didriks turn.
http://www.facebook.(...)955159.4068193962..1
Vote:
http://www.escstats.com/chart10.htm
When I listened to this song for the first time I felt that Rybak had a great chance to win and he did (and IMO deserved the victory).
For now I don't have a favourite because none of the songs which
qualified for Oslo until today has caught me like "Fairytale" did last year.
Of course it was well deserved victory, I'm sure Norway will give us a great eurovison contest this year, event better that it was in russia :-)
http://www.youtube.c(...)/watch?v=wMHrwDi6OSc
Albania Eurovision 2010 Final version
Its all about you
Norway got all the points they didn't get when they finished with null points in several shows time ago. So well deserved victory, with a beutiful and even memomarable song !
Now waiting for the show in Oslo! How will it be, as bigges as Moscow hosted last year?... time will tell ! Scandinavians know how to surprise us, I hope they do it again ! 
Only a year ago, I first heard this Eurovision nightmare. I thought it had been longer. This years Norwegian song, in my opinion is even worse, I guess that means it could do even better.
I really dont see whats so great about Fairytale, I just can not see it, I hoped it was a grower, like Serbia 2007, I didn't like it at first, hated it during the semi and the final, and was upset it won, but then grew to like it, until it became one of my eurovision faves, by the time 2008 came along.
But, it hasn't happened with Fairytale, it won a huge majority, which again upset me, I was hoping it would be Azerbaijan, Turkey or the Uk, and still I've tried replaying it, but I still don't like it.
I guess it must just be everyone has different tastes. 
Is it true that he had a nervous break-down a few days ago?I
Apparently he did yes, but both him and his manager said it's going to be okay, so he's probably just exhausted and overworked or something.
the last male soloist singing 4 norway 2004
Keith
Perfectly fine... but now I will go and faint 
I remember hearing the snippets last year; Rybak's being the first one I listened to since I had supported him in Kjempesjansen two years earlier. I had wished the winning song Foolin' would eventually be released as a single, but it never was. So when I heard he was participating in MGP I was hoping he would present an equally good song. And he did! My initial reaction when I first heard Fairytale was a sigh of relief as the song was indeed catchy and instant, and I figured Alexander would have a good chance of doing well. Then I downloaded it the very day it became available on iTunes and I couldn't stop playing it. By the night of the final I already knew it off by heart. For me that song was truly magical. Well, not only me, it turned out. 
The best thing about the song is that it has, aside from the curious choice of language, so much norwegianity in it. This song could not have represented Sweden (like La det swinge) or Ireland (like Nocturne). It was truly Norwegian in nature. And that means a lot to me.
... Marky, are you okay?
For me, overall, last year wasn't a very good year. But Norway deserved to win... they had the best song. 
2009 was a very good eurovision year...I hope the days to come will bring us some new,amazing songs....Alexander Rybak was a well deserved winner!Is it true that he had a nervous break-down a few days ago?I read that he posted something like that on his twitter....
Geez, seems like ages ago tbh.
At this point I'm kind of sick of Rybak, but I remember this time last year he was almost a sensation, and the first thing I thought when I heard the song was that he would win. I have to admit, even though I do like Didrik's song, that I was far more excited about Norway and ESC a year ago than I am today.
Congrats to Rybak
well deserved victory too.
A year later... maybe it's time I said this
Although I've never hated anyone quite like Rybak, some have got close but yet so far But Congratulations to Rybak, he might not have had the best song, nor the best voice, maybe one of the best musicians. But he did have the best song for Eurovision. It was instantly catchy, and instantly rememberable, and his achievements at MGP and ESC has showed that. He's probably done a good thing for ESC, he certainly got talked about after in my school I know, some people could even sing the song, which is very rare. It charted well in a lot of countries, and so hopefully that will transfer into a larger audience this year. He was generally liked all over Europe, which is quite a hard task to do nowadays, and proved the "only eastern countries can do well" myth wrong. So yeah, once again congratulations But he was a bit of an asshole
Maybe the anniversary will bring luck to Slovenia?
React yourself
This news article is older than one week. Reacting to articles is only possible in the first week after publication.
