NOOOOOOO! Norway, I think you made a mistake!

Anyone who has been reading my blog for a while knows that one of things I have delighted in most since moving to Norway is my discovery of the Eurovision Song Contest. After only three years of watching, I’m completely and utterly smitten. The pageantry, the music, the delicious spectacle that is Eurovision has totally won me over and turned me into a devoted fan. And since this year’s contest will be held in Oslo, you can bet I’m even more excited about it than ever. So how sad is it that I believe Norway has shot itself in the foot already with it’s selection of Didrik Solli-Tangen and his ballad, “My Heart is Yours,” to represent us in the contest?

I could be wrong (selvfølgelig!), and I hope I am, but I don’t know… Husband and I watched all four of the pre-final competitions from which the eight finalists emerged, so we had strong opinions about who the best acts were and Didrik wasn’t among them. We figured he’d come close to winning because he’s so pretty but we were shocked when the votes were tallied last night and Didrik not only won but got something like 100,000 more votes than anyone else. Seriously? I don’t understand how this happened. Do people really think that “My Heart is Yours” song is going to win Eurovision? But….it’s so….boring. And his voice is….weak. I’m sorry but that’s how I feel. Judge for yourself:



My money was on Alexander Stenerud and his song, “Give It To Me.” THAT’s a Eurovision song! It’s got a shakin’ beat, fireworks opportunities, and a chance for Stenerud to sing, “Now I owe you, BABY!” It’s the epitome of Eurovision. And maybe that was the problem. I have read that some people think this year’s winning song will be a ballad, so maybe “Give It To Me” just didn’t fit in. Which is so unfair, since Stenerud sang an almost-ballad in the semifinals last year and lost to the other Alexander (Rybak) and his infectious “Fairytale.” (By the way, can someone please tell Alexander Rybak to buy a new outfit? That black trousers/white shirt combo is officially OLD, dude.)

When was the last time a ballad won Eurovision? My history with the show is brief, so maybe someone can clue me in? Personally, I prefer a song that makes me want to dance; if strange costumes and pyrotechnics are involved, that’s even better!

If Alexander Stenerud couldn’t be the winner, my wish would have been for either Venke Knutson or A1 to prevail, since they were, in Knutson’s case, weirdly loveable, or, for A1, stood a good chance of winning overall.

Did anyone notice that Venke’s song was about an emotionally unstable, possibly violent, stalker chick? Called “Jealous ‘cause I Love You,” it features the following lyrics:

I know I’m crazy
I know I am
I should be locked up considering
the state I’m in.
I’m boiling rabbits like everyday
and come to think about it
you should throw the key away.

I’m suffocating and killing you
with all my threats of repainting you
in black and blue
I know I’m overreacting a bit
But I’m jealous
‘cause I love
and I’m sorry if I choke you.




Whoa! That’s some weird shit right there. Maybe too weird to win EV? Not sure… As for A1, they’re three cute guys and their song, “Don’t Want to Lose You Again,” is super catchy, but it is extremely odd that two of them are British and don’t seem to speak any Norwegian. Perhaps that would have set a bad precedent…

As for Keepers of Kalessin, the heavy metal band that somehow ended up in the final, they were never going to win EV, so it’s best they laid that dream to rest last night. Ditto with that wanna-be rapper kid, Bjørn Johan Muri; he’s sweet-looking and his song is okay, but, again, he was never going to win. How did he end up in the final four last night, beating out Alexander and Venke? You know, I think there were WAY too many 12-year-old girls voting last night. See, parents---this is what happens when you give your children cell phones! If Norway loses Eurovision, it’s your fault!

To cheer myself up, I’m going to listen to “Give It To Me” one more time. Join me!