Norway NORWAY 2018 - Alexander Rybak - That's How You Write a Song

[lolita]

If you see interviews, you will realize that he is a very modest, funny guy. But I think regarding Rybak there seems two sides: either you love him or you hate him.

After all, we ALL have two sides, noone is perfectly good or bad.

 

[lacrymea]

This just gets on my nerves. His biggest asset according to general opinion is what throws me off the most: his facial expressions.

 

[simonPL]

Boah this is making me so angry, even more with this shitty rehearsal clip! Just watch the part at 0:24 how he is acting there! He behaving like the total Eurovision master, so cocky! I can't stand this anymore... Have to ignore it from now on!

This just gets on my nerves. His biggest asset according to general opinion is what throws me off the most: his facial expressions.

Speaking of Norway 2018 I thought I could be a perfect definition of the word "hater", but as I can see there are more of us. I have exactly the same feelings about this singer, I just can't. I was thinking that nobody can get to me more than Spain, but we have a winner in here! Not of ESC of course.

 

[A-lister]

This is so cringy

"... say: 'That's how you write' ..."

The whole song is cringy...

As I said before, "Fairytale" was a Eurovision anthem, a fair and square winner, kudos to him.... but this is really so boring and simple, it adds nothing, a five year old could have come up with a more exciting melody, production and lyrics. This sounds like a bad radio jingle to some nonsense product you don't want to buy... if this really would end up winning, I don't even want to think about how bad next year's Eurovision could turn out, which would be a shame when we finally have a strong year with many winner candidates, diversity and originality.

 

[aef]

Speaking of Norway 2018 I thought I could be a perfect definition of the word "hater", but as I can see there are more of us. I have exactly the same feelings about this singer, I just can't. I was thinking that nobody can get to me more than Spain, but we have a winner in here! Not of ESC of course.

I'm also sharing your opinion about though concerning that one it's not a matter of anger that much... It's just 100% cringy too... :? I mean what if they are singing so close to each other and then have a smelly breath

The whole song is cringy...

As I said before, "Fairytale" was a Eurovision anthem, a fair and square winner, kudos to him.... but this is really so boring and simple, it adds nothing, a five year old could have come up with a more exciting melody, production and lyrics. This sounds like a bad radio jingle to some nonsense product you don't want to buy... if this really would end up winning, I don't even want to think about how bad next year's Eurovision could turn out, which would be a shame when we finally have a strong year with many winner candidates, diversity and originality.

Definitely.

 

[Nefertiti]

I love Alexander Rybak and I absolutely loved Fairytale, I consider it one of the best winners of all time. However, if you won Eurovision once with that enormous amount of points, you simply cannot return 10 years later with a song that contains the words Scoo-bee-doo-bee-doo-bee bap bap Boogie boogie woogie. Seriously, this is so cringy and the performance with those childish holograms doesn't help.

Anyway, Rybak is such a natural performer and definitely has charisma, so he's going to place high for sure. I am quite disappointed because I think that if this places well is because of Rybak and not the song, that is childish and (sorry) kind of stupid. It's a pity that a song like this is going for sure to the final and it's going to leave other good songs behind.

 

[4815162342]

I like Alexander and I don't think the song is as bad as some people make it to be. On the other hand, I don't think it is any special either even when considering the live performance (which is quite fun). Honestly I cannot believe how some people really assume he will landslide the televoting (those "loud" gamblers are so sure about his strong televote).

Imagine the following. Let's just fast forward the time to 2020. You have a friend who is from outside of Europe and has never heard of Eurovision. Now you want to show him maybe 1-3 performances from each year. Would you really choose THYWAS for 2018? There is no wow-factor, no wtf-factor, no magical-moment in this song and it is not going to smash the charts either.
Is this year really as weak as in 2011, when no one really deserved to win?

 

[kayak]

I don't get it. Why Norway is high in betting odds? There are any reasons?

 

[Citelis]

I don't get it. Why Norway is high in betting odds? There are any reasons?

Yes, they will win Eurovision with the terrible entry!

 

[mauve]

I don't get it. Why Norway is high in betting odds? There are any reasons?

Sure there is. Because the song is just awesome!

 

[Gordon_Shumway]

I don't get it. Why Norway is high in betting odds? There are any reasons?

The answer is RYBAK. Any unknown artist would not have passed the semifinal with this song. But Rybak is famous, very popular and very professional, he could have sung the Norwegian national anthem and still would have gotten a top 10 result in the final.

 

[Ana Raquel]

I don't get it. Why Norway is high in betting odds? There are any reasons?

there are a lot of reasons?

1. his name (some people talk about winners who tried before and failed to qualify, but remember that dana for example almost lost back in 1998 while rybak had the record until last year. plus he is more memorable - being more recent, the record, appearing in interval acts such as love love peace peace, fairytale is hard to forget even if you're a casual viewer who only watches eurovision in the tv and doesn't follow selections, rehearsals, etc.)
2. his staging. while the song is far from his best, the staging is amazing and succeeds to lift up the song, which is exactly what it is supposed to to.
3. his charisma. self-explanatory
4. his position. opening the semi 2 with a great staging, amazing charisma and his legacy... hard to forget.


sometimes people forget (not talking about you) that being high in the odds =/= having an amazing song. it's about betting on who will do well in the competition and he has everything on his favour to be, at least, in the top 10.

 

[Dessi]

LOVE..... LOVE.... LOVE.... Soooo good song... I love it...

 

[Trece]

LOVE..... LOVE.... LOVE.... Soooo good song... I love it...

My brother sings better than him... and the song *puke*... seems like I'm back like 15-30 years or so.... I don't get this at ALL....

 

[toinou03]

Is Alexander Rybak really famous in your countries. In France, apart from fans he's completely forgotten, it was a veeeery long time ago. While Dana International was remembered from being the first trasngender act...

 

[A-lister]

The answer is RYBAK. Any unknown artist would not have passed the semifinal with this song. But Rybak is famous, very popular and very professional, he could have sung the Norwegian national anthem and still would have gotten a top 10 result in the final.

Unfortunately, because the song is complete nonsense, sounds like a very bad dated radio jingle written by a five year old for some product no one cares about. Completely generic and dated.

I really hope the juries in this particular case will see this entry for what it is; a banal, badly written and basic song that shouldn't even be close to a top. 10. As much as Rybak is a good performer and earned his victory in 2009, he shouldn't be allowed to sail into the top positions with a turd just because it's him, it's a song contest first and foremost, not a performer contest. As important as "selling" the entries live are, if the songs are crap they shouldn't be praised. A well performed turd is still a turd in the end of the day.... you can spray Gold color on it, it will still stink and this stinks.

 

[mauve]

Unfortunately, because the song is complete nonsense, sounds like a very bad dated radio jingle written by a five year old for some product no one cares about. Completely generic and dated.

I really hope the juries in this particular case will see this entry for what it is; a banal, badly written and basic song that shouldn't even be close to a top. 10. As much as Rybak is a good performer and earned his victory in 2009, he shouldn't be allowed to sail into the top positions with a turd just because it's him, it's a song contest first and foremost, not a performer contest. As important as "selling" the entries live are, if the songs are crap they shouldn't be praised. A well performed turd is still a turd in the end of the day.... you can spray Gold color on it, it will still stink and this stinks.

Sorry to correct you, but performance is and always has been an important part of the contest. And people always forget how subective opinions are. Some can call the song childish, others call it full of joy. But hey, I love that people bash it because it is so high in the odds. I for example don't understand why Sweden is in top 10 because to a certain extend the performance is childish too, just too much Bieber-like. His moves are just ridiculous and his voice is so ... ugh. Now it's finally out of my mouth.

 

[LalehForWD]

Is Alexander Rybak really famous in your countries. In France, apart from fans he's completely forgotten, it was a veeeery long time ago. While Dana International was remembered from being the first trasngender act...

Rybak was on various Swedish mainstream entertainment shows some years back. He did appear somewhat smug and arrogant which didn't fit well with his fame status and how he was perceived as a person. To some degree, people can look past such manners, understand what it's all about and see the charm. I don't think Rybak enjoyed that privilege in the eyes of most however. He can show up now and then and most people still know who he is. Isn't he more famous in ex-Soviet states?

 

[A-lister]

Sorry to correct you, but performance is and always has been an important part of the contest. And people always forget how subective opinions are. Some can call the song childish, others call it full of joy. But hey, I love that people bash it because it is so high in the odds. I for example don't understand why Sweden is in top 10 because to a certain extend the performance is childish too, just too much Bieber-like. His moves are just ridiculous and his voice is so ... ugh. Now it's finally out of my mouth.

In what form are you correcting me? I already acknowledged that performances are important, I just said that a song that is crap shouldn't be able to manage good results just because of the performance because in the end of the day it's a song contest, however I'm very well aware of that that's not always the case.
Not exactly sure what Sweden has to do with this thread? I always find it a bit ridiculous that people use that argument "if you criticize a song I like in its actual thread, I will go after your country's entry", well you picked the wrong Swede with that tactic because I happen not to like our entry this year either

In the end of the day, like you said, it's subjective, I just express my opinion on the entry, people are free to disagree of course, this is no disrespect to the fans of the entry, it's just my opinion on the song.

 

[Realest]

The hatecomments that Alex gets since hes Top3 with the Bookies are so disgusting...
Hopefuly he wins with 800+ Points. What a nice slap in the Face this would be for the haters.