KEiiNO: — We received such great energy from the audience

Published May 18th, 2019, by NTB-Alexander Vestrum, translated by Karina Brandt, June 9th 2020.

Norway has crawled up to a fifth-place on the odds lists after KEiiNO’s performance in the Eurovision-finale. — We were met by a cheering audience, Alexandra Rotan says.

President Morten Thomassen in the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix-club (number two from the left) is here photographed with KEiiNO’s Tom Hugo Hermansen (to the left), Fred Buljo and Alexandra Rotan, before Saturday’s Eurovision-finale. Photo: Terje Bendixby / NTB Scanpix

— What an experience!  We were met by a cheering crowd that shouted “NORWAY, NORWAY”, and it was so amazing. We had such great energy from the audience, KEiiNO’s Alexandra Rotan says, through NRK’s press contacts.

Norway has climbed the combined odds-directory on Eurovisionworld. From Thursday evening we have crawled up ten places from the 15th place.

Norway was met with massive, rhythmic claiing in the filled press center – and many joiked along.

KEiiNO on stage during Saturdays finale. Photo: Sebastian Scheiner / AP / NTB scanpix

Right after 23 (11pm) Norwegian time, all countries had been on stage, and the voting could begin.

Norway’s contribution is “Spirit in the sky”, written by Alexandra Rotan, Henrik Tala, Tom Hugo Hermansen, Fred Buljo, and Alexander N. Olsson. The song is, explained simply, a cross between pop, folk music, and joik.

KEiiNO’s Alexandra Rotan has described the sceneshow as an “Arctic Lion King”. Photo: Screenshot from Youtube

The Netherlands was favourite

Until now it’s probably Sweden that has created most life. The country is represented by John Lundvik with the song “Too late for love”.

The Netherlands are still the biggest favourite of the 26 participating countries in the finale in Tel Aviv, and Duncan Laurence harvested a lot of applause for “Arcade”. Also Russian Sergej Lazarev’s “Scream” stroke well, in addition to the homebound hope, Kobi Marimi, with “Home”, naturally.

The North is well represented in the top – with Sweden in fifth- and Iceland on sixth-place, according to the odds-directory.

(©NTB)