OSLO—The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), Europe’s biggest annual song contest, was won this year by Norwegian Alexander Rybak.
A pianist and a violinist who comes from a family of musicians, 23-year-old Rybak won with his self-composed “Fairytale,” which was inspired by a popular Norwegian folk song.
Rybak, whose parents are immigrants from Russia, won with the highest recorded score since the contest began in 1960.
Televoters and juries from the 42 countries participating in this year’s ESC gave Rybak 387 points, followed by Yohanna from Iceland with 218 points and Azerbaijan’s AySel & Arash who garnered 207 points.
This marks the third time Norway has won the ESC, which was held this year in Moscow.
Returning home on Sunday evening, Rybak landed at Oslo´s Gardermoen airport where a large group of fans gathered to greet him. As the winner of this year’s contest, Norway will host the 2010 ESC.
A pianist and a violinist who comes from a family of musicians, 23-year-old Rybak won with his self-composed “Fairytale,” which was inspired by a popular Norwegian folk song.
Rybak, whose parents are immigrants from Russia, won with the highest recorded score since the contest began in 1960.
Televoters and juries from the 42 countries participating in this year’s ESC gave Rybak 387 points, followed by Yohanna from Iceland with 218 points and Azerbaijan’s AySel & Arash who garnered 207 points.
This marks the third time Norway has won the ESC, which was held this year in Moscow.
Returning home on Sunday evening, Rybak landed at Oslo´s Gardermoen airport where a large group of fans gathered to greet him. As the winner of this year’s contest, Norway will host the 2010 ESC.
