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"Hver Gang Vi Møtes" is the programme where we follow seven of the most popular artists when they live together one late summer week at Vestre Kjærnes farm near Moss.
During their stay they will make tributes to each other by performing personal interpretations of each others songs.
Today it`s Alexander Rybak who is the guest of honour.
Lars: By the way, I`ll be singing “Fairytale”.
Sigvart: I have chosen the song that made me take Alexander Rybak seriously.
Alex: I`m not easily touched, I have put on an outer shell so that no one can hurt me.
Join us on a fantastic musical journey in "Hver Gang Vi Møtes".
Alex: Today I come with an open mind. I won`t play or sing. I won`t achieve anything.
I'm just spending time with a great bunch of people. And finally look back at some of the stuff I've done. It`s going to be great.
Simone: Anneli, can you give me your plate so I can put an egg on top of that?
Sigvart: Today it`s Alexander`s day pure and simple. It will be fun.
Anneli: We`ll probably hear something Russian...
(dancing like the Cossacks)
Something like that.
Samsaya: Probably a rebus race around the house.
It`s going to be thrilling to hear Alexander talk about himself. Because the things I know about him are perhaps headlines that stare at you in stores, that have been known through the media.
I know very little apart from that.
Alex: Ever since I had success with Eurovision and became this famous in Norway, I have deliberately shared a lot of myself in the media for good or bad.
To show all of my sides, the people could decide themselves, wherther they liked this artist or not.
Oh ***, I felt this Huldra that grabbed my foot.
In the autumn of 2006 Alexander won the talent contest Kjempesjansen on NRK1.
The year after he was presented with the Hedda Award for his musical performance in the musical “Fiddler on the roof.”
In May 2009 Alexander had his big breakthrough when he won the Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow.
The biggest points total ever with “Fairytale” entered him into the history books.
Former Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg: It`s amazing for him, but it`s first and foremost great for Norway.
“Fairytale” topped the charts in Europe and was the start of an international career.
With his talent as a singer, composer and violinist he has released four albums and been awarded “Artist of the Year”
(From the TV show where he gets the award) - Thank you so much.
Alexander decides today’s activities.
Alex: Since it’s my day, I would like to show you a hobby that I enjoy.
If you see here, it`s the HGVM car.
Samsaya and Anneli: LEGO!
Sigvart: To be honest my expectations were that Alexander would come up with some physical activities like boxing or go-cart or something. I am a bit surprised.
Alex: This is the barn, it will be after a while. This is the main house.
Simone: Is there a right or wrong way to do it?
Alex: No, no, no. Anneli: Where`s the windows?
Sigvart: Is it one window at the back? Anneli: I`ll run around the house to check.
Elg:This was fun. It was back to our childhood for all of us.
Simone: This won`t turn out the way it should.
Simone: I feel I`m getting awfully neurotic. I wonder if I`ve always been like this.
Lars: It was nice that Alexander chose LEGO. Strange, strange guy.
Anneli: But what`s the thing with you and LEGO?
Alex: It’s escapism from the media, wanted to show the others a bit of my world.
And I chose LEGO because it`s something I do now and then. When I have time and when I’m at home in my apartment.
It`s a wonderful way of relaxing. Just listen to what you should do, put this brick together with that brick.
I was born in Minsk in Belarus in 1986. What I remember the most is what was different from Belarus and here.
And what I think has influenced my life was the discipline growing up.
All the kids in the kindergarten, we couldn't have a picnic in the park.
You were supposed to learn to read and write. It was "løkkeskrift" (a special way of writing). They raised robots, soldiers, almost.
Samsaya: The cow is on top of the roof, and everyone wondered why is the cow on the roof?
Alex: Thanks for the nice contact. What`s it called?
Simone: It`s strange with Alexander, before I came here I only knew him through the media.
That he was so cool, fun and inspiring to be with, I hadn't pictured that in the beginning.
Alex: We’ll do this together ...
Samsaya: It`s not always easy to talk about feelings. Being able to set yourself free and communicate in a different way other than speaking, that`s in the dance.
A little heavy beat you can do it, too. And wanting to communicate that in this song with the beat, it's the bass sound that hits them.
It`s like that, uplifting. It's so difficult when you only have a Mac, you really should have a big stereo.
Anneli: What`s so fantastic about him is that he is a virtuoso on the violin and can play the most complicated classical pieces.
Despite of that, and that’s a piece of art, he can break it down to the simplest thing. And the most pop music like.
And I think that`s a strength. To be able to see the big in the simple things.
Alex: When I have written my own songs, I have never thought that others would sing them.
I thought I would be the first and last to sing those songs.
It`s very compromising, so it will be thrilling to see whether the other artist will find something intelligent that they can relate to here.
Lars: But Rybak I looked that up, it means... Alex: One point to.
Simone: Now I got curious, what does Rybak mean? Alex: It means "fisherman"
Anneli: You have such a nice middle name, how do you pronounce it?
Alex: It`s Alexander Igorevitch Rybak (pronounces it in Russian), with those eyebrows.
It means son of Igor, my Dad`s name is Igor. I'm very proud of the name and I'm proud of my Dad. Good Dad, he`s also a violinist.
He came from Belarus to Norway with Minsk Chamber Orchestra, it was a mini tour they had in Scandinavia. I was 2-3 years old at the time.
It was a wealthy family who invited the whole orchestra to their home. And Dad liked it a lot and he made it clear that he didn’t want to return home.
They hid him. For the Belarusians It was the KGB, it was the Soviet Union at the time.
Elg: Yes, he was a defector. Alex: Yes.
Alex: People came by boat and planes. I feel I exaggerate every time I tell the story. They probably would`ve made an example of him if they had found him.
Elg: When did you arrive in Norway?
Alex: I think I arrived in Norway when I was five years old. It took a while before we were granted permission to stay.
Hi, Sasha! (speaks Russian)
How do you do? (Speaks Russian)
Point.
This song that you call Europe`s Skies…
Wow! Сool!
...I feel it`s about a very nice thing that I feel you represent very well.
It`s that you feel you are born with wings and you want to fly.
I`m full of energy, I want to be everywhere at the same time.
I wrote a song about looking forward to meet that person and that person.
It`s almost a bit desperate, please give me some more time.
I promise to come to your country. You just have to wait a bit. I`ll see you soon.
Sasha...
You'd better fasten your seat belt on this one, baby.
Wow okay!
You found the core in it, you made it your own.
Thank you.
Now I understood the lyrics, too.
It was fun seeing you groove.
S: I feel I can close my eyes and just "vibe", then I understand it feels right.
And then it was lots of fun when I opened my eyes and see they are clapping their hands.
Then I became very happy. I`m very satisfied, I did it!
S: So Alexander when you came to Norway, you were not like everybody else, were you?
A: I had the Belarusian discipline. S: What did that consist of?
A: It was going home to practise after school, when the other kids went home to play.
And I will not in any way say that it is a sad story from my childhood, because Mum and Dad did it with love.
And I felt it was supposed to be, and you think that what your parents do is usual, that all parents do that.
If they had been fishing crabs in penguin costumes every night I would have thought that was a regular thing to do as well.
L: When you after some time realised you were different from many Norwegian kids, when was it you realised that they had not all been at home practising the violin?
A: It was quite early in primary school when I realised that it was not usual to know what you should become, I knew I was going to be a violinist.
So when others said they wanted to become Police officers, I as a 7-year old said "Want to be a Police officer?
That's not enough, you have to read books and practise to become a Police officer".
S: Arrest some people? A: Yes
L: When did you first take time to play with LEGO, may I ask?
A: The first time I was given LEGO it was a trick from my parents. I guess they knew from my facial expression one day when I got home from school.
They realised that now he has talked to other "normal" kids.
So then they decided "He will get LEGO when he practises". But I was fine all the time, I really was.
S: Dear Alexander. This is very nice. Nice to get to know you. Of course I knew well that you are terribly good at playing the violin, making songs and performing. My girls have your record.
We have listened to it in the car, and then I heard a song that made me very much change my view of you. It is actually a song about horses. 13 horses.
A: Are you going to take that one? S: I think that song is incredibly good.
A: It was a poem that mummy read to me when I was little which made a big impression on me. I have always taken it up in my consciousness when I was about to give up.
Then I thought of those horses who were swimming in the ocean and there is no chance for survival, but they are swimming and swimming. And the hope is the last to die.
S: It is a song I have looked very much forward to do. I think it is important that people get to know it, because it shows Alexander from another side that suits him very much too.
A: So beautiful. S: It is a very beautiful song.
A: Thank you very very much. S: You're welcome.
Elg: It was touching. Simone: It was strong. A: It was such good lyrics.
I don`t get easily moved. I have put on an outer shell in my life so nobody can hurt me, or reach with good and bad.
I remember that this song was written at that time when I still blindly trusted people.
Whatever mean things I heard, I just gave a lot of good back and hoped for the best in everybody. When I heard this song.... I started to think of that time.
You know, I am so so touched. You could have got me to the altar right away.
S: Maybe I should consider that. Karoline (his wife)-Turn off the TV!
A: You can fall into the water.
A: By being together with me she realised what she did not want to have, in a way.
S: It was fun as long as it lasted.
A: That is a version I want to hear every day when I wake up.
In "Every time we meet” 7 artists live together in a kind of musical collective.
Today it is Alexander Rybak's day.
A: I had the Belarusian discipline. S: What did that consist of ?
A: It was to go home to practise after school, when the other kids went home to play.
AD: But Alexander you have travelled around the world and you do have a large audience abroad.
Why have you chosen to still live in Norway, you could have lived in Turkey for instance? You could have been a superstar.
A: It is healthy for me to live in Norway, where I am told things as it is.
Where I don't get driven in limousine, but use the public transport, and people just say "Eyh, it's Rybak". And they become like "Ohhh"
Anneli: Dear sweet, kind, wonderful Alexander.
You say you've been criticised for writing lyrics that are too much about yourself.
But the song I chose, it`s about other people, too. And it may be the reason why I liked it.
5000 Letters.
"5000 Letters" is my tribute to everyone who wants to get in touch with me.
All the letters I receive, it`s a blessing.
And to those letters, I reply. The same way I sign autographs till the last person has left,
because it`s a part of my career, getting to know people and meet them and say thank you so much.
It`s a version I would like to hear every day when I wake up.
Inspiring.
AD: I think it`s a great compliment to get.
It turned out just like I had imagined and I noticed he became happy.
A: Thank you so much, so far! Thank you for three lovely songs. And then it’s "los activados"….
Eeeh consider that you could fall into the water, so better dress for it… Dadaaa!!!
Samsaya: Now we will apparently go somewhere where we will be wet…..
SD: Well, I like it best when the water is 27 degrees…. No, this will be fun.
A: As you can see, there are some things to play with here – I thought when we are living as nicely as this, we have to utilise it…
So here are some windsurfing boards, and it is just to throw yourself at it!
SD: That thing down there – is that something else?
A: Yes, it’s called paddle board.
SD: You should be standing – if you are tough… Anneli: I’m standing!
SD: It’s very nice to release the mooring… they say…
A: I have tried windsurfing twice before, and I think it is easy to get into.
I have realised that artists, they have so much in their hearts, so when it comes to new things, they easily become a little impatient.
But I know that windsurfing – and water sports generally - you think it’s fun from the start.
SD: That was a real dive, Øyvind! ELG: Beautiful! I have never done it before! It was fun!
L: OK, I lost my glasses!
I have been bathing twice with glasses – the third time my glasses didn’t want to go bathing any more, or rather they wanted to bathe for the rest of their life, that is to say…
A: What I was afraid to loose with the ESC victory was the freedom to experiment, to do what I want musically. I have a need to be versatile.
I have a lot of children in the audience, and then I made a concept where I visit orchestras – young, promising people – talents…
And I want to be there 3 - 4 days before the concert to rehearse with them for real, so that we can be as a family on the stage.
I think it is fun to work with children and to get inspiration and energy from it, and in addition I feel that I have something to give.
I have so much that I want to tell them, - so much that I learnt too late, which I hope I can teach to them.
Simone: I thought it was very good. I became, like 15 – 16 years old again…
L: Suddenly you do things together, that you maybe usually would have done together with people that you have known for years, and it makes a kind of effect, a feeling that you suddenly know each other…
He’s like an old-fashioned, young nice guy…
L: I have been sailing a bit, maybe that helped… but it was great fun, and I am thankful that I could try! You have only done it twice before?
A: Yes! L: So you are the natural talent here!
A: I have to say I was very excited, but then they are pleased, people enjoyed themselves and laughed.
Many said they were bitten by the bug and would want to try again!
L: I will sing “Fairytale”. It was tempting to choose “Fairytale”, of course I knew that is was so unbelievably well-known…
L: I have Neil-ified it a bit… I have got some inspiration from my long business of playing Neil Young songs…
Simone: Tonight I will sing “Funny Little World”
and I am kind of fascinated by the theme he is singing about, he does it straight forwardly, typically "Alexandersk" like I have understood that it is.
Today that suddenly you are famous and very popular, and it’s hailing ***, and then you meet someone that fascinates you a lot….
Anneli: Are you coming?
Samsaya: Come into the disco party! A: Disco party?
S: I thought I should warm up with those dance moves…
Alexander, he surprises a lot, he is a bubbling little brother…
It’s always nice when you get to know where people come from, when it is something that colours them so much as I feel it has coloured Alexander.
A: I must say I am very curious about what Lars, Simone and Elg have been making.
A: I am so filled up with impressions already, so I can’t understand how this can be topped now! At the same time I am very, very excited, like a little child!
S: Mmmm – it smells good!
A: Thank you for a very rewarding day! E: Same to you!
A: I hope you have recovered after the water shock… I hope you have enjoyed yourselves. E: We have!
A: I feel like it is a forest menu today: It’s Beaver pate… and…
S: Excuse me, could I ask… did you say beaver pate? A: Beaver pate!
Anneli: Not liver paté? A: No, no, beaver paté…
E: I thought you said it wrongly…
SD: Beaver paté – that was a new "check" on my list, I have to say…
Simone: Alexander, I want to sing a song by you that..
I want to hear what you thought when you wrote it, but I have interpreted it my way. I will sing "Funny Little World".
A: Cool! It was a song about love that...
S: Wait, wait, I will just interrupt here. Alexander, love or infatuation?
A: Infatuation, good point!
I wrote "Funny Little World" in the middle of the success that came from winning the Norwegian MGP and then meeting a girl.
I have heard through the years that I very much write about myself and very directly about my life. There are so many songs about girls you know.
Samsaya: I think one thing that is very good about you is that you show a lot of passion when you write these songs. And it is a sign that you have a lot of love within you to give to the right one.
A: So far I have been very satisfied with the boy-girl relationship.
So far I have found my role, I have been a nice intermediate station.
Yes, but..I travel a lot and such.. "So by being with me she understood what she did not want to have" in a way.
Sigvart: It was fun as long as it lasted.
A: She would not have found a secure good man if she had not seen the opposite first. Looking forward.
S: It is quite far from the original, but then I am the only one in this company who is a bit Acid-Jazzy.
A: I am sitting there listening to wonderful you and think that you have given me faith in myself as a lyricist.
S: You're welcome, how nice.
A: I have had a bit of low self-esteem when it comes to writing lyrics, but now I have heard the same lyrics in a completely new setting.
Now it is not sweet anymore, but cool and groovy.
Later in "Hver Gang Vi Møtes"
When you become over-stressed and overworked, you never know what will be the final straw.
And by the way, I`ll be singing “Fairytale”.
Gets a clear message from the girl, either we`re an item or I`ll leave you.
One thing pop stars need to deal with it’s girls.
This was one of the highlights in my life.
"Hver Gang Vi Møtes" is the program where seven of the most popular artists in Norway move in together one late summer week to Kjærnes Farm outside Moss.
Today it`s Alexander Rybak`s day.
It`s been a real journey today, full of emotions.
Lars: I think you have expressed clearly that you don't want to complain about anything regarding how it is to be Alexander Rybak. That is important for you.
A: Good
L: And I understand it very well because it looks cool to be you.
A: It is, It is very cool. And today it is great fun.
L: And by the way, I am going to sing that Fairytale...
That is a very serious and sad song. I thought I should do it extemely sad, but I realised that is not how I like to do it.
I like to sing about sad things in a pleasant way.
So I have done approximately the way you did it.
Alex: I think I have never looked forward so much to something before.
A: When I saw the points coming and people liked what I was doing, I was first and foremost relieved.
And then I realised that this has something to do with love sorrow and forgiveness to do.
The whole song was a big therapy for me. For that love sorrow I had for six years.
After my first love.
The winner of the Eurovision Song Contest.
I told myself very clearly that this is probably the biggest experience in your life.
So the next months you just have to enjoy.
SD: Did you manage that? A: Yes, I did, more or less.
SD: You must tell us what it was like winning?
A: It was great fun. An unreal world, not only for me, but all those around me too. There was chaos in my head.
Things just came out of my mouth, like that people could meet me at the airport if they wanted.
SD: And they did. A: Yes, many did.
I enjoyed the sudden stardom I got, but I remember that already after some months I thought:
"I hope it won't take long before I am a common artist again.
And not one people don't dare to say Hi to."
But I don't have to think at all to say that "Fairytale" is something I love to do, every time.
That is a song that is the symbol of my happiness.
A: Such fun, and the worst is that now I am trying to remember how the original was.
Sit down.
L: Very good.. fantastic
A: I think I have experienced the most exciting moment in my life when Lars Lillo-Stenberg said he was going to sing Fairytale.
And he delivered extremely well by playing on my sad Russian feelings. So it was delightful, ah.
Simone: Was it just me who got these Greek feelings? Bouzouki?
Lars: It`s a bit like the bunch who annoy you at restaurants..
Sigvart: If you were to present a manual, a recipe on the success you've had, this is what you should do, and this is what you shouldn't do.
Alex: The romantic in me says don`t break up with your first love and then write a song about it. And win Eurovision.
But the rest of me says you should be honest and all situations in life can become a potential song.
Lars: You can be called Knausgård and write 8000 pages about something.
Alex: Yes, then you should have the guts to compromise others, too.
It was a total chaos around Alexander Rybak. It had to go wrong. And that`s what happened this summer.
Rybak got furious on stage at Liseberg in Sweden. He crushed his own violin.
AD: I remember there was a lot of technical trouble, sound. A: Sound.
When I smashed my hand just before Eurovision in Norway, that was because of a sound engineer.
The time I wrote some goofy stuff on Facebook was because of another sound engineer.
When you are overly stressed and overworked, you never know what causes the cup to overflow.
And so unfair is the world. If you have been nagging on something and it's been a bad day,
it could be someone in your family who offers you a cup of tea, and that is the reason why you say "No, I do not want tea!".
Samsaya: How many days of traveling did you have back than? Do you remember?
A: I was home 5 days maybe that year. S: That year. A: Yes, 2010.
Elg: If you work... if you have had 5 days off in one year... normal people would have been admitted a long time ago.
A: I think that if I had been the manager, I would probably make the same mistake.
They didn't understand I didn't work on battery. I needed to rest.
There has been some fantastic days. I have given so much now, and I have received a lot..
I just wish I could sleep for one day.
I haven't slept for 3 days, and get nauseous, and I don't feel very well.
Sorry... I'm not gonna puke.
"EXHAUSTED"
"Have to rest to keep going on"
"Dangerous to push further now"
Sigvart: Was it because it was just too much that made it explode?
A: I realised that the media likes the negative stories more than the positive ones.
Simone: Have you taken more responsibility for you own situation, your own life?
SE: So you don't have to blame the negative things on others? A: Yes.
In the midst of all the negativity I thought: "No, I will not focus on this." I'd much rather cultivate the positive.
There are days when I think: "Heck, why did I say that?" But fortunately there are fewer and fewer of those days.
Elg: How did things go with the violin? A: Got a new one. New opportunity.
Elg: I have been so lucky to have been in your world for a little while and now we're talking about girls.
And if it is one thing pop stars must learn to handle, it is girls.
It will be very funny to give you a little version or Elg's version of "Oah".
A: Oh, yeah.
E: And that one is definitely about girls.
A: "Oah" was about a girl that I was really in love with. And as the release was getting closer, I realised that we would not stay together.
- Alexander, I am not interested in you.
- Come on, Moa, give me one chance!
- I don't want to date you!
-But if...
- Can you stop following me?
It was very autobiographical, I sometimes get criticised for disclosing too much.
But then I think so, if it is okay that Eminem can rap about and tell the name of a person he went to prison with, then I can tell the name of the girl I love.
SE: Aren't you afraid that you don't protect enough the parts of you that you want to have for yourself.
When you are so self-disclosing in what you write and release.
A: I have actually been careful not to reveal names and tell about the people around me all the time.
Until I got the clear message from the girl that either we're officially sweethearts or it's over.
And then I overdo it and do more than she asks for. "Yes, we're a couple."
Look now I am calling the newspapers: "Do you know her name, the world's most beautiful.."
..And then I say: "Look what I did" and get: "What have you done?"
AD: Do you wish you had done it differently today?
A: No, I never really regret what I have done. I don't want to supress what I have done. Because after all it was me, some years ago.
But, I will not necessarily do it again.
Elg: But no matter what, it is a love song.
I don't want to say that I regret everything I have said about girls and such. It is a part of me, and I am continuously looking for love.
And I am very happy that I said everything from my heart.
What I am most excited about is his reaction, if he doesn't fall off his chair. It is a little dark, but as the last sentence says: "You'll be mine"
E: It was a love song.
A: You have, you have seduced me into the dark side.
E: That is where the light comes from.
A: It was fun.
Sigvart: It was really nice, Øivind. What happened to "Oah"? What became of that now?
A: This man with the long hair is a genious. It is so brave to do this, and it hits well.
E: I saw he became a little bit serious for a while, so I don't think it was what he expected. But I think it worked.
A: Now that I am among good friends I want to share my dream with you. And that is to move to the countryside.. Lars: With us?
Alex: Sure, you are in the countryside, such a place...
Find a fine woman to share my life with, and have some small "bambinos". And live and work at the same place.
But to be able to do that, I think it`s easier to work as a composer than as an artist.
I would like to have more tasks. I have just started composing for other artists. I would like have more assignments as a composer.
I feel that you guys have helped me a lot along the way. I believe in myself as a composer.
Simone: It`s really beautiful.
Alex: You've made me feel like l live the life of Riley with hot dogs and raisins. What is the expression?
Sigvart: Almost, you've covered quite a lot.
Alex: Then there's a song, the bitter sweet violinist in me, would like to join in on. I have plain and simple fallen in love with a "Fairytale".
Lars: Are you crazy? Sigvart: Looking forward to hear it.
Simone: This is the icing on the cake! Yuhuu! I feel that Alexander has created a nice mood, been generous towards himself.
And he is a nice guy, he is special. There`s only one Alexander Rybak, artist like him.
A: This was one of the highlights of my life, really, it was a very fine day.