24 July 2009
By Sandy Tsantakis
http://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_civ_2_24/07/2009_323276
HIS LIFE AFTER THE EUROVISION
Alexander Rybak, the Norwegian violinist, visited Greece during his tours.
PORTRAIT: Alexander Rybak is from these people you simply cannot detest. You think (or you hope/wish) that he will be arrogant, unable to talk properly, because he is only 23. But there is something he does that make you like him from the very first moment. He doesn’t need anyone to give him advices. His communication charisma became evident immediately in his press conference in the Norwegian Ambassador’s house in Athens.
He could hear most cell phones ringing with the tune of «Fairytale» over here. He knew he has set new records. He noticed that all of our media attention was focused on him. And he also knew that the Norwegian TV makes a documentary on his life. Although he knows all the above, he never forgets that for the majority he is just a consumable product, with an expiration date he has already defined.
«I know that in 4 years I will not be as popular as today».
He just says what you wish that all artists with the same career length would say. He has already visited 15 out of the 22 countries where his album has been realized, in order to promote his music, his album, his image and his sales. He never complains, although his life has changed a lot, he receives countless invitations for festivals and sometimes he has to give negative answers too.
His life after the Eurovision: for the few hours he was in Athens, he was just himself. He was humorous and self-sarcastic. He posed with his violin for the photographers. A music teacher I know told me that her students asked her after the Eurovision about Rybak’s violin and it’s «hair», meaning of course the chords. That’s what classical music even in a more «pop» form, can achieve: to raise the interest for conservatories.
No clichés
He amused us by speaking without clichés about Sakis Rouvas, and he wasn’t troubled by questions regarding the stardom. As about Greek musicians: «I admire Mikis Theodorakis. Traditional music is the purest thing. There are many similarities between the Greek and the Nordic folk music. I know some good DJs, but that’s the kind of music I like. But I can understand everything easily».
What does he plan to do anything for the environment? «I am not so smart, to be honest, to help with the big problems. There are specialized people for them. I will go to sing for kid patients in a hospital, but I will not change the world. I am not good at that. I am not the right person to start a revolution».
He has already 4,750 Facebook fans [sic], and his last Twitter post was: «Today I got a sore throat. :-( Glad that I don't have a concert today. I'll relax and play Mario Galaxy». For those over 23, that’s a video game.