"- This is the funniest thing I have done in a long time" - interview with Alexander on amta.no, 26.7.2020

Secretive Alexander is ready for change:

- This is the funniest thing I have done in a long time

Alexander Rybak does not say whether there is romance in the air between him and Martine Røsten Aune.
"- We have only met four times, but we agree that we have a magical friendship."

 Photo: Alexander Vestrum

Author: Ann-Turi Ford | Published on amta.no | 26.7.2020 | Translated by Mónika Menyhért

This week, Alexander Rybak has recorded a new episode of "Allsang på grensen", next week comes the video that will celebrate that he is himself again - and he has certain plans for this autumn.

In the upcoming video and song Magic, he pays tribute to Martine Røsten Aune, the blogger who saved him from a relapse into pill abuse in May. As is known, Rybak has been addicted to sleeping pills and antidepressants for eleven years.

Thanks to Aune, the rehabilitation was able to continue in the right direction.

- The whole song is about Martine. I am fascinated by her thoughts and motivation force, says Oksval's greatest son who lives at Aker Brygge - for now.

- It is not certain that I will be living in Oslo from the autumn so to speak, he reveals.

He won't tell more right now than that it may in the first instance mean that he is more on Nesodden for a while. And that local newspapers will get a chance for a longer chat later this summer.

- Am myself again

This week he has been in Halden to record a new episode of Allsang på grensen. It will be led by Katrine Moholt and Stian "Staysman" Thorbjørnsen and available on August 6th. Other performers are Staysman & Lazz, Stavangerkameratene and Gaute Ormåsen & Marie Klåpbakken.

Alexander is also featured in a new Netflix movie where he plays cameo. It is the American film comedy Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga.

What the 34-year-old is most interested in at the moment is his upcoming video.

- I have had lots of joy in working on it. This is the funniest thing I've done in a long time, now I feel like myself again. The video will be released next week, but not before we are one hundred percent satisfied. So far we have had seven recording days at 40 different locations, he says.

20 participants play a part in the Magic video. Among them is Espen Alexander Børde from Nesodden.

A summary video

- He is my friend from primary school and also a dancer. By the way, I have gathered people Martine is a fan of, like Jan Thomas, and the closest people from my career. It's a kind of summary video.

Rybak praises his flexible team, which makes up for what is lack in equipment with a lot of work.

Ingeborg Walther, who played the main role in his musical Trolle, is involved, and his mentor Dennis Storhøy and Elisabeth Andreassen also add luster to the life-affirming song.

A picture-frame from the video Magic

- A couple from "Love Island", Mie and Ali joined as well, who I think radiate so much romance. Otherwise, I am inspired by Pharrell Williams' music video for "Happy" where all kinds of people dance, says Rybak.

He thinks it's nice that so many people from Nesodden have given a good response to his summer song.

- Several people have said that the video brings to mind Michael Jackson. It's funny, but it's actually inspired by the English band "Jamiroquai" that Thomas Stanghelle introduced me to. We listened to them in the car.

Whether the MGP-giant is really happy now - you can watch the video and judge for yourself.


(The translator of this article is not native either in the Norwegian or the English language, so any correction is welcomed and appreciated.)