Alexander Rybak facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alexander Rybak
Rybak in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Alexander Igorevich Rybak
Born	(1986-05-13) 13 May 1986 (age 39) Minsk, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union (now Belarus)
Origin	Oslo, Norway
Genres	Pop folk soft rock classical crossover
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actor
Instruments	Vocals violin piano Hardanger fiddle
Years active	2004–present
Labels	Self-released
Associated acts	Frikar Paula Seling

Alexander Rybak is a talented singer, songwriter, and actor from Norway, originally born in Belarus. He is well-known for his amazing violin skills and his catchy pop and folk music. Alexander has performed all over Europe, especially in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. He sings in English, Russian, and Norwegian, and has released five albums.

His first album, Fairytales, came out in 2009 and was a huge hit. It reached the top 20 in many European countries and was number one in Norway and Russia. After releasing two pop albums, Fairytales and No Boundaries (in 2010), Alexander started focusing on music for families and children. He often performs with youth orchestras, sharing his love for classical music.

Alexander Rybak represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. He won the competition with his song "Fairytale", which he wrote himself. He scored 387 points, which was the highest score ever at that time! Alexander was 23 when he won, making him the youngest solo male winner of the contest. He is also the only winner born in Belarus.

Since his big win, Alexander has been involved with Eurovision many times. He represented Norway again in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 with "That's How You Write a Song". He won his semi-final and finished 15th in the final. He has also performed as a special guest in other Eurovision shows.

Early Life and Music Journey

Alexander Rybak was born in Minsk, which was part of Belarus at the time. His parents are from a town called Vitebsk in Belarus. His father, Igor Rybak, is a famous classical violinist. His mother, Natalia Rybak, was a music journalist and piano teacher. The family moved to Norway when Alexander was young and later became Norwegian citizens.

Alexander started playing the piano at age five, but soon the violin became his main instrument. He loved to entertain people from a young age. When he was 10, he began studying at the Barratt Due Institute of Music in Oslo. After winning Eurovision in 2009, he took a break from his studies. He returned in 2011 and graduated in 2012 with a degree in violin performance.

Music Career Highlights

In 2004, Alexander won the Anders Jahre Culture Prize in Spain. In 2005, he reached the semi-finals of the Norwegian version of Idol. A year later, in 2006, he won a talent show called Kjempesjansen with his own song, "Foolin". Alexander has worked with famous artists like Morten Harket from a-ha. In 2007, he played the fiddle in a play called Fiddler on the Roof and won an award for his acting.

Winning Eurovision in 2009

Rybak after he had won Eurovision 2009

Alexander won the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 in Moscow, Russia. His song "Fairytale" was inspired by Norwegian folk music. He wrote and composed the song himself. He performed it with the modern folk dance group Frikar. The song was very popular and was seen as a favorite to win.

In the Norwegian competition to choose their Eurovision song, Alexander won by a huge amount. He received votes from all parts of Norway. In the Eurovision final, he won by a landslide, getting votes from almost every country. He scored 387 points, which was a new record at the time!

After Eurovision: Albums and Films

Rybak and a dancer from Frikar, at a concert in Norway, September 2009

After his Eurovision win, Alexander released his first album, Fairytales. He also acted in a film called Yohan, which came out in 2010. Alexander toured Norway and Europe with the Frikar dance company.

He performed his hit song "Fairytale" at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in 2009. A film called Fairytale: The movie was also made, showing his journey after winning Eurovision. He also recorded a theme song for a Russian action movie called Black Lightning.

Music and TV Appearances (2010-2013)

Rybak performing in 2011

In 2010, Alexander performed his new song "Europe's Skies" in Finland. He also released a new song with Opptur called "Fela Igjen". In June 2010, he released "Oah", the first single from his second album, No Boundaries. He also made a Russian version of this song.

In 2011, Alexander was a contestant on the Swedish dancing show Let's Dance. He made it to the Top 4. He also released an album called Visa vid vindens ängar with Mats Paulson. In 2012, he released a music video for his Russian song "Strela Amura". He also released a duet with Paula Seling called "I'll Show You".

In October 2012, Alexander released a new song called "Leave Me Alone". He also released a Christmas album called Christmas-tales in November 2012. In 2013, he released a music video called "5 to 7 Years" as a thank you to his fans.

New Projects and Collaborations (2014-2015)

Rybak performing "Into a Fantasy" live during the opening of the Slavianski Bazaar in Vitebsk, Belarus in 2014.

Alexander recorded a song called "Into a Fantasy" for the 2014 movie How to Train Your Dragon 2. This song was included as a bonus track in European and Russian versions of the film. He sent the song to DreamWorks, and they loved it!

In 2014, he released a song with another Eurovision winner, Marija Šerifović, called "Gorka Hrabrost". Alexander also wrote two songs for national selections for Eurovision in 2015. He wrote "Still Here" for a Maltese singer, and it finished fourth. He also formed a girl band called MILKI in Belarus and wrote their song "Accent". MILKI finished fourth in the Belarusian national final.

In early 2015, Alexander took part in a Russian TV show called Odin v Odin!, where he impersonated famous artists. He finished as the runner-up in the show. He also released a new Russian song called "Kotik" (meaning "Kitty"). The music video for "Kotik" was very popular online.

Alexander also created a children's book with a CD called Trolle og den magiske fela (Trolle and the Magic Fiddle).

Eurovision Appearances and New Music (2016-2017)

Rybak performing in the interval act of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016

In 2016, Alexander was a special jury member for Belgium's Eurovision selection. He also performed during the interval act of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016. After that, he released his song "I Came To Love You". He also re-released some of his older songs to celebrate ten years as an artist.

In 2017, Alexander sang "Fairytale" during the UK's Eurovision selection show. He also performed with German violinist Franziska Wiese. Alexander supported Salvador Sobral from Portugal to win Eurovision 2017. Salvador won, breaking Alexander's 2009 record. Alexander later released his own version of Salvador's winning song with English lyrics.

Returning to Eurovision in 2018

Rybak performing "That's How You Write A Song" at the final of Melodi Grand Prix 2018.

In 2018, Alexander decided to compete again in the Norwegian national selection, Melodi Grand Prix 2018, with his song "That's How You Write a Song". He said he wanted to participate for fun.

Alexander won the competition, surprising many people. He received the most votes from international juries and won his duels against other singers. He received a very high number of votes from the public. He then performed first in the second semi-final of Eurovision 2018 and won it, making him the first person to win two Eurovision semi-finals! In the final, he finished in fifteenth place.

Recent Activities (2019-Present)

In 2019, Alexander's children's musical Trolle og den magiske fela opened in Kristiansand, Norway. It was very popular and sold over 10,000 tickets. In 2020, Alexander helped write a song called "Over the Sea" for singer Magnus Bokn, which competed in the Norwegian Eurovision selection.

Alexander was supposed to perform at Eurovision Song Contest 2020, but the contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. His song "Fairytale" remained very popular, being voted as Norway's favorite Eurovision song of all time.

In 2020, Alexander started studying film music composition at Columbia College Chicago. He graduated in July 2022. He has lived in Los Angeles and recently moved back to Norway.

Musical Style

How Alexander Makes Music

Alexander Rybak enjoys creating many different kinds of music. He writes folk songs, children's music, and even arranges music for symphony orchestras. He also makes cover versions of popular songs. He likes to share his music with visuals, often creating music videos for his songs. He enjoys collaborating with other artists and exploring various musical styles.

His Singing Voice

Alexander is known for his clear and strong singing voice. He often uses a natural vibrato, which is a slight wavering in the sound, making his voice sound full and beautiful.

Personal Life

Alexander Rybak was raised in the Christian Eastern Orthodox Church. When he was a child, his family called him Sasha. He speaks Norwegian, Russian, and English very well, and has performed songs in all three languages. He has also sung in Belarusian and Swedish.

Alexander has shared that he sometimes faced challenges with his busy touring schedule. He learned to take care of himself and say "no" when he needed to. He also enjoys performing at events like the Gay Pride Parade.

Alexander has continued to work on his children's musical, Trolle og den magiske fela, which he finds very rewarding. He temporarily moved to Kristiansand for this project.

Discography

• Fairytales (2009)
• No Boundaries (2010)
• Visa vid vindens ängar (2011)
• Christmas Tales (2012)
• Trolle og den magiske fela (2015)

Filmography

See also

In Spanish: Alexander Rybak para niños