This afternoon, EBU announced the running order for the semi-finals of Eurovision Song Contest 2018, and it was revealed that this year´s Norwegian representative and winner of Eurovision 2009, Alexander Rybak, will have the starting position no. 1 in the second semi-final.
Alexander Rybak has opened up to TV2 about his feelings on opening the show on Thursday, May 10, saying:
I thought I would be performing as song number one in Oslo Spektrum. But instead I got the experience of closing the show in Spektrum, and now I will get to open the show in Portugal! It is an honour to get to start the Eurovision night off with a bang!
Former MGP host Per Sundnes has also given his thoughts on the running order and he believes, that there is no need to be worried about Norway´s chances at the contest. He stated that:
Rybak has previously shown that the running order doesn´t matter. For most people he is a well-known face, and he has the support of both East and West. There is no need to worry – We will certainly come out of this semi-final victorious. If we had a more uncertain entry, it would have been negative for us to be in the first half of the semi-final. In the Grand Final, the running order probably matters though, even for us.
Per Sundnes even has high hopes that Norway could win the Final on May 12. He says:
Johnny Logan has won the Eurovision twice. If there is anyone, who can manage to do the same, then it’s Alexander Rybak. I think we’re taking a place on the podium.
Alexander Rybak won MGP 2018 in March with his entry “That´s How You Write a Song”, and will represent Norway at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018 for the second time after he won the contest in 2009 with the song “Fairytale”.
Source: TV2
Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest
Norway debuted in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1960, and have won the contest three times – in 1985, 1995 and 2009. The country has the dubious record of finishing last the most times, eleven in total, and have received nul points four times. Norway last won the contest in 2009 when Alexander Rybak broke all records with his song “Fairytale”. He scored 387 points in the final, receiving 16 sets of 12 points and scoring points from every country.
