Alexander Rybak

Alexander Igorevich Rybak, also known as Aleksander Rybak, Alexander Ryback, or Alexander Rybakk, is an artist born on May 13, 1986, in the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR.

He moved to Norway with his parents at the age of four. A multi-instrumentalist, he began playing piano and violin at the age of five, before learning guitar, singing, and composing his own songs.

His career took off in 2006 when he won the Norwegian talent competition Kjempesjansen with his composition Foolin’. The following year, he played the role of the fiddler in the production of the musical Fiddler on the Roof at the Oslo Nye Teater, a performance that earned him the prestigious Heddaprisen award.

He performed on stage alongside renowned artists such as violinist Arve Tellefsen and singer Morten Harket from a-ha.

Alexander Rybak achieved international recognition in 2009 by winning the Eurovision Song Contest with his own composition Fairytale. This victory, achieved with a record score at the time, was preceded by a resounding national success in the Norwegian final, Melodi Grand Prix. His song Fairytale had reached the top of the Norwegian charts even before the final, a first in the selection’s history.

Subsequently, he achieved further successes, such as with the track Funny Little World, and won the Årets Spellemann award, Norway’s biggest music prize, in 2010. His work also extends to writing, with the publication of a children’s book that inspired his own musical show, Trolle og den magiske fela, for which he released the soundtrack in 2015.

Beyond music, Alexander Rybak diversified his activities as an actor and presenter, and even participated in the Swedish dance show Let’s Dance in 2011.