“We did it!” shouted a happy and relieved Kyle Alessandro after he and his back-up performers won a spot in this weekend’s Eurovision final. They’ll be up against strong competition, when the huge European song contest is held on Norway’s own national day, the 17th of May.
Alessandro hopes the celebrations will include winning Eurovision, which he claimed has been his dream since he was a child. It hasn’t been easy, with a seriously ill mother, a full load of high school studies and even a final exam back home in Norway on May 19. Alessandro, now age 19, also had to have emergency dental surgery just before the Eurovision semi-finals began in Basel, Switzerland earlier this week.
He linked the victory to “lots of hard work,” along with his song called “Lighter” that lots of those voting for their Eurovision favorite clearly liked. Norway was the very first of 10 semi-finalists chosen Tuesday night to take part in the final competition that’s likely to be even more full of its outlandish costumes, pyrotechnics and mostly loud music than ever.
This year’s Eurovision is the 69th since the contest was launched as part of efforts to unite Europe after World War II. It’s being held in Basel since Switzerland won the contest last year.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
