Alexander (Igorjevich) Rybak won the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with the song “Fairytale,” representing Norway. What’s his story?
Early years
Alexander Rybak was born on May 13, 1986, in Minsk, Belarus, which was then part of the Soviet Union. His parents emigrated to Nesodden, Norway, when Rybak was four years old. Rybak’s parents are Natalia Rybak-Gurina, a renowned Belarusian pianist, and his father is Igor Rybak, a well-known violinist in Norway. Alexander also has a half-sister from his father’s previous relationship. From a young age, he was surrounded by music, and he started playing the violin and piano early, thanks to his parents’ musical influence.
Eurovision Song Contest 2009
Rybak won the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow with his self-written and composed song, “Fairytale.” The song draws on Russian and Norwegian folklore and is inspired by love. Also, Rybak won with 387 points, a new record at the time. After the Eurovision Song Contest, Rybak released his first album, “Fairytales,” which contained nine tracks and the singles “Fairytale,” “Funny Little World” (a hit in Norway), and “Roll with the Wind.” He toured for the album, visiting Ukraine, Belgium, and Finland, among other countries. His album went multi-platinum in Norway, double platinum in Russia, and gold in Finland.
After the Eurovision Fame
From 2011 to 2019, Rybak appeared in various TV shows, wrote, and performed music. He also earned his bachelor’s degree in violin from the Norwegian Music Institute Baratt Due in 2012 with the highest score. In October, he released his new single, “Leave Me Alone.” The single’s story revolves around a true story that happened to him. He was stalked by a woman and couldn’t find a way to get rid of her. Ultimately, instead of going to the police, he decided to write a song about it.
Eurovision Song Contest 2018
Rybak participated in Melodi Grand Prix again in 2018, with the song “That’s How You Write a Song.” He ultimately won the final, which earned him a place at the Eurovision Song Contest in Portugal. He won the second semifinal and finished fifteenth in the final.
2009 – 2025
During the period following his Eurovision Song Contest victory, Rybak entered a turbulent period. He had several failed relationships, and he also struggled with an addiction to sleeping pills and antidepressants for 11 years. In 2020, he announced this himself after starting a detox program. Rybak openly discussed this; citing the enormous pressure, stress, and emotional toll of winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009 as the cause. But since then, Alexander committed to break the stigma surrounding mental health.
In September 2020, he began an initial online film composition study at Columbia College Chicago (USA), and in August 2021, he moved to Chicago to continue his studies on location, and graduating successfully in July 2022. In September 2024, Rybak moved back to Norway for safety reasons after being the victim of another serious stalking.
Alexander Rybak is currently touring. Check his concert schedule here.
