It’s been 23 long years since the free language rules was re-introduced. Is it a good thing? Well, there have only been three winners since 1999 that had no English in them. So is it a good thing?
Well, it levels the playing field and gives those countries where English isn’t spoken a chance of winning, even if the performers don’t quite know what they’re singing. In 1998, Norway pre-empted the rule and had a national final featuring songs in English. The one that won, by today’s birthday boy Lars Andernach Fredriksen then needed a quick Norwegian lyric to be cobbled together. Even though he still finished eighth, maybe he should have waited a year.
Lars is 51 today.
Gratulerer med dagen, Lars!