Norway’s entry this year promises a little bit for everybody. Get ready for Gay Spice, Blondie Spice and Sami Spice:
When Spice Girls were formed in the 90s, it was not only to compete with all the reigning boybands out there. It was also to provide the horny teenagers of this world with a hot chick for every taste. Here was Ginger Spice for those ho preferred redheads in tight union jack dresses. Sporty Spice for those who preferred the slightly more sporty girl next door. Scary spice for those easily scared. Baby Spice for the older men to drool over. And then, the biggest legends of them all, the one who was so bad at singing she had a muted microphone, but who was perfect at everything else, including finding a boyfriend, designing excellent clothes and looking very, very grumpy and at the same time very very fantastic in royal weddings. The one and only Victoria Posh Spice Beckham. Our choice by a million.
Keiino did well in following that recipe. After having to share a series of rather disturbing types from Norway with Europe the last couple of years, we were seriously fearing for our reputation. Maybe people got the impression our country consisted of nervous wrecks, ADHD kids with expensive violins, old chicks dancing with no underwear and stuck-up artists that don’t give interviews. None of which is true, of course. Good thing Keiino showed up and spent all their pocket money trying to prove those people wrong. Because while they might sound like many things at once, they are certainly none of the above. Instead, they are a little bit of everything the fans seem to like.
We are proud of Keiino for many reasons. One is their tireless commitment to the fans. Soon there’s no capital left in Europe that these guys haven’t visited in their endless journey to meet and greet and play for everyone who wants to listen. Second is they seem to be very independent in their choices, so we feel confident they will not let NRK lock them up in their hotel room in Tel Aviv. Maybe we’ll get the first artist in years that’ll give interviews to other journalists than NRK’s own and maybe they’ll even show up in Euro Club? One dare hope.
But our main reason to be proud of this entry is called Fred Buljo. Our choice by the million. Not only are we proud that Norway finally takes joik to Eurovision after Elin Kåven was robbed by some masked guys a few years back. But we’re also proud that he delivers decent, modern joik, done with very much dignity and skills and not a nostalgic culturally appropriated pop version of it all. The sami culture is something to be really proud of in the Nordic countries and Fred Buljo manages to show us why it is still alive and thriving despite many attempts of keeping it away. He would make Niko Valkeapää proud and Sverre Kjelsberg a little embarrassed.
The rest of the song is a little meh, but maybe that’s just because it reminds us of Monster, which wasn’t exactly our favorite last year. Unlike Keiino, that lady did not benefit from belting out her song to the fans every single time she had the chance either. But hey, one favorite Spice is enough to like this band, right? He certainly doesn’t have a muted microphone, but there should be room for a couple of well-dressed posers with those.
Give us a ring. We’d be Keiino’s Good Evening Spices any day!
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