Monday, Jan 8, 2024

Today, I would like to discuss Eurovision. One of my favorite songs and winners in Eurovision is Alexander Rybak's "Fairytale." Out of the blue, that song has gained popularity again for some reason. I believe it's probably because of TikTok or something. However, I won't be discussing the original version of Alexander Rybak's song. Instead, I will compare it with another cover by someone else from Norway, a participant from 2015 representing Norway. They covered "Fairytale," I think during the same year as well, alongside their companion at the time, Deborah Scarlett.

So, I've listened to many different versions of "Fairytale," but this one caught my attention because it is the opposite of what "Fairytale" is. "Fairytale" is full of energy, including orchestral violins and providing a wider sound stage. In Rybak's version, the tone is bright, like every pluck of the strings. It pretty much shows it's an upbeat and happy song, reflecting the optimistic message of the original version.

As for MØRLAND's cover, it's more melancholy and intimate. The sound stage is more closed off. I don't know if that makes it more stripped down because it's a cover, but I like the fact that it doesn't feel repetitive, unlike the original version with its template of a verse, followed by the chorus, the second verse, the chorus, the bridge, and then the chorus. But for this cover, it's slightly different. It doesn't follow the traditional structure of a song, which I appreciate. I think it's less than 3 minutes, around 2 minutes and 20 seconds, if I'm not mistaken, giving it a bit of an edge to differentiate itself from the original version.

Apart from the slower and moodier ambiance of the song due to it being stripped down, I love that it's more bass-heavy, a bass-driven song rather than the original version, which I think is more violin or orchestra-led. So yeah, I actually like MØRLAND's version of "Fairytale." It's unique and different from the original version. When we talk about covers, people usually just sing along to the song, maybe adding a bit of a different flair to differentiate it from the original version, but MØRLAND's version is very different. I appreciate it, and I think he's a very talented composer and artist. Hopefully, we'll see him again soon on the Eurovision stage. He tried once before, twice actually, as a lyricist and also as a performer. But hopefully, we will see him again on the Eurovision stage. And then, that's it. Bye.

Full video: