Alexander Rybak, the 2009 Eurovision winner from Norway, has been living in the United States in recent years, but was forced to leave and return to live in Norway. What is the disturbing reason that led to this drastic decision?
Alexander Rybak brought Norway its third historic Eurovision victory in 2009, enchanting Europe and the world with his violin and captivating smile with the song “Fairytale.” Since then, Rybak has become one of the most beloved singers to emerge from the Eurovision contest, with his winning song still adored by fans. He continues to be invited to perform at various Eurovision-related events. However, such overwhelming success brings not only fans and love but also more extreme individuals who disregard the privacy of their object of admiration.
The Stalking Saga Unfolds
This is precisely the case with Rybak, who has suffered in recent years from a woman who relentlessly stalked him in a most disturbing manner, even after a restraining order was issued against her. So what happened between the two, and what similar incident had the singer already experienced in his past?
How Did Things Escalate?
Since winning Eurovision, Rybak, who was actually born in Belarus and moved to Norway as a child, relocated recently to the United States for his music studies. Since 2022, he had been living in Los Angeles, where a colleague of Rybak began sending him thousands of messages and even showed up at his doorstep just to sit and wait for him. This can be seen in photos shared by the singer, who called on people not to attack her, stating that she is a woman in need of mental help. These actions led the singer to file a complaint against the woman with the police, which she only used as an opportunity to meet him in court!
Legal Action and Continued Harassment
Since June 2023, she has been prohibited from approaching Rybak due to a restraining order, but even this was not enough to end this saga. As if all this wasn’t sick enough, the same woman began involving Rybak’s friends and family members, spreading rumors about him, which ultimately led him to decide to leave his home and return to live in Norway.
He described the situation in a TikTok video on his private account:
@alexrybakofficial Please remember, this is a mentally ill person who needs help. Please don’t attack her on my behalf, and don’t provoke her. It would all make her feel even stronger. I know, by posting this video she is given the attention she wants. But this is not only about me, I need to spread awareness of the harassment my friends have been dealing with for a long time. These are the people she has hurt the most. If you receive any rumors about them, please do your best to ignore it: @Beryl Rosenblum @kingclarinet @ÖZGÃœR BALAKAR 🇹🇷 @Ida_keijser @Desi G @Honest London @hufflepuff_agent @Olivier Vanhoutte55 @Lika O @Veronica Frey🖤✨ #stopharassment ♬ original sound – Alexander Rybak
A Ugly Harassment Story – But Not the First
Not long after winning Eurovision, around 2012, Rybak experienced a quite similar case with another woman who harassed and stalked him. As a result, he decided to release a song about that woman called “Leave Me Alone,” which talks about what she does to him, to his close ones, and describes her as crazy. In this case – it was none other than an Israeli woman who harassed the Eurovision winner! About this song, Rybak says: “It’s a true story about a woman who traveled around the world to settle on my doorstep, sent me 600 emails, and always seems to find my new (and secret!) phone number. I have to give her credit for her hard work in finding me wherever I am. This is something you normally only see in movies.”
Eurovision Triumph and Lasting Impact
Alexander Rybak rose to fame after being chosen to represent Norway in Eurovision 2009, where he won with a historic 387 points. To this day, many fans and even non-Eurovision enthusiasts continue to enjoy his iconic winning song. However, Rybak’s Eurovision story didn’t end there!
In 2018, Rybak decided to compete in the Norwegian national selection – Melodi Grand Prix (MGP) – for the chance to represent the country at Eurovision 2018. He won the national final with the song ‘That’s How You Write a Song.’ At Eurovision, Rybak won the second semi-final, finishing first overall. However, in the grand final on May 12, he only managed to secure 15th place.
Since then, the singer has continued to perform at Eurovision events while nurturing a successful music career. However, the sudden success and various experiences, including harassment incidents, led Rybak to develop an addiction to sleeping pills and antidepressants. Nevertheless, it appears that the singer is now taking care of himself and working on improving his life, focusing on both his mental and physical health.
Source: Hant.se
Eurovision 2025: This will be Norway’s 63rd participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Norway joined the competition in 1960 and has won it three times. Norway’s most recent victory was in 2009 with the song “Fairytale,” performed by Alexander Rybak.
