Andreassen's Home-Soil Silver Loses to Irish Chorister

MAY 15 1996 · 12:10

Elisabeth Andreassen · "I evighet" · Norway · 1996 Placement: 2 · Score: 114 · Language: Norwegian · Composers: Jan Olav Drangsholt, Morten Gunnar Larsen · Venue: Oslo Spektrum · Host: Oslo, Norway · Type: upset · Broadcast: digital hd Andreassen — Norway's 1985 co-winner ('La det swinge' with Bobbysocks) — returns to represent Norway at home in Oslo Spektrum. 'I evighet' is a sincere romantic ballad sung in Norwegian with orchestral backing. The audience is entirely on her side. Eimear Quinn wins for Ireland with 'The Voice', 162 points to Andreassen's 114. The 48-point gap is decisive; the audience's disappointment is audible. Context Andreassen was Norway's most decorated Eurovision veteran — winner 1985, 2nd 1996, 6th 1982 with Chips. The 1996 host-year arrangement put enormous pressure on RÚV's broadcasting neighbor NRK to select a safe established hit-maker. Norwegian-language performance was a deliberate patriotic choice. Legacy Andreassen retired from competitive Eurovision after 1996. She continued performing in Sweden and Norway through the 2020s as Eurovision's 'grand old dame' for the Nordic nations. Quinn's 1996 win was Ireland's 4th in 5 years — Irish dominance of 1990s Eurovision was at its peak. Norway wouldn't host again until 2010.