The Norwegian song has an interesting backstory.
The artist (Tix) started out as a composer of party songs for
graduating high schoolers. The teens pay up to $10k for a song for their group of friends, often made to be as provoking as possible. Tix got his breakthrough into prominence with such a song with the translated lyrics "I'm getting wasted to the taste of gold [beer]. / You ask me what I want, I answer «to f***» / ... / Do you want to come to my place / if I give you alcohol. / Tonight it's allowed to be a slut. / ..."
Now, after 6 years in the controversial spotlight, he joined the national rounds of ESC, and although his song was trashed by the media (which he spoofs by
dangling a dice with a one on), he won the popular vote to go to the European final.
The Norwegian media now focus more on his openness about mental health, in something that personally feels like a whitewashing campaign to make his brand palatable to the general public, and not just teenagers on parties.
And now he (miraculously) went through to the finals of ESC, with a ballad that for me produces more yawns than tears.
Let's see how it goes on Saturday. My guess is the bottom five (a traditional spot for many Norwegian entries over the years), but I will try to have an open mind.
Edit: damn, this post made me miss my train stop. The punishment for being closed minded.