A Stranger
Moscow. The end of June. It is + 10 C on the street. Alexander Rybak came to the meeting in a thin T-shirt. “We had snow in Norway two weeks ago, so I am used to the cold”. He has also got used to the constant attention which falls on him after winning the Eurovision Song Contest. Since then five years have passed and Alexander has written a lot of songs and travelled to almost 70 countries. And now he is reaping the benefits of his success – Rybak is the composer of a soundtrack on the popular Hollywood cartoon “How to Train Dragon 2”, and can be proud of it!
Source: OK! Published 03.07.2014 in the issue No. 27 (395)Author: Vadim Vernik. Photo: Vanja Berezkin.
Translation by Valeriya Platonova, Zhanna Sergueeva and Maria Solntseva. English revision by Anni Jowett.
Sasha, how did it happen that you entered into Hollywood so elegantly? Did the producers invite you?
Nobody invited me. I just wrote a song and realised that it is perfect for the animation. I’ve worked on the first and second parts of the animation for Norway (main hero Hiccup speaks with voice of Alexander). At my own expense I rented a studio, recorded the melody and sent it to the company “DreamWorks” although only 2.5 months remained prior to the international release of the animation. I knew that I had little chance, they may not even want to hear my song. Especially the Americans, it means nothing to them. And suddenly the answer is: “Of course, Alexander, we know who you are”. I was delighted, although they also wrote that everything was ready, and there was no need for the song, but they certainly will listen my melody. I decided not to wait for the outcome, I was just happy and considered it like a personal victory – the main thing I took a chance. However, after a week and a half they called me and said that the composition is very nice, and in spite of the late terms, they want to use the song. In the end I felt happy, and my song plays in the final credits of the animation. In some countries it is released on the soundtrack disc. The compositions of John Powell are gathered there, and my song is the last track. Continue reading Interview with Alexander in the Russian weekly magazine “OK!”, 03.07.2014
