World Idol: Kurt Nilsen 'I' album

Kurt Nilsen is 24 years old and he is Norway's biggest Idol. It was in May, earlier this year, that he got the final proof that he was an Idol with a capital I. Half a million cheering Norwegians forgot about the telephone-bill for a while and threw their votes in the air for the plumber from Bergen, Norway's second largest city.

Those votes made him the winner he deserved to be, although it was with a small margin. TV2, Norway's leading commercial TV-channel had witnessed an enormous success.

Through harsh qualifications, thorough examinations by a strict, but fair jury, excruciating semi-finals and a fantastic final, viewed by nearly one and a half million excited Norwegians, Kurt emerged as the winner. He had been hailed as the favorite and he kept his cool.

Already in the early stages of the competition, Kurt received favorable reviews for his fabulous voice and his artistic presence, not often seen in an amateur. Amateur may not be the correct tag to label Kurt with, seeing as he had his own band in Bergen, Fenrik Lane, but the participation in Idol overshadowed what small success the band had, and they had to step down to give way to their front-man.

The fact that Kurt also had two kids and a girlfriend, did probably contribute to his overall popularity with the Norwegian audience. He continued to charm his way through television and interviews long after the Idol-competition was over and done.

The record contract, the coveted first prize, was the real icing on the cake, and Kurt was patient in recording his first album. A single, though, was released two weeks after the final, and She's So High - a song by Tal Bachman - went straight to the top spot of the singles charts in Norway. It stayed there for a record nine weeks, and is by far the biggest selling Norwegian single of all time, already certified 11xplatinum!

The debut album, I, was released in September, and - as the single before it - went straight in at number 1. The Album consists of nine original songs and three cover versions, among them, She's So High - obviously, and Duran Duran's beautiful Ordinary World. The album went platinum on the day of release, and is close to reaching double platinum any day, which is exceptional for a debut album.

Kurt has played 21 solo-concerts all over Norway, from far north to deep south. Altogether, the young winner has played 45 concerts. Not bad for a 24 year old plumber from Bergen, Norway's first official Idol.

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World Idol: Kurt Nilsen - I