Music: Is the latest YouTube fenomena the "Norwegian Gangnam Style"?

So this is totally not book related but it is fun! Have you heard about the Norwegian song called The Fox? It was posted on YouTube a short while ago and now the video has almost 11 MILLION views on YouTube. WOW! That is big, that means people from all over the world has see this funny/silly song. 

The song was made by a comedy duo famous here in Norway, they are in fact brothers, called YLVIS with help from music New York based, Norwegian, music producers Stargate(they have produced songs for people like Rhianna and Beyonce). And now the funny music video has now gone viral on YouTube. Viewers all over the world has watched this silly video:



What do you think?
Silly, funny, entertaining? Let me know in the comments below.

Listen to my favorite from Norwegian Idol 2013

So books and music goes hand in hand, right? Right, so it is suitable for me to share some music videos with you guys from our Norwegian version of Idol. One of the contestant this year really floored me with her talent, original takes on well known songs and, last but certainly not least, her lovely voice. I would love to hear your thoughts on the singer in the comments below.

 

I cried!

So me crying is not something new, I almost cry every time I read a book, there is just always a wee thing or two that set me off. But I think is the first year ever a contestant has moved me to tears, at least the big, salty ones that just falls, even when you try your best to hold them back.

When 16 year old Norwegian Astrid Smeplass was voted out of Idol last Friday I cried. That is not usually how I behave when I'm watching Idol. Her voice just spoke to my soul I guess and so I wanted to share her talent with you guys.

One of the first songs Astrid did in Idol was a cover, well her own interpretation of, of Jolene by Dolly Parton(fast forward to 53 sec out in the video to get to the song):



Astrid wrote this song with a little help from two American song writers.
A good collaboration I would say:


Human by The Killers:


Cover of Her(the Norwegian word for here) by Karpe Diem:



So is it just me or does this girl have something special?

I think Astrid is an amazingly talented singer now, and as the days, months and years pass she will only grow as a singer. I am buying her music no doubt about it. I have already bought, along with a great deal others was Astrid topped the Norwegian iTunes list almost instantly, the song she composed herself.

Music: Pop from Scandinavia - What do you think?

I know, this is a book blog.. but I wanted to share some favorites of mine from this corner of the world. A lot of the music on our hit lists is from USA or the UK but we do have lot of great Scandinavian artists as well. Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Norway:

Denmark:

Sweden:

 

My Nordic Christmas favorites #8 & 9

Silent night in Norwegian, I just love the voice of our wonderful Norwegian singer, Sissel Kyrkjebø!:

I really like the Swedish tenor Jussi Björlings version of this Christmas song + there's some beautiful winter pictures from our neighbor country Sweden in this video:

My Christmas favorites #7

Is there anyone out there who can't get the Christmas feeling when listening to Wham's song Last Christmas?

If I'd been older than 1 year in 1984 I'm pretty sure there would have been lot's of posters of George Michael in my room at that time. He was pretty good looking at the time =D

On My Wishlist - Dec 16th and my Christmas favorite #3

This is my first On My Wishlist post, it is is a weekly meme hosted by Book Chick City, which will be posted every Wednesday. I'll be sharing two or three books from my wishlist each Wednesday. A little information about this meme:

It allows us to share the books we haven't bought yet but are waiting to be bought and devoured. If you are anything like me then your wishlist is getting longer by the day! If you would like to take part and have your own 'On My Wishlist' post then you can find more info here. (This post was inspired by the fab In My Mailbox by Kristi at The Story Siren).

 Here are some of the books that can be found on my wishlist:

A Three Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith

Originally published in: 1943
Number of pages(paperback): 430
Young Adult classic

Description from Goodreads:

The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience.

The Awakening and The Struggle(Vampire Diares #1 &2) by L.J. Smith

Originally published in: 1991
Number of pages(paperback): 492

Description from Goodreads:
Elena: the golden girl, the leader, the one who can have any boy she wants.
Stefan: brooding and mysterious, he seems to be the only one who can resist Elena, even as he struggles to protect her from the horrors that haunt his past.
Damon: sexy, dangerous, and driven by an urge for revenge against Stefan, the brother who betrayed him. Determined to have Elena, he'd kill to possess her.
Collected here in one volume for the first time, volumes one and two of The Vampire Diaries, the tale of two vampire brothers and the beautiful girl torn between them.

Mating Rituals of the North American Wasp by Lauren Lipton
Originally published in: 2009
Number of pages(paperback): 368

Description from Goodreads:
After arguing with her live-in boyfriend about his inability to commit, Peggy Adams flies to a friend's bachelorette party in Las Vegas, and wakes up next to a man she can't remember. Hung-over and miserable, she sneaks out of the sleeping man's hotel room and returns home to New York, where her boyfriend apologizes for the fight and gives her a Tiffany box containing a pre-engagement ring. Not what she expected, but close enough! The next day she receives a phone call from the Las Vegas one-night stand, Luke, claiming she's already married to him¬-and he faxes her the license for proof! Both are ready for an annulment, until Peggy arrives in quaint New Nineveh, CT, where Luke cares for his Great Aunt, and the old woman makes Peggy an offer she can't refuse.

My Christmas favorite:

Obviously I cannot count.. I posted #4 yesterday(Jiminy Cricket) LOL. So here's favorite number # 3, Dean Martin - Let it snow.

My Christmas favorites #4 - Jiminy Cricket

 This might be my# 1 Christmas favorite. It brings so many good memories from childhood Christmases. Oh the waiting for it to be evening on Christmas Eve(that's the day we celebrate Christmas here in Norway). The subtitles to this video is in Norwegian, so it's an educational video LOL.

My Christmas favorites #2

My Christmas favorites - The Pouges

I thought it would be fun to share some of my Christmas favorites in the music department. First out is The Pouges with their Fairytale of New York: