Eurovision Top 100 Gold Tier Member Elisabeth Andreassen is back at number 39 with her 1994 entry for Norway, “Duett.”
A few things on this famous Norwegian singer to clear up right away: She is also known by the stage name “Bettan,” she won Eurovision in a different duet in 1985, and her maiden name is Andreasson – off by just one letter from her current name. You might see both on various Eurovision listings and websites. It is all the same person, and that person was one of the best performers in Eurovision history.
In 1994, she paired up with a rising star in Norwegian music, Jan Werner Danielsen. The resulting song was epic.
Vital Information: “Duett”
| Song | Duett |
| English Translation | Duet (just one “t”) |
| Performed By | Elisabeth Andreasson & Jan Werner Danielsen |
| Written By | Rolf Løvland & Hans Olav Mørk |
| Country | Norway |
| Year | 1994 |
| Language(s) Performed In | Norwegian |
| How It Fared | 6th Place (76 Points) |
| Was It Fair? | It should have won |
What I Liked
I was blown away by this performance, and that is hard to do. No notes for either one of them on the vocals: If you want to get knocked off your chair by strong singing, then this would do it. Jan Werner and Bettan harmonized so well that you would think they had been working together for years. They both knew they could go up and get those big notes, and they were showing off all of the talent.
There was a time in Eurovision where the singing was most of what you had (or didn’t), and this extended well into the 90s, before staging took off in earnest. The chemistry and raw ability both of them had was more than enough to make an impression.
Other Facts
- Bettan/Andreassen appeared at Eurovision four times, once for Sweden and three times for Norway. This is tied for the all-time record. Her other two songs on this list are “I evighet” and “La det swinge.”
- Jan Werner was just 18 at the time he partnered with Bettan at Eurovision. He tragically passed away in 2006 at age 30. Andreassen, who worked with him beyond Eurovision 1994, performed at his funeral alongside a backing track of his voice. (Klier, 2006)
- Norway went 17th in the 1994 running order. They did not win in 1994, but they would win the following year, and ironically, whereas this song featured crushing vocals, that song was mostly an instrumental.
A “Duett” You Won’t Want to Miss
This is on YouTube for your enjoyment.
References
Klier, M. (2006, October 9). Jan Werner Danielsen’s funeral today. Esctoday. https://esctoday.com/6491/jan_werner_danielsens_funeral_today/
