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Rasmussen

Rasmussen will represent Denmark at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest with the song 'Higher Ground'.

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Rasmussen, or Jonas Flodager Rasmussen, is 33 years old and lives in Western Denmark. Besides working part-time as a voice and performance coach, he has also been acting in musicals such as West Side Story and Les Misérables. He has also performed in a choir on stage with The Rolling Stones as well as in tribute concerts for legends like Elton John, Paul McCartney and ABBA, and in the cover band Hair Metal Heröes.

Higher Ground, Rasmussen’s entry for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest, is inspired by the Viking Magnus Erlendsson and his refusal to fight in the Battle of Anglesey Sound in 1098. Contrary to standard depictions of Viking inclinations, Erlendsson believed in non-violence, and would have none of the fighting, looting and pillaging. He defied his King and code of conduct, and took a stand for something he believed in. These are values reflected in Higher Ground; to listen to and tolerate one another, and to solve conflicts through peaceful means instead of violence.

With his long, red beard and hair, Rasmussen’s appearance closely mimics our idea of how Vikings looked - so when the two composers of Higher Ground, Niclas Arn and Karl Eurén, saw him perform, they were immediately sure they had found the right performer for the song. Fortunately, Rasmussen instantly connected with the song and its message - a lucky match for the two Swedish composers. 

The Eurovision Song Contest and its theme for 2018, All Aboard, is all about bringing people together in peace, the perfect place to share the story of Rasmussen and Higher Ground.

About the song writers and composers 

Rasmussen’s song Higher Ground was written, composed, and produced by the two Swedes Niclas Arn and Karl Eurén.

Niclas Arn is a part of Rolandz, a humourous Swedish band which was established in 2008 and has released four albums since then. It is not the first time Arn has written a song for Dansk Melodi Grand Prix, the Danish national selection for Eurovision, he was one of the composers behind the song Your Lies in 2014.

Karl Eurén is a songwriter and music producer, and he runs the music production company Cluric Music in Stockholm. His brother is singer Gustav Eurén, and together they run the production company Renegrade Production.

Both Niclas Arn and Karl Eurén have written several songs for the Swedish national selection for Eurovision, Melodifestivalen.

Music video

Live performance

Lyrics of Higher Ground

Ships in the making
Bound for a distant shore
A world for the taking
Men gone forever more
Boarding and setting sail
Yet victory won´t prevail

Freeze the arrow in the air
Make your mark and leave it hanging there
Be the first to turn around
Take the leap to land on Higher Ground
(Taka stökk til hærri jörð)

Call it surrender
Still won´t feel like defeat
Men laying down their swords
Each of their own accord

Freeze the arrow in the air
Make your mark and leave it hanging there
Be the first to turn around
Take the leap to land on Higher Ground

Raise the banner to the sky
Face the fear and hold your head up high

Take the leap like you were bound
For Higher Ground
(Taka stökk til hærri jörð)

Freeze the arrow in the air
Make your mark and leave it hanging there…

Freeze the arrow in the air
Make your mark and leave it hanging there
Be the first to turn around
Take the leap to land on Higher Ground

Be the first to turn around
Take the leap and land on Higher Ground