Basim gets props for defending Eurovision place

Basim contends that he is as Danish as can be

Mar 24, 2014

Danish singer Basim has enjoyed a cracking start to 2014.

First he won the right to represent Denmark at the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest with the song ‘Cliche Love Song’ earlier this month.

And now the young Dane with Moroccan roots is following up on his artistic success by scoring immigration-debate points in an interview with Information newspaper in which reader questions were put forward to him.

One of the talking points of his Eurovision victory was whether he should represent Denmark since both his parents hail from Morocco, despite Basim being born in Denmark

"Not an immigrant"
One reader asked him how he felt about some journalists finding it odd that he won the Danish Eurovision competition while having Moroccan roots.

“It’s not something that I think about,” Basim replied.

“It may be true that I have Moroccan roots, but I’m still a Dane with a Danish passport. I have gone to Danish schools and grew up in Denmark. So, yes, I have some other spices in my blood, but that doesn’t make me any less Danish.”

When asked whether he had experienced any racism being an immigrant in Denmark, Basim’s reply was concise and to the point.

“I am not an immigrant. I haven’t immigrated to any country,” he said.

Basim rose to fame after taking part in the inaugural season of the Danish version of 'X Factor' in 2008.

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Basim gets props for defending Eurovision place

New US Arctic security strategy co-opts Denmark as Russia deterrent

Anti-whaling activist and Greenpeace co-founder Paul Watson arrested in Greenland

Migratory birds bring dangerous ticks to Denmark

Planes grounded in CPH as worldwide IT outage hits airlines, media and banks

CrowdStrike director: IT outage issue “has been identifed”

Foreign labour contributes DKK 76 billion to Danish economy in three months

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