Kyle Alessandro explains meaning of Lighter
Kyle Alessandro representing Norway attends the Turquoise Carpet of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest Opening Ceremony at Messe Basel on May 11, 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. (Photo by Harold Cunningham/Getty Images)
Norway’s Kyle Alessandro has clarified that his 2025 Eurovision entry “Lighter” is not in fact about sharing cigarettes in a club, in what is being called the “most awkward” moment of the song contest so far.
In an interview with drag queen Odette Hella’Grand, who is hosting the Eurovision Village, 19-year-old Alessandro explained that the song he will be representing Norway with is inspired by his mother, who was diagnosed with cancer two years ago.
“The song is called Lighter right, like the fire lighter for cigarettes?” Odette Hella’Grand asked the singer, who grimaced. “Do you always have to ask outside the club for cigarettes?”
“It’s about my mum actually,” Alessandro explained. “She got diagnosed with cancer two years ago, and she told me to never lose my light, that’s where lighter comes from.”
In a TikTok, user worldvishawn explained: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more awkward Eurovision moment than what just happened here.”
While some TikTok commenters explained that the gaffe may have been a carefully-staged joke, others complimented Kyle Alessandro for handling the interview well.
“Kyle handled it with grace. For only being 19, he’s so on top of things,” one user explained.
Another described the awkward interview as the “Hunger Games, Eurovision edition”.
Who is Kyle Alessandro?
Kyle Alessandro will be representing Norway in the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest with his song “Lighter”, which he has explained was inspired by his mother’s journey with cancer.
Claiming the lyrics were inspired by his mother telling him to “never lose my light”, the chorus goes: “Nothing can burn me now / I’ll be my own lighter / I feel a spark inside me / I don’t need saving / No way, no way / ‘Cause I’m my own / I’m my own lighter.”
Alessandro, who competed on the show Norske Talenter, the Norwegian version of Got Talent, at the age of ten, explained in an interview: “It’s about my mother’s battle with cancer. When she was diagnosed she was told she’d have roughly six months left, but those passed and she was still alive and continued to fight. Today, she’s cancer free.
“She fought so hard and told me to never lose my light and that’s what sparked the whole theme.”
This is not Alessandro’s first shot at Eurovision, with the singer taking part in the band Umami Tsunami as Norway’s 2023 entry; while the group qualified for the final, they unfortunately finished in last place.
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