The year after, he competed in the World Idol contest; after performing U2's "Beautiful Day" the Australian judge, Ian Dickson, told him: "You're one hell of a marketing challenge because you've got the voice of an angel but you look like a Hobbit." In spite of this, Kurt went on to win the competition, beating the bookies' favourite, American Idol Kelly Clarkson.
He has recorded several albums, the latest one Rise To The Occasion - with the single "Lost Highway" together with country legend Willie Nelson. _The_ Willie Nelson. Kurt has also played with Willie on his tour here in Norway.
Kurt Nilsen married Kristin Halvorsen in the summer of 2006. He has two kids from a previous relationship. His wife, Kristin, is one of the backupsingers in Kurt Nilsens hit "Push Push".
In the sparetime he enjoys trips to his lodge in the Norwegian mountains, and he is a huge fan of fishing.
Beautiful Day
Kurt Nilsen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Shoots up through the stony ground
But there's no room
No space to rent in this town
You're out of luck
And the reason that you had to care
The traffic is stuck
And you're not moving anywhere
You thought you'd found a friend to take you out of this place
Someone you could lend a hand in return for grace
It's a beautiful day, the sky falls
You feel like it's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
You're on the road
But you've got no destination
You're in the mud
In the maze of her imagination
You love this town
Even if it doesn't ring true
You've been all over
And it's been all over you
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day
Touch me
Take me to that other place
Teach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case
See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by clouds
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouins fires at night
See the oil fields at first sight
See the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out
It was a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Touch me
Take me to that other place
Reach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case
What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now
You don't need it now, you don't need it now
It's a beautiful day!!
The lyrics of Kurt Nilsen's song Beautiful Day depict a feeling of being stuck and helpless in a town that doesn't have any room for growth. The heart is described as a bloom that is shooting up through the stony ground, but there is no space to rent in this town, and the traffic is stuck, indicating a feeling of being trapped. However, even in this situation, the singer had hoped to find a friend to help him get out of this place. The song then picks up pace as it urges the listener not to let the beauty of the day slip away, despite being in a hopeless scenario.
The second half of the song then talks about the struggle of being on the road without any destination and being stuck in someone's imagination. Even after traveling extensively, the singer has been unable to shake off this town, which he loves despite it not being true to him. However, the song ends on a positive note, emphasizing the beauty of the world and the hope of finding one's place in it. The final lines of the song suggest that what we don't have or don't know, we don't need it as long as we can somehow feel it. Overall, the song carries a message of hope and resilience.
Line by Line Meaning
The heart is a bloom
Love is the source of hope.
Shoots up through the stony ground
Hope can come from anywhere, even in difficult times.
But there's no room
Sometimes there's no space for hope to grow.
No space to rent in this town
There are limited opportunities for growth and change.
You're out of luck
Things aren't going your way right now.
And the reason that you had to care
The struggles and obstacles you've faced have given you empathy and compassion.
The traffic is stuck
Life can feel stagnant and unchanging.
And you're not moving anywhere
You feel stuck in your current situation.
You thought you'd found a friend to take you out of this place
You hoped someone could help you change your circumstances.
Someone you could lend a hand in return for grace
You were willing to help others if they helped you too.
It's a beautiful day, the sky falls
Even in hard times, there is beauty to be found.
You feel like it's a beautiful day
Your perspective and optimism make everything seem brighter.
Don't let it get away
Hold onto hope and positivity, even when times are tough.
You're on the road
You're traveling through life.
But you've got no destination
You're not sure where you're headed or what your purpose is.
You're in the mud
You're struggling to make progress or move forward.
In the maze of her imagination
You're caught up in a dream or fantasy.
You love this town
Despite its flaws, you appreciate where you come from.
Even if it doesn't ring true
You recognize the imperfections of your hometown.
You've been all over
You've traveled far and wide.
And it's been all over you
Your experiences have shaped who you are.
Touch me, take me to that other place
You long for a change of scenery or perspective.
Teach me, I know I'm not a hopeless case
You're open to learning and growth.
See the world in green and blue
Take the time to appreciate the natural beauty around you.
See China right in front of you
Explore new cultures and places.
See the canyons broken by clouds
Even the most majestic landscapes have imperfections.
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
Recognize the impact of humans on our planet.
See the Bedouins fires at night
Observe the different ways people live and survive.
See the oil fields at first sight
Acknowledge the realities of our world, both good and bad.
See the bird with a leaf in her mouth
Find beauty in small moments or details.
After the flood all the colors came out
Even after hardship, beauty can emerge.
Touch me, take me to that other place
You still desire a change of scenery.
Reach me, I know I'm not a hopeless case
You're still open to learning and growth.
What you don't have you don't need it now
You realize that material possessions aren't everything.
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
Intuition and emotion are also important ways of understanding.
You don't need it now, you don't need it now
You're learning to let go of attachments and focus on what's truly important.
It's a beautiful day!!
Despite the struggles and setbacks, there is still beauty and hope in the world.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EDWARD J BRIGATI, FELIX CAVALIERE, MARC FRANCIS COSTANZO, BRIAN THOMAS HIGGINS, DEREK MACKENZIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@charlesthorndike2702
The tone, the power, the range, the texture, the clarity, the falsetto. EVERYTHING about Kurt's voice is just PERFECT
@suigeneris6397
I remember this like it was yesterday. I remember one of the judges saying he looked like a hobbit lol. He is absolutely one of the best male vocalists I've ever heard.
@jvce89
"You have the voice of an angel and the face of a hobbit" - Ian 'Dicko' Dickson (Australian Idol judge)
@raiyaazanza
i watched World Idol back in 2004, we thought Kelly had in the bag, when this guys start singing we were like oh my gad!! he is the best
@malemanjulpax2155
+Michael Norris hell no
@ladycatsinger
Kelly was sick, so she had that disadvantage. But Kurt was amazing. I wonder if Kelly not winning is why they only did this one year?
@pratimoksha1456
I remember one of the judges telling Kurt something to the effect that "You have the voice of an angel, and if this were Middle Earth Idol you should win it, but back here in the real world I don't think people are going to vote for someone who looks like a hobbit". Well, Simon was wrong, and the Norwegian plumber won. I suspect that wasn't 'in the script', so the people funding the show pulled the plug on that experiment.
@deannelson9565
Prati Moksha Simon didn't rip on Kurt Simon ripped the judge for ripping on Kurt.
@pratimoksha1456
dean nelson - yes, you're right, sort of. I went back and looked at the judges' comments, and it was the english judge - don't know his name - who said that. Simon, however, said "If this competition was on radio, you would walk it. However - and don't take this the wrong way, because it's not meant to be - we've allowed a lot of ugly people to become recording artists. Which is fine. My point is, under normal circumstances you would never get a recording contract.". He then added that Kurt has an astonishingly good voice and that he could be the dark horse who would win the competition. So... it's a compliment on his voice, but couched in a harsh, although also probably accurate and realistic, assessment of how his looks are not working in his favour in this industry.
@trees1702
I'm in Brisbane, Australia , and as a singer/muso myself, I was hugely impressed with Kurt Nilsen's vocals and he was my favourite to win when I watched World Idol 2003!!
I'm so happy he did, I love his vocal rendition of 'Beautiful Day' more than that of Bono's vocals on the original song by U2, and that really says something, as U2 have always been my favourite group~!! Kurt Nilsen, BEST vocalist on any talent show ever!!