How Denmark Became a Eurovision Favorite Again | with Clara Sofie on “Før vi går hjem” | 158 — What Are You Doing in Denmark?

Denmark's had a rough Eurovision track record in recent years, but is looking to continue a bounce back that began last year. How did the country that has struggled to qualify for the Eurovision final, suddenly become one of the favorites to win Eurovision 2026? It's thanks to one song: “Før vi går hjem.”

In this episode of What Are You Doing in Denmark, Derek Hartman and Brooke Black sit down with Danish musician, producer, and songwriter Clara Sofie Fabricius, one of the co-writers behind Denmark’s Eurovision entry “Før vi går hjem,” performed by Søren Torpegaard Lund.

Clara Sofie shares the incredible behind-the-scenes story of how the song came together during a songwriting camp that included an untimely injury, wine hangover, general exhaustion, and somehow resulted in Denmark’s biggest Eurovision hype in years. Oh and the heavy lifting of the song came to be in less than an hour. You have to hear this story to believe it.

They also discuss:

Why Denmark struggled at Eurovision after 2013
How Dansk Melodi Grand Prix works
The process of writing a Eurovision song
Why “Før vi går hjem” connected with fans across Europe
The meaning behind the lyrics and staging
Whether Eurovision is finally becoming “cool” again
Why Eurovision matters so much in Denmark

Whether you’re a longtime Eurovision fan or completely new to the contest, this episode explains why Eurovision is such a huge cultural event in Denmark — and why this year felt different.

Listen to “Før vi går hjem”: https://youtu.be/dz6P3YTNG0M?si=Pgb8nhw2Bqj_3gy9

Clara Sofie (guest):

Spotify profile: LINK

Songs I wrote: LINK

Songs I wrote and produced: LINK

Instagram: LINK

Facebook: LINK

LinkedIn: LINK

Derek Hartman:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/derekhartmandk

YouTube: https://youtube.com/c/robetrotting

TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@derekhartmandk