Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest fifty-four times since its first entry in . Norway had won the contest on three occasions: in 1985 with the song "La det swinge" performed by Bobbysocks!, in 1995 with the song "Nocturne" performed by Secret Garden and in 2009 with the song "Fairytale" performed by Alexander Rybak. Norway also had the two dubious distinctions of having finished last in the Eurovision final more than any other country and for having the most "nul points" (zero points) in the contest, the latter being a record the nation shared together with Austria. The country
Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 Sweden entered the Eurovision Song Contest 2009 with "La voix", performed by Malena Ernman. Ernman was the winner of the Swedish song contest Melodifestivalen, which serves as Sweden's selection process for Eurovision. Ernman represented Sweden at the first semi-final of the Contest on 12 May 2009, where she qualified to the final of the Contest after receiving 105 points, placing 4th in a field of 18 competing entries. At the final she performed 4th on stage. At the close of the voting she had received 33 points, placing 21st of the 25 competing