Impatient Italians can't wait to hear Lene's new material. This might
mean that the single "You weren't there" will be played on Italian
radio already next weekend. Virgin's Italian department pushes hard
to get the single sent out to radio stations Friday next week, July 18th.
That's ten days earlier than Virgin Norway had planned. This also
means that Norwegian radio stations will download the song from internet,
and play it here next weekend.
-If the song has been played on Italian radio and is available there,
we will also play it. That's our policy, Marius Lillelien says, head of
NRK Petre. The reason is that the Italians are desperate to rotate
"You weren't there" on the big Italian radio stations before the
holiday brings Italy to a standstill.
According to the press office at Virgin Italy the reactions to the single
have been very favourable in the "boot country".
-The single is fantastic, says a Virgin Italy representative to VG.
The song is already ready for airplay with the local Virgin-offices all
around Europe, and the Italians are only waiting for a blessing from
Norway, before they send it out to eager radio stations.
-Here things are a bit out of control, Hans o Grøttheim says,
A&R Responsbile for Virgin Norway.
- Several countries have expressed their desire to play the song before
28 July. And Italy are the most impatient, they want to play it ten days
before planned. Enormous interest Grøttheim was hoping for things to stay
calm until the album is finished. But after the news about Lene's
comeback burst in VG thursday, the interest has been enormous.
-We are in a situation where very, very many want to have Lene.
Now Grøttheim and his colleagues in Virgin what consequences it will have
if they let the Italians have their way.
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