Wiwibloggs: The Eurovision Podcast

Latvia Eurovision 2021: Review - Samanta Tina "The Moon Is Rising"

Our jury reviews Latvia's Eurovision 2021 song "The Moon Is Rising" by Samanta Tīna. Calvin, one of our German bloggers, writes: "'The Moon is Rising' goes from left to right, then back up and down with several inversions on the way. Yet everything fits together and makes sense somehow. I can’t think of many artists, who start a song almost a capella, then introduce a Diplo-like, 'Bish, I’m Madonna' drill-beat only to climax in a K-pop chorus. The feeling of empowerment this song is able to convey is just wild."

Read our team's full review on our web site: https://wiwibloggs.com/2021/04/19/wiwi-jury-latvia-samanta-tina-the-moon-is-rising/263574/

The Black Mamba "Love Is on My Side" | Portugal Eurovision 2021 Interview

We speak with Pedro Tatanka and Miguel Casais — the founding members of The Black Mamba. The group, which explores the universe of blues, soul and funk, will sing "Love Is on My Side" for Portugal at Eurovision 2021. The Festival da Canção winners discuss their song, which was inspired by an old woman they met in Amsterdam's Red Light District during a tour of the Netherlands. She fell into drugs and prostitution, but never gave up hope that love was on her side.

"We were playing in this small coffee shop called The Bulldog and we were staying overnight two doors from that," Tatanka says. "We had all our meals there and had the opportunity to meet a lot of people at the counter who told us their story. That old lady was one of those [people] we had the luck to meet. Her story really inspired me. She had a really, really sad story. She managed to flee an [Eastern European country] in the late 60s or early 70s. She was young, had loads of dreams, she thought it was the perfect opportunity to be happy and to change her life in a better way. But everything went wrong. She became a drug addict. She became a street prostitute. She had a really sad life. But at the same time she told me she felt love was always by her side, that love would always overcome evil and violence. After all she'd been through it was really inspiring me."

They have no plans to release the song in Portuguese, and believe that the power of music conquers language barriers. "We respect everyone's opinion. There are people who would rather go with a Portuguese song, but we are proud to represent this change."

Stefania "Last Dance" | Greece Eurovision 2021 INTERVIEW

Stefania will NOT have a Pegasus on stage in Rotterdam. The 18-year-old — who is the youngest Eurovision 2021 contestant — revealed this and more in our recent Zoom interview. She has a clear perspective on "Last Dance" and its meaning. "If something ends, something new starts," she says. "There is never an end. If you have a bad dream you can make it your own fantasy. It's what you see in the video....I turn my dream into one of my best dreams ever." And in that dream we see the teen star jump off a building before landing on her Pegasus. The director had her film it several times to get it just right: "Kostas said, 'Sweetie you have to jump and you have to make it beautiful — the jump of your dreams!" Among other things, Stefania says she can't choose between her two Eurovision entries, which she describes as her "dream songs". She loves the ethnic vibe of "Superg!rl", and the "80s vibes" and "Dua Lipa style" of "Last Dance". Stefania also adores the songwriter behind them — Dimitris Kontopoulos. "He has a lot of ideas — every time we are in the studio he has an idea....He really knows me as a person, so that's making it really easy to work with each other." Apparently he also helps her with her Greek. And what of stage director Fokas Evangelinos? "He inspires me...he is a really open person," she says, noting that he's encouraging her to make the most of her Eurovision moment. Stefania also discusses her excitement and surprise over the betting odds, her stage outfit from noted designer Vrettos Vrettakos ("It's like a dream outfit for me"), her Dutch-Greek identity and her love of Greece. "They are so kind, so open," she says of the people she's met. "The vibe here is so nice....maybe I will live here. I am obsessed with Greece, I am obsessed with Athens!" At times she has to pinch herself to believe it's all real. "I have a career in Greece," she says. "This was my dream. Last night I was crying because this is my dream. People in Greece know me." Interviewer: William: http://instagram.com/williamleeadams

Jeangu Macrooy "Birth of a New Age" | The Netherlands Eurovision 2021 INTERVIEW

Jeangu Macrooy — The Netherlands' Eurovision 2021 singer — chats with us on Zoom about his song "Birth of a New Age". Born in Suriname and now a star in The Netherlands, he is a citizen of the world. Following the cancellation of Eurovision 2020, as the world went into lockdown, he faced a bit of a creative dilemma. "I didn't write any new songs for a good three or four months because the world was so different," he says. "I usually get my inspiration from going to the theatre, to plays, to movies, meeting friends randomly...and I had to sit inside and there was nothing happening." He left the songwriting process a big late and hit the studio in December. "I was working on the lyrics a few days before the studio session. I was thinking it has to be about resilience and surviving something and celebrating your strength. I was thinking about my heritage and the place, the country that is my foundation of who I am as a person. I remembered this old saying which literally means, 'I'm half a cent, you can't break me. It's a way of saying you may underestimate me, but I know my own worth, I know my own strength. That will keep me going. It just naturally flowed within the creation process." He also relives how his family in Suriname got to watch his debut performance. "I do have moments when I'm a bit sad I don't get to share all these big moments. I'm praying that they'll get here in Rotterdam in Ahoy. Those are the people who the first time I picked up a guitar I played it for." We also discuss his music video, his live-on-tape performance, the use of a choir and whether he'll use pre-recorded backing vocalists, live backing or both.

Interviewer: William: http://instagram.com/williamleeadams

The Roop "Discoteque" | Lithuania Eurovision 2021 INTERVIEW

The Roop — Lithuania's Eurovision 2021 group — tell us all about their song "Discoteque", which is a call to set yourself free. As lead singer Vaidotas Valiukevičius says, "It's about liberating yourself. When you move, you feel good. By dancing you can reduce your depression and bad mood. It's very good for your mental and physical health. We want people to be happy and healthy." Last year, after Eurovision was cancelled, the group knew they had to move forward. "We told ourselves we had to move on because we're not one-hit wonders," Vaidotas says. And move on they did. They managed to write an entire album, which they'll release after ESC. As for their Eurovision song, they were determined NOT to copy "On Fire". In October 2020, Vaidotas dreamed up the melody line for "Discoteque.". "I was in the woods in a wooden house, alone, and I remember that I sang to myself, 'It is OK to dance alone.' I thought, 'That's a good idea.'" After meeting up with his bandmates the song was done in a week. Mantas says "it was organic and natural and that's a very good sign." They also discuss their mixed feelings about having to compete in Lithuania's national final Eurovizijos atranka 2021. Robertas sees a silver lining: "Maybe it made us kick ourselves in the butt and do something better, rather than having the spot and feeling safe." They say the music always comes before the dance moves, which frequently reference their childhood idols like David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Freddie Mercury and the basketball star Arvydas Sabonis. Why all the yellow? It's the colour of hope and you will see it in Rotterdam.

Vasil "Here I Stand" | North Macedonia Eurovision 2021 Interview

Vasil will sing "Here I Stand" for North Macedonia at Eurovision 2021. From 16:40​ in our Zoom interview, he discusses the recent controversy in which some people petitioned for him to be removed as the country's singer owing to his music video, which featured a piece of art that allegedly resembled the flag of Bulgaria. "I was shocked," he says. "I couldn't believe it until I realised this was an organised attack — no matter what I would have done, people would have gone for it. So many things were taken out of context to create something that is not true. It created this avalanche of negativity, but it inspired me. I said, 'Holy smokes! I wrote a song where it says, 'they will try to break us, not knowing it's what makes us.' In a way it made me stronger not as a human being but as an artist." The cyber-bullying was the worst he has experienced, but "the reaction of the Eurovision fans was unbelievable." Now he's extending an invitation to all the fans: "I invite you to give me your love and energy up there on that stage. I will stand up there and give it all back. We will silence the hate with love, beautiful energy and amazing music." Vasil also discusses how the song came to him in a moment of despair following the cancelation of last year's contest. In the opening lyrics he sings to a child — encouraging him not to crack and to persevere. Vasil says that he is, on some level, singing to himself. He recounts leaving his homeland as a child (and when he was already his country's biggest star) and having to start over in the United States. We also discuss his emotional music video and working with the Chicago Children's Choir, whose voices will feature on the Eurovision stage; his live-on-tape performance and how he chose the final recording; and his amazing stage director.

Davina Michelle "Sweet Water" | Eurovision 2021 Semi-Final 1 Interval Act INTERVIEW

The Semi-Final 1 interval act of Eurovision 2021 is called "The Power of Water". It will star Dutch singer Davina Michelle, who wrote the song "Sweet Water" for the occasion. It sends a strong message about unity and connection. "I use water as a metaphor for something that we all need in this world," she tells our Esma in a Zoom interview. "We're all born in different places, we're all from different nations, but there's one thing we all need and that is water." The Netherlands has a long history with water and wants to showcase this story during Eurovision. The actress Thekla Reuten (from films like "In Bruges" and "The American") participates in an accompanying video / movie about water and its power. Thekla portrays the force of water and Davina saves the nation from her. "We will interrupt my show with that video, and when the video is over I will finish my act."

Roxen "Amnesia" | Romania Eurovision 2021 INTERVIEW

Roxen — Romania's Eurovision 2021 singer — tells us that her song "Amnesia" encourages openness around mental health issues. "The message is to speak your truth and to ask for help if you need it — even if people judge you," she says. "At the end of the day the most important thing is for you to be safe. I just wanted to give a voice to people who struggle, because I know very well what it means." She says she was sad following the cancellation of ESC 2020 and started working on songs almost immediately. "I didn't have something else to do — I was just in the house thinking about it." Hearing "Amnesia" was like a light switch coming on. "I started imagining the staging and everything as it is. I told everyone it's a must to have dancers because it was in my head and it came true." The Cluj-born star also discusses her live-on-tape performance, her stage costume for Rotterdam, her seven cats, why she doesn't eat meat and her high school music teacher Mihai Băcilă — the father of Romania’s Eurovision 2017 star Ilinca.

Elena Tsagrinou "El Diablo" | Cyprus Eurovision 2021 INTERVIEW

Elena Tsagrinou did not actually give her heart to "El Diablo". In our English-language interview, Cyprus' Eurovision 2021 singer makes it clear the song is about falling in love with the wrong person and the struggle to break free from a bad relationship. "It's not about the devil," she says. We love the drama of her official music video. Elena says she really gets into the character of a woman seeking freedom. "This song really takes me inside this position. It takes me to brokenness. But in the end I get out of this relationship. From the beginning until the end I am in this song." She frequently cries during rehearsals for Rotterdam. "I get emotional every time...I have a story in my mind. It's about a job that I had — something that made me very tired and I couldn't do it anymore. It makes me cry and I don't want to do it again. That position takes me inside the song in rehearsals." So what about that plastic body bag in the video clip? "Sometimes in this role I'm completely dead. They destroy me. That guy, that situation destroyed me." We also discuss her stage director Marvin Dietmann, her live-on-tape performance, whether her live performance in Rotterdam will mirror the music video and her relationship with Laurell Barker — her songwriter, vocal coach and Eurovision backing vocalist. "This is the most important thing for me to have my vocal coach," she says. "For two months she's with me every week, like three times a week. We are together, connected....I think her voice is amazing. Boom."

Blas Cantó "Voy a quedarme" | Spain Eurovision 2021 INTERVIEW

In our emotional English-language interview, Spain's Eurovision 2021 singer Blas Cantó discusses the powerful story behind his song "Voy a quedarme". He wrote it after the death of his father. "It was difficult," he says of balancing grief and a demanding schedule. "I needed to escape and this song gave me that escape." He recorded the music video shortly after the death of his grandmother. "The song gave me again that breath. It was so emotional for me, but when I finished the song...inside me I knew 'Voy a quedarme' was the song to sing for her, for me, for everybody on that stage." The former Auryn boy band member also discusses what it's like to represent Spain — which is home to Eurovision's most passionate fans — and sings the praises of his stage director Marvin Dietmann, who he says is both honest and direct, but also very kind. Blas says that winning isn't his primary goal, but rather having a beautiful and powerful moment where he feels connected to those he has loved and lost. Finally, he shares his love of Barbara Pravi and teases the French-language version of his song.