Eurovision special

0:12Hello, I'm Fernando Augusto Pacheco and you are listening to the Monaco Weekly. And today it's all about Eurovision. So sit down and enjoy.

0:28Before the big final, let's hear my conversations with some of the favorites to win the competition this year. We start with a brilliant Finnish entry, Kária.

0:45I love to make crazy things. I like so much electro music, metal music, pop music. And we just put together all the genders and make cha-cha-cha. Because I don't want to do the normal things. We have so many normal songs here. We don't want normal. Yeah, I think so. We need something new. Eurovision for me, it's the party. It's crazy. Then somebody had to make crazy things. This year, it's me who will do that.

1:25Well, and I'm so glad you did it. And so the song is a party song. It's about having fun, right? Because, you know, there's cha-cha-cha, I mean, it's quite mad, but in a beautiful way. For me, tzatzacha means freedom almost, because every day of life people have some problems and sad and bad things happen. People are so busy when they go to work and they don't have the time to sleep, when they have to wake up and go to work. and when we can come in in Finland many people want to go to party and they want to forget all the bad things and bad things and easy style it takes some alcohol maybe pina colada the sales of pina coladas are going up in Finland I've heard I like pina colada it's great to drink for me but now I can't now drink any alcohol drink only non-alcohol but in the song yeah for me it's the freedom i think so because people always not always but all people many people think about it can they go to dance for dancing if they can't dance all people can dance if they want to dance they don't have to think about it what the friends or family thinking is that good dancing or something like that just do it many people need first alcohol then they do that but for me you don't have to do that i like that i'm a bad dancer but i will dance anyway so i don't care so that's excellent and and tell us about your style i mean i'm fascinated by your outfit as well i mean your green lime green outfit i don't even know how do you call that piece like a bolero almost yes a nice bolero is that your style i mean do you like colors i mean it's really i think it's beautiful yeah my last color what i have i have to alter yellow outfit but uh rasmus do that yellow outfit then my team and me thinking about it what we can do because i want to keep it i want to keep it the yellow color but uh then we think about okay rasmus do that we have to change the color and we don't know yet which color we do it but um And then my stylist, there is many good stylists, they're thinking, okay, maybe carry a like green bolero.

3:55And they show me some pictures or something. Do you like this? Do you like this? And I say, yeah, I like that. I like that. And then they send me some pictures and there is the bolero van. And the first time when I see that I'm okay, it's me. I love it. I want to take that. Now I have the green bolero and everything. And your nails are green as well. I can see it. Of course. The earrings as well, maybe? Yeah, it's the mini-me. Oh, really? This is fantastic. Yeah. Kari, what's your musical influence? I know you're a big fan of Rammstein as well, but do you have any kind of other Finnish music artists that you were influenced as well?

4:38No. In Finland, there are many great artists in Finland, But I think so. I'm only, we don't have a second career in Finland. I do only my things. And I like to try some different genres put together. Drum and bass, jump up, metal, guitar. Cha-cha-cha, maybe. Cha-cha-cha, exactly.

5:25Thank you very much to Caria. And we head to Sweden now, which is in fact the favorite twin this year and also marks Lorraine's second time at the show after her impressive victory in 2012 with Euphoria. Here is my chat with Lorraine.

5:51I never thought that life would give me a chance to be in this again. And then all of a sudden there's the song and I fell in love with the song, not knowing. They didn't even pop the question, you know, until much later. And then they asked me, but still, because, you know, sometimes you're so stuck in the path that you think you're going to go. Like, no, it's not for me. Like, no, it's like life doesn't want me. God doesn't want me to do this. But then, you know, there are certain events that happen that, you know, navigated me, like just made me take the decision. It was very obvious. Like there are people that I loved around me.

6:29Whenever I said, maybe I'll do it. They got so excited, including myself, like people that I trusted and that I trust. And the excitement really like, oh, my God, that was just like, that was one of the reasons is why I said yes, because still I am a creator. And what I love about creativity is that you connect with people. And so when I saw that so many people get excited about like, Oh, what are you going to do? And they had all these questions like, Oh my God, it would be so much fun.

7:10I went through fire and rain Just to get closer to you It's about me like a tattoo Don't let my head down And it's a special song, Tattoo, I have to say. It's very emotional. It's about love, but you can feel some pain in it as well. And that shows in the staging of your performance that starts quite claustrophobic and then you become more free during the performance. Tell us a bit more about the song and the staging of it as well. Yeah, well, Tattoo, it's a love song, of course. But the undertone and the story of what I'm trying to get through when you talk about pain, it's like what I'm trying to say is like if you want to experience true, deep, authentic love, then there has to be some of that.

8:02I wouldn't say struggle, but pain comes with that. You know, it's like almost like a law of nature. There is no daylight without nighttime. there's these opposites always like and there is no struggle without love and blah blah blah so we tend today because of well the system is the way it is you know we're like we always think that the grass is greener on the other side we're not in it sometimes for the deep stuff so we're trying to bypass pain but we can't really do that now can we it's like it's part of life so we just have to know this in our back in the back of our head like if I want to connect on a deeper level with a person then I have to accept the whole of a person and that comes with pain body and everything without making it your issue of course that's another discussion darling but for another day for another day for another day but this is the storyboard this is the undertone so that's why I say I walk through fire and through rain for love tell us I mean I know one thing that is impressive about you as well.

9:04I think you're also an activist. You say, you know, things when they need to be said, and you did that in Azerbaijan. And this year as well, where you have clearly a conflict going on in Europe. And how do you feel? Because I know you sang at a gala, I believe in Sweden, as on support of Ukraine. How do you feel? It's an interesting year, because it's kind of a UK-Ukraine collaboration. It's not just the UK hosting the event, but there will be a lot of Ukraine present everywhere. Well, you know, there is something greater than creativity, if you ask me, and that is a human life freedom. We use creativity to connect with ourselves, to understand ourselves, to understand our environment.

9:46That's why. So it's a tool, but we cannot choose creativity before human lives. You know, so when situations occur where there's an imbalance, where you can see people suffering, it's impossible for me, at least coming from where I'm from. You have to understand, I come from an upbringing where we didn't have that much. My mother was very young when she had me. She was 16 and she fleed from a country where they were trying to marry her. She was very young. And so she's she's gone through hell so that I can have this life that I have today. So what I mean is like it's really hard not to react when you see imbalance.

10:30It's really important actually to react. But I feel you have to react constructively because imbalance is because there are people that don't understand. So how can we react constructively without adding more fire, more fuel to more negativity? and so this is also very important for me but so I have my ways being a creator and having this platform and a lot of people that you know connect with you it just gives you an opportunity to send some good vibrations out there and also knowledge like how can we change how can we make things better how can we through creativity you know this is amazing

11:23Thank you very much, Lorraine. Who knows, she might win for the second time. Time now to head to Israel. Let's hear from Noah Kirrell.

11:43Yes, it's completely different from everything I know, everything I've done until today. I feel so honored to represent my country. It's the most powerful feeling ever. And, you know, to perform in front of millions of people all over the world. I'm so excited to be in this place, to be where I am today. And it's been crazy. It's been crazy to be here. And Israel has a powerful tradition at Eurovision. I mean, we have Netta, we have Dana International and much more. So you have big shoes to fill in, right? Yes, for sure. Sure, I feel that the expectations are very, very high as well. But it's a good thing that people are living in me and trust me to represent them proudly.

12:24And after Netta and Dana and much more. Yeah, it's big shoes to fill in, but it will be good. Tell us about your song, you know, Unicorn. It's lovely, incredible beats. But, you know, what is it about? What can you tell us actually about the song? Yeah. So it's really about the fact that uniqueness exists in each and every one of us and diversities and differences. That's what makes it special and beautiful. I really believe in that to use your uniqueness. You know, if you have a dream, just be who you are, love yourself, use what makes you different, embrace your diversities and differences, and don't let anyone hide your colors.

13:04Be who you are, be a unicorn. This is the message to the world. Phenomenal, yes. Exactly. What about the staging? Because Eurovision, of course, you need to have a great song, but the staging is super important, right? I mean, you have to make sure. Tell us, I mean, are you in the middle of rehearsals, I presume, right? Yes. So I just finished the second rehearsal. It was really, really good. The performance, obviously, it's a big part of everything and it's really important, the staging. And I believe a big part of my performance it's the fact that I'm dancing. And I worked really, really, really hard on the dancing parts.

13:44Hopefully people are going to like it. We worked really hard on the performance. And hopefully, yeah, people are going to like it in both for us.

14:03Thank you, Noah. And after Ukraine's emotional victory last year with Kalusha Kastra, They are back with electro-duo Tivorti, representing the country with Heart of Steel. They tell me the difficulties in making music at times of war.

14:31It's definitely very unusual, but we've been dealing with it for more than a year already, and it's still as unpredictable as it was in the beginning. So we just have to find a way to, you know, to schedule our time around this whole situation so we can get things done as well as everybody else. At the end of the day, we still have to get things going. And in this day and time, you know, this type of stuff shouldn't be happening. And that's why we're doing all the best we can to make the victory faster and help as much as we can and help anyone. and if we can help everyone, that'll be nice as well.

15:07But we are doing our best, our possible best, yes. I would like to add also that, you know, like you can't never be used to this because, you know, it's the same. You go and you feel, you have thoughts that any minute the missile can hit you or your friends. So like Jeffy said, we're just trying to manage, do our best in the situation, transfer all our emotions into the good things that we can make to make our victory faster. so all our citizens can feel safe and defend our land. No, absolutely. And you guys, you know, I think it's a massive deal representing your country in a big stage, an event like the Eurovision.

15:46Jeffrey, what can you tell us a bit more about the staging? Because I keep telling people Eurovision is not, I mean, the song is a big part of it, but it's how you present on stage, you know. I know it feels quite dramatic. I love the performance from the videos I've seen from your performance of Heart of Steel. Well, you might have seen some pictures online. Maybe, maybe not. The visuals basically is a representation of the song. And the message the song is about is what we're trying to put on stage. And that is a message of strength and message of courage and bravery. And moving forward, having a positive attitude in negative situations.

16:20So I think the visuals completely put that into perspective. And definitely, I think people will be excited when they see, I think, the full performance. Yeah, I would like also to add that our song called Heart of Steel, which means from Ukrainian Stalevo Serce. But recently we just started our fundraising campaign for small hearts of Ukrainian children, which are burning now on the sounds of explosions and missiles and drones. So we together with Ukrainian companies and companies around the world, rising funds for incubators to save children's hearts. and everyone who wants to do donation, they can visit President's website, United24.

17:03The name is Caring People's Save Children's Hearts. Yeah. Oh, that's incredible. So I hope our listeners will go there as well and donate. And my next question is, of course, Ukraine won last year. I mean, in an ideal world, the event would be hosted in Ukraine. But how do you think the UK is faring? Because even though it's in the UK, for me, Philz is very much a joint kind of hosting hosting because there's a strong Ukrainian presence. I know there'll be other Ukrainian artists going to Liverpool. How do you feel? Because I know you're there in Liverpool already. How do you feel this collaboration between both countries?

17:37Well, it's been amazing what we've seen. Honestly, we've seen much online, but we really haven't had time to go around and check it, you know, face to face in real life. So we will be excited to make time to check these out. From what I understand, we've seen like the Beatles wearing the traditional Ukrainian Veshovanka, we call it. There is also, if I remember correctly, Protect the Beats. Singing Birds. Yeah, the Singing Birds. It's all just like really surreal. It's amazing what the UK has done to really represent Ukraine, not in Ukraine. So it's just really, yeah, it's really, it's really amazing.

18:13It's sad that we can make it in Ukraine, but we want to say a huge thanks to the United Kingdom and to all countries who support Ukraine in these hard times. But we're going to win, we will defeat the evil and we're going to have peace tomorrow. And together we will celebrate it.

18:45Thanks there to Tvorci. And also this week I had the pleasure to welcome the Ukrainian band Zetetics to our studios at Midori House. They performed also in Liverpool at a special festival for Ukrainian artists in the city. I spoke with leading vocalist Lika Bogaeva and the band creative director Ole Teteritnik. Before that, the funny thing is that we met each other because Lika took part in the first season of The Voice show in Ukraine. So she was a TV star and she goes up to the semifinal. And then she said, I want to do nothing. I want everyone to forget me it's the worst moment in my history you know why no please let's do something and she said like I want to sing an English song but it will be a year after I want everyone to forget about me and I'm like hell I said I always took the hardest way I'm like okay man the reason why I wanted forget me just wait a second because that show, those rules of that show is that you have to sing other songs.

19:54Someone wrote those songs and I had my songs. I wanted to do something special and I didn't want to have this, oh, this girl from The Voice, oh, this girl from The Voice did that or did that. I wanted to have this long pause and then here I am. That Harry Styles from X Factor, yeah? Yeah, but yeah. Harry Styles of Ukraine, I'm joking. Yeah, forget about that. So yeah, we started from scratch. But let's talk about performing and touring because there's something quite interesting now happening in the UK. Of course, Eurovision is coming up. It's very exciting. Even though it's hosted in the UK, it feels very Ukrainian, of course, because Ukraine won last year.

20:33But tell us about the Expressia Festival, right? Ole, how did this came about? I mean, it's a festival that's going to be in Liverpool with Ukrainian artists, right? Yeah, yeah. It will take place from 7th of May to 9th of May in three venues in Liverpool, around 10 streets. So it's a developing area, pretty fancy places. We've got amazing partners from Liverpool. Actually, the festival started as a bunch of commissions from Culture Liverpool to make something about collaboration between Ukrainian and British people, something about culture around Eurovision days. So it's kind of massive build up, just two weeks of celebration in any place of the city.

21:18So much things happen in the same moment. We come up with the idea to make, yeah, we, in this case, we also choose the hardest option, should I say. We come up with the idea to bring emerging artists from Ukraine to Liverpool and combine them with some pretty fancy UK artists, some local persons from Liverpool. And it's so hard, should I say. So our mission is to make some exposures for Ukrainian artists who are emerging. And like some of them are alternative, some of them pretty mainstream, but most of them underrepresented. And mainly for almost for all of them. It's a very first time in the UK, definitely first time in Liverpool.

21:57And for example, same things for Lika. Lika's band never play latest long play in public because of war. Yeah, it will be our first time. So it's just a premiere from us on Express Air Festival as well. And same thing for a lot of artists. So we came at our friend, guitarist, Stanislav, just today, first time after the start of the war, almost a year and a half, you know. So, yeah, it's a bit sentimental thing. Anyway, we got three venues, more than 30 artists. And, yeah, and it's like starting from Night Rave from 7 to 8, continue with the day of the indie music, should I say, and EDM on small venues a bit, and then continue just with another rave and just a bunch of electronic producers from Ukraine and UK changing each other and a bit of performing artists as well.

22:47It's pretty interesting. And actually, I believe that we could make some quantum leap, at least for someone, ideally for all of them. It could feel like a nice run, you know, just the first mentioning in the UK press, maybe in some national media as well. someone will see you. But it's complicated because we need to have an audience in Venice. It's not the event that happens somewhere in the street, you know, where you literally don't care so much about attendance on the people. So we're just happening, someone around, everybody cheering, and that's all. In our case, we need to bring an audience for absolutely unknown artists.

23:25And it's even complicated to touch them, to show that this festival exists first, then show the names then show the concepts then explain the backstory and the background and our target that we want to do something incredible for it and that it's really a special thing and if you will attend this thing you will remember that yeah yeah yeah I met these guys from the early beginning it was the first gig for them in the UK this is this thing that you want to that you want to have and it's not so smart to miss it should I say it's exciting but it's complicated yeah and yeah we play hard hopefully I just want to experience that moment you know and Lika, will you be performing mainly songs from Code Star which is the latest album, right?

24:06yeah oh yeah, please do and is it your first time, as you say, kind of showing it live as well? yes, it will be our first performance in the UK actually and I'm so, so glad and I'm so excited that finally we can play this new album because when you do something you're in love with something that you do and then you want to share the whole world with it and then suddenly, boom, and you cannot do this. So now I feel like I've been waiting for a year and a half to finally perform. And you guys have one song for me as well that we're going to be playing in the studio. Yes. Yeah, that will be very exciting.

24:49Yes. Yes. Come honey, fly with me I will keep you there I believe in all your dreams Listen to my voice come here But only if you love me So I'd never be afraid If you loved me so I would die If I let you go Flying high away I'm free Dance with me I wanna go deeper to grow I'll bend you like a tree Come with me Move and move and slow There is no need to run Everyone's gone We're gonna lie On a floor

26:16You whisper in the night waves Of beautiful and dark blue sea I saw a smile upon your face You are so beautiful to me But only if you loved me, sir I would never be afraid If you loved me so I would die if I let you go Flying high, we are free Dance with me, I wanna go deeper But you grow up in you like a tree Come with me, move and move and slow There is no need to run Everyone's gone, we're gonna lie On a flow

27:50Thank you, Lika and Ole there. What a beautiful performance of their song. Finally on the show, we have a former Ukrainian Eurovision entry who will be performing at the big final this Saturday. She's a pop star and activist. It's Tina Caron.

28:15I just had a huge role because artists, we can sing, we can, you know, give them, like lift up the spirit. If, for example, when they see me somewhere in the front line and I'm singing for them, they feel that the country needs them. I'm so proud about our defenders. And I defend my country on my own culture front or art front, you can say art front. And which is very important. And of course, for context, besides, of course, being a singer, you also host a couple of shows in Ukraine, including The Voice of Ukraine. And tell us, at the final, you basically had to record on a bomb shelter. I mean, that's kind of remarkable in a crazy way.

29:03But tell us, how was that experience? Yes, we had the boys in the bomb shelter underground, and this was a secret location at first. And then, of course, the people understand. It's just a safe reason, because the safe reason, we have to do that. And, you know, when in your country always news is sad, sometimes you have to have like good feelings. You need that because this can lift your soul high a little bit. What can you tell us? Of course, I know you can't tell all the secrets, but what can you say about what you'll be doing this year's Eurovision Song Contest? What I'll be doing? Oh, of course, I can joke that I'm the same person, but not.