An interrogation of a Drama Queen!

2Pixies is known for being big time curious and therefor they have arrested the hostess of the Champagne Lounge in Euro Club for an interrogation. Hear all about what’s on the program, the secrets behind the dress and all about nothing in our quest for the utterly spectacular show-truth!

 

Let the interrogation interview begin.

First of all you need to know. You have the right to have a glamorous lawyer. All you say will be used and abused in the best possible way.

State your full name?

DQ: My name is DQ - Drama Queen

Your age?

DQ: My age – You bitch!

That remark will be noted! Occupation please?

DQ: Singer and entertainer.

What are you warring and why?

DQ: I'm warring a smashing blue dress, because I like blue. Do you like it?

Yes, but we are the ones asking questions - not you!

Tell us about this "champagne lounge". What time does it open and close?

DQ: It opens most nights at ten o'clock and closes at four.

And why do you want us to come to this champagne lounge?

DQ: Because it's the best place to be in Euroland. And because I'm there to host it and there will be a lot of fun stuff happening like sing-along and quizzing. A LOT!

Alright! Are you sure there are no hidden agendas?

DQ: hehe… Noooo! None that I know of!?

Hmmm… Will there be champagne?

DQ: We have cava. Is that okay for you?

(…)

Will there be bodyguards?

DQ: Yes of cause, lots of them, what do you think!

Will there be go-go dancers?

DQ: If anyone in the audience feels like being wild go-go dancers, then yes there will!

Meaning, that you secretly hope so!  Will there be singing?

DQ: There will be a lot of singing.

Who will sing?

DQ: ME - of cause! And of cause people from the audience will sing. Everybody can sing, 2Pixies can sing if you want to.

(…) 

So we have heard that you are good friends with Tina Turner and Birthe Kjær. Is that correct?

DQ: Oh yeah! We are very good friends you know! And I sing their songs.

Will they stop by at some point?

DQ: Maybe. You'll never know.

Alright. You said there will be quizzing.

DQ: Yes there will be quizzing and there will be good prizes too.

Okay, what can WE win?

DQ: You can win… well I will let that be a surprise.

Okay, so what are the answers for these quizzes? Where do we find the answers?

DQ: Ehh… If you now anything about Eurovision, especially this year you will know the answers. But I wont tell you.

Okay thank you for being interrogated, we will be back with more questions during the last days of Eurovision. You can go now!

DQ: And thank you for letting me go.  

If you want more of this girl #JoinUs at EuroClub.  

Meet Aarzemnieki before the big semi-final tonight

Tonight is the first semi-final in Eurovision Song Contest 2014 - and we're very excited to see the Latvian Aarzemnieki perform! They will be singing as number two - and the song is of course "Cake To Bake". Here's our interview with the group.

Can you tell us a bit about your experience when you won the competition in Latvia? Was it a big surprise for you or had you expected to win?
J: It was a total shock to win!
K: In the heart we felt that it was possible to win, but that we actually won was so shocking!
J: We were not the favourite to win. Some of the other artists entered the Latvian competition for the second or third time, and I feel bad for the second and third place because they have tried and tried to make it to Eurovision several times - but now this time Aarzemnieki came and took their place.
K: I think I can talk for all of us and say that we are very happy to represent Latvia this year.

Has it changed anything in your daily life in Latvia now that everyone know who you are?
J: Katrina lost her job!
K: Well, after end of February my life’s title has changed to Eurovision Song Contest, so it’s great to have this experience and it’s interesting to work with people and to get to know who knows Eurovision and who don’t. Also to find out how it works in Latvia and which’s fights you have to fight because of that.

Can you feel that your country is supporting you?
J: We feel that on the social networks. After the final the interest has become very high and nowadays everyone knows us on the streets and come and say hi and what a good job we have done – or if someone gives us bad feedback we just return it in a positive way.
R: for the first couple of weeks people didn’t get it, didn’t get us. But then we went to Amsterdam, and there we did our thing and people began writing good things about us. And now it has actually become a lot better, and I feel that we have become more appreciated.

How has it been to travel together as a band?
J: Most of the time it has actually not been possible. For promotion gigs we decided to focus on a few but special places like Belgium, Amsterdam and London, and to some of those places I went alone.

How was it to meet the other Eurovision artists?
J: In Amsterdam we had a great time! There was a real Eurovision atmosphere there, and everything was professionally arranged. We had a great time!
R: Yes, it was very funny, and since Jöran knows so many languages it was great fun to sing songs in other languages.

Yes, how many languages do you know, Jöran?
J: I can speak five languages, but in school I was also taught languages like Spanish and Latin, but those I don’t know very well nowadays. But I think I can do songs in nearly every European language.

What are your plans as a band for the future?
J: Right now we’re not thinking about the future. We take it step by step. Everything is going in such a high tempo and there’s so much media attention. But we don’t really plan that much, I think you can count the number of rehearsals we’ve had on one hand.

Do you have a special message that you’d like to convey with your song?
All: (singing)

”Mix some dough, add some love, let it bake, wait for it
Mix some dough, add some love, let it bake, wait for it
Mix some dough, add some love, let it bake, have some cake
Mix some dough, add some love, let it bake!”
J: Another message is that we’d like to challenge people. We’re not hoping people will be thinking our song is only “I love you so much and we’ll be together forever and always”. We want people to think “who are these guys, what are they all about?”

Jöran, we’ve learned you speak Danish?
J: Yes, in 2008 I was working on a Danish farm close to Saltum in Aalborg. It was close to Faarup Sommerland and I learned all the songs from there. (singing) “Der er så fuld af sjov, inde i en skov….”. I was also listening a lot to Rollo & King, so maybe I can sing some Danish songs for you at some time.

We’d love that! Thank you so much to all of your for the interview!

Presentation of Aarzemnieki: Guntis

Last but certainly not least is the multi-instrumentalist Guntis, who also composed "Cake To Bake". Find out where the phenomenon space cake fits into the picture and what word he'd never say. We present Guntis!

Guntis

Age:
38, and not married.

Instrument:
Guitar, saxophone and piano.

Work/profession:
Musician, composer and employee at a casting agency for films and advertising.

If I was a cake, which cake would I be and why?
At the moment it's cake cake cake, all the time! So it's hard to answer. Right now I will say... a space cake!

When I'm not standing on a Eurovision stage, I'm….?
Just a man like everyone in the street. When I'm wearing my hat people recognises me in the street, but when I take it off I'm just ordinary.

A special/funny/weird/awkward musical moment I've had:
Once in school my teacher wanted me to take part in a music contest, but I didn't want to, but then I was told I couldn't finish the class if I didn't. I didn't practise a lot for that, so, when I was playing I suddenly forgot what I should play, and just started improvising for 7 minutes or something. Afterwards my teacher left without saying anything to me! But then the next day they told me I got 3rd place! That was funny and weird, but not sure I deserved the prize.

A person I would like to meet:
I don't have a special or famous person I'd like to meet. I like ordinary people who don't pretend to be something they aren't.

Something I would never do:
I would never say "never".

My favourite Eurovision song:
I don't know. There are many songs, but I can't choose one.
(Bonus info: Jöran told us Guntis really likes to play the saxophone part in "Der står et billede af dig på mit bord").

Presentation of Aarzemnieki: Raitis

The small presentation of the band members in the Latvian band Aarzemnieki has now come to the percussion playing Raitis. Find out what he was doing in a boxing ring, what phone he would never buy and what he would like to do in India. Read all of his answers here below!

Raitis Viļumovs

Age: 21.

Instrument:
Percussion.

Work/profession:
Student, teacher and musician.

If I was a cake, which cake would I be and why?
I'd be a marble cake, because we're on our way to Denmark!

When I'm not standing on a Eurovision stage, I'm….?
I'm standing on some other stage.

A special/funny/weird/awkward musical moment I've had:
Playing in a boxing ring.

A person I would like to meet:
Damon Albarn, my favourite musician and songwriter.

Something I would like to achieve:
Teach percussion in India.

Something I appreciate:
Kindnes.

Something I would never do:
Get an iPhone.

My favourite Eurovision song:
No idea.

Presentation of Aarzemnieki: Jöran

We're back with the second presentation interview and this time we present lead singer Jöran. Find out what cake he'd be, if he was a cake, and why he'd like to meet his mother.

Jöran

Nick: Jorans, Jö.

Age: 27.

Instrument:
Strings attached and vocals.

Work/profession:
Being myself, as good as I can.

If I was a cake, which cake would I be and why?
This cake has still to be baken ;)

When I'm not standing on a Eurovision stage, I'm….?
Pretty happy at the moment.

A special/funny/weird/awkward musical moment I've had:
The first english song I could ever sing by heart completely was a totally unknown song by a not really successful boyband. But I still love it! It's called Someone Like You by Worlds Apart.

A person I would like to meet:
Reinhard Mey, Billy Joel, my mom (haven't seen her for a while).

Something I would like to achieve:
The ESC final for Latvia and some happy faces in the audience during our song. Above that I really hope we'll get the chance to record our first album.

Something I appreciate:
All the small things that encourage me walking step by step on and on day by day.

Something I would never do:
Regret the things I've ever done for love.

My favourite Eurovision song:
Katrina & The Waves - Love Shine A Light.

Presentation of Aarzemnieki: Katrīna

In the upcoming weeks until the Eurovision officially starts and before everyone will be arriving in Copenhagen, we will give a small presentation of the band members in the Latvian band Aarzemnieki.

First up is Katrīna, who we've learned previously has sung with world star Bobby FcFerrin, and appreciates life in all its senses. Read all of her answers here and get to know her a little better.

Katrīna Dimanta

Age: 23.

Instrument:
Violin on the stage (but I can also play chello, accordion, alto etc.).

Work/profession:
Musician and receptionist at hotel.

If I was a cake, which cake would I be and why?
I would be some cake with surprise. Because I am full of surprises.

When I'm not standing on a Eurovision stage, I'm….?
I am having fun and enjoying life.

A special/funny/weird/awkward musical moment I've had:
Lovely moment – On my 18th birthday I had a concert and to this concert there came around 70 of my friends and surprised me. And also very special moment for me is when I sang a bit together with Bobby McFerrin.

A person I would like to meet:
If I could travel back in past, then I would love to meet Freddie Mercury.

Something I would like to achieve:
I would like to travel all over the world with performing acts for nice people, who like my way of doing things.

Something I appreciate:
I appreciate life in all it senses.

Something I would never do:
I would never eat 100 cakes in the same time.

My favourite Eurovision song:
I fell in love with “Fairytale” by lovely Alexander Rybak since the first time I heard it in the end of 2008.

2Pixies interview with PeR!

We met PeR for a chit-chat about energy, their stage performance and why they’re more than ready for Eurovision

You told us that the producers joked about your high energy during the rehearsals. Where does your energy on stage come from?
R: Adrenalin…
E: Cookies!
R: Yeah, but most of it probably comes from adrenalin. You have different kinds of emotions before you come to the stage. Stress, adrenalin, worries, happiness, everything. And you just have to combine them all into this huge ball inside of you, and not let the ball roll inside of you, and just transfer the ball to the crowd. So these are emotions that gives you energy.

That sounds good. We think you look really good and have lots of energy already, so it will be interesting to see how much more you will add to the semi final.
R: We will be smiling and we’ll be fresh!
E: Yeah, it will be interesting to see how much more we can give. But we probably will have a few surprises for you. Maybe do something completely new and unseen on a Eurovision stage!

That sounds exciting! We’re looking forward to see what you have up your sleeves. Who’s with you on stage?
R: It’s us, Ralfs and Edmunds, plus Lauris Valters, the backing singer and Mr. Jagger, our regular guitarist. He’s always with us when we play live.

Who staged your show?
E: We have a Swedish choreographer, Adrienne Åbjörn, who helped us polish our show. She’s been working with us in Latvia and also here in Sweden.

Many fans love your stage outfits!
R: Yeah, so we heard. People are asking questions about it all the time! We don’t usually walk around in glitter clothes, but the outfits suit the song and the stage show.

How did you start PeR?
R: We started out 5 years ago in 2007 as a band. I’m the only original band member. Edmunds joined the band in 2009, and now it’s just the two of us. We wanted to show Latvia what beatboxing is. It wasn’t popular and in the beginning, many laughed at it and joked around and called it “farting through the mouth”, but today it’s a common thing in Latvia. We are happy that we managed to make beatboxing popular in Latvia, and we were the first band to do so according to Wikipedia, haha!

How’s your career been in Latvia?
R: We have had a lot of radio hits and have been in every possible music contest in Latvia, performing on the biggest possible stages and played on all music festivals, too. We’re thankful for what we achieved, but now we are ready to go international. We would love to be able to spread our music to other countries.

You released your debut album this year?
R: Yes, but it’s more of a compilation of all the singles we have released over the last five years. It’s a mix of both Latvian and English lyrics.
E: You might say it’s our greatest hits!

We heard you had hits on Chartbase in Denmark?
R: Yes, two of our songs suddenly came on the Chartbase in Denmark in the summer of 2011. One of them reached number two, and the other number 14. It was a big surprise to us!

That’s great, congratulations! What do you hope to achieve from Eurovision Song Contest?
R: We hope to get the chance to go on tour in Europe a bit after Eurovision. This is one of the many great things you could get out of Eurovision. This contest has so many great potentials and we’re really big fans of that. And now, more than ever, we are ready! After all, we came first and last in our national final this year – who else achieved that? Haha… No seriously, we think Eurovision is an important source for exporting Latvian music, and we’d love to be able to do so.
E: Yeah! We hope to get to the final on Thursday!
R: It’s a long time ago Latvia qualified. It would be amazing to take Latvia to the Eurovision play-off finals and fight for the ABBA cup!

Thank you so much for this interview. We wish you the best of luck!

Don’t miss PeR tonight @ 21.00 in semi-final 2!