HS in Copenhagen | Loreen tells how, after her Eurovision win, she just wanted to hug Käärijä

Copenhagen

E-mail comes a few hours before the agreed interview time.

In the interview, it would be desirable to talk at least one question about the new song to be released on Friday. Questions related to Israel’s Eurovision participation will not be answered.

The interview location differs from other Eurovision interviews. By far the majority of this year’s Eurovision artists are staying in a skyscraper-like hotel near Malmö’s main train station.

This interview will be conducted on the Danish side in a five-star hotel located in the heart of Copenhagen. The journey between Malmö and Copenhagen is only twenty minutes by train, but it clearly seems that the pop star wants to distance himself from other artists.

There will be one more surprise at the interview location: you are not allowed to take photos at all. No, even if the interviewee has put on the last performance outfit, the hand has long nails. The interview can be recorded on video.

A special arrangement the target is, of course, last year’s Eurovision winner Loreen, full name Loreen Talhaoui.

It’s no surprise that the arrangements are so precise for him. Loreen has a reputation as an exceptional diva, although she is extremely friendly when meeting face to face.

“We’ve met before!” he exclaims as soon as he enters the interview room.

Either Loreen’s memory is truly mind-bogglingly good, or her team has prepared her well. We met Loreen a year ago in Liverpool a couple of days before the Eurovision final.

As in the previous time, Loreen wants to make the other person feel like she is talking to a good friend in the interview situation. Loreen looks straight in the eyes, smiles constantly, laughs loudly and occasionally winks after her answers.

When Loreen is asked what her year has been like after winning the Eurovision Song Contest, the first thing that comes out of the singer’s mouth is a long howl.

“Okay, I’ll demonstrate for you. It’s been like this”, he begins and then starts throwing his hands in a different direction and letting out shouts.

The purpose is to show that there has been enough haste.

“My life has been wild. I live at the airport. Employees are already asking me about you again. We have a tent for you, do you want to sleep in it?”

On Saturday Loreen returns to the Eurovision stage to perform again, as the previous year’s winner is wont to do. Fittingly, a new song from him will be released under the finale Forever.

Does the Eurovision Song Contest nervous the performance of the final?

“I’m always a little nervous when I know that yikes many people watch the performance on TV. On the other hand, I love this place. Eurovision is like home to me.”

For Loreen, the statement can be thought to be true because she is from Ireland Johnny Logan’s as well as the only person in the world who has won Eurovision twice.

“It feels a little crazy. Sometimes I wonder if I really won Eurovision for the second time. It surprises me, too.”

As a surprise couldn’t keep the one from a year ago at the time of the final. Even before the final day, it seemed certain that Loreen and Wrapper between.

The final culminated in a thrilling show where Finland was number one in the points table, while only the audience points received by Sweden were not counted. In Liverpool, the arena audience shouted Käärijä’s name, but Loreen still won.

Now Loreen describes that moment as “nerve-wracking”.

“My body was trying to tell me that it can’t do this anymore. I just wanted the score to be told and to go home to sleep,” says Loreen.

“When I was announced as the winner, I wanted to go to Käärijä. There were so many people around me that I couldn’t get to him. I wanted to go to the Wrapper and hug him. Next time I’m in Finland, I want to drink a glass of wine with Käärijä.”

For the wrapper finishing second was disappointing. In a recent Yle press release, he said that he only got over the disappointment now, a year after Eurovision.

“I understand him, I understand very well. The wrapper is a loving person. He wants to make people happy. I understand his disappointment, even though there was no reason for it,” says Loreen.

“If I had finished second, I would have been sad. I experienced a similar disappointment when I competed in Melodifestivalen in 2017 Statements– song and I didn’t win.”

Loreen believes that after the Eurovision, the strong discussion about expert judges and the weight of the points they gave has been a way for Käärijä’s fans to show their care. He has nothing to say about the work of the jury.

Vocalist also assures that he has enough sense of self-irony. This year’s Eurovision presenters Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman joke several times about how Sweden stole the Eurovision Song Contest from under Finland’s nose. Loreen says she finds jokes funny.

“I like things like that. People make memes of me, make fun of me. I think it’s funny if it makes people laugh.”

Of course, Loreen says she loves Finland, and in fact she personally thinks that Eurovision could just as well have been organized in Finland, as long as people get together to enjoy the music.

“Now that I say this, the Swedes must hate me,” says Loreen.

Then he bursts into loud laughter again and winks at the camera.