‘I’m staying booze to bri Eurovision b home for fan
UK HOPEFUL SURIE REVEALS SACRIFICES
OUR Eurovision hope has given up alcohol to boost her chance of victory.
There will be glitzy parties in Lisbon every night this week in the run up to Saturday’s final.
But SuRie, real name Susanna Marie Cork, will give them all a miss to make sure her voice is tip-top.
She hopes to give the UK its first win in 21 years.
SuRie told the Daily Star Sunday: “When I’m working I take it very seriously.
“Alcohol is very drying for the vocal chords and I can’t be dehydrated for my Eurovision performance.
“I’m sure there will be some incredible events but I don’t think I’ll have time or the inclination to attend because I’ll be focused mentally and physically for the performance. I’ve got to be ready for it.
“I will need to stay on the water this week. Like an athlete would train a muscle, as a singer you have to look after your voice with exercise and training and the right diet.
“It’s about having the right amount of water and sleep. You can’t overdo it or scream out loud in pubs and clubs because that might damage it.”
Essex-born SuRie, 29, will perform in the final at Lisbon’s Altice Arena.
More than 200million fans will be watching and SuRie will have just three minutes to stand out.
She said: “The pressure is huge. I don’t think there’s anything else like it. That brings a certain responsibility.
“It’s not something you can prep for. But I have been working my entire life in music, so I think I am as ready as anyone can be.”
SuRie arrived in Lisbon on Friday for rehearsals.
She said: “I think the scrutiny you get at Eurovision is almost unheard of. All your rehearsals are filmed and on YouTube within seconds. There nowhere else you’d find that.
“When a big commercial artist is rehearsing their tour, it would never be filmed and aired.
“It’s about making sure that I’m ready even before the rehearsal.
“I like things to be calm and peaceful and private before I perform. I need a few moments before I go on. But I know that at Eurovision that will be near on impossible. I know that will be is tricky because there will be warm-ups going on everywhere.
“There will be adrenaline and nerves. But I will try to process and channel that.”
SuRie, who trained at the Royal Academy of Music, has a loyal fanbase across Europe.
She’s performed at the contest twice before as a backing singer for Belgium – helping them to two fourth places.
Now she is hoping for more success with her entry Storm, a song about surviving bad times. SuRie said: “The beauty of the song is it has such universal feel. It has a strong lyrical message. So it’s reaching out to people all over Europe.
“It speaks to people. And social media means people have direct access and they can start conversations with you. I get that quite regularly. I hadn’t anticipated that.
“The campaign along.” is ticking