Loreen has Euro vision for our Olly
UK ACE TIPPED
EUROVISION champ Loreen is rooting for the UK’s Olly Alexander because he has the right aura to win.
The Swedish pop princess made history taking the Song Contest crown for a second time last year so she knows a thing or two about winning.
She believes Olly has what it takes and told me: “I really like his performance. I also like his energy, when I look at his eyes I can tell he has a pure soul.
“He’s very nice. I’m rooting for him because he fits my taste.”
Like Loreen, Olly’s performance of Dizzy will be an immersive experience, and Loreen loves it. “When music and the visuals are cohesive that is my favourite space,” the Super Swede smiled.
“If you create a world the experience becomes stronger for me.
“Sincerity is key, tell your truth because we enjoy that more than the facade. Olly does this.”
Loreen will be giving back to Eurovision – with what’s being called her “final” ever Eurovision performance – with new song Forever.
“God if I say this is my last ever performance I’m totally gonna be eating that one up!” she laughed nervously.
“But this is a community and what I’ve created is a gift. Because the gift that everyone gave me last year was love and people didn’t know they were healing many parts of me. I want to give back.”
She considers Forever part two of her winning Eurovision song Tattoo: “It is a conclusion, and the conclusion is love. Because Tattoo, the whole performance art form, everything was from the mud, it was a struggle, like life is.
“Life is back and forth trying to figure out that thing, then you get to that point where it’s full circle and realise, well it all is love and that is all that matters, who can make me feel like forever?”
She has a typically epic performance planned for Eurovision audiences tomorrow too, one which she hopes changes the world.
“I do see sound in pictures,” she explained. “Before writing Forever I already had a narrative, a seed of the performance before I had the song. The song had to adapt to the performance.
“One thing is for sure, this moment is a big deal for me. It’s not just me performing and my ego, if we do this right we can generate a certain type of energy – this is physics. It will have a ripple effect and create a lot of energy because everything is connected collectively, that’s how I see it.”
There are rumours her legendary countrymen Abba may appear in some form at the final, but if Loreen has intel she’s keeping schtum: “They don’t tell me anything! I’ve been trying to manipulate for a year now for Abba to come to this party.
“If they’re coming, I hope they are, if not fine we’ll make one hell of a party anyway.”
Loreen’s new single Forever is out now. Tickets for her UK Tour are on sale today.