Ilinca feat. Alex Florea London Eurovision Party interview

Romania‘s power duo Ilinca feat. Alex Florea were in the British capital over the weekend for the London Eurovision Party. They brought the house down with their performance of “Yodel It!” But before that, we got to talk to them about how they met, about their talent show history and their unique yodel-pop-rock-rap song.

Contrary to popular belief, despite the fact that 18-year old Ilinca is the younger one, she acts as the “big sister” to scatterbrained Alex, who is 25.

The pair only met for the first time in January. Not only did they have to quickly memorise the unique song “Yodel It!” ahead of Selectia Nationala‘s live audition, but also to gel on stage. Even they were surprised to learn that they had such chemistry onstage. Everything went smoothly from the first live audition and they’ve been very good friends since then.

Ilinca told us about how she learnt to yodel, when even her own parents doubted her singing abilities. Alex also had to learn how rap when he is a rocker at heart. The duo also share how they both entered Romania’s X Factor and The Voice, but never got around to watching one another!

Ilinca and Alex were surprised when they won Romania’s Selectia Nationala 2017. As Ilinca puts it, “When you come to Eurovision with a yodeling/pop/rock/rap song, you don’t know what to expect.” Alex adds, “It’s a first for everyone, so you don’t know how people would react.” But the feedback has been encouraging, and they hope so see that in Kyiv as well.

We might not be in Kyiv yet, but the song was certainly well received in London. The Café de Paris came alive with the sound of yodeling!

Next up, we will be seeing Ilinca and Alex in Madrid, Amsterdam and Tel Aviv. What would you like to ask the Romanian fresh-faced duo? And what do you think about Ilinca feat. Alex Florea’s performance at the London Eurovision Party? Shout out (or yodel!) on the wiwibloggs app, or let us know in the comments!

FOLLOW ALL OUR ROMANIA NEWS HERE

FOLLOW OUR LONDON EUROVISION PARTY COVERAGE HERE

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anonymous91
anonymous91
6 years ago

@Pink Pussycat

if it’s annoying you, then at least it’s interesting and not boring 🙂

Pink Pussycat
Pink Pussycat
6 years ago

Definitely the most annoying song this year

M_K
M_K
6 years ago

@ Vova

What’s wrong with you? I think my comment on the song was reasonable and balanced, I even wrote that I may enjoy the live performance.

Who are you to judge my taste? Who said that I want a female soloist to win?

anonymous91
anonymous91
6 years ago

@bero

definitely i agree with you, and clearly some people can’t like a fun song, you shouldn’t think too serious about yodel it, but just smile and be positive 🙂

bero
bero
6 years ago

Hello Oxana,
Last year I was reading this blog and when Ovidiu Anton was disqualified, if I remember well, you defended Romania ( I really don’t know if I remember well).
Well if this is the case, thank you, or anyway thank you for your opinion.

Oxana
Oxana
6 years ago

a migraine song. Romania just invented new weapon 🙂

bero
bero
6 years ago

@ WTF : ”We should stop yodeling around and actually think about how this contest needs to be approached from now on”

The approach is already great.

bero
bero
6 years ago

@ L’oiseau : ”What an horrible, horrible song! Not only the worst of this year, but a good candidate for the most horrible song ever in the ESC’s history!”

You really like to exaggerate. A little bird like you must try harder if wants to provoke and start a mess under this article.

AngieP
AngieP
6 years ago

I’m not really a fan of the song!
But I enjoyed the interview! And Illinca seems so sweet!

WTF
WTF
6 years ago

@Bogdan Honciuc:

We should stop yodeling around and actually think about how this contest needs to be approached from now on before even daring to fantasize about hosting it. Look at how countries like Estonia, Latvia, Hungary, even Bulgaria have changed their approach and what they have sent over the past few years and then look at what we have sent…

Nebi San
Nebi San
6 years ago

Delightful, captivating song. Not everything needs to be serious song about love or redemption. Lyrics are a bit inane but who really cares. I listened to it over and over again. Introduced it to family and friends where it was immediately their top of the year. Won over 2x televote from 2nd place is Romania NF. It will do VERY well in Kiev. Could be a surprise winner.

L'oiseau
6 years ago

What an horrible, horrible song! Not only the worst of this year, but a good candidate for the most horrible song ever in the ESC’s history!

anonymous91
anonymous91
6 years ago

@colosve

okay that’s your opinion 🙂

Vova
Vova
6 years ago

@ M_K

I know what you want.
You want a female with a song about nothing.
Just a stupid song. This is your taste, right??

M_K
M_K
6 years ago

They make a nice twosome and I think it’s obvious that there is chemistry between them.

I’m still not the biggest fan of the song. I have a feeling that it’s mainly about the idea (combining yodel, rap etc.), but if you strip it down to the actual song (melody, arrangement, production), it’s rather uninspired. It’s gimmicky at first listen, but I don’t really want to listen to it again. Nevertheless, I see a chance that I will be entertained by them when they perform live on the big stage in Kyiv. 🙂

Iberian
Iberian
6 years ago

I can’t believe how extremely sexy Alex Florea is!

colosve
colosve
6 years ago

@ anonymous91
If yodel will win, it means that Romania will host.
1.) I don’t think Romania wants to host
2.) As tourists is good really. : decent country, NATO / EU member, human rights, low costs, very small prices, the capital city has the biggest arena in Europe (National Arena).
3.) But I still think that Romania doesn’t want to host.
So maybe Romania will be no.2 after Bulgaria/or Hungary.

anonymous91
anonymous91
6 years ago

they are so sweet, and Ilinca seems really down to earth 🙂

but i loved the crowd waving along to Yodel It, i find this performance of them here in London, their best performance so far, and Ilinca’s outfit way better than the awful green dress at the NF

@karim

i agree with you, i also wouldn’t mind if this song would win eurovision, so yeah good luck to TeamYodel-It 🙂

Vova
Vova
6 years ago

@ mad-professor

What songs do you like?

mad-professor
mad-professor
6 years ago

awful song

X
X
6 years ago

OMG. when he sing its ok. But when she startet to sing and yoddle, its the worst i ever herd. Its a awful song.

Eve
Eve
6 years ago

Such a sweethearts <3 Must admit at first I didn't like the song at all, but now I'm tottally addicted, haha 😀 All the best <3

karim
karim
6 years ago

They are nice, good luck to them!
I wouldn’t mind if they win the whole thing.