Eurovision stars Paula Seling and Ovi have released their promo video for “Miracle”. Unlike other Selectia Nationala contestants, they have chosen to shoot a live video, which showcases both singers’ vocal abilities ahead of Saturday’s national final.

All week long, TVR is broadcasting the videos of this year’s finalists. Alongside “Breathe” and “Hearts Collide”, Paula and Ovi’s “Miracle” is considered a favourite to win the Romanian selection. This is also evidenced by our poll, which shows that the final will be a three-horse race. Since some have been questioning whether Paula could hit that 18-second note, this video comes to prove that both artists are in top form and ready to take on Selectia Nationala.

In the middle of their promotion, Ovi Jacobsen agreed to sit down with us for an interview.

Wiwibloggs: Hi Ovi, and congratulations for qualifying in the Romanian national final with Miracle. Thank you for agreeing to do this interview on what must be a very busy time for you. First of all, when you guys hosted Selectia National last year, did it cross your minds that this year you’d be back in the game?

Ovi: Well, to be honest we have thought about coming back even right after our third place in 2010. Coming so close to the first place then really made us want to give one more shot in this competition, if we had the right song.

Wiwibloggs: We know that Miracle is your “baby”, but you are not its only parent, right?

Ovi: For the last 8-10 months I’ve been involved in a lot of songwriting. In June last year, at a songwriting camp in Sweden (Song farm), I specifically announced the organizers that I wanted to work/write with Danish writer Philip Halloun, who is such a talented musician and songwriter. We had worked before in Copenhagen on other occasions and we always had a huge musical and human chemistry! We just love working together and the outcome is always very good. I told him that day that I wanted a possible return to ESC, if I had a great tune. It took us few hours of magic songwriting and “baby” Miracle was born.

Wiwibloggs: You both must have heard of “second season syndrome” – Eurovision stars who participate for a second time, only to fare worse than the first time. Are you at all worried about flopping or are you 100% confident in your Miracle‘s chance of success?

 Ovi: Yes, we are aware of that. At the same time, there are also successful examples of artists who came back in the game and did even better then the first time (Helena Paparizou, for instance). We can only hope that our new Eurovision project will be widely liked by the ESC fanbase. We will just focus on to be very well prepared on stage when our moment comes. The rest is not up to us.

Wiwibloggs: We imagine that you cannot tell us too much about the show on the national final – and we do enjoy  a surprise – but many fans are wondering whether your comeback also means the return of the double piano?

Ovi: You guessed right… Our lips are sealed. Nevertheless, we can’t rely 100% on the same concept from 2010. The element of surprise it’s not there anymore in that case, isn’t it? But certain clues from the 2010 stage show might be in place. It is important to remind people of what we did then, but without copying ourselves, of course.

Wiwibloggs: Speaking of the final, do you fear any particular competitor or do you consider your previous participation the one to beat?

Ovi: The 2010 Selectia Nationala was also a very strong one. We feel no pressure at all. We are fully focused on delivering the best we can deliver on the 1st of March and the rest it’s up to the jury and the public to decide.

Wiwibloggs: From the moment you announced your comeback with “Miracle”, you have been tipped as the main favourites of this year’s Selectia Nationala. On the other hand, there are those who say they’ll vote for someone else this year, simply because you’ve already “been there, done that” and it’s time for new names to represent Romania. How would you sway them to vote for you guys?

Ovi: Anyone believing that our song and us as a duo can again bring a top place in ESC should vote in our favor. Our package has quite a few advantages compared to anyone else from Selectia Nationala: our previous experience in this competition, our stage chemistry, the Romanian and Scandinavian promo team we have in place, my label (daWorks) and publisher (Warner Chappell Scandinavia), the Beyond51 production team that are all behind the project, and so on. These are important ingredients to take into account for anyone wondering why they should vote for us again. And then there’s the song itself… And, if we get the chance to represent Romania once more, we will work hard to make a very strong statement in Copenhagen and convince the international juries and audiences, too.

Wiwibloggs: What about your competition? Have you listened to the other songs?

Ovi: Yes, we have. Personally, I like “Hearts Collide”. Maybe it is more of a radio kind of track, but still a strong contender.

Wiwibloggs: As you may already know, Paula, was voted Eurovision Next Top Model in 2010 by our readers and we hope to see her back in the beauty contest as well. You too Ovi, maybe you’ll better your fourth place ranking in the male contest?

Ovi: Paula will surely look gorgeous as usual and let’s hope she makes it to the top again. As for myself… I’m going for gold this time!!

Wiwibloggs: Thank you so much and see you on Saturday. Good luck!

Ovi: Thank you guys as well, also on Paula’s behalf!

 

What do you think about the song and the video? And what are the chances that “Miracle” ends up triumphant in Brasov over the weekend?

Bogdan Honciuc is a Romania-based correspondent for WiwiBloggs.com. You can follow him on Twitter @stingovision. You can also keep up-to-date with the latest Eurovision news and gossip by following the team on Twitter @wiwibloggs and by liking our Facebook page.

Photo courtesy of Paul Nanca

11 Comments
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Bogdan
10 years ago

Hi Tim, Stefan’s song has been posted before, please check the articles referring to it and the reactions using the search function on the blog.

Also, we have reached out to Stefan and TeddyK for an interview, as well as other entrants. We haven’t heard back from them yet; they must be very busy with the internal promotions and the rehearsals ahead of Saturday’s final. From all the singers from Selectia Nationala that we approached, Ovi was the only one who returned our call.

TIM
TIM
10 years ago

we want an interview with Stefan Stan. His song is better then paula’s but i guess like the other years too , we wont send the person who should go….Please post his song, I will like to see the impact over people
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlf_OmhbtUQ

Arianna
10 years ago

Loved the interview 😀 I would be pleased if it wins, but also want somebody else at the same time. Paula can sure do that note justice live, though, wow. She still outperforms Ovi.

Z24
Z24
10 years ago

The song feels a bit plastic and the verses fall flat, but damn do Paula and Ovi deserve recognition since they are top notch artists.

Shazza
Shazza
10 years ago

I absolutely love it and hope they win. Hearts Collide my second favourite. 12 points from UK

D
D
10 years ago

I agree with Dhani (first time that’s ever happened). I like them but not this song. But then again, it’s really hard to live up to the amazing “Playing With Fire”.

Jordan
Jordan
10 years ago

Dhani, you’re supporting Helena Paparizou for God’s sake. You’re in no place to pass judgement…

bav
bav
10 years ago

Very good option. They have a chance for top 10.

Dhani
10 years ago

I hope they won’t win. Their song is really bad. But i like THEM, but not the SONG

PACO
PACO
10 years ago

Me gustan y los apoyare.Espero que ganen en la final Rumana,Paula tiene una voz poderosa y armoniosa la quimica entre ellos es evidente.Gracias a Wiwibloggs por el traductor.

Sasha Dan
Sasha Dan
10 years ago

Great interview!!!!!