Interview with Cristina Scarlat: There is a wild soul within us all

Cristina Scarlat surprised people in Chisinau and beyond by winning the Moldovan national selection over Boris Covali. He pumped a lot of dough into his performance and marketing, but that wasn’t enough to overcome Cristina’s “Wild Soul”. We sat down with Cristina to talk about her victory, her video, her Japanese warriors and that dress.

First of all, congratulations on winning the Moldovan national selection. Before the contest, you admitted that Boris Covali was your biggest rival, and you seemed genuinely shocked when you eventually won. What was going through your mind at that very moment?

I expected to win because, honestly, I believe in what I do. From expectations to fulfillment however, there was a winding road that culminated with a shock reaction, because I knew that Eurovision is unpredictable. I did not expect to see myself up there in the televoting results and I felt a huge support from the viewers. After the jury scoreboard was shown, I only remember hearing shouts from everyone around me: “You won! We’re going to Copenhagen!” While stage directors were dragging me and the team was helping me accessorize my dress for the stage, I was simply levitating over this sea of emotions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h967SH8l9J4
Your show left many people nonplussed. We get the symbolism of the metallic/flowy dress, but what about the Japanese warriors on stilts? Can you help us unravel their mystery? And will we see them in Copenhagen?

You won’t see the Samurai anymore. We are changing many details of the show from the national selection before we get to the great stage of Eurovision. We now have more time to perfect the raw idea that we had in mind: dancers with fighting spirits.

“Wild Soul” is a very dramatic, dark and mystical song, and that comes through in the video. How much of you is in this song? Have you suffered many hardships in life?

Someone told me: “Your song is CUTE!” Haha, it was the weirdest adjective to describe this song. But yes, “Wild Soul” is indeed dramatic and its lyrics have an existential message. It represents more than me: it describes what is happening with the world now, when we forget that we are human and we use masks to hide our essence. We need to know how to rise from adversity and to use hardships as tools that make us stronger. Life has not been sweet to me thus far. I’ve had many challenges, but it spared me regrets and made me the fulfilled woman that I am now.

Speaking of the video, what is the concept behind it?

It is a metaphorical video which combines elements like time (the clocks) and power (expressed by the presence of the horse and the dancer). Its message, like that of the song, is that there is a wild soul within all of us. We worked with a young team, BR Films, which helped us create a mystical, almost Shamanic atmosphere for the video.

It worked. It’s very dark and moody. However, in your public appearances you always seem so happy and bubbly. Who is the real Cristina Scarlat? The happy-go-lucky or the serious one?

I love life, the bright side of things. That’s who I really am. But I’ve learnt that there are two sides to every coin and that behind a happy face there is a strong person, hardened by principles and values.

Your dress in the national selection also reflected this duality and was well received by Eurovision fans everywhere. Will you bring it to Denmark with you?

We’ll bring the idea of the dress. Janna Berezovskaya, its designer, is now tailoring a new dress that will keep the same duality, but will be more appropriate for the bigger stage in Copenhagen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cedTc7jrPyQ
Speaking of the fans, how was meeting with them at Eurovision in Concert? What was the most important thing that you learnt after the first encounter with the ESC audience and press?

It was one of the most beautiful days of my life. I really felt the Eurovision vibe and I met beautiful and talented artists. The concert itself showed me that I am on the right path just being myself, and that the audience embraced the message delivered from the bottom of my heart on the stage.

Your niece, Lidia, wrote the lyrics of “Wild Soul” and is the lead singer of Cuibul, the interval band that performed at the National Final. Your husband is a highly regarded accordion player. Are you all a family of musicians? And what do your two kids think about the fact that their mommy is representing Moldova at Eurovision?

We are indeed a family of artists. Art makes our life more beautiful. I just asked my children what think about my going to Copenhagen. My son Ionut said, “Mommy, you’re going to win everywhere!,” while my daughter Sofia declared: “I am pretty because my mom is the best!” 🙂

Aw! But it’s not going to be easy in Copenhagen. Who do you think is your biggest rival? And do you have a favourite?

This year, everyone is bringing something different to the table, which I love. I like Paula and Ovi since they were “Playing With Fire”. The Norwegian singer [Carl Espen] has a distinct sensibility. And Conchita, despite all the controversies, gave me goosebumps with her voice.

Finally, do you have a message for the readers of wiwibloggs.com?

Besides the video message below, I wish you all to find and treasure the wild soul within!

What a cute message! On behalf of the team, thank you for your time and see you in Copenhagen! Good luck, Cristina!

Cristina invites you to stay in touch on her Facebook page or by following her on Twitter.

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.