It’s already been one and a half weeks since the launch of the new series of Operación Triunfo — the show that brought Spain to their highest heights at Eurovision this century.
We still don’t know if the show will be used in some way as Spain’s selection for Eurovision 2018 — but yesterday OT and Eurovision got even closer. Spanish sensation Manel Navarro stopped by the Academy to say hello to the younger ones! And he was ready to spill the tea on Eurovision.
Most Spanish fans are still wondering if any of these acts will finally represent Spain in Lisbon. But how do the OT acts feel about it? Are they saying yay? Or nay?
Well, you’re not alone. Manel Navarro also wanted to know those answers…
Manel Navarro visits the Academy
The visit by this year’s Spanish representative was an amazing chance for the young artists to meet a Eurovision star. But also for Manel to show them love, appreciation, and support. So sweet!
He started by giving them some useful advice about always being true to themselves. “Keep working a lot, at 100%,” he says. “You’re now in Operación Triunfo which is something big. As for me with Eurovision, you have to change your home now to be in the spotlight. I’ve been there too. Always be true to yourself.”
He added: “Learn all the things you can in Operación Triunfo and make the most of this experience. Y’all are here because you’re worth it.”
When talking about Eurovision, he was brutally honest about his experience. “My team and I made a mistake in trying to hog the limelight as much as we could and we decided to do things we shouldn’t,” he said. “Sometimes it’s not better if a song is known, but on how comfortable you are.”
“I’m more my guitar. I don’t usually move on the stage — it’s just my guitar, microphone stand and me,” he said. “We wanted to do too much. We lacked authenticity and I stopped being ‘who I really am’ to achieve something which turned into a bad thing at the end.”
He might not be happy with his performance but he remembers Eurovision as a once in a lifetime opportunity and a wonderful experience. He’s also really confident and has never, ever given up. “I’m still in music. I played in London, Ukraine twice, Amsterdam… and now I’m heading to Los Angeles.” He told the singers, “I learned a lot from Eurovision.”
When asked whether he could choose his song for Eurovision, he answered, “Definitely, but for a contest, it’s different than a song that works well in the radio. I think we made a mistake thinking that [“Do It For Your Lover”] would work in Eurovision because it was doing great on the radio”.
The contestants cheered him up, telling him not to worry and to stay positive. This is love!
A las 15:30h @ManelNMusic visitará la #AcademiaOT y estará un rato con los concursantes ??? #OTDirecto2N pic.twitter.com/aGK6Z4CKKT
— OT 2017 (@OT_Oficial) November 2, 2017
For all the haters, Manel has some advice too. “There’s a lot of hate on social media. But remember always to smile. Don’t ever show them you’re defeated,” he said. “You’ll always find good and bad comments. I recommend you to stay with the good ones and fight to keep the good ones higher than the bad ones”.
Manel proves one more time that — whatever happened in May — he continues to do his thing. He has handled the media storm that followed Kyiv with good humour, self-criticism and increasing strength. It’s a brilliant attitude — he’s here to stay and slay!
OT contestants about Eurovision
The Spanish singer also wanted to know how the OT singers felt about Eurovision. They all agreed that they were keen to hit that stage.
He pasado una experiencia INCREÍBLE con los chicos de @OT_Oficial!
Son encantadores y con tanto talento!
Tratadles con todo el amor??! pic.twitter.com/UutDGlXALi
— Manel Navarro Music (@ManelNMusic) November 2, 2017
However, some of them do see Eurovision as something really big — even too much for them. Aitana — this week’s fan favourite — explained that for her it’s a huge responsibility. She said, “I would love it, but I feel it’s really big for me.”
A similar question came from a fan on last Monday’s oh-so-famous “OT Chat”, in which fans and contestants can interact. While everyone agreed that they would love to do Eurovision, some of them said they would find it too much.
Amaia — one of Spain’s most beloved contestants this season — said that she wouldn’t like that. On the other hand, Nerea also said, “It’s a huge responsibility but I think we would all love to do it. As much fear we could have, it’s something beautiful.”
Ayer, durante unos segundos, pude "entrar" en la academia de @OT_Oficial y preguntarles sobre #Eurovisión. Un sueño cumplido.
Y Amaia ? pic.twitter.com/oDMXdLRhZI— Lázaro ? (@Eurolazaro) October 31, 2017
Manel, though, encouraged them to say yes in living this unique and unforgettable experience. He also joked – “Work on your English. All the interviews are going to be in English!”
The contestants have already discarded the idea of going as one big group. Rules are rules — six people maximum!
Manel’s future plans and returning to Eurovision
First Moldova and then Los Angeles — Manel Navarro’s November is already busy!
Launching his musical career as a solo artist with his single “Keep on Falling”, he’s also working as a composer. Not only composing for himself but also for other artists — and he just loves it.
“Telling stories with music is the best thing ever. When I find it difficult to talk, I just grab my guitar and I find it easier”. He continued, “I recommend you guys — if you’ve never done it before — to compose your music and start telling stories. You’ll see it’s one of the most satisfying things ever.”
Manel has a new single coming soon, but for now, he is quite undecided: Spanish or English? In any case, he already asked his fans to solve this problem. And check out the result:
¿Cómo te gustaría que fuera el nuevo single?
— Manel Navarro Music (@ManelNMusic) October 31, 2017
Manel Navarro is not discarding the idea of coming back to Eurovision in the future. In a recent interview on “La Chica de las Series” he said, “Eurovision was a unique experience, unforgettable, and one that I hope I can repeat another time in my life”.
What do you think about Manel Navarro’s visit to Operación Triunfo? Do you think any of the OT contestants will finally represent Spain in Lisbon? And would you like to see Manel representing Spain again? Tell us in the comment section below!
Manel should start doing something useful with his life. Cause he keeps trying to build a musical career with eurovision and public spanish tv fonds, but he lacks the important of that goal: talent, charism and support of the people. He is best finishing his tourism studies and being a bellhop and a ocassional performer in a Barcelona’s Motel, rather than keep trying to be the socalled “Spanish’s Ed Sheeran”. I mean, what a joke…
Is he really a Spanish Sensation??? I don’t mean to be rude but i don’t think that he is, David Bisbal , Pablo Alboran, Vanesa Martin are really Spanish Sensations but NOT Manel
I’m sure If Manel had sung another song like ‘Keep on Falling’, Spain would have place much higher. He’s a good artist, but, as he said in OT, he and his team did it the wrong way. He was another type of singer. An artist must know to face success, but also to face failure. Manel has a great experience in such things, he had shadows and lights in a shot period of time. His experience through hate during his Eurovision journey can help OT contestants, so this is the main reason he’s giving advice to them and telling how… Read more »
My feeling is that Manel wanted another song (we know that DIFYL was chosen by Sony) and it feels that Manel is thinking he could be in Salvador’s place if he could do it his way. He should not think this way. Unless he has a t-short with refugees and a heart disease. Does he want that only to win?
Is he a reliable source concerning Eurovision experience, since finishing last in the 2017 Final? A bland song, a mediocre performance + the cherry on top: that awful high note….