It brought Poland its first-ever Junior Eurovision win, topping the public vote by a significant margin. But before “Anyone I Want To Be” was given to Roksana Wegiel, the song made its rounds for a few years and passed by some major stars.
The Eurovision-winning song was created by a team of international superstars, including Danish producer Mich Hedin Hansen, alias Cutfather, who has worked with the likes of Demi Lovato, Olly Murs, Jessica Mauboy, Kylie Minogue and many more. The songwriter revealed to DR that he actually wrote the song several years before Roksana’s tremendous victory in Minsk.
“The song has probably been in the drawer for four to five years, waiting for the right artist. There have actually been several major international artists who have been interested in it, but it has never been possible to get it off. I know that Iggy Azalea has been working with it, and Rita Ora was also very interested in the song.” While none of their original bids worked, the right artist got it in the end. He praised Roksana for her performance, saying that for her age, she sang marvelously.
The song had never been intended as a Eurovision entry, and had instead been written for commercial release and eventually shelved at the lack of a singer. He even claimed that he had forgotten about that song. In the music industry, songs end up bouncing around until a suitable or interested artist accepts the offer — we regularly see this in the Eurovision bubble. So, how did a song pitched to celebrities end up in the fortunate hands of Poland?
A few months before the contest began, Cutfather recieved an e-mail from an English music company saying that they were going to work with one of the song’s other songwriters, submitting it to TVP as a bid for the country’s candidate for Minsk. He did not know about Roksana, or about how would the original product would be translated to Polish, per Junior Eurovision rules.
“We agreed that they should use the song, and didn’t hear more from them. But when I saw the statement yesterday with the words ‘Junior Eurovision’, a bell suddenly rang,” he recalled. Pretty sure this could be the start of a new Eurovision chapter for the superstar producer.
What do you think? Did you feel Roksana did her song the justice that Rita or Iggy couldn’t? Let us know in the comments below!
Previously I said Georgia’s entry “My Voice” sounded pretty similar to Rihanna’s “We Found Love” in some particular parts. Now it’s Poland. Some parts, I think the pre-chorus, sound very similar to Miley Cirus’ “We Can’t Stop” (the beat). I heard it before, but I can’t “unlisten” it. I suppose this is something recurrent in music, specially pop music, but I find it curious.
First time i am hearing and seeing this song and the performance now and it is a pretty damn good song. I do feel its a bit too adult though…but still a great song indeed – a well deserves winner.
Anybody else wonder what the original English text lyrics for the song was? Would make non-polish speakers like me easier to sing a long with Roxie.
Life’s never really black or white There’s more to it than meets the eye I speak my mind and now I know I can be ANYONE I WANT TO BE One minute or two, I’m getting close to my goal, I’m not choosing any shortcut, I hold my rudder with strength, I can conquer any of these mountains I’m defiant, I’ll be myself even if the world Has already decided something else for me, I’ll say “stop”, I’ll say “I pass” I want to soar in the wind, I can be anyone I want to be, I’m flying to an… Read more »
So, is it an adult song?
That’s like saying “Royals” is a children’s song because Lorde wrote it at 15. Just because a song is written for an adult does it mean it’s inappropriate for a child, take “Loin D’ici” for example. Don’t mean to sound too blunt! ?
So, what is your answer?
I wasn’t answering your question, I thought it was rhetorical. Since you’re still wondering, It was probably written with no particular person in mind but with the assumption an adult would sing it.
Mess. This explains the never-ending list of American and Scandinavian songwriters.
No wonder they rejected it
I’m really glad Iggy and Rita rejected that song.
I kinda don’t see how Iggy Azalea’s flow fits this song.
I’m confused… Anyone I Want To Be is written partly in Polish , but Iggy and Rita can’t speak Polish??
No the rulea for junior is native languge
I guess it was written wholly in English, then it had to be converted to at least 60% Polish to fit the rules.
This actually belittles the song. “Oh yeah, a bunch of big artists didn’t want the song, so after a bunch of years not being able to sell it, we offloaded it to some kid in Western Europe.”
This makes JESC the garbage tip of the music industry.
It’s even worse given that Poland is most definitely not Western Europe.
I was about to say it…
The article clearly states that both artist were interested, they didn’t reject the song because they thought it was bad.
Black Widow part 2? No thanks.