R: Hello, Tina! First of all our congratulations that you have won National pre-selection contest for Eurovision! When did you finally believe that you would win show "You're A Star"?
T.K: Well, from the very beginning I had no doubts in it (smiles). Really, this is my principle, at every contest I'm participating, I always aim only for the highest place, and I’m looking only for a win.
R: How did you take decision to enter the show, you were saying that it was done at the very last moment?
T.K: It was really spontaneous decision! Well, before the start of national castings we were thinking that probably we may enter them, as "Eurovision" is unique chance for every artist. But at that time we had a lot of work to do: different concerts, tours, performances, participation in TV shows. Including children music show on "1+1" channel that I was hosting. Additionally we were working on the debut album, were filming video for one of the songs... It is not easy to describe everything... So we were pretty busy and the life was going on. And at one moment we've heard that today is the deadline to register as the participant for the "You're A Star" show... That was the moment of truth (smiles). We looked with my producer on each other and understood that it is, it is our destiny. We've jumped into the car and drove crazily to NTU to register it time. We have managed to do that just 5 minutes before the deadline. May be some one think that it is just beautiful tale for the history, no; it is the real true story.
R: Some press mentioned that you have decided to enter the contest, already having some song for the final in mind, is that so?
T.K: No, I've written my song, while being in "Star house" with other participants...
R: Can you tell shortly about the creation of "Show me your love"?
T.K: If you are waiting for some detective story, I'm sorry to disappoint... Simply one day, after we've spent more than month in the "Star house" in my head, or may be in my heart the melody was born. I was absolutely not thinking about getting the song for the final at that time...
R: Why did you take decision to rework the lyrics of the song? How Pavel Shilko (DJ Pasha) has joined you in that process?
T.K: Pavel was consultant in our "Star house". I've showed the song to him, and then we've got what we have now... And, I'd like to use this opportunity and I'm passing my 'thank you' to Pasha!
R: One question regarding your participation in last year pre-selection for Eurovision, what are your memories about that? What do you think about last year selection in general?
T.K: Last year everything was different, I even has no illusions that I can proceed in the selection (smiles). Everything was different. For me it was something like warming-up. And, there I have got some different experience...
R: What pre selection format you consider to be the best - internal selection of song and artist, internal selection of artist and open song selection, young talents show, or full open selection of singer and the song?
T.K: Well, there is no winning recipe there. Ruslana was selected as you have mentioned with "internal selection" and now everyone knows the result. Then we were organizing huge massive open selection last year with whole country selecting ... and you know the outcome of that too. And there were dissatisfied persons every year, when Ruslana was "appointed" and when "Greenjolly" were selected... And now there are some as well. It seems already to be sort of tradition.
My opinion is that the most important is not the way of selection, but the result which depends in 90% on the performer himself.
R: You have watched many previous Eurovision contests. Did you find some winning recipe for ESC? What do you think are the main components of Eurovision success?
T.K: Everything! Sometime I even think it may depend on the weather conditions in the day of contest. This contest is one of the most unpredictable in the viewers’ preferences. Surely, to win, your song should be liked by everyone - Finns, Greeks, Irish, Russian etc etc, so all nations with different cultures, different music traditions. So, there is no winning recipe, there are just some basic rules - be honest, be professional, be original and don't turn up your nose; this is appreciated and understood in every country.
R: What do you think ideal Eurovision song should be? Do you think that your song has every feature required for successful performance?
T.K I wish I knew, what the ideal song should be! And speaking about my song - yes, I think, it has everything that is required for a win. But we need to work hard - we need to "polish" the song, and it is really long task... Long but rather pleasant, at least for me (Tina smiles).
R: What do you think about your drawing position in the semi-final of the contest?
T.K:15th is indeed a good number!
R: Let's speak about your contest preparations, so you were filming a video for the song, can you tell shortly what it is about?
T.K: We're still finishing it, but tomorrow at the evening I will be able to tell everything, but for now... Let's keep silent about it, OK? (Tina Smiles)
R: Are you planning to have promotional tour in different European countries? Do you consider promo-tour as part of the required preparation process for Eurovision success?
T.K: Yes, of course! Promo-tours are the very important part of Eurovision, its tradition. They are, let's say, not only the chance to introduce yourself, but they are tributes to all the countries, people of these countries, who will finally decide whether they should cast their vote for this or that singer, or not. Surely they want to learn more about other contestants, to see them closer - and this is their right. And it shouldn't be ignored. But promo-tours is very expensive thing and we won't cover that many countries.
R: Can you tell about your preparations of the stage performance for Athens? Who will join you on stage? Who will work as choreographer of your performance?
T.K If it is possible, I'd like to delay the answer for some week or two... When we will have everything ready. I don't want to speak general phrases about what viewers will see, we're putting everything in our performance now, and we're putting our soul in it as well.
R: What are your plans to issue single, album in the nearest future?
T.K: We have many plans! Everything is ready, just few details which have to be sorted out... And we've decided to delay album as we spend all our time on Eurovision preparations.
R: Will you do some extra versions of "Show me your love" - other language versions, remixes?
T.K: Yes, we have some plans on that. But time is real problem. We will try to cope with everything.
R: What is your aim at Eurovision, what result are you looking for?
T.K: As I've told, I'm as always carrying my faith that I can win.
R: Have you already heard other participating entries? What is your opinion on the Belarus song which was performed by Polina Smolova as guest star at Ukrainian national final?
T.K: I like it, but really, I'd like to listen to it again, as we're very excited during the final and I had no time to pay attention to other things, and I was interrupted when Polina performed. But first thought was that it is pretty good song.
R: A bit on your career, what do you consider as the main highlight of it?
T.K: Well, I hope it is still to come (smiles).
R: You're not novice in singing competitions, do you like to compete?
T.K: Surely, yes! That's why I'm entering the contests.
R: And finally, if you have something to say to the visitors of our website you can tell it right now:
T.K: I'd like to thank all fans, that you're interested in music and in contestants - without you there were no contests at all - so THANK YOU!
R: Thank you too, and good luck in your preparations! Tina Karol is working hard on her preparations to Eurovision song contest in Greece. Totally revamped version of the song is already recorded and was submitted to E.B.U, new lyrics to the entry are written by Pavel Shilko, known as DJ Pasha, ex-host of Eurovision 2005 in Kiev. New title of the song is "Show Me Your Love". During one day video for the entry was filmed, as unfortunately team was a bit late with submitting it to E.B.U they were granted extension till 24th of March?
Video was filmed in the Kiev restaurant "Kaif" and in night club "Lipstick". Director of the video is German Glinskiy, who also directed previous Tina's video "Higher than clouds"(Vyshe Oblakov).
On the bright stage ballet band were practicing their part with balalaikas and accordions. Tina, dressed as flight attendant was selecting the dress for the further shootings. Looking in the mirror she tried on striped vests which now entered in fashion. All in all Tina will wear four different dresses in the video .They were selected in fashion houses and partly prepared by local designers. One of them is Victoria Gres' who worked with Tina at "New Wave" contest in Jurmala/Latvia. Now Tina has announced contest among Ukrainian designers for the best idea of the dress for Eurovision. The best selected dress she will wear on Athens stage.
Despite the screenplay Tina tried to improvise during the shootings. Besides Tina ballet "Dels’art", also produced by Tina's manager Oleg Chorniy, had participated. Oleg was also staging the performance, and Tina was actively participating in directing of the video as well.
"As my song is the love song, we decided not to minimize the idea only to the relations between man and woman. So we will have gays and lesbians in our video as well, and also other characters as punks, rustamen etc. Crowd will be very bright. This people are not welcomed by public ethics, and they feel uncomfortable in society. But my song has the lines "Give me your love, open yourself". May be the theme of open and free love will be shocking for Ukraine Tina Karol will represent Ukraine with the song "I'm Your Queen".
20 year old Tina Karol was born in Orodugan-Magadan oblast of Russia. She has graduated from music school and Kiev music institute. She has participated in numerous different youth, regional and Jewish singing contest. She was the soloist of the national ensemble of Military Forces of Ukraine. She has also taken part in different musicals and theatrical shows.
To Eurovision fans Tina Karol may be known as Tatiana Lieberman, who participated in last year Ukrainian semi-finals and finished 4th of 5 artists in semi-final 15. But since that with new stage name and new producers her career is on the rise. Tina was promoted to the 2nd place at Russian/Latvian festival "New Wave", she now can be considered as one of the most successful Ukrainian singers.
Karol has taken the decision to enter Eurovision campaign when only hour was left before the end of registration in "Ti-Zirka" project. "We've jumped in the car and run there, on the red light, breaking all rules and reached the television studio when 10 minutes was left before the end of registration. But we were not really expecting to enter final stages. It is so difficult, such an amount of hard work! You can not imagine, now we should go on heavy pre-contest promo-tour promotion, and we have just one month to do that. Other people are getting prepared for years, compose their song for years, so it is difficult to say, who was luckier, me, or those who didn't qualify", said singer.
English language song, which will represent Ukraine at Eurovision 2006, is written by Tina herself. "When we were preparing for the 3rd stage of selection, I just entered class-room and realized that I've no song to sing. I got inspiration from "Eurovision" song contest and just wrote this song. The music was created in the class-room of a Star House of Ti-Zirka. Then we added few fragments from previous ideas".
According to Tina it is very difficult to select the best possible entry. She is sure song will not be hurt during revamping.
"It won't get worse, we don't want to make it worse", Tina said.
In her interview to the press Tina mentioned that she was not impressed at all by last year’s winner (Elena Paparizou), and from the contests she has seen she liked Ruslana the best. "I've seen Eurovision many times, and the most open, most driving was Ruslana; honestly, she was just super."
