On March 8 the swedish Melodifestival and Eurovision site gylleneskor.se had an interview with Mihai Trăistariu (Romania 2006) to talk about his success with Tornero and his upcoming plans for new releases and events. Mihai (together with Fabrizio Faniello, Malta 2001 and 2006) was also asked to comment the entries in this year's Melodifestival. You can read the interview in Swedish here and the comments about the songs here.
This is the english translation:
Gylleneskor.se interviews Mihai Trăistariu
The Tornero man soon to release new hits
Mihai got his international breakthrough last year after the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens. In his native country Romania, he’s frequently been at the top of the charts and he is also known as a singer who has a vocal range of five octaves. His Eurovision entry Tornero was predicted to win and ended up in 4th place. However that was the start of Mihai’s international career and right now he is Romania’s most successful international singer. ”The Romanian wonder of pop.” Tornero was frequently played on the radio all over Europe and became one of last year’s greatest hits from last year’s Eurovision Song Contest. Shortly, an album will be released in 14 countries and his new single Dimmi si o no has just been released.
Alexander: Hello Mihai! How nice to hear from you again! You had a real hit all over Europe with your Eurovision entry Tornero. Especially here in Sweden where we have heard your song being played a lot on the radio. Can you tell us a little about what you have been up to since your success in the Eurovision Song Contest?
Mihai: I’ve been travelling quite a lot. After the Eurovision Song Contest in Athens I’ve had about 55 concerts outside of Romania. I’ve been invited to 16 different countries. I’ve visited Greece 32 times, Malta four times, Cyprus six times, Sweden, Albania, Macedonia, Italy, Bulgaria, Iceland and so on. I’ve signed contracts with several European record companies and now my songs, albums and videos are being promoted in 14 countries. My dream was to start an international career and I really did during 2006. Tornero made all this possible!
Alexander: You recently visited Iceland during their national final, tell us about it?
Mihai: Iceland was amazing. Even though I prefer countries where it’s warm and even though it was raining, I was happy to be a guest in their final. There I also launched my new single Dimmi si o no. I got to see some geysers and Icelandic food is good. I also liked the fact that their national final was completely without scandals. Everywhere else there is scandals all the time. Everybody was happy and I liked it.
Alexander: Are you thinking of participate in the Eurovision Song Contest again?
Mihai: Yes I want to take part again. I would like to be the first Romanian singer who wins the Eurovision Song Contest for Romania!
Alexander: So, what’s happening next?
Mihai: My new single Dimmi si o no has just been released in Malta, Greece and Iceland. And in Finland it’s already played on the radio and in all the clubs. The single will be released in more than 14 countries and my new album Mihai will be released in May.
Alexander: Our collegue at Gylleneskor.se, Edward af Sillén, invited you to Stockholm Pride last summer, do you remember that?
Mihai: Yes, it was so nice to be invited to Sweden. Edward was so kind and friendly and the show was fantastic. It was my very first time in Sweden and it felt great.
Alexander: Are you planning to come back to Sweden anytime soon?
Mihai: I’m quite sure I’ll come back to Sweden this summer after I’ve released my new single there. I have quite a lot of fans in Sweden and a big fanclub there. The presidents of my fanclub are two very special girls; Catrin Johansson and Åsa Rydin. It’s so much fun to have international fanclubs nowadays.
Alexander: What are you doing when you’re not on tour?
Mihai: Then I’m at home and calling all my friends to come and visit me, because I like to be surrounded by my friends.
Alexander: Recently Romania arranged the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. It seems like the interest for the Eurovision Song Contest has grown quite big in Romania and the quality of your entries has improved during the last few years.
Mihai: After my success last year, everyone has suddenly realised that it’s a good start for an international career. This year there was a huge amount (a record) of entries that were submitted for our national selection. The newspapers in Romania also realised that I made 2,5 million Euros after participating in the contest. This year many singers and composers that earlier ignored the contest participated. Now everyone in Romania watches the Eurovision Song Contest!
Alexander: How much do you know about Swedish music?
Mihai: I like Swedish music. Because you have very good voices and you have several international names. I liked Carola’s entry last year. She is amazing!
Mihai comments the entries in Melodifestivalen 2007
1. Andreas Johnson – A little bit of love
Generally there seems to be a lot of rock in every nations’ selections this year. What happend, is this Lordi’s fault? Obviously it is. Well I don’t think a rock song like this one will win the Eurovision Song Contest. I think it will be a beautiful ballad or a very good dance track. I hope there will be some of those among your songs. I don’t think you should choose a rock song this year.
2. Sonja Aldén – För att du finns
Sweden seems to have very beautiful songs this year. Perhaps too many ballads but I believe in a ballad in the Eurovision Song Contest this year. I like the whole arrangement in this song and Sonja has a very good voice, but isn’t the melody a bit old-fashioned? Although the song is very nice. I don’t think this could win in Helsinki, that much I’m sure. Besides, I get nervous by not understanding what she sings, I would like to understand the meaning of it. In an international final she’s got to sing in english.
3. Anna Book – Samba sambero
What a nice refrain! The rythms is typically Hungarian or for that sake Scandinavian. If you change the language into english or spanish, well or italian, it might get a really good result in Helsinki. It’s an up-tempo song, probably with the Eurovision Song Contest kept in mind and that’s probably a good thing. It’s very catchy and I think it would do very good in Finland. Maybe a little old-fashioned but there’s nothing wrong with that. This is still one of the best songs I think.
4. Sebastian – When the night comes falling
This is a typical pop-rock song. The sound is very...OK...the voice is also...OK. The refrain is totally OK, but this is absolutely not a song that fits for the Eurovision Song Contest. Although Lordi had a very special song as well. So you never know. But I would vote for another song, not this kind.
5. Marie Lindberg – Trying to recall
Very emotional. You just got to listen to her album. I’m sure this song will sell a lot in Sweden. I don’t know who she is but I like it. I notice that you seem to like ballads this year. I think that’s a good idea since I have a feeling there will be a ballad that wins the Eurovision Song Contest this year. It would be interesting if Sweden sent this song to the Eurovision Song Contest this year. But then again you never know, the Eurovision Song Contest is unpredictable, it could win or it could end up last. You never know...
6. Måns Zelmerlöw – Cara mia
Manszel Merlow? A very catchy song. You remember the refrain at once! If there’s a good performance then it’s great. I think this song could do a good job in Helsinki. It’s good to send a song that is easy to remember since most of the people only get to hear the song once. But by the way I think every songs in this year’s Melodifestivalen seem a bit old-fashioned? But that’s in fact a minor problem in the Eurovision Song Contest.
7. Tommy Nilsson – Jag tror på människan
Once again, a beautiful ballad. It reminds me of Ireland’s entry last year. His voice is very powerful and the song is emotional and touchy. A very nice song for Sweden, but perhaps not for the rest of Europe. It wouldn’t reach top 5 in Helsinki.
8. Sanna Nielsen – Vågar du, vågar jag
I like this song. One of the best in the Swedish final I think. It reminds me a bit of Celine Dion and her song I’m alive. It’s not a copy but it’s the same style, which is totally OK since I like it. It’s interesting that it’s emotional even though it’s a dance song, that’s rare. The refrain is easy to listen to, which of course is an advantage.
9. Sarah Dawn Finer – I remember love
Oh, this sounds very american, kind of like Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson. I like this a lot. I would vote for this for sure, however I’m not convinced that this really is a winning song. Perhaps more a radio hit than something suitable for the Eurovision Song Contest. There is something special over the whole thing, maybe it’s the voice that of course is very powerful. But I wonder if I don’t prefer one of the dance songs instead. Cara mia or Samba sambero.
10. The Ark – The worrying kind
Very Brittish... It sounds very fresch. It may be a good show for sure. Influences from the 80-ies and 90-ies, pop-rock band. Very catchy. However I don’t believe in this for the Eurovision Song Contest anymore. Don’t know why. The guy’s voice has so much personality and the song is good, but I don’t think it will win this Satuday.
Conclusions
I know that several of these singers are very big in Sweden and that will affect how you’ll vote this Saturday. I don’t know any of them so my opinions is quite objective. I would go for sending some of the following singers to Helsinki, my favourites: Måns Zelmerlöw, Anna Book or Sanna Nielsen. (But in english.) I’ve listened to the songs several times now and I have to say that the Swedish final seems to have the best songs of all the national finals. Bravo! Probably almost all your songs are going to be great hits in Sweden during 2007.
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