REDDI from Denmark: "It's a shame we can't play live at Eurovision"
INTERVIEW REDDI will represent Denmark at Eurovision 2022 with the song "The Show". We spoke with the four girls from the band about their Eurovision experience, winning the Danish Melodi Grand Prix and they assure us they're confident on a qualification to the Grand Final
The girl-punk-rock-band REDDI is representing Denmark at Eurovision Song Contest 2022. The band consists of Ihan Haydar (drums), Siggy Savery (lyrics and guitar) and the two Swedes Agnes Roslund (guitar) and Ida Bergkvist (bass).
Against all odds (literally), they won the Danish Melodi Grand Prix with 37% of the votes just two months ago. We met up with the four power girls in Turin.
– We didn't expect to win at all, says Ihan while the other members giggle.
– We talked about it and, of course, we really wanted to win. We knew that it could happen but once we got there and saw the other contestants we doubted a bit. They were so good so we were really surprised when we found out that the people voted for us.
Siggy, the vocalist, continues:
– It is very different when you see things live. We were like the underdogs and we didn't have as many streams on Spotify as the other ones so we were like "of course they'll win". In the end we were very surprised.
In fact, REDDI were still an underground band that only did small gigs. Coming to Eurovision must represent a massive change.
– Yeah, it's pretty weird, Ida says.
– For someone like us that was only doing small concerts and you are there just playing your instrument, it's a pretty big change. Suddenly, people want to know about your thoughts and no one has ever done that before. It's a different world.
Agnes adds up:
– I was always in the back and never had to practice for interviews but that has changed!
Not playing live at Eurovision
There's one main difference between performing at the Danish Melodi Grand Prix and at the Eurovision Song Contest. At Melodi Grand Prix the contestants can play live instruments, while it is not allowed at Eurovision. It is a huge difference, the girls admit:
– It's such a shame that we can't play live. We've been practicing our whole life and it's easier to play live than to pretend, elaborates Ihan.
Siggy agrees:
– Imagine talking and no sound comes out from your mouth. You are used that when you press a specific button, a sound comes on but now, when you do, it doesn't. It feels like you lost your sense of communicating.
It's such a shame that we can't play live. We've been practicing our whole life and it's easier to play live than to pretendIhan Haydar
Ida continues:
– I feel like the hardest part is to find the energy because we feel it when playing. You feel like the instrument is your's and you're in control. Anything can happen and that's not the case anymore. We have to find the energy elsewhere and that's what we've been working on the most... I think we've found it.
We think they did too. The rehearsals that we've seen show confidence and a fun performance. Were they nervous?
– I don't think we were that nervous because this is so big in a sense that our brain knows this is not a natural thing to happen... Having this huge amount of people watching? The brain cuts off. It's worse to play in small gigs. You get way more nervous, says Ida.
On the Eurovision stage, there is a big black round structure. It consists of seven arches, that were supposed to be able to rotate independently. But due to technical challenges it won't work for Eurovision Song Contest.
– We had already decided not to use it, says Agnes.
Ihan adds:
– But before we did try to have the piano on the turning part of the structure. Our plan was, when Siggy was done with it, it would turn away and go back to the stage but we saw it didn't work and it was way too slow.
– And now it looks like a LP.
– And we love that stuff so it's cool. We wanted to create like a rock concert so the more lamps they would add, the better which is what's happening.
"The Show"
REDDI's song "The Show" is a song that mixes both modernity in its lyrical content ("you never followed and now you're blocked") but with quite a nostalgic sound. The band members wanted to make a unique song:
– We have so many different influences and we don't want to get stuck in just a music genre. We feel like we can put the best of each genre in our songs. "The Show" has so many layers but the reason we wrote it is, first of all, we didn't want to do another love song. We were tired of those. We wanted to do something else, explains Siggy, and continues:
– We didn't want the woman to be the victim nor wanted the man to be the one who was hurting her. We wanted the opposite. In it, there's this woman on top of the world, she has fought all of her demons and she has gone through it all. Now she's at the top looking down and saying "you can't touch me now. No matter what you say, I am still going to be that confident woman" or man, or whoever it is.
– We want, of course, to inspire little girls to pick up instruments but we mostly want to inspire people to do what they love and to believe in themselves.
What is coming after "The Show"?
– We are going to release a new single soon after Eurovision. We're putting the finishing touches on it. It will be really good.
The story of REDDI
The band REDDI is quite a new constellation with the four girls coming from four different musical backgrounds. The band is influenced by the 70's punk and the simple rock from the 80's, combined with the inspiration of names from the 90's like Pink, Katy Perry and Green Day. It was Ihan Haydar's idea to start the band:
– I always wanted to do a band with girls. I've been in the music business for so long and I had never played with girls which was a shame because there's a whole new energy when girls get together. Now, the timing was for us. We went to the studio and found Siggy quite fast through Facebook. Siggy found Ida who's from Sweden but she's 30 minutes away from Denmark and Ida found Agnes.
Ihan is an Eurovision veteran. She's been at the competition ten years ago as part of Soluna Samay's backings. What has changed since then?
– A lot of it is the same. I had forgotten how loyal and dedicated the fans are.
– Of course there are a few things we can't do due to the COVID-19 situation. Before, we used to have a Nordic night, like we did in Baku (Eurovision 2012), that we miss this year because of it. There's a lot of parties that we can't do. It's a shame.
And what advice has she given to the three newcomers?
– The most important one is to enjoy it because it goes by so fast.
– The performance is three minutes long and it feels like two seconds. Just enjoy and forgot that it's a competition because it's not.
– We already won just for being here.
We already won just for being hereIhan Haydar
I turn to Agnes and Ida, the two Swedish members of the group. How does it feel to sing for Denmark?
– It's very good because in Denmark you only have one final. Sweden has like seven, says Ida.
Ihan suggest:
– So it's easier in Denmark?
They all laugh and Agnes continues:
– There's a lot of differences in terms of production and in Sweden the audience is way bigger. In Denmark, it feels more intimate.
Ida agrees:
– I can favour the Danish selection because it does feel closer to the audience... And they have a live band that everyone should have.
Will Denmark qualify for the Final?
Our time is wrapping up and I ask the girls: What has been the most memorable moment so far?
– The Spanish audience, says Siggy.
REDDI were at the Madrid pre-party and were blown away with the love from the Spanish fans.
– We come from countries where it's not too cool to love something. You do not say "I love this!" but in Spain they do!
And to conclude: Do you think you'll qualify?
– Yes. We hope that the message goes through and people see all of our energy and how much we're fighting for this.
REDDI will perform at the first Semi-final of Eurovision 2022 on 10 May.
Denmark in Eurovision Song Contest
Denmark has been participating in Eurovision Song Contest 49 times. Since its debut in 1957, Denmark has won the contest 3 times:
Worst result was in 2002 (last). Since the introduction of the Semi-finals in Eurovision in 2004, Denmark has qualified for the Grand Final 12 out of 17 times.
