Saturday, February 27, 2016

Norway: Exclusive! Interview with The Hungry Hearts feat. Lisa Dillan "ESC lovers are crazy and passionate - they have the energy and the skills, and that is the reason why ESC has been and still is the most popular cult music event in Europe"


The Hungry Hearts feat. Lisa Dillan are one of the contestants for the Norwegian national selection "Melodi Grand Prix 2016" with their song "Laika". They will perform in the national final of "Melodi Grand Prix 2016" on 27th February 2016 in Oslo.

We talked to Tonja from The Hungry Hearts and Lisa Dillan some days ago about their participation in the Norwegian national selection "Melodi Grand Prix 2016". Read our interview with them below to find out what they had to say...

Hello Ladies, how does it feel to be part of the Norwegian national selection “Melodi Grand Prix 2016” with your song “Laika”?
Tonje: It is such a cosmic kick to be part of MGP 2016 - and since it was Laika that took us to MGP we will love and treasure this song forever. 
Lisa: Surreal and fantastic! The team is taking very good care of us, this is great fun from beginning to end, and I love Tonje’s song!

Who had the idea that you could participate in the Norwegian national selection and who decided “Laika”?
Tonje: I have watched ESC since I was 4 years old. So to participate in MGP/ ESC has always been a dream. I did not expect the dream to come true, but here we are… "Laika" was supposed to be single number one from our up-coming CD album. But then our darling manager Dag Christian Klevås Rye sent Laika to the music director in MGP Jan Fredrik Karlsen to make him aware of us and our album, and the he called us up immediately and asked us to stop the release because he wanted Laika in MGP.
Lisa: Tonje has written the song and done all the work. I had no idea about the invitation I was to get, until the song was almost in the competition.

What is the message of "Laika"?
Tonje: Each person have their own understanding of the message in Laika.  For some it is a weird dark disco Apocalypse, for others it is an epic song. When I wrote it I did not think so much about a message. I just thought about Laika and her brutal destiny - and I thought about being alone in the atmosphere. I don't accept death as a concept and I am terrified of dying or being left alone somewhere where there are no other human beings. I am a social person and I need love, music, family and friends – so I think the main feeling that started it all was the fear of being all alone in out there in the atmosphere... To write song lyrics is a process and suddenly the line “The streets of Moscow with my girlfriend” came up and the the German line occurred and now it is out there in the ESC universe … 
Lisa: to me this double. It is the sad story about Laika, but beneath there is more: the universal story that we can all rely to: the feeling of being lost in space, small, lonely and missing our great love.
Who had the idea for the collaboration between The Hungry Hearts and Lisa Dillan? 
Tonje: Laika consists of two layers, one soft and longing layer and one mechanic and monotonous layer. The Hungry Hearts have the monotonous voices, but we wanted a soft vocal bringing all the tenderness, longing and passion out. So we thought of Lisa and her voice, which is made for singing about passion, love, longing and desire- all the great feelings in life. 
Lisa: THH invited me in to do the vocal parts as featuring artist just before Christmas – easy to say yes!

 Can you tell us something about the beginning of your career? 
Tonje: The Hungry Hearts was founded in 2006. But I started with visual art, video art and performances when I went to Academy of fine art in Bergen. From 2006 until today The Hungry Hearts has developed a sound and a visual signature and we are invited to different film festivals to screen our short films and to perform our music. The Hungry Hearts perform at film festivals, art galleries, music scene and Queer scene. 
Lisa: I started out as a jazz singer in the 90ties, and later went to the Norwegian state academy to study jazz and improvisation singing. I ended up with no jazz and all improvised music, mostly improvised voice, impro bands, performance and collaborations with dancers and video artists. In 2011 I was invited to Nashville by Elvis Presley’s own band, to record, and this project has been an important part of my touring and career the last four years.

The song is mixed with lyrics in English and German language. What’s the reason for this mix and not some parts in Norwegian language?
Tonje: I never write songs in Norwegian. We are only 5 million people speaking Norwegian and what about the rest of the world? The Hungry Hearts wants to reach out to people outside Norway and we have songs in German, French, English and Spanish. Soon also in Russian! 
Lisa: Germany has effected all countries in Europe and we all have knowledge of German history. The German line
“Der Untergang ist jetzt - der Untergang ist hier" 
refers to apocalyptic times and is known to many.  We use different languages to express different emotions.

The main band The Hungry Hearts has nine band members. If you win the pre-selection in Norway – who will join the Eurovision stage in Stockholm? 
Tonje: Five of the members from The Hungry Hearts and Lisa Dillan will join the ESC if it comes to that. This is not a problem – all the members are aware of it.

 What are you expecting in the national selection “Melodi Grand Prix 2016”, are you excited?
Tonje: Excited is just the middle name. We expect a fantastic show, fantastic audience and lots of love, passion and “hate”. :-) 
Lisa: there is a lot of different songs this year, everything can happen, and that is cool! And yes, excited of course – this is different from other things I have been doing. Looking forward to do this song with THH – we have a great deal of fun together!

How do you prepare yourself for the show? 
Tonje: Rehearsals every day, the Laika song and Choreography is in our minds all the time, breakfast, in dreams, at the bus station and everywhere.
Lisa: rehearsing together and alone with the choreography mostly. Alone: preparing my voice – always from one to four hours of voice work every day, along with my regular work out. And finally, from Monday the 22nd we will “live our lives” in Oslo Spektrum – the venue for the show. Looking forward to the realistic stage plot and great sound!

Are you Eurovision fans? 
Tonje: I am a ESC Fan to the core! 
Lisa: I was all taken by Eurovision when I was younger. I often watch ESC. My first real crush was on a Swedish beauty in the Swedish national final in the Nineties  - my secret who, of course ;)

Which are your favorite Eurovision songs and what is your favorite from Norwegian history?
Tonje: Dima Bilan from Russia, Carola Häggquist from Sweden and from Norway Alexander Rybak, Maria Haukaas Mittet, Margaret Berger and Aleksander Stenerud.
Lisa: International: Waterloo with ABBA. Norway, I actually liked last years’ song “A Monster like me” quite good, with Mørland & Debrah Scarlett. A crazy number form I guess 1979: Papa pingouin from Luxembourg with Sophie and Magali. They– how should I put it – a bit off pitched voices, but I was completely charmed!

What is your first Eurovision memory?
Tonje: The one who really stuck in my mind because of costumes and the innocence is Austria with “Hurricane”
What are your plans for 2016 beside the Norwegian national selection, are you working on a album?
Tonje: Our first album “Dyke Forever” is actually ready for departure, and we will release it after the MGP final. It is an album about crazy girls turning insane, lady boys, baby dykes and leather girls from hell – A tribute to the outsiders and their passion, love and subculture. 
We have just released the  Laika music video and are planning next music video of the first single Master Mind- Electric. As for now we are invited to Tel Aviv LGBT film festival, OutView Queer Film Festival and Kansai Queer Film Festival. Also we have gotten questions from Norwegian festivals and venues/events. At the moment we are also working on our next album called “Nerds and Emo Girls“. 
Lisa: I am working on a live vinyl recording with Elvis´ musicians from our tour in 2015, hope for release late 2016. Beside that, I have the main role in a new music Opera in Bergen in June, and a commission work, a composition and recording for a festival in Northern Norway in April.

What was the most excited moment in your life? 
Tonje: The moment I met my wife. Love is a reason for living! And when love strikes it brings happiness to your life. Second is being part of MGP”016!! 
Lisa: Except from meeting someone quite special in 2012, it must be kissing Elvis Presleys own microphone in Nashville in 2012? Haha – unforgettable!
If people outside Norway never heard about you before – what should they know about you?
Tonje: The Hungry Hearst make nice pop music- we are an all girl band making films, lyrics, choreography, scenography and we have performed Tel Aviv, London, Greece, Germany, Japan. Our short films have been screened at over 40 international film festivals. We are visual artists and performance artist enjoying life, music, dance, films and books! To know more about The Hungry Hearts: www.hungryhearts.no 
Lisa: They should probably start with listening to the Elvis´ recording from 2012 “Love Me Tender – The Quite Quiet Way”, and then shock themselves with my second album, “Arousal” from 2010?


Why should the Norwegian audience vote for your song to represent Hungary at Eurovision 2016? 
Tonje: If they think our song is the best they should vote for it. 
Lisa: Tonje has written a quite cool song here, I think. The story is very touching, with Laika alone in the atmosphere – heartbreaking!  And at the same time I find it catchy and fun to dance to. There is almost a tradition in ESC for less regular performances that do quite well – so you never know. But first of all: you should vote for it if you like it. ESC is bigger than one artist.

Do you have a message for “Join Us on Eurovision” readers and your fans? 
Tonje: Passion, love & music – ESC lovers are crazy, passionate, strong felt and friendly. They have the energy and the skills, and that is the reason why ESC has been and still is the most popular cult music event in Europe. So let’s go to Globen with love in our hearts and generosity in our mind. The winner takes it all – the rest of us - enjoy!! 
Lisa: We hope to see you in Stockholm, and if not, we are sure the best song is chosen anyway -  and that it will be great fun for you all! We love what we do, come and see us somewhere?

Thank you so much for answer those questions. Good luck for you and your song in the Norwegian national selection and maybe we see us in Stockholm!

Lisa and The Hungry Hearts recorded video messages for you - have you already seen?

Support The Hungry Hearts & Lisa Dillan and their "MGP 2016" entry "Laika". Download it on iTunes or listen to it on Spotify:


For other possibilities check the stores in your country.

Find out more about The Hungry Hearts feat. Lisa Dillan and follow them: 

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