Countdown to Eurovision #3 with Rafaela Truda

You've been born in Macedonia, raised up in Finland and you've also been living in Norway. Do you feel yourself most Macedonian, Finnish or Norwegian?

- I love that I am mixed, but I feel myself most Finnish (finlandsvensk)
　
Is there some special things in these three cultures you like really much ( for example some traditions, language, how people act etc.) ?

- Since I have both cultures in me (Scandinavian and Balkan) It's really hard to choose what I like the most. They are very different from each other, but beautiful in their own ways.
But I really like the Balkan food and the Balkan music. 
　
You're a very new name in the Finnish music industry, so could you please tell a bit about your artist career and what happened before UMK?

- I have been taking singing lessons for six years and during that time I wrote couple of own songs and I had some small gigs. After that I met some new friends that wanted to work with me, we wrote new songs together, recorded them, and that is how it all started.

What kind of was public's first impression for your song "Rise up" ? What kind of feedback you got?

- Well, at first I was a bit surprised that many thought that my song was a copy of Ariana Grande's "Problem" so I was not feeling good at all. But then after awhile people realized It's not a copy and I started to get really good feedback, so I am very happy.

I must admit that the music video of your UMK song is very inspiring, it's like straight from my video editing fantasies!
Where did you get the inspiration for it ? Did you take part to the directing, planning or editing?

- Thank you so much! Teemu Niukkanen is the director of my music video, so this is all his idea. He made a fantastic job even though I wasn't sharing the same idea in the beginning. But I really love it.

  "Beyonce, because she is a such a strong, powerful, independent woman / Saara Forsberg, because she doesn't let anyone or anything bring her down, and she is also a strong and amazing person, beautiful from inside out ./ DJ khaled, he is just so funny and amazing. / Ellen Degeneres, she is so kindhearted. "

"Rise up" sounds very international, modern and it's full of energy. What is the story behind the song?

- I wanted "Rise up" to be a song that makes you happy, that makes you dance. A song that brings us all together. I also wanted to bring something new to the competition with this type of song and the rapping part.

What is your connection with Eurovision? Do you have any all time favorite song / artist from there?

- I started watching Eurovision when I was four years old, and since then it has been a tradition to watch it. I have so many favorites, but Loreen with the song Euphoria will always be among them.

What are you going to do after Uuden musiikin kilpailu? Will you start your career as a singer in Finland, or maybe head to the bigger markets somewhere abroad?

- After UMK I will make more songs and hopefully an album soon. I am very excited about everything.
I am not sure where I am going to be, but i'm sure that I will work with music.
　


I wish all the best for Rafaela to Uuden musiikin kilpailu. Go and listen her song "Rise up" here :)