Good Evening Europe talked to the Estonian representatives Elina Born & Stig Rästa – the duo behind “Goodbye to Yesterday” penned by Stig Rästa.
The questions were asked before the rehearsals started in Vienna.
Interview with Elina & Stig
Good Evening Europe: First of all congratulations on winning the Estonian Final. What does it mean to you to represent your country?
It is a great honour to be represting Estonia @ the ESC.
Good Evening Europe: Can you tell us about the message of the song ? What or who inspired you (Stig) to write this song?
The song is about a lovestory gone bad. It is not about a one night stand as people tend to think. Stig: I wouldn’t say that something exact inspired me to write this song but every song I write has something from my personal life as well.
Good Evening Europe: You have revealed that “Goodbye to yesterday” waited for years in your drawer. What made Eurovision 2015 the right occasion?
Stig: I let Elina listen to the demo of the song and she thought why not give it a try and sing it together. I think it worked out pretty well 🙂
Good Evening Europe: You have been one of the bookmaker favorites almost from the start. Curse or a blessing? And does it put extra pressure on you?
Actually it doesn’t put any extra-pressure on us because we are giving our 200% every time we perform the song. But it is always nice to know that people like our music.
Good Evening Europe: What made you decide, that the song should be performed as a duet?
Stig: The song was actually written as a duet at the first place.
Good Evening Europe: Stig, you discovered Elina on youtube. What was it about her that caught your interest?
Stig: It was her voice that made my think that she has that something special.
Good Evening Europe: And Elina, being discovered by one of Estonia’s hottest songwriters must be quite an experience. What went through your mind, when you got his message, and how did you react?
Elina: I didn’t reply to Stig for two days. I was really shocked and didn’t believe that it had happened to me. But then we exchanged some letters and I met Stig at the studio.
Good Evening Europe: Stig, you are normally the guy writing songs for other artists. How do you like your new role as a lead singer ?
Stig: I was actually the lead-singer in a band called Outloudz so it is not that new to me. But actually I haven’t been looking for this kind of attention and I prefer being a songwriter 🙂
Good Evening Europe: Stig, 2015 is your 5th (?) attempt to go to Eurovision and you finally succeeded. What makes Eurovision so special to you?
Stig: Actually, in Estonia they told me it was already my 9th time 🙂 Eurovision is a good place to introduce your music to a wider audience and that is what I have been trying to do!
Good Evening Europe: Have you been watching Eurovision in recent years and could you reveal your favorite(s)?
Yes, we have both been watching the Eurovision for many years now.
Elina: From my childhood I remember being an absolute fan of Ruslana’s performance of “Wild Dances”. And also the Turkish winning entry by Sertab Erener.
Stig: I think one of my favourites is “Solo” by Alsou.
Good Evening Europe: And finally. Do you have a special message for your fans and the readers of www.good-evening-europe.dk (Denmark)?
A big thanks to all of our supporters in Denmark! Thank you!