Swedish singer-songwriter Loreen has won the hearts of audiences around the world through emotionally powerhouse vocals & heartfelt lyrics.
Following winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 with the global hit “Euphoria” & the release of the breakthrough album “Heal”, Loreen has embarked on a musical journey full of artistic expression & captivating releases.
In November 2022, it was announced that Loreen would return to the Swedish national selection Melodifestivalen with the song “Tattoo” & found herself being selected to represent Sweden on the Eurovision stage once more.
Loreen has shared her thoughts regarding the upcoming participation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, UK (on behalf of last year’s winners Ukraine) & what it means to share “Tattoo” with the world.
Who is Loreen?
Loreen: Good question, I ask myself that all the time, haha. If you ask my friends, they would say she’s a hardworking, sexy, fashionable lady that is the greatest singer in the world. This is at least what I hope they think about me, haha. But if you ask me, I would say I’m a pretty spiritual, calm and nature loving creator.
When did you first discover your passion for music?
Loreen: As a child, I grew up in a very big family with a lot of things happening. It was my sanctuary, so I usually found space for me creating music. With that I mean, just singing for myself in the bathroom or just finding spaces like the church down in the village. Spaces where I could be alone. But I never thought that I was going to be an artist. I think it was one teacher who heard me after everybody went from school. She told me “maybe you should share that”. And my grandmother told me that, too. “That thing that you’re doing all by yourself, maybe it’s for sharing”. And it was at that point I realize that maybe it is, maybe I should.
How do you feel that your musical style has evolved over the past few years?
Loreen: I’m evolving all the time. Everything is evolving. Nothing stays the same. Change is a fact and if somebody thinks that things will stay the same, you’ll be pretty disappointed because it doesn’t. If you look at my creative process, I’ve been exploring a lot of things, cause you get different influences and different things are coming in and out of your life.
How do you feel about representing Sweden again in Eurovision Song Contest?
Loreen: I never imagined that Eurovision was going to be my path again. But when the song was sent to me, just the embryo, the demo, I instantly intuitively felt like I’m going to do something with this song. And then they popped the question about Melodifestivalen and I was back and forth and back and forth. But eventually, I felt like whenever I say I’m going to, there is a really positive energy flowing. So it was the song, but it was also the people around me that made me feel like my life was really pointing very clearly in one direction. And now I’m here at Eurovision feeling happier than ever. Which is crazy because I never thought that I would be here again.
What inspired you to enter the competition again?
Loreen: You. I would say my biggest inspiration is the people. Because I felt people got so happy around me when I said that I might do this again. And that response just became my purpose. I’m like, okay, this is what I’m going to do, and it feels crazy good.
How was it winning Melodifestivalen with Tattoo?
Loreen: To win with Tattoo in Sweden was overwhelming because it says a little bit about us. You know because my performance with the song has certain values. There’s a certain energy that I am sending out. And my performance is all about self-encouragement, hope, positivity, joy, and all these things that balance up. And when it resonates with people, it’s just because those feelings exist within them. So, for me, winning in Sweden was overwhelming. I can’t describe it with words because it just says everything. It just made me feel so happy to see that the world is not such a shitty place after all.
How was it working with the songwriters behind “Tattoo”?
Loreen: The process of making a Tattoo was pretty simple. It’s funny, cause when you’re at the right place, it is simple. I’ve worked with the songwriters many times and they know me very well. So they know that if they want something really good to happen, they just sit back and relax and let whatever happens, happens. So, I went into the studio and the relationship between me and the song became even stronger. It just flowed. One or two hours later it was done. And it’s pretty magical. You know, when you don’t let the mind interrupt, you just sing and suddenly you see pictures and everything. It’s pretty amazing.
What does “Tattoo” personally mean to you?
Loreen: I’m in love with “Tattoo”. I just feel it has a beautiful purpose. With this song there is a certain energy movement created that people are resonating with. So it’s beautiful and I get to be a part of it.
What message would you like to pass on to the people watching your performance?
Loreen: What I want to say with the performance is that it’s layered. I wanted to create a safe space and what I think is a safe space is something that we all have and that we all love, which is nature.
I call nature a safe space because it’s almost like a big battery. And we are like small energy batteries. So, the nature is where we charge our batteries. It’s a safe space where we remember how much we love nature and that we need to reconnect and ground ourselves so that we know what we’re doing. We have all that wisdom and knowledge within ourselves of course, but we just need to remember ourselves about that. So, the performance is about that.
And hopefully, when you see it, it starts to generate positive energies within you – that you feel hope, that you feel strengthened, that you feel joy and that you feeI creative. And this energy and creativity is the perfect medicine or antidote to all this minority of negativity that is happening around us right now. And I would like to say minority because the majority around us is beautiful.
How are the preparations for the Eurovision going?
Loreen: Intense, haha. It’s a very physical performance. You must be in tune with both mind, body and soul to do this the right way. And for that, it takes discipline. It takes a lot of hard work. Physically you have to be strong. Mentally you have to be strong, and you have to have a huge focus. Because I’m sending out what I’m feeling, and you guys are going to see that and feel it, whether you know it or if it’s subconscious. Everything needs to be pure, and for that I need to be focused. You can’t split your energies all over. So, my days are filled with a lot of training, a lot of eating, a lot of communication and a lot of sleeping. It’s no wiggle room for anything else, but I love it.
What can we expect from your performance?
Loreen: Well, a lot of love, a lot of light, a lot of joy, a lot of spirituality, a lot of nature. You can expect everything I have because there is no in-between. I don’t know what that is. So, it’s going to be 100% me, completely channelling whatever is coming to me – to you. Because I’m just a servant, that’s the way I see it.
In 2012, you won Eurovision with the song “Euphoria”. What did it mean to you to perform on the stage & win the contest?
Loreen: It changed my whole life. And it also really taught me a lot about intuition. Before “Euphoria” I was struggling compromising back and forth, doing things I wasn’t supposed to. Or I was supposed to do them because I was supposed to learn, but it was painful. After “My heart is refusing me” I felt like this is too painful for me because I sensed that I was doing something that I wasn’t supposed to do. So with Euphoria – it was the first time I decided to do what I wanted to do. And yes I was afraid and I was worried that it might not even work, but I needed to go with my gut feeling, my intuition. And my intuition told me that the performance needed to look like it did. I don’t know why, but my intuition told me that that song needed to have that siren in the beginning. My intuition also told me that I needed to be barefoot, that it should snow and that you’re not supposed to see anything on stage. So you can imagine when people said it’s never going to work. But it did.
What are your memories of the Eurovision Song Contest?
Loreen: I have many memories from Baku. One is that I remember that a snowflake got stuck in my throat while I was singing the song. That was interesting. You could actually hear me cough in the song, but I saved it.
You are returning to Eurovision 2023. How do you feel about the pressure to succeed a second time around following winning the first time?
Loreen: The whole reason why I’m doing this again is because I truly, deeply believe that I have something that I can give. So, for me it’s not about success, it’s about communication. We are all creators, and we have a purpose. We all have creativity within us, and we’re supposed to send that out. I would say that the competition is a play. It’s a beautiful play because it includes people, so I wouldn’t want to take that out, to be honest. It’s an important part because we’re rooting for the ones that we love. My pressure, or as I call it, my discipline is to be a servant of creativity and to create something that hopefully is authentic for you guys. And I love that.
What would 2012 ESC contestant Loreen advise 2023 ESC contestant Loreen on?
Loreen: I think that 2012 Loreen would come up to the 2023 Loreen and, say “you know what, I have some things to say”. And the 2023 Loreen would then say “I have some things to say to you. You should have enjoyed it much better.” Just kidding, but I mean, I’m much wiser now than I was before, so it should be me saying to myself “that this is not the end of the world. Now it’s going to be a journey, where you’re going to learn things. And it’s going to be ups and downs, but you’re on the right track. Don’t worry about it, but it’s okay. It’s part of the whole thing.” That is what I would say to myself then.
Aside from Eurovision, what other 2023 plans do you have? More music? Can we expect a full tour any time soon?
Loreen: There’s going to be more music this year. I think 2023 is a music year for me where it’s going to be a lot of new music out. And then there’s going to be this tour this fall, maybe continuing til spring 2024. And I don’t know what more life has in store for me. I guess you’ll have to wait and see.
Do you have any advice for people that would like to be an artist?
Loreen: That is to understand that creativity is a very powerful tool that exists within you, but also a responsibility. And why I say that, is because you need to protect it with all your power. With that said, with the business and everything, it’s so important to be authentic and real because that is such a powerful energy that you send out.
What would you like to say to all the people that support you?
Loreen: For the ones that support me and the ones that enjoy the performance and have showed me love and have a positive vibe. Thank you. Thank you for everything. I wouldn’t to be able to do this without you guys. You’re my biggest motivation. And you know what, I see in Liverpool where I’m going to give you my heart on a plate. Love you.
You can check out “Tattoo” on Spotify below or on more platforms here.
Fierce & Fabulous Revolution 