ESC+Plus has talked to Doru Todoruţ feat. Irina Baianţ, semifinalists of this year’s Romanian national selection for Eurovision. The duet will sing “The Voice” in the semi-final of Selectia Nationala 2016 to take place on March 4.
ESC+Plus: Hello! First of all, thank you so much for your time and congratulations on having been selected to take part in the Romanian national selection for Eurovision 2016!
Can you tell us about you, your musical careers and important achievements?
Doru: Thank you for your kind words. Well, I am part of “Deepcentral”, a well-known pop dance Romanian band. We have many hits in Romania and an impressive fan base.
Irina: I am an opera singer at “Ion Dacian” musical theater and also I am part of the cast in the famous play “Phantom of the opera”. Music is my first love.
E+: What impelled you to take part in “Selectia Nationala 2016”?
Doru: I had this in my mind for a long time and this year we had the perfect opportunity. I used to work with Irina for different TV projects and we decided to bring a different sound to the Romanian public.
Irina: I’m extremely happy we’ve made it this far, this collaboration means a lot to me because I have the chance to explore different music styles and it’s also a challenge to create something unique.
E+: How did you feel when you knew you had qualified for the semi-final? Did you expect it?
Doru: To be honest it was a surprise to find out that we had qualified for the semi-final because we didn’t know what kind of feedback we should expect.
Irina: When it comes to me, I must admit that it makes me happy to know that pop-opera songs are more and more appreciated. Music is art and we can take it to the next level by showing our creativity.
E+: What it would mean for you to represent Romania?
Doru: It would be a real chance to prove we have amazing voices in our country.
Irina: If we are going to represent Romania, I’d be proud to share the stage with Doru and present our song to the international public.
E+: Can you tell us about your song? What is the story behind the lyrics?
Doru: The lyrics are about self-love, confidence and the magic behind our feelings.
Irina: And also the message of the song is about the fears we had in the past experiences and how we should overcome them with a smile on our face.
E+: Why do you think your song has to be selected for Stockholm? What are you strengths to reach the top in the competition?
Doru & Irina: We believe “The Voice” should be selected for Stockholm because it has different sounds, being a mix between pop dance and opera.
E+: Have you started to prepare your stage performance for “Selectia Nationala 2016”?
Doru & Irina: Yes we have started working with the choreographers and the rest of the team. The stage performance is going to be a total surprise!
E+: Do you usually watch Eurovision? What are your favorite songs in the history of the competition?
Doru: Every year. My favourite songs are: “Satellite” by Lena and “Euphoria” by Loreen.
Irina: Yes I did, in the last couple of years. I like “Believe” by Dima Bilan and “Fairytale” by Alexander Rybak.
E+: If you could choose a Eurovision former participant to sing along with, who would it be?
Doru: Loreen.
Irina: Alexander Rybak.
E+: Besides Eurovision, what are your plans for this year?
Doru: I’m working on this new single, we can’t wait to release!
Irina: This year I’ll be part of the cast in other famous plays at “Ion Dacian” opera theater.
E+: Finally, can you send a message for our readers and Eurovision fans?
Doru & Irina: Hello Eurovision fans, we hope to meet you in Stockholm!
E+: Thanks for your time and good luck!
This is my #1 favorite song of the Romanian NF <3