The nineteen-year-old Norwegian beauty spilt the tea – or a sip of it, at least – about a forthcoming music video for her Melodi Grand Prix entry “Who We Are”.
“I just came back from England where we taped the music video, so… wait for it!” Rebecca confirmed, which is more than enough news to whet fans’ appetites. Who We Are, a powerful pop ballad that was written by Eurovision alumni, Mørland, has been streamed more than 27,000 times as per January 28th, justifying the popularity of the song among music enthusiasts. Having been working with Mørland for a few years now, Rebecca was so intrigued when the songwriter came up with the idea to take part in this year’s Melodi Grand Prix.
“He (Mørland) initially asked me if I wanted to do the vocals on one of his songs. So, I came into the studio, listened to the song and absolutely loved it right away. He asked me if I was interested in sending it to Melodi Grand Prix. As I’ve always been a big fan of the show, I agreed right away! So, here we are!,” she told ESC Plus enthusiastically. Rebecca also added that Mørland had already had this song long before NRK opened the song submission for this year’s Eurovision national selection.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAOdDq1fK2c
Written and produced by one of Norway’s most sought-after songwriter, Who We Are shares the same enigmatic ambience with A Monster Like Me, Mørland’s previous Eurovision effort that came 8th in Eurovision 2015. Rebecca herself confirms that she is a big fan of his artistry and that he knows her vocal character really well, “He produced one of the songs I wrote a couple of years ago, and ever since, I had done some backing vocal works for him. He knows how my voice works and is good to see my full potential in the studio”.
Another thing that makes Mørland’s song stands out and easily recognizable is his poetic lyrics that exudes mystery and vulnerability, which Rebecca really adores, “Being a singer and songwriter himself, he’s good at combining vocals with lyrics, which is something I find very important especially when working in the studio. I really enjoy working with Mørland, he is very motivating”.
Currently working on her Melodi Grand Prix staging, the young starlet gave us a little hint on how it might look like, “We are working on the choreography and graphics with NRK now! And I’m very excited to show you all how it turns out”.
Not a stranger to the big stage, the blonde beauty has performed as opening act for the like of Donkeyboy and Isac Elliot. She discussed how much this experience helped her grow as an artist, “It was really fun! I love performing and being able to connect with an audience live is one of my favorite things. Every gig gives me more experience and the opportunity to connect with even more people. The feeling of performing on stage is irreplaceable and something I will probably always love doing. So I think I’ve grown as an artist every day since I started performing”.
“I would really like to go deeper into the pop world. The style of “Who We Are” is very much a path I would like to dig into. After Melodi Grand Prix I’m very excited to release even more music and do more of what I love. I’ll probably start studying next fall, but we’ll see what happens after the 10th of March!”
Had always been a fan of talent search programs like “Idol” and musical shows on Disney Channel as a child, Rebecca started writing songs when she was only eight. She then took her passion to the next level when signed up for vocal lessons when she was eleven.
“I was actually a part of a smaller version of the musical Grease and I played Kenickie! Haha. I got a guitar for Christmas soon after I started singing and then I began performing at small venues for youths”.
Who was her musical influence back then? “Oh, I was a big fan of the young Taylor Swift as well, so I got a lot of my inspiration from country and pop at that time and I still do!” she told us gleefully.
“I attended a high school in Oslo (11th-13th grade) from 2014-2017, where I studied music and focused on both singing and songwriting. Well, I took classes like music history and music theory as well”.
“I have been performing a lot throughout the years now, held my own concerts and participated in a lot of cultural contests for youths with my own music. Melodi Grand Prix is though the biggest thing so far and I couldn’t be more excited about it”.
So, what’s the next big thing after this competition? Well, she’s got a plan. A huge one: studying abroad. “I would love to study in the UK, especially since it would give me the opportunity to connect with people from loads of different countries and study in the language I write my music in”.
That’s what we call brain and brawl! More power to you, girl!
“I really like the UK. My goal is to take a BA in songwriting, hopefully in Liverpool. And it’s a good thing it’s not too far from home, so I can visit my family and my dogs as much as possible”.
Say no more! You’ve got our back, Rebecca!
When asked about how the reception has been since Who We Are release, she said she has been overwhelmed by the amount of love she receives from the fans.
“I would like to say thank you for listening to my song and sharing it with everyone! All the fans are so amazing! It has been so much fun talking to them and reading what they say about my entry,” Rebecca gushed of her fans.
“There are so many kinds and inspiring people out there who share their stories and even talk about the reason why this song is so important to them. Their support certainly makes this journey so much more meaningful and amazing for me, so thank you all so much! I know many people are still struggling with self-acceptance, be it the pressure society put on us, either about the way you look, how you act, what and who you love… I would just like to say that no matter what people might say or do to you, you will always be worth something, you will always be unique and it’s our differences and qualities that make us special. Never let anyone tell you to change, surround yourself with people who see you for who you really are and dare to love yourself!” she gave props to her adoring public.