INTERVIEW
Time for one more interview on Sounds European!. Now, we are traveling far West, to Portugal, where we will talk to one of the most talented artists from the country. She deserved much more on Eurovision – and the singles which she released after are proof of that. These are our 10 questions for Ella Nor:
Sounds European!: We are always curious about the relationship of artists with music when they were kids. Who were your childhood idols? Do you believe they have any influence on the style of music you produce nowadays?
Ella Nor: I've got so many names! Nina Simone, Etta James, Amy Winehouse and so on! Sure that they influenced me and my music, although I created my own style and direction.
SE!: About your first steps as a singer. When did you start singing? And how were your first presentations as a singer?
EN: My first steps as a singer were taken when I went to sing in a rock band. It was at that point I realized that singing was what I want to do forever.
SE!: You took part of the second season of The Voice Portugal. How was the experience of participating of the show as a whole? And what did you learn from it?
EN: It was an amazing experience that made me grow as an artist and taught me how to deal with the pressure.
SE!: You had just left a competition, and you were already in another one: you won the traditional Festival da Canção in 2015 (in our opinion, well deserved; your song and performance were stupendous). How was it to take part of this event? What did you feel after winning such a traditional festival?
EN: It was a huge feeling to win Festival da Canção. I was not expecting, as there were great voices in contest. In the end, it was an honor to win and be the representative of Portugal in Eurovision. I would do it all over again.
SE!: As a winner of Festival da Canção, you went to Eurovision Song Contest, in Vienna. Even though you didn't qualify to the final, the audience in the venue reacted very positively to your song. What can you tell us about your week on Eurovision? Is it something you would try again?
EN: People were very nice with me in Austria. I think they enjoyed the song, but we all know how difficult it is for Portugal. Anyway, I would do it again, for sure.
"In the end, it was an honor to win and be the representative of Portugal in Eurovision. I would do it all over again" (Picture: eurovision.tv)
SE!: You have songs in Portuguese and in English. Do you have a preference for any of the two languages? Do you think of trying an international career, with songs in English?
EN: I use both languages in my songs because when I write songs, a few of them naturally sound better in English. I would love to have an international career, but that is not that simple. For that, it's necessary to have a good international label.
SE!: You have also worked as an actress. Do you prefer any of the two professions, or do both please you the same way?
EN: I had a chance to work and act in a Portuguese series, "Água de mar". I loved that experience, but I prefer music. Singing and writing songs is my path.
SE!: If you could choose anyone, who would be some Portuguese and international artists you'd like to collaborate with?
EN: Well, I don’t know, it would depend on the song. Every song has a distinct personality, message. It would depend on that to choose an artist for a duet. But as an example, I have a duet on one of my songs with Marisa Liz, from Amor Electro.
SE!: What are your professional projects for the near future? What can your fans expect?
EN: My future project is the release of my album. It will happen soon, and my fans can expect a very good album. I hope the fans like it! After that, we will see what future holds.
SE!: We would like to post a song of yours to close this interview. What is your favorite song of yourself, and why?
EN: I don't have a favorite song, because to me all my songs make sense. But I would choose my latest single, "Strong for too long", precisely because it is the latest one, my latest release.
Updated on December 25th, 2017, with the new stage name of the artist.
