The Second Semi-Final of the Latvian Supernova show is taking palce tonight. Madara is one of the participant hoping to qualify to the Finals and ultimately represent Latvia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2018. Let’s get to know here a little btter.
First of all thank you for your time talking to us. How are you ? Can you introduce yourselves ?What can you tell us about yourself?
MADARA (Madara Fogelmane) is born and raised in Jelgava. She started writing poetry already in her early childhood and later on she took up the cello studies. Her Alma Mater are Brussels Royal Conservatory and The Conservatorium van Amsterdam where she did her postgraduate studies developing her cello playing skills guided by such excellent and world renowned professors as Olsi Leka (Albania), Jeroen den Herder (The Netherlands) and Gavriel Lipkind (Israel). However MADARA always considers Latvia her home and constantly longs for it.
MADARA believes that musical instrument reflects what one really is, YOUR true ESAMIBA or existence.
“The instrument embodies you. It expresses your personality, thoughts and how you perceive the world. It takes a great skill and talent to forward that feeling to others.” MADARA considers playing cello not only as “playing a musical instrument” because it is her way of life.
MADARA says about cello: “Cello needs a person to make it alive and let it breathe. It needs those human vibrations.” MADARA needs cello to be able to resonate with the world, although for a total self-expression she needs both – cello and her voice.
“They are inseparable and they are completing each other”.
In August 2017 at Cello festival Zutphen 2017 (The Netherlands), MADARA entered the stage together with the world’s leading cellists performing her original piece and positioning herself as a young cellist and singer.
“With this song I felt in a complete harmony with myself and I received confirming feedback from musical professionals that the path I have chosen is the right for me. IT IS MY EXISTENCE. My dream is to bring the truest revelations and deepest feelings to people through the music I create.”
Your song that you will be presenting for Supernova is “Esamiba”. What can you tell us about the song?
Every sound and every word has an essential meaning in my music – it reveals the truth about it, depicts the thoughts, emotions, pain I was going through at that moment. The song is about the peace and us realising that we are a part of the great ESAMĪBA, existence. It is the sanctuary, it is the tranquility for us to hide away and recharge when the world is tearing us apart or when we have lost ourselves. It is not just a song. It is the anthem of concerned yet hopeful people.
What was the inspiration for the song, and did you write it specifically for Supernova and Eurovision?
Living abroad and away from my family and Latvian musicians and friends has been a huge long term challenge. Nevertheless, it has given me the opportunity to get to know myself while being outside the comfort zone. I have experienced lots of new challenges, adventures, revelations and realisations about the deepest and the most colourful nuances of music as well as its interpretations, genres and performances when studying at Brussels Royal Conservatory and The Conservatorium van Amsterdam. I started to write songs in English and Latvian to connect with my existence (Esamiba) and Latvia.
I am so grateful to my cello professors who motivated and supported me telling they saw potential in me when I performed my songs with a cello and voice. Once, during a masterclass where I was practising the performance of the song, I felt like pleasant shivers running right through me. I felt like merging with the whole world and my composition. It was the moment when everything, including the meaning of the song and the sound, seemed SO right, and I realised that the world must get a chance to hear this creation. That’s how I got the idea about Eurovision. Since that moment it has been as a natural flow of events as if the world is in a harmony with me to help me send the message of the song to people.
The song is in Latvian. Do you have the intention to translate the song in other languages?
The song was born and created in Latvian, the language which is the closest to me, it is my mother tongue. It brings out the song’s authenticity. Latvian is the language that can reflect my true being and my revelations in the best way possible. They have been within me for long to be gathered and put into a song thus revealing them from the gentlest and purest point of view. I see the gains only singing Latvian in Supernova. The song exists on the energy and vibrations of its lyrics. I want to make Latvian heard in the world, to get to know us and our roots because the Latvian is one of the oldest languages on this planet. It is a beautiful language if one learns to feel it and use it in music in a proper way.
What is your impression of the Eurovision Song Contest in general? Do you watch it every year? What is your favourite entry?
I have been following Eurovision Song Contest since Latvia entered it in 2000 with Brainstorm performance. By the way, we are from the same town. I have watched the contest and supported Latvia and Europe. I recall many awesome songs from Denmark, Estonia, Sweden. In the most recent years, I have obviously supported Latvia and I really enjoyed Jamala’s performance in 2016. I think that last year the bar of the quality of the contest was risen by the performances from Belgium, Bulgaria, Portugal, Australia, Finland and some other countries. While supporting the entries, I still could imagine myself on the big Eurovision stage. Being on that stage, representing Latvia performing my own song “Esamiba” would definitely be one of my greatest dreams to come true!
Do you think performing at the Eurovision Song Contest will have a positive impact on your career?
Most definitely! But it is not the most important thing for ME. The most essential for me is to make people feel something special and not yet experienced. My song and performance are honest to the core and they reveal the true me. It is vital for me to forward my message to the people and offer them some comfort in tough times so they can find themselves and their ESAMIBA (existence) through my song. The life is hectic and chaotic. I wish people could find the way to themselves. I wish we all took a great pride and value in ourselves and our lives. Each and every of us is a treasure and we are a part of the Universe and the great Esamiba (existence).
What ís the best bit of advice you have ever been given?
Be yourself! With your imperfections and talents. No need to be ashamed of what we are born with and how we try to make the best out of living in this world. Our imperfections are our beauty brought to us by life and nature!
What’s the one thing that might surprise people about you?
I still feel like a child and very so often I do not know how to behave in public. I can be comical and socially awkward. I was born with an impaired vision and can hardly see with one eye. So, I observe the life from the left eye point of view.
Can you tell us about your first experience with music?
Since the age of 5 music has been my life. It has always seemed as something natural and casual like breathing to me. To be honest, I do not know how to live without it and it is a part of my identity. I think about the music every day when I play the cello or create my songs. It is a part of my Esamiba, existence.
Thanks for your time. We wish you the best of luck for the upcoming competition. Maybe we see you in May in Lisbon!
Thank you! Let the best song win!
