As a professional musician since her teenage years, singer-songwriter FELIN knows what it’s like to feel lost and afraid of being judged. On her Eesti Laul entry “Solo Anthem,” she shuts down the negativity through self-affirmation.
Her upbeat song, which combines punk energy and distorted guitars with pop-influenced choruses, is among the 16 finalists competing for a chance to represent Estonia at the Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland.
The artist is no stranger to competing for a shot at the Eurovision stage: At age 16, she competed in the Finnish national final Eurovision and landed a sixth place in Swedish Idol the same year. She has also written for major artists such as Adam Lambert and worked as a musician for Swedish pop giants Agnes and Icona Pop.
We talked to the rising star about her newest song, upcoming plans and more. Check out the interview below.
What has your Eesti Laul experience been like so far? What was it like to receive the news that you’re a finalist?
It all went from 0 to 100 real quick: I found out I was a finalist from Gevin [Niglas], who I wrote the song with. He texted me, “Congrats! We’re in the competition.” And I was like, “What? I didn’t get an email or anything.” We looked online and I saw that they had released the finalists, and I thought, “Wow, OK, we’re doing this.”
I got to meet the other acts at a press conference in Tallinn, and it was amazing. I’ve been spending time in Tallinn planning the show and meeting with production. It’s been stressful but really, really fun. It’s amazing to get to plan a performance like this. If you’re not an artist who tours arenas, it’s not that often that you get the opportunity to plan a show like this, so I’m excited about it.
What’s the story behind Solo Anthem?
For me, it’s a song about being your own biggest fan. I wrote it at a time when I was feeling lost. It’s easy to feel lost overall in life, but being in the music business, you’re constantly judging yourself and being judged by others. Sometimes you lose track of who you are and your own opinions, because you’re caught up in other people’s opinions.
I hope people will find it as an empowering song that you put on when you’re feeling low and you need something to cheer you up. You put it on, scream and dance to it, and hopefully get some energy from it.
How would you describe the stage performance in three words or phrases?
Energetic, punk attitude, and Eurovision-worthy!
You’ve been working with other artists as a songwriter and musician for a long time. How has that shaped your own artistry? How do you find a sense of balance?
I’ve always loved music. I have a fire inside me to create and be on stage, so it’s always been about the music. I love performing with different artists. You get to step into their world for a while. It’s always inspiring and you always find something to take into your own artistry.
Writing for others, I think you can learn a lot from working with different songwriters, producers, and artists, but it’s also inspiring to tell their story and get a glimpse into their life.
I love being in the front doing my own thing, but every opportunity has something to learn from. I’ve been able to experience so many amazing things working and touring with other artists.
Who are some of your favorite artists?
One of my first big inspirations was Blondie. My dad showed me her records, and I thought she was amazing. I loved the whole era when the punk scene was growing in New York. If I could time-travel, I would go back to experience that era.
Of course, when I was growing up and starting my first band, it was the golden era of pop punk. I was listening to P!nk and Paramore. I love that it’s coming back again and bands are reuniting. Nowadays, I listen to so many different things, mostly pop, rock, and pop-punk.
What is your connection to Eurovision? Do you have childhood memories of the show?
I always watched as a kid and remember trying to stay awake for the voting. Ironically, the one year I didn’t manage to stay up and watch the voting was when Finland finally won with Lordi. I was so sad that I missed it!
During my early 20s when I lived in L.A., I didn’t watch it as much. But when I moved back to Stockholm, I found my way back to it. In recent years, my friends and I have thrown parties and watched together. I love that Eurovision brings people together through so many styles of music, and that you never know what’s going to turn up on that stage.
What have been some of your favorite entries over the years?
Of course, I love Måneskin (Italy 2021). I usually like to be surprised by the final. I was grabbing drinks in the kitchen, and my friends were like, “You have to come see this!” I loved them.
For me, growing up in Finland and then moving to Stockholm and having dual citizenship, 2023 was a special year with the battle between “Tattoo” and “Cha Cha Cha.” I was like, “Finland or Sweden? I don’t know, but either way, I win!”
Tell us something about yourself outside of your music that fans might be surprised to learn.
I love adventures. I think it’s better to be a little scared and still try something than to regret it. I don’t like flying, but I do it for work and I’ve even skydived. I get extreme FOMO, so I don’t want to miss out on anything. But I’m also grateful for that because I’ve thrown myself into so many opportunities, where I might have said “no” if I hadn’t had that mentality.
What can fans expect to see from you in the New Year?
I just released my new album, Whatever, in May, but there’s still more music coming! There’s going to be more new releases next year, and more live shows. I’m excited to get out and play, and to meet new people. Then we’ll see what happens in Eesti Laul. But one thing is for sure, I’m going to keep playing new music and touring.
If #YOU want to support FELIN’s path to Eurovision, catch her on Eesti Laul on 15 February and follow her on YouTube, on her socials @thisisfelin, and wherever you get your music. Share your thoughts with us in the comments, on our forum HERE or on social media!
