Next one to have a chat with Bicycling reporter Robert is Estonian Birgit Õigemeel. When is the baby due? How she got started? Who her idols are? This very talkative young lady talks about music therapy and the sound of music among other things. And what's she got to do with Silvi Vrait and who does she want to represent Estonia in 2014?
Thank you Birgit for this interview. First of all I will mention some words, that you can react and then I will ask something more, ok?
Ok!
Family life!?
Ha ha, family life this year is very special for me as I am pregnant! But I have a big family, I have three sisters. My mother is a music teacher and my sister is singing also, but they are not professional singers but music is their hobby as well. They sing in a choir and ensambles and other music stuff. So I have already a big family! We all love music so it has influenced also me.
When did you know that you wanted to make it professionally?
I think since I was a child. I started singing with my mother when I was 3. At 7 I joined the Estonian television's children choir. It was a very popular choir and we travelled the world and did competitions all over. I also played violin for 10 years and when I went to high school it was Georg Ots music school - Georg Ots is a very popular singer in Finland, too.
You had it in mind already then that you want to be a singer?
Yes! In 2007 when I was 18 I graduated and participated in the first Pop Idol in Estonia and I won it! I didn't have any expectations when I went there but I won and after that I got a record deal and my career started.
How many albums have you released so far?
Three. They are all different in style as I want to do different things. The first one was maybe most similar to the Eurovision song's style, pop ballads and rock. The second one was Christmas songs album and the third one electronic pop album. Right now I feel like I want to do the pop ballad music again. We are working on my 4th album and we hope to release it sometime in November-December.
And when is you baby due?
My baby's due on October 3.
And your husband is involved in music, too?
Yes, but his not my husband but partner and he's my manager also, and he has some other artists in Estonia, too. His job is very flexible so he can work from home or the office, so....
He's also writing songs for you?
No, he's not. But Mihkel Mattisen, composer of my song is our good friend, his best friend actually and he's writing songs for me so it's like our little music family.
Who has inspired you in music?
Actually I don't have any idols! How is that possible? Everybody has idols but... I like to listen to very different kind of music. Right now I'm learning music therapy in Tallinn University and I have learned music is everywhere, every sound is music. I get inspiration of everything, people inspire me the most. Not one particular person.
Why are you doing music therapy? Is it of interest of yours or is it necessary to have another profession in Estonia bsides music to survive?
Yes. Maybe when I'm older I can't sing anymore so I need another profession, too. I have to think of that now, too. But now I want to study it because it seems so interesting! It's hard to explain, you must experience it yourself. Also, I wanted to study something to do with music, but not music itself like going to music school again.
You didn't want to study vocal teaching or something....
No. But I might do that one day, too. In Kohila where I am from outside Tallinn my sister has a studio where she teaches dancing and singing, and I do some teaching there for little girls about solo singing. But only once a week, a bit like a hobby right now.
Ok, let's move on. Musicals?
Musicals are very popular in Estonia. We have many theaters but the one in Tartu is the biggest music theater. I did there a few years ago my favorite role in The Sound of music, that was also my favorite movie when I was a little girl. It was a dream come true. It run for two years and it looks like next year we will do it again!
So you are doing albums, music therapy and musicals at the same time.....
Yes!
You must like Eestilaul as you have participated three times. Do you see it as a platform for a music career in Estonia?
Yes, of course. It is the biggest song contest and TV-show in Estonia. If you qualify for the final you have a hit in your hands! And if you win, the Eurovision song contest is like a gift for you. But Eestilaul is popular alone as well. Because of that I have participated, not every year but....
So you will be back?
Ha ha ha I don't know yet but I think so, yeah! Ha ha ha!
Eurovision and representing your country is an honor but what do you hope to gain in a long run for your career by showing yourself to Europe?
I haven't been thinking about it a lot. My music career is 6 years old and I like to do Estonian music so the Estonian audience is very important for me. But of course if we get to the final, and a very good placement there, we'd like to do some music in English, too, and hopefully have a chance to sing also abroad.
So you are interested in an international career?
Yeah, of course I am.
Why you decided to sing in Estonian even in Eurovision?
Actually we did other language versions also: Swedish, English, Russian and Spanish. Not only for fun, we added them to the single, too, and hopefully those will be played in radios abroad. But we decided to sing in Estonian because in Estonia it is very important, Estonians want to hear music in Estonian. We are only one million people so it's very special. Previous years have also shown that Eurovision fans also like Estonian. I don't know why?! Ha ha! It's quite hard langauge!
What do you consider your best performance so far?
Uff... it's hard to say. Of course Eestilaul's winning performance was something special, when I went to the stage as the winner. All those applauses and the feeling, omg that was something! is this happening to me?
Also because it was a huge surprise for you?
Yes. All the 10 songs this year were really great and we didn't have a clear winner or favorite. Of course Winny Puhh was really famous and last year Ott Lepland won with a ballad so we thought.... We thought people wouldn't vote for a ballad this year again. Also Grete Paia was great.
In the end it was between you and her.
Yes. She got second place.
What do you do before going on stage, some vocal training or are you just confident enough to walk up there and sing?
I need a lot of sleep. I sleep almost 10 hours a day! But we do some vocals practise, too. Mihkel and my partner Indrek both do some vocal practise and massage and we all do our little ritual, ha ha.
Do you have any future dreams?
Right now my dreams have come true. I'm pregnant and I'm in Eurovision! And I'm really popular in Estonia. Everything is so great now I can't dream anything else! I'm really enjoying the moment! I want to live day by day....
Who would you like to see next on Eurovision stage for Estonia, in 2014?
Hmmm... oh, I don't know! We have many artists in Estonia.... Ott (Lepland) is a very good friend of mine and he was there last year...
So he can go again?
I don't know! Ha ha! Maybe Lenna Kuurmaa? She has participated twice in Eestilaul and both times 2nd. She's really wonderful singer and really wonderful woman also....
So, Lenna Kuurmaa for next year! What are your favorite Eestilaul songs so far?
I really liked Kuula. He gave the single to me before the contest and I thought omg this is such a good song! It's still a good song! And in Estonian, I think it's important. And of course I have to remember Everybody, our winning song. And Urban Symphony with Rändajad. Unfortunately they are not a band anymore, Sandra isn't singing so much anymore, I'm quite sad about that.... Or maybe we should send some older singer....
Like Silvi Vrait? Is she still singing?
Ha ha, yes. Actually she's doing the nun in The Sound of music, she's like a second mother to me!
Ok, that's it. Thank you for the interview and good luck next Tuesday and see you in the final!
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