Interview: JanelaESC chats with Sofia Hayat

Singer, tv presenter and a Bollywood star. After becoming a main character of a movie in India, Sofia Hayat now debuts in Eurovision's national selections, together with I.M.P. The british talks a bit about her career and her attempt to represent Switzerland in Malmö.

1 - You wrote your first song with only 5! Do you remember what was your inspiration? How was your relation with music back them?

I remeber the song, It was about walking to school with my mum... the lyrics will explain the inspiration:

Verse 1:
As I go walking to school
I wish I was in a car
Cos when i go walking on journeys like this
I sing this song

Chorus:
Oh my legs are aching
My knees are shaking
My eyes are popping out to
Oh all of this trouble of walking
Is making me feel blue

Verse 2:
Thank God I don't go home for dinner
These long journeys I take
If I went home i would be fed up
And my body would ache

Oh my legs are aching
My knees are shaking
My eyes are popping out to
Oh all of this trouble of walking
Is making me feel blue

2 - You didn't have support from your family when you decided to follow your career in theater and music. How did this fact change you, what did it bring to your personal and professional life?

I think it changed me for the better. It made me fight for what I could not have. This has carried on now in my professional life. If ever anyone tells me I can't do it, I go out of my way to prove I can. I also have a very professional attitude to my work as an artist. I see a lot of people who have had things handed to them on a plate, or who have gone to the best drama schools, or who have had money or parental support to help them, where as I haven't. I guess I see that as an advantage, I have had to work that much harder to get what they have, what took them 6 months, took me 5 years, but what this has done, has given me deep respect for what I do and every opportunity is a gift to me. It angers me to see talented artists, who have had support from family, and fantastic careers, just throw it all away because they are taking drugs. I hear myself saying, "why? God gave you everything so easily, and you insult your art, God and yourself, by throwing it away and your life by getting into drugs, alcohol etc..". I suppose for me, having had to work so hard with no support, has made me respect everything I have, from singing in a cafe infront of 4 people to The Royal Albert Hall in front of thousands. To me they are cherished moments, gifts, and both huge opportunities.

3 - Apart from sing, you are a tv presenter and an actress, starring your 1st Bollywood movie earlier this year. What is your favorite: singing, acting or presenting? Does being an actress help you to perform your songs?

Firstly, I am a singer. The acting and presenting, came along because of my singing. I am lucky that I am good at all 3. I can say that when I sing, I feel, therefore I perform the song in my voice, body and soul. This has helped me be a great actor, because I do the same with the words in a film script. Music is massive, it's like a universal energy, that can communicate with people, even if the lyrics are not in a language you don't understand. I go to Ibiza every year, and see the millions of people who go there for the music, has always amazed me. Ibiza is like the mecca for music lovers. Because of Ibiza, and my homage to the music, I met with I.M.P. It wasn't planned. I was there for a 2 month break from my acting, I had just finished my second film, Naachle London, and went there to relax, dance and listen to music. I was actually sitting at my piano writing a song that day, when I checked my facebook on my phone, and I had a message from the DJ, Philip Grothe, who said, "Do you want to sing on an international Dance hit, we are in Ibiza, call me". I called him straight away and within an hour I was in the famous studios of Ushuaia. I was with my friends, who were a bit bemused, one minute i'm chilling with them on holiday, next minute i am rushing to get ready to go lay the vocals on this track. It was completely out of the blue. I met Philip very randomnly, we have a mutual friend who I didn't actually know very well, he was a face book friend, and asked if >I wanted to join him with his friends for dinner, I said yes. That's where I met Philip! 5 years later, we are recording, the hit song, "Party like you mean it", and we are going for the Eurovision Song contest. As I said, music has a universal energy, and I believe that's what bought us all together for this song.

4 - You had the honour to sing a song you wrote at Royal Albert Hall, in London. Tell us a bit about this experience.

It was one of the most amazing experiences in my life. I remember sitting in the audience at The Royal Albert Hall a year back, watching Beyonce, A-Ha, Donatella Versace, Grace Jones and many more for the first Fashion Rocks. My eyes widened at the show, and I remember thinking, wow, just to stand on that stage would be awesome! A year later, I was asked to present the show at The Albert Hall, and I cheekily asked, if I could sing, and the person on the phone, was a bit rushed, and gave me the guys number who organised the performers. I think he misheard me and thought I wanted to interview them. Anyway, I called the guy and said, I want to perform on the stage and I will sing a song for 5 minutes, the organiser has said I need to call you to slot me in...He said, who said that, I gave him a name, next thing, I had 24hrs to write a song, and get on the stage. I had a music manager that time, and he said to me, you will embarrass yourself Sofia, how can you perform on such a stage with no real rehearsal..don't do it!! As I said before, when someone says, I can't do it, i go out of my way to do so. I found a guitarist, we spent the day together, and a song was born! "One more day". When I got on the stage, I was so nervous and happy and sad, the song I wrote, was in honour of my cousin, who died at 22 of cancer, 2 months before, so the lyrics were meaningful and poignant. When I sang, I dedicated the song to her, I was so into the song, I nearly cried on stage, but I remember thinking, "Don't cry, you're in front of thousands of people, don't mess this up, you have one chance". I remember when I started to sing, the audience were dead silent, you could have heard a pin drop! I remember thinking, "They are listening to you, they are really listening". It was a powerful moment, that i moved so many people, that they listened intently. They were moved emotionally by the song. How powerful is that. One song, can move thousands of people in a moment! It was one of the best days in my life... I walked out floating on air

5 - Now you're trying to represent Switzerland in Eurovision Song Contest. What can you say about your duet with I.M.P.?

I have already told you how we met, which is in itself a crazy story. The song is amazing, it's a dance anthem and it just makes you happy. It lifts your soul and makes you want to dance. I am so happy to be working with Daniel, Reggie and Philip. All hugely talented people, but what I love about them the most, is not just their talent, but their passion. They have this huge passion for music and for what they do. That is what attracted me to them and this project immediately. When I walked into the studio, I could feel this positive energy from them, and excitement about the song. It has a huge energy! And what can I say, Reggie who is a legend unto himself! When I was a kid my parents had Boney M records, and I loved the music, and to work with someone like him is amazing!! Daniel, who is an Emmy Nominee and Joss Stone producer, is a great talent. We had a great synergy, and creative connection, which is why the song turned out to be a super hit. He is not only a great producer, but a good person to party with. After The recording, we all partied at Ushuaia til very late and carried on the party till the late hours of the morning. I would tell you what happened, but as they say...what happensin Ibiza, stays in Ibiza. ;-)

6 - Send a message to our readers:

JanelaESC wishes all the best for Sofia Hayat in her career and in her attempt to represent Switzerland in Eurovision.

Para a versão em português, clique [aqui].