From our special correspondent in Amsterdam (Netherlands)
In less than a month, on May 13, La Zarra will be on stage for the Eurovision final in Liverpool. While waiting for the big night, the representative of France is accelerating her preparation by taking part in some of the traditional pre-Eurovision concerts, each time bringing together around twenty of the thirty-seven artists in the running. Last week, she was at the one in Madrid, Sunday, she will be in London and this Saturday, it is at AFAS Live in Amsterdam that she performs her song, Obviously, in front of a crowd of 5,000 people. “It’s important to show yourself, that people see the candidate from France”, the artist slips to us a few hours before the show. 20 minutes took the opportunity to take stock with the singer…
For the past few weeks, you have been discovering the Eurovision bubble from the inside. Sounds like what you expected?
I don’t know if I was expecting something specific. We tried to prepare me as best we could but I had a few surprises like, I think, any candidate. I had the opportunity to exchange with some that I find incredible as artists and as people. Everyone has a good background, everything is positive. That feels good.
In Madrid we saw you sympathize with the Briton Mae Muller. This Saturday, it is with the Slovenians of Joker Out that you seem to get along particularly well…
Yes, it happens naturally, nothing is calculated. We make jokes, we talk about the competition. Beyond Eurovision, we are musicians, we dream of that, we are passionate, we want to live from that. Having musical connections like that is super important.
What do you expect from this concert in Amsterdam?
To meet the Dutch public. Before performing in Madrid, I already had a lot of feedback from the Spaniards, I knew that there was an expectation in relation to France. There, I don’t know what to expect, I don’t know if the audience is hot or not… But we’ll be on a real stage, so it would be cool to have a good sound… After that, it’s up to me to manage.
You refer to the technical problems you had to face in Madrid with your earphones. Did that ruin the moment for you?
Basically, I have problems with my ears because I have a lot of allergies. What happened was that at the beginning of my time on stage, there was a very loud sound, so I had to remove a ear (a headset) and nothing was at the right sound level. People are very hard on benefits, everything has to be fair. Me, it’s been three years since I started music and I tell myself that as long as there is emotion or that we have fun, it is the most important. I know I’m going to do some good performances and some not so good, but I’m not going to start making myself sick with this. Even Mariah Carey sometimes sings out of tune. So it’s not La Zarra who will arrive with a faultless run (laughs). For me, the important thing is to meet the public and have fun with them. In Madrid there was an atmosphere of madness. We really had fun despite the technical problems.
In relation to negative comments, you do not hesitate to respond on social networks…
Yes, sometimes (laughs).
Did the delegation dissuade you from answering directly?
At first they told me to be careful, but then they saw that I was a free spirit. I try to answer with a lot of humor, because I have some. I know how to question myself but some Internet users go beyond the limits. I think it’s good to show that aspect of my personality, my sense of repartee. In general, it’s good humor that prevails, people find it funny, it’s for fun.
On social networks, your fans call you “Mother”, which, in the vocabulary of the LGBT+ community, means that you are being elevated to the rank of icon…
I really like. I find that cool. It’s very funny because we are in the process of creating a link. I see them, they know I see them. I will eventually forge stronger and stronger ties, I find that important. They are people who are very passionate about music, I always wanted to have an audience that was.
Last month, you caused panic with one of your Instagram stories in which you announced that you were quitting… Before specifying in a second step that it was the gluten that you were quitting and not the song or your participation in the contest, as some feared it. Did you prepare your shot?
(She laughs) I never prepare anything! Once again, I am a free electron. Afterwards, gluten represents a lot of things, these false promises… But it’s really clear, I say it in my songs, like Obviously.
So quitting gluten is a metaphor?
Yes. Gluten, I can eat it, it doesn’t make me bloated. But there are some things that feel the same to me as gluten does. I was surprised by the reactions it generated because I still say a lot of things on my social networks.
Back to Eurovision, among your “opponents”, do you have a favorite?
It’s difficult because each artist has his touch. I like all musical genres, it’s hard for me to decide. You can come up with the biggest staging (the “staging”), with special effects, stuff falling from the sky and then it’s going to be the person who does a sober performance with a guitar who’s going to win because there’s an emotion coming through . The staging is important, but the music is an energy, it’s noble. It is the sincerity of the artist that prevails.
You said your staging for Eurovision would be “dangerous”…
Yes. We will take out insurance (laughs).
Really ?
Yes, for real. We’re going to do something that I’m very, very afraid of. I will do this for France! (laughs) I will exceed my limits.