Bio
Latvia: Paul Swan [Interview]
'Wanna Be With You'
Latvia’s national final Eirodziesma is back for the 13th time this year with 20 songs all vying for the chance to represent the Baltic nation in Baku. The thirteenth act to speak to us is Paul Swan which is the stage name of the multi skilled Pavels Fomkins. He kindly took a moment around the busy New Year period to answer a few of our questions about her participation in Eirodziesma 2012 and tells us a little about his busy life.
escXtra: Hello Paul, thanks for taking some to speak to us today! Firstly we’d like to congratulate you on your qualification to the semi-finals of Eirodziesma 2012!
Paul Swan: Thank you for the congratulations and showing interest!
X: Firstly for all our readers who aren’t familiar with you, would you be able to introduce yourself and tell us a little about your career so far?
P: My real name is Pavels Fomkins, I was born in 1989 on 22 of August in Riga. I became more popular after participating in a show “Singing families 3″, where I was singing with my younger brother. I took my love towards music from both of my parents, who are really musical people too. I studied in a musical school, where I have learned to play a piano, although in a travelling period to Spain, after hearing a musician playing a guitar, changed my instrument and studied guitar 7 years in musical school and graduated. Also 4 years ago, during my summer vacation, I met my friend, who was many years in Chinese monastery training with monks in martial arts. So all summer went in trainings and after that vacation I’m training myself with kung fu.
Now I’m married and raising my 2 year old daughter, who likes to sing too. My friends and colleagues always tell me that I’m sympathetic and responsible person, who has his own view in every question and his own aim in this life.
I’m also studying in RISEBA on Electronic business program. And I can speak several languages; Latvian, Russian, English, German and Japanese.
X: Can you tell us the story behind your stage name?
P: I thought about stage name very long time, and Paul Swan came out from nowhere in my mind. I decided that it will fit me best because of Paul is my real name, and Swan is such a beautiful bird that symbolizes love, grace, purity, balance and elegance.
X: You survived the online voting round for Eirodziesma to make it into the semi-final, how did you find out you had made it to the actual show and where were you at the time?
P: At the time when the results were already known, while I was working on a new song with my group “Touch the Moon”, my producer called me and told everything and I was really happy at that moment.
X: Can you tell us a little bit about your song “Wanna Be With You” and how you came to work with the composer of the music?
P: During the competition “Singing Families 3″, after the first performing of song “Hallelujah”, I got a call from a show manager, she was asking if she can give my mobile phone to a producer, that wants to talk about the future and music, I didn’t mind. Kaspars Pudniks told me that he was searching someone with such a voice and pronunciation like I have for a long time. So after hearing me singing, he understood that I must sing his song “Wanna be with you” and participate in Eurovision. I was really surprised about his offer, because I didn’t plan anything like that in a nearest future and singing was just a hobby for me all my life, but just one conversation with him made me change my mind. After one week, I already tried to sing his song with words written by me in the studio. From that day on, we are partners and friends and we’re planning to look only straight ahead.
X: Was the song created with the specific intent of entering Eirodziesma?
P: This song was written specially for Eurovision contest. The music composer had written this song already 4 years ago, but now, when he found a suitable voice, finally this song can see the daylight to please its audience.
X: If you are unsuccessful at winning the ticket to Baku, what are your plans for the rest of 2012?
P: We (me, music composer and my group “Touch the Moon”) already think that we are the winners, because first time we already made it from 71 songs contest to the semi- finals. If we won’t win a ticket to Baku, nothing will happen, we are too positive to be sad about something like that. This is a great opportunity to show ourselves and gain experience. In 2012 there is so much work to do, that we cannot find an empty place in our daily log. We already have 3 years plan which includes an album in 2012 in autumn, also we’re going to participate in big musical festivals like “Positivus” and “Baltic Beach Party”, creation of 12 new original songs, concerts, video clips filming. So as you can see we’ve got work to do and we’ll be trying our best.
X: Are you a Eurovision fan, and if so do you have any favourite Eurovision songs?
P: To tell the truth I don’t have such a favourite song yet. But I like songs that make me think about real values in our life and make me smile.
X: When you’re not singing, what do you do with yourself?
P: I work also as a masseur, but apart from work and studying I like to be with my family. Chinese Martial arts take a big place in my life too.
X: Your song is in English, do you prefer to sing in English or do you sing in Latvian too?
P: Yes, I prefer to sing in English, but of course I sing also in Latvian. As a matter of fact language is not so crucial in Eurovision; every singer should know how to sing their songs, so that everyone can understand what the song is about.
X: Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
P: Love the music; it belongs to all the people. Sing, when you’re feeling happy, sing, when you’re sad. Music cures all wounds! It’s not important who will win, more important is that we have our music, our songs and we can love.
Paul takes part in Eirodiezma’s second semi final this Saturday, January 14th. You can listen to “Wanna Be With You” below! We wish him all the best of luck in Eirodziesma and where his career takes him in the future!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuQnc_ccc1Q
'Wanna Be With You'
Latvia’s national final Eirodziesma is back for the 13th time this year with 20 songs all vying for the chance to represent the Baltic nation in Baku. The thirteenth act to speak to us is Paul Swan which is the stage name of the multi skilled Pavels Fomkins. He kindly took a moment around the busy New Year period to answer a few of our questions about her participation in Eirodziesma 2012 and tells us a little about his busy life.
escXtra: Hello Paul, thanks for taking some to speak to us today! Firstly we’d like to congratulate you on your qualification to the semi-finals of Eirodziesma 2012!
Paul Swan: Thank you for the congratulations and showing interest!
X: Firstly for all our readers who aren’t familiar with you, would you be able to introduce yourself and tell us a little about your career so far?
P: My real name is Pavels Fomkins, I was born in 1989 on 22 of August in Riga. I became more popular after participating in a show “Singing families 3″, where I was singing with my younger brother. I took my love towards music from both of my parents, who are really musical people too. I studied in a musical school, where I have learned to play a piano, although in a travelling period to Spain, after hearing a musician playing a guitar, changed my instrument and studied guitar 7 years in musical school and graduated. Also 4 years ago, during my summer vacation, I met my friend, who was many years in Chinese monastery training with monks in martial arts. So all summer went in trainings and after that vacation I’m training myself with kung fu.
Now I’m married and raising my 2 year old daughter, who likes to sing too. My friends and colleagues always tell me that I’m sympathetic and responsible person, who has his own view in every question and his own aim in this life.
I’m also studying in RISEBA on Electronic business program. And I can speak several languages; Latvian, Russian, English, German and Japanese.
X: Can you tell us the story behind your stage name?
P: I thought about stage name very long time, and Paul Swan came out from nowhere in my mind. I decided that it will fit me best because of Paul is my real name, and Swan is such a beautiful bird that symbolizes love, grace, purity, balance and elegance.
X: You survived the online voting round for Eirodziesma to make it into the semi-final, how did you find out you had made it to the actual show and where were you at the time?
P: At the time when the results were already known, while I was working on a new song with my group “Touch the Moon”, my producer called me and told everything and I was really happy at that moment.
X: Can you tell us a little bit about your song “Wanna Be With You” and how you came to work with the composer of the music?
P: During the competition “Singing Families 3″, after the first performing of song “Hallelujah”, I got a call from a show manager, she was asking if she can give my mobile phone to a producer, that wants to talk about the future and music, I didn’t mind. Kaspars Pudniks told me that he was searching someone with such a voice and pronunciation like I have for a long time. So after hearing me singing, he understood that I must sing his song “Wanna be with you” and participate in Eurovision. I was really surprised about his offer, because I didn’t plan anything like that in a nearest future and singing was just a hobby for me all my life, but just one conversation with him made me change my mind. After one week, I already tried to sing his song with words written by me in the studio. From that day on, we are partners and friends and we’re planning to look only straight ahead.
X: Was the song created with the specific intent of entering Eirodziesma?
P: This song was written specially for Eurovision contest. The music composer had written this song already 4 years ago, but now, when he found a suitable voice, finally this song can see the daylight to please its audience.
X: If you are unsuccessful at winning the ticket to Baku, what are your plans for the rest of 2012?
P: We (me, music composer and my group “Touch the Moon”) already think that we are the winners, because first time we already made it from 71 songs contest to the semi- finals. If we won’t win a ticket to Baku, nothing will happen, we are too positive to be sad about something like that. This is a great opportunity to show ourselves and gain experience. In 2012 there is so much work to do, that we cannot find an empty place in our daily log. We already have 3 years plan which includes an album in 2012 in autumn, also we’re going to participate in big musical festivals like “Positivus” and “Baltic Beach Party”, creation of 12 new original songs, concerts, video clips filming. So as you can see we’ve got work to do and we’ll be trying our best.
X: Are you a Eurovision fan, and if so do you have any favourite Eurovision songs?
P: To tell the truth I don’t have such a favourite song yet. But I like songs that make me think about real values in our life and make me smile.
X: When you’re not singing, what do you do with yourself?
P: I work also as a masseur, but apart from work and studying I like to be with my family. Chinese Martial arts take a big place in my life too.
X: Your song is in English, do you prefer to sing in English or do you sing in Latvian too?
P: Yes, I prefer to sing in English, but of course I sing also in Latvian. As a matter of fact language is not so crucial in Eurovision; every singer should know how to sing their songs, so that everyone can understand what the song is about.
X: Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
P: Love the music; it belongs to all the people. Sing, when you’re feeling happy, sing, when you’re sad. Music cures all wounds! It’s not important who will win, more important is that we have our music, our songs and we can love.
Paul takes part in Eirodiezma’s second semi final this Saturday, January 14th. You can listen to “Wanna Be With You” below! We wish him all the best of luck in Eirodziesma and where his career takes him in the future!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuQnc_ccc1Q
