
{"id":12132,"date":"2025-04-13T22:20:59","date_gmt":"2025-04-13T20:20:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/?p=12132"},"modified":"2025-04-24T12:53:53","modified_gmt":"2025-04-24T10:53:53","slug":"sissal-eurovision-2025-danemark","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/sissal-eurovision-2025-danemark\/","title":{"rendered":"[Interview] Sissal : \u00ab\u00a0La musique, c\u2019est avant tout de partager un moment avec les gens, pas une comp\u00e9tition\u00a0\u00bb"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Sissal won her ticket to Eurovision a few weeks ago. Talented and passionate, she won the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix and will represent Denmark. Between two pre-parties and all the preparations, she gave us around twenty minutes to talk about her world and her journey to Eurovision 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div  id=\"_ytid_33254\"  width=\"800\" height=\"450\"  data-origwidth=\"800\" data-origheight=\"450\" data-facadesrc=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/P6utioKjbHo?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;disablekb=0&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__ epyt-facade epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" data-epautoplay=\"1\" ><img decoding=\"async\" data-spai-excluded=\"true\" class=\"epyt-facade-poster skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"YouTube player\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/P6utioKjbHo\/maxresdefault.jpg\" title=\"\"><button class=\"epyt-facade-play\" aria-label=\"Play\"><svg data-no-lazy=\"1\" height=\"100%\" version=\"1.1\" viewbox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"100%\"><path class=\"ytp-large-play-button-bg\" d=\"M66.52,7.74c-0.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79,.13,34,0,34,0S12.21,.13,6.9,1.55 C3.97,2.33,2.27,4.81,1.48,7.74C0.06,13.05,0,24,0,24s0.06,10.95,1.48,16.26c0.78,2.93,2.49,5.41,5.42,6.19 C12.21,47.87,34,48,34,48s21.79-0.13,27.1-1.55c2.93-0.78,4.64-3.26,5.42-6.19C67.94,34.95,68,24,68,24S67.94,13.05,66.52,7.74z\" fill=\"#f00\"><\/path><path d=\"M 45,24 27,14 27,34\" fill=\"#fff\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>Hi Sissal, thanks so much for joining us today! We know you're super busy at the moment, so it's a real pleasure to have you. You said in the interview that winning the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix was a dream of yours. Mission accomplished! Congratulations! Can you take us back to that moment? What went through your mind when your name was announced?<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Honestly... I was one of the big favourites, so the pressure was enormous. I tried not to look at the predictions too much, but (in the superfinal) there was only a one-point gap with the runner-up, so it was super tight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When they announced my name, I had a moment of hesitation. And you can see it in my reaction: I'm not even jumping for joy, I'm just there, like... <em>\"Wait... Did they just say my name? \u00bb<\/em> It was really surreal, almost like a hallucination (laughs). But above all, it was a huge relief. All that pressure built up... the victory was a real release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-dominant-color=\"6c3d68\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #6c3d68;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Sissal-wins-dmgp-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Sissal wins the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix - Credit Michael Thygesen \/ Good Evening Europe\" class=\"wp-image-12141 not-transparent\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Sissal-wins-dmgp-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Sissal-wins-dmgp-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Sissal-wins-dmgp-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Sissal-wins-dmgp-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Sissal-wins-dmgp-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Sissal-wins-dmgp-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Sissal-wins-dmgp-120x80.jpg 120w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sissal wins the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix - Credit Michael Thygesen \/ Good Evening Europe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">We've got a few fun questions to help you get to know us better. If you were an ice cream flavour, what would it be?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Ooooh, I'd say... salted liquorice! (laughs) I don't think you get that in France. It's a black Danish sweet, both salty and sweet, that I love. So yeah, a salted liquorice ice cream... with white chocolate on top, that would be perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>We'll have to go to Copenhagen to get a taste of that! (laughs) What about your karaoke classic?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>I always end up singing \"\u00a0<em>I Have Nothing<\/em>\u00a0\u00bb by Whitney Houston. It's a classic, a song where I can really use my voice. But my mates get fed up with it (laughs), it's always the same one. I don't often do karaoke in real life, because I find it's more fun when you can't sing well. And I can't sing badly on purpose... so I avoid it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Do you have any unusual talents that people don't know about?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>I'm super handy! I sew my own clothes, I've built shelves, cupboards, even my bed and sofa. I've tiled my kitchen, changed the floor... I'm a real handywoman. People are often shocked by my long nails: <em>\"How do you deal with that?\"<\/em> But it works really well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>(showing us her nails) And do you do your own nails?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Oh no, that's my nail artist! It's the only thing I delegate (laughs).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-dominant-color=\"9f7e77\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #9f7e77;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"585\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1024x585.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-12144 not-transparent\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1024x585.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-300x172.png 300w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-768x439.png 768w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-1536x878.png 1536w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-18x10.png 18w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image-120x69.png 120w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/image.png 1945w\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>You're also the mother of two little girls. How are they inspiring you on your Eurovision journey?<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>They mean everything to me. No matter what happens after Eurovision, they remain my priority. I have an incredible family, their dad is great and very present. I'm away a lot more now, travelling around Europe, and they feel it, of course. But it's temporary, until May. But I think the good thing is that they keep me stable. I've got my feet on the ground because I've got children and I've got to keep my feet on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I have two daughters, one aged three and one aged six. The little one doesn't realise what's going on. The older one understands. When I tell them that I'm leaving for a concert, she knows what that means, because she was at the concert. <em>Dansk Melodi Grand Prix<\/em>. She remembers what it's like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The little one was there too, but she doesn't really remember, so she takes my absences a bit harder. But the older one... she tells everyone in the street:<br><em>\"My mum, she won the Melodi Grand Prix!\"<\/em><br>And here I am: <em>\"Oh no...\"<\/em> (laughs)<br>And the people: <em>\"Ah, well done then!\"<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>Do they know your song? Do they sing it?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Oh yes, all the time. Even the little one! They sing it all the time, they hum it all the time... really, all the time. They support me to the hilt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>You said you wanted to enter the MGP with the right song. What made you decide that Hallucination was the right one for you?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>I've always said that if I took part, it would be with a Eurodance song. I love ballads, especially at Eurovision, but that style doesn't represent me as much. The music I make outside this project is actually eurodance - it's really my world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When we wrote <em>Hallucination<\/em>Initially, it wasn't even planned for me. I was in a writing session for other artists and we composed four tracks. But this one, I said to myself straight away: <em>I want that. It's exactly my style.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as I also co-wrote the lyrics, they speak to me enormously. I recognise myself in them, they're personal. And from the very first notes, I found the track really catchy. I really felt it had the potential to win the MGP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-dominant-color=\"0f1215\" data-has-transparency=\"false\" style=\"--dominant-color: #0f1215;\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"512\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sissal-dmgp2025-1024x512.jpg\" alt=\"Sissal at the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2025 - Credit Agnete Schlichtkrull \/ DR\" class=\"wp-image-12143 not-transparent\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sissal-dmgp2025-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sissal-dmgp2025-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sissal-dmgp2025-768x384.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sissal-dmgp2025-18x9.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sissal-dmgp2025-120x60.jpg 120w, https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/sissal-dmgp2025.jpg 1400w\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sissal at the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2025 - Credit Agnete Schlichtkrull \/ DR<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>You sang at the Amsterdam Pre-Party last week. It was incredible, really! Do you experience these pre-parties more as full-scale rehearsals or as moments of celebration with your fans?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>For me, what makes the Eurovision adventure really fun are the pre-parties. The Final is a bit like the final stage, but everything before that, like meeting the other artists, talking to them, sharing moments... that's what's so precious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And singing live in front of an audience is the most exhilarating thing about being an artist. In Amsterdam, as soon as I went on stage, I felt this crazy energy. The audience carried me so much! And when everyone started singing the chorus of <em>Hallucination<\/em>It was crazy - I really felt all that love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the end, I think I enjoy the pre-parties even more than the idea of Eurovision itself, because there's no pressure to compete. It's just pure pleasure, sharing it with the people who love your music.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>And speaking of fun, we saw you having a great time in Amsterdam (on the networks) with some of your new friends. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/performer\/jj\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">JJ<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/performer\/kyle-alessandro\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyle Alessandro<\/a>... Are you really close?<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, very close. It's crazy... Sometimes you meet people with whom you feel an instant connection. There's a real chemistry, and you can't really explain it. With them, it was instant. For a few weeks now, we've been calling each other every day on FaceTime, talking all the time. It's become really natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And it's quite strange for me because I usually hate awkward silences. But with JJ, for example, we were in the car on the way to the airport, exhausted, and we didn't speak for a long time... and it was perfectly comfortable. It's that kind of silence that makes you realise you're safe in this friendship. There was nothing forced, no awkwardness. It's rare and precious to find that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So yes, this link is real. It's not just for the show or for now. I'm sure we'll remain friends even after Eurovision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DIZOMdxCVaN\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DIZOMdxCVaN\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">See this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DIZOMdxCVaN\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">A publication shared by DR1 (@dr1tv)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>And more generally, with all the other artists: do you feel a sense of camaraderie or a competitive atmosphere?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Oh no, there's really no competition between us. It's a really friendly atmosphere. All the artists I've met are lovely. I haven't come across anyone who's given me a bad impression or who's just there to win. On the contrary, everyone is super open, happy to be there, curious about others... There's a real spirit of sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that's exactly what music should be, in my eyes. If I don't make it through to the final, I'm not going to say to myself that I'm a bad singer or that my song sucks. It's just that this time it didn't work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And I think a lot of the artists at Eurovision understand that too. As a result, no one gets worked up about it - we're there first and foremost for the music, for the encounters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>It's really great to see, from the outside, all these wonderful interactions between the artists. You mentioned that the staging at the Dansk Melodi Grand Prix left you a little disappointed. And that your victory was down to your voice - which is totally true, by the way.<br>But when it comes to the Basel performance, how much say do you have in the artistic direction?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>I still have my say, yes. Even though I'm not a very 'visual' \u00bb person or aesthetically inclined in the artistic sense, I did have a few specific desires. What I really wanted was to create something that would stand out on stage. Something that sticks in your mind. When you think of performances like Loreen's with her famous square, or Nemo's with his circular platform... everyone had a strong element that left a mark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So for <em>Hallucination<\/em>The idea was: how do you convey this feeling on stage, how do you amplify it, without overdoing it? Because sometimes too much staging can be a disservice to the song. We had to find the right balance to sublimate the universe of the song.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>How do you prepare physically and mentally for an event of this magnitude? There's a lot of pressure. Do you have a routine or a sort of lifestyle to keep you at the top of your game?<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>So at the moment it's a bit unusual... I've fallen ill twice in three weeks, which is really rare for me - I'm hardly ever ill normally. I think it's to do with stress, and also with the fact that I don't eat the same when I'm away as I do at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I'm at home, I eat a diet rich in protein and I do a lot of sport, especially to keep my lung capacity up, so that I can run on stage and sing without losing my breath. So physically, my preparation relies heavily on a good diet and regular exercise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mentally, on the other hand, I feel great. I'm really trying to enjoy every moment. I know I'm not one of the favourites to win Eurovision, so I don't feel that enormous pressure. My only real objective is to reach the final.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So I take things as they come, have fun and live the experience to the full. It's my own way of preparing myself: by having fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DHaiZhysSfd\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"><div style=\"padding:16px;\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DHaiZhysSfd\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\"> <div style=\" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\"> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;\"><svg width=\"50px\" height=\"50px\" viewbox=\"0 0 60 60\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"https:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\"><g stroke=\"none\" stroke-width=\"1\" fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><g transform=\"translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)\" fill=\"#000000\"><g><path d=\"M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631\"><\/path><\/g><\/g><\/g><\/svg><\/div><div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\"> <div style=\" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;\">See this post on Instagram<\/div><\/div><div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\"><div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div> <div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)\"><\/div><\/div><div style=\"margin-left: auto;\"> <div style=\" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div> <div style=\" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div><\/div><\/div> <div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\"> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div> <div style=\" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div><\/div><\/a><p style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DHaiZhysSfd\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">A publication shared by Sissal (@sissaljo)<\/a><\/p><\/div><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong><em>A few days ago, we all had a good laugh watching your Instagram video in which you commented on your own performance. How do you stay so upbeat, despite the pressure of qualifying for Eurovision?<\/em><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>I think it's just my way of dealing with things. Humour is really my defence mechanism. I'm not always in \"I take everything lightly \u00bb - well, I do a bit! I'm very ironic and sarcastic, it's true, but in reality I'm also a very sensitive person. I feel a lot, I cry easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if I couldn't laugh at myself, especially after a performance that I found boring, it would make things a lot harder. For me, the best thing was to laugh about it, to say to myself \"\u00a0<em>Well, I still won, so what's next? What can I do better?<\/em>\"\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think I'm naturally optimistic. I've always tended to see the glass as half full rather than half empty. I don't know if it's a character trait or just a way of approaching life, but that's how I operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><em>I know you're very busy, so thank you for your time. Good luck in Basel, and we'll be rooting for you on stage!<\/em><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div  id=\"_ytid_60026\"  width=\"800\" height=\"450\"  data-origwidth=\"800\" data-origheight=\"450\" data-facadesrc=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gdCAgiSIOUc?enablejsapi=1&#038;autoplay=0&#038;cc_load_policy=0&#038;cc_lang_pref=&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;loop=0&#038;rel=1&#038;fs=1&#038;playsinline=0&#038;autohide=2&#038;theme=dark&#038;color=red&#038;controls=1&#038;disablekb=0&#038;\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__ epyt-facade epyt-is-override  no-lazyload\" data-epautoplay=\"1\" ><img decoding=\"async\" data-spai-excluded=\"true\" class=\"epyt-facade-poster skip-lazy\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"YouTube player\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/gdCAgiSIOUc\/maxresdefault.jpg\" title=\"\"><button class=\"epyt-facade-play\" aria-label=\"Play\"><svg data-no-lazy=\"1\" height=\"100%\" version=\"1.1\" viewbox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"100%\"><path class=\"ytp-large-play-button-bg\" d=\"M66.52,7.74c-0.78-2.93-2.49-5.41-5.42-6.19C55.79,.13,34,0,34,0S12.21,.13,6.9,1.55 C3.97,2.33,2.27,4.81,1.48,7.74C0.06,13.05,0,24,0,24s0.06,10.95,1.48,16.26c0.78,2.93,2.49,5.41,5.42,6.19 C12.21,47.87,34,48,34,48s21.79-0.13,27.1-1.55c2.93-0.78,4.64-3.26,5.42-6.19C67.94,34.95,68,24,68,24S67.94,13.05,66.52,7.74z\" fill=\"#f00\"><\/path><path d=\"M 45,24 27,14 27,34\" fill=\"#fff\"><\/path><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>Entry Details - <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/performer\/sissal\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Sissal<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Profile <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/sissaljo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\">Instagram<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sissal a gagn\u00e9 son ticket pour l&rsquo;Eurovision il y a quelques semaines. Talentueuse et passionn\u00e9e, elle a gagn\u00e9 le Dansk Melodi Grand Prix et repr\u00e9sentera le Danemark. Entre deux pr\u00e9 parties et dans tous les pr\u00e9paratifs, elle nous a accord\u00e9 une vingtaine de minutes pour nous parler de son univers et de son parcours \u00e0 &hellip;<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12141,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"yasr_overall_rating":0,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[104,3881],"tags":[],"represented_country":[],"class_list":["post-12132","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eurovision-2025","category-interviews"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12132","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12132"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12132\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12271,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12132\/revisions\/12271"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12141"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12132"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12132"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12132"},{"taxonomy":"represented_country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurovisionandfriends.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/represented_country?post=12132"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}