The fourth edition of Türkvizyon Şarkı Yarışması will take place in September this year in Astana, Kazahkstan. Svetlana Agarval will represent Belarus in the festival and here she talks to ESC Covers –
1. Hello Svetlana. Congratulations on being selected to represent Belarus at the 2017 Türkvizyon contest in Kazahkstan. Has your song been selected yet? If so, can you tell us something about it? Is it upbeat or a ballad?
Thank you very much, I am very pleased to be selected for this contest show. The stars converged so that our Belarusian singer Gunesh, who once participated in this song contest, was engaged this year in the qualifying round, and invited me to try. The organizers of Türkvizyon watched my musical materials and unanimously approved my candidacy. According to the terms of the contest, the song should be in one of the Turkic languages. The composition ‘Meni Anla’ is fast, clockwork, will sound in Azerbaijani language, and I made it with a special Indian flavour! Our show promises to be spectacular, we used the best dancers of the Oriental genre in Belarus!
2. Have you participated in any other music festivals in Belarus or abroad?
Yes, I am a laureate of many music contests and festivals such as the Eastern Bazaar in Yalta, the Festival of National Cultures in Grodno, the Slavic Bazaar in Vitebsk. I will not reveal all secrets yet, but much is still to come)))
3. Could you tell us about your music career so far? Where can readers listen to your music?
A special place in my life is occupied by Indian culture. The first acquaintance with it happened in early childhood, when colourful Indian films riveted to the television screen all Soviet residents. Most of all I remember “Disco Dancer” movie, or rather, the musical side of this film. Being a little girl I sang hotly favourite songs, absolutely without understanding words. Much later, I began to learn the Hindi language to perform songs meaningfully, took vocals lessons from professional teachers. Receiving a second higher education at the Belarusian University of Culture and Arts, I surprised the selection committee with singing in the Indian language (laughs).
In 2010 my debut song ‘Dil Ko Nahi Pata’ was recorded in India, and fruitful work continued. I recorded songs in Russian and Indian languages, participated in various TV projects. Now I finish work on two albums: in Russian and Indian languages.
I have an official site www.agarval.info where fans can listen and download songs and videos, read the latest news and interviews, find out events and TV shows. In social networks all the information is also available.
By the way my compositions are on the air not only in radio stations of Belarus but also in Russia, India, the United States and the United Arab Emirates.
4. Have you made any music videos?
Yes, I have video clips in my arsenal, some were shot in picturesque Indian landscapes, as well as with the participation of professional actors and dancers. Shootings of the video for the song ‘Anjana’ took place in the heart of Bollywood – in the city of Mumbai, in one of the filming pavilions, where famous Indian movies are created. And for the main role were more than three hundred applicants! Indian clipmakers predicted this video a bright future, so it is now being rotated not only in Belarus, but also in India and the countries of near and far abroad!
5. You appeared in an Indian Bollywood movie? Could you tell us about this experience and what the movie is called?
In fact, Bollywood movie we called one of my video clips called ‘West to East’. It was shot in a kind of fairy-tale style, the main character of which finds a lamp of Aladdin. And according to the plot, the genie suddenly appeared from the lamp runs after a girl all the days attracting attention with expensive cars, then with some of its awkward antics. And the main character just wants love – big and real like in Indian cinema)))
But seriously, there are already offers for shooting in real Bollywood movie. Recently I was sent a new script for review, and who knows, maybe our next interview will be not only with the singer, but with actress Svetlana Agarwal (laughs).
6. Who are your musical influences?
As they say – do not create an idol! But I love the creativity of Russian singer Alla Pugacheva. These are the songs on which I grew up and which I listened. They have a life story and meaning. Songs like these I try to take in my repertoire. I respect the music of Michael Jackson, Lara Fabian, Beatles, Enrique Iglesias. Well, I try to follow the modern stage and the younger generation.
7. Do you watch the Eurovision Song Contest, and do you have any favourite songs from the contest from previous years?
It has become a good tradition to gather for three May nights to watch Eurovision)) I want to mention Ruslana, Polina Gagarina, Loreen. They have artistic charisma, full-fledged and harmonious images, that even after the competition their performances remain in memory.
It is difficult not to single out Conchita Wurst, Lordi and Buranovskie grandmothers – they forced all Europe to talk about themselves. Is it not the main thing? They are remembered!
8. Have you heard the Belarussian entry for the 2017 Eurovision Song Contest by Naviband? What are your opinions of this song?
Of course I know. Excellent guys with a song in Belarussian language. Sincerely I will be rooting for them, because now I understand their excitement and responsibility before the whole country more than ever.
9. Do you have any plans yet to promote your Türkvizyon song? Will you make a music video for the song?
We have plans, and at the moment they are in implementation. Now we are already actively show the song in our performances – and I’m so glad that people like it. And it’s a great idea about the video – perhaps I’ll use it! (Laughing).
Thank you, Svetlana. ESC Covers wish you lots of luck.
Thank you too. It was very nice to give you an interview.
Check out Svetalana singing Yeh mira dil below.
Source: ESC Covers