Maria Olafs
Maria Olafs is a multitalented artist: actress, singer and songwriter she will now represent Iceland at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest with her song Unbroken.Maria Olafs has had more stage experience than most of her friends. In 2007 she had a small role in a play, which was staged by The National Theatre in Reykjavík. She played the role of Louisa von Trapp in the Sound of Music in the Municipal Theatre in Reykjavík in 2009 – the original movie of the show is one of her all-time favourites.
In the same year she played the part of a young Michael Jackson in a tribute show at Reykjavík‘s Broadway Club. In 2014 Maria took the leading role of Ronja The Robber‘s Daughter in Mosfellsbær Theater Group‘s production of Astrid Lindgren‘s play of the same name.
Maria started working with the StopWaitGo songwriting team in 2012 when still a student at Verzlunarskóli Íslands high school. When the StopWaitGo threesome wrote the song Unbroken for this year‘s Söngvakeppnin the guys had Maria in mind and the song perfectly fits her vocal range. She agreed to sing the song but did not expect to win the contest, so the victory came as a total surprise.
Things you should know about María
What are the three most interesting aspects about your entry?
- This is a catchy song which a really like and I hope Eurovision Song Contest fans will like it.
- The message of the song is important to me.
- This is my first song to be released publicly, and it is a great honor to be able to perform it for so many people.
What are the three most impressive facts about you?
- I was relatively unknown as a singer before I entered the Icelandic Söngvakeppni Song Contest and now everything is happening for me.
- I was born in a small town of less than 1,000 inhabitants in Northern Iceland.
- Acting and singing is something I have always done, and I started acting on stage when a was ten years old.
Do you have a (lucky) routine before you go on stage?
Not really. I‘m a shy person and therefore I just try to concentrate on what I‘m going to be doing by closing my eyes and blocking everything that is happening around me.
Why is the Eurovision Song Contest important for you?
First of all I have always loved the Eurovision Song Contest and I‘m a big fan of the Contest. Secondly I think this is a good opportunity to present myself and do what I love doing.