Baku 2012 / Participants Soluna Samay Should've Known Better

Soluna Samay

Remée and Chief 1 first discovered Soluna Samay through the social medias when they were looking for a solo singer to perform their wild card entry at the Danish Melodi Grand Prix 2012. On the other hand they could easily have met Soluna on the street, where she often performs as a busker, both in Copenhagen and in other big cities around Europe. The 21-year-old singer/song writer has been doing this throughout her whole life, visiting many of the world’s continents, performing and singing her songs. 

Soluna Samay started singing in the streets at the age of 6, helping her father out, making a living as he performed in streets and alleys all over the world. Her father taught her how to play the drums, the double bass and the guitar, and before the age of 10 Soluna was writing her first songs. Since then she has played, both on her own and together with her father, earning a living every summer. 

When the Danes first met Soluna, it was on TV for the Danish Melodi Grand Prix, and immediately she stole their hearts. She won the votes of the Danish fans, and thereby also the honour of representing Denmark at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Baku. When she was initially contacted by Chief 1 in December, and heard the song, she had never imagined she would be getting this experience. 

Soluna Samay was born and raised in Guatemala, by her German father and her Swiss-German mother. At the age of 10 the family moved to Denmark, settling down on the small island of Bornholm. As many others before them, they fell in love with Denmark, and bought a small country house which they renovated. Today Soluna lives in Copenhagen, one of the many places she considers home. When you have lived this many places, travelling and performing all over Europe and the world, you get a special relationship to people, cities and countries. A way of living which has taught Soluna a lot throughout the years and which she values highly in her life. This background is the reason that she masters 5 languages. She feels like a world citizen. 

When Soluna sings her own songs you can tell that she has something on her mind. But this is also the case when she sings and interprets songs by other composers. She makes the songs relevant and sings them as if they where her own. When they first met Soluna, Isam B, Chief 1 and Remée were so moved by her voice and her personality, that there was no question that she was the right singer to perform their song in the Danish Melodi Grand Prix.

Remée and Chief 1 (creators of the record label REACH) have, as individual artists, producers and songwriters achieved many successes. They are responsible for well over 30 million worldwide record sales. Among other achievements one can mention the prestigious ‘Ivor Novello’ award for one of the most played songs in the UK in 10 years, (Jamelia’s “Superstar”). Moroccan Isam B is the well-known front man in the Danish hip-hop group ‘Outlandish’. They have a huge hit with the song “Aicha” topping the charts in several countries such as Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and Norway. 

“Should’ve Known Better” could easily have been written about Soluna’s own life and that makes it easy for her to personify the meaning of the song. “The song is very beautiful and it touches people when they hear it” Soluna explains. “I am looking forward to singing the song on the big stage in Baku in May, where my grandparents in Switzerland and Germany will have the opportunity to watch and vote for me”. 

When Soluna goes on stage in Baku it will be an international performance. Her band consists of musicians of different nationalities, which makes sense as it brings the vibe she feels as a world citizen.

Soluna Samay is a true musician; she is versatile in her music and in her visual expression. It is exactly this diversity that makes her very present and loveable. She understands how to reach out to an audience whether it is on the street or in front of thousands of TV viewers. She has a gift like very few, she makes people stop and listen, allowing themselves to be consumed in her universe. In Spanish sun is “Sol” and moon is “Luna” and in-between is the star, Soluna.