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A fairy from Iceland makes her golden steps to Eurovision stage

14 May 2015 at 16:14 CEST
Iceland is famous for its volcanoes, geysers and sagas, but also for great musicians. Even though she is taking 'one step at a time', Maria Olafs already has a promising career. She is a 22-year-old actress, singer and songwriter, but also this year's representative from Iceland in 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. "I'm so excited. I can hardly wait to perform on the stage", Maria told Eurovision.tv, right after she got out of dressing room wearing a champagne-rosa dress, which makes her look like a little fairy.
This is a really big event. But I'm not nervous, at least not now because it's just our first rehearsal. Still, really looking forward to performing on the Eurovision stage, Maria Olafs from Iceland added.

Maria's song Unbroken is especially for her. She sings about having hard times, finding 'a way from the darkness to the light'. "We wanted to write a song for Maria right from the beginning. It all started with a melody we had and then the song was basically writing itself," one of the composers from the StopWaitGo team explained.

Nobody expected that the song will do so well. Not only that it won the national contest in Reykjavik, Unbroken hit the charts in Iceland and spent three week at number one.

Gallery: Maria Olafs (Iceland): First rehearsal

Does it mean, Maria will record more songs after the Eurovision Song Contest? "Yes, we already have an EP with two songs and two remixes. About the other songs, we will talk after the contest", Asgeir Asgeirsson from the StopWaitGo team of composers added.

"The stage performance is based on what Maria is singing about followed by Nordic lights in the background. As you have already seen she has golden feet and the floor will turn gold at some point. It will look like a sun rising after those dark moments," said Jonatan Gardasson, the Head of the Icelandic delegation.

A dress Maria Olafs from Iceland will be wearing is a champagne-rosa tutu dress with some golden particles on its upper part designed by Sunna Dögg Ásgeirssdóttir. Her four backing vocalists (two female and two male singers) have dark blue and black outfits.

Gallery: Maria Olafs (Iceland): Backstage

Selma Björnsdóttir, an Icelandic singer, who took part in 1999 Eurovision Song Contest is also in Marija's team. She is responsible for the choreography, which is not a surprise, as Selma's Eurovision entry, All Out Of Luck, is her favourite Eurovision song from her home country.

We have a tradition at home. My mom and I usually watch the Eurovision, as my father is busy. We have a farm and at that time our sheep give birth to small lambs. After the show is over we usually go and play with them, Maria said during the Meet and greet event at the Weiner Stadthalle.

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