Interview: Andy Abraham follow up chat

It has been a couple of months since we spoke after your victory in the United Kingdom selection Andy. How have you been preparing for Belgrade since your victory?

Andy: "Well, since winning Eurovision Your Decision, i've been running around finishing my album which is due for release on June 2nd. Here in Belgrade, I've been doing my thing with rehearsals, the BBC have had me running around everywhere. It's been brilliant, a lot of press conferences, television performances for shows back home. We also have a performance here for Serbian Television, on their biggest breakfast show. I'm really looking forward to Saturday now."

As an automatic finalist because of the United Kingdom being in the Big Four, you have around three or four days without any rehearsal commitments here in Belgrade. What do you have planned for these days?

Andy: "Well, I wish it was time where I could lounge around, the weather has been great here in Belgrade. We have a lot more interviews arranged, we have an ambassadors lunch to attend, we're meeting some under priveleged children. Also, there is a planned city sights tour and boat trip and more parties!".

There have been a lot of positive comments about your rehearsals, particularly how strong your vocal has been, and the way the stage looks. Are you satisfied with how it has gone so far? How did you decide to stage the song in this way?

Andy: "Well, the whole purpose of the video was to shoot it in block colours. I feel that Even If is a very uplifting, bright sounding song. The set behind it will represent that very well. I think that anybody who has HDTV will be blinded by the set!. As for the rehearsals themselves, we are very satisfied but there are still a few more alterations needed. I'm never satisfied fully, I always feel that every performance can be bettered. Most artists are very hard on themselves, and i'm no different. I just want to give a really good performance, i'll tweak a few more things and see how it goes."

The single of Even If has been released this week on Monday in the United Kingdom. Was this a tactical move to gain maximum exposure from the coverage and publicity you will enjoy in the week leading to the Eurovision Song Contest?.

Andy: "Yes, you can get in to the shops and buy the single now. I suppose you could say that we released it for that reason, but i'm still a little nervous about the situation. I hope that the single does really well, and boosts the album. I can only imagine if I won the Eurovision Song Contest, I could spend a bit more time getting it right, it would be incredible exposure for the album."

It's no secret that the United Kingdom has endured a pretty torrid record of late in the Eurovision Song Contest. Bearing that in mind, do you have a set goal you wish to achieve here in Belgrade? What does success look like from your perspective?

Andy: "My goal is to get in to the top 10. That would be success for me. It would show a progression. Maybe Even If is a yardstick for how we should present music in this event in the future. Presenting a credible song rather than a novelty or gimmick act. The reaction from the people back home and also here has been fantastic."

Are there any plans for a tour or concert after the Eurovision Song Contest?

Andy: "Well as I said, the album is released on June 2nd. I hope that we will get another single from that too. I think there are so many songs there that could be singles. After that I hope that we'll do a tour, write some songs for the next album, hit the road and keep the same team together."

Eurovision.tv would like to thank Andy Abraham for the interview. Check out Andy's message for Eurovision.tv's readers in the YouTube clip below.