Rafał of Poland caught up with Andy of Eurovoxx for a chat about his entry “The Ride”, his feelings regarding the rehearsals, and the expectations of him back home. The Polish representative for Eurovision 2021 described his first impression of rehearsing his entry as tense an unexpectable but great fun, and mentioned the numerous run-throughs he and his team have done back home.
Rafał also explained the meaning behind the inclusion of neon lights and colors onstage, as well as in the music video for “The Ride” filmed at Warsaw’s Neon Museum. “We wanted to show some historical moments in Polish history”, explained Rafał, “because we have a song in English”. He added that the neons also complement the 80s vibes he’s going for with the song, and which reflect his musical preferences.
“If you have in your own music like synthesizers and those sounds from the 80s”, Rafał said, “it’s a little bit retro and I love that”. He also mentioned the recent resurgence of this sound with artists like The Weeknd and Dua Lipa. According to Rafał, “The Ride” was born while he was in the process of recording his new album. “I called Thomas Karlsson from Sweden, he’s my friend… And I asked him: ‘Do you have a song with a retro style, with a little bit 80s?'”. Rafał eventually chose “The Ride” and sent it to the Polish broadcaster which selected it as the country’s entry.
Andy also asked Rafał whether he feels any pressure from the Polish audience, given the country’s recent success in Junior Eurovision, which Rafał hosted in 2020. Rafał explained the pressure comes from Poland never having won Eurovision, as well as its great results in the Junior contest. “Of course, in Junior Eurovision we had success”, he said, “but this is much bigger”. Adding to the tension is the elaborate staging, which takes a lot of practice to appear smooth. However, Rafał keeps a cool demeanor, not just thanks to his sunglasses. “I wait for that moment all my life”, he said of his apparent calmness, “so now I’m enjoying. If you are well prepared for that, now you need to be happy to be a part of this, and not be stressing”.
Of course, there might be a little stress in Rafał’s camp right now, as a member of the Polish delegation tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. This development means the delegation will be absent from the Turquoise Carpet event opening this year’s Eurovision festivities on Sunday. We are sure Rafał and the rest of the Polish team will overcome this impediment, and wish a speedy recovery to the member who tested positive.
Will Rafał’s 80s escapade ride all the way to the final? Watch with us next week, and in the meantime let us know your thoughts of “The Ride” in the comments below!
