After representing Romania at the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest together with Vlad Mirita, Nicoleta Matei, known as Nico, has decided to try her luck again this year. In an interview with EuroVisionary she talks about her new song as well as looking back on Belgrade.

How many times have you participated at the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, and what new things will you bring this year?

Hello to everyone! This year is the 6th time I have participated in the national selection. From the begining of this interview, I would like to make one thing clear about my participation this year. I am taking part this year because I really love this competition, maybe more than other song competitions. Even if last year, I had obtained a much better (and I mean top 5) result in the final, I would also compete this year trying to represent Romanian again. As long as the organisers rules don’t prohibit the participation of those who where in the final for the Eurovision Song Contest, I see no reason to stop me from participating whenever I want.

I like music competitions in general, especially if they are important like this one. I participated in the last few years at three important competitions in 2004 and 2005, all held outside the country. Song competitions are very difficult with representatives from 15-20 countries. In contests of interpretation, I have obtained very good results, I mean the 1st prize, one big trophy and the special prize of the jury. I consider the result of the Eurovision Song Contest 2008 in Belgrade an accident, which was a result of shortcomings in our bad promotion of the song, and maybe also that we had a song not in the spirit of Eurovision, and not least because we were on early in the final and everyone knew who the winner would be, even before the first semifinal.

This year I will present along with Moni-k, one sensational song. We’ve made it specially for the Eurovision Song Contest, a very rhythmic, quite commercial, easy to remember song since the first audition, a much better song than last year. 

Who has the idea of this year participation?

All my fans (and there are many) encouraged me to participate again, knowing that I can present a better song than before.

How did you come to work with Moni-k?

My husband, who is also the composer of the song Disco Maniacs, submitted this song 2 months ago and it was like a glove on the Eurovision style. Moni-k is the text writer. We recorded in the studio and we decided on this colaboration for 2009.

What is the story of the song Disco Maniacs? Is it the only song included in the competition this year?

The song doesn’t have a story exactly. It is a modern song with the new generation style of music, and also the 80’s style and yes, it is the only song that I submitted this year.

Do you believe that the experience last year in Belgrade will help you this year?

Definitely, the experience I acquired last year is very helpful. This is an important advantage I have compared to the other participants.

Do you believe in the public votes or do you think the final decision will be from the jury members?

First, I believe in the televoters votes but equally important is the decision of the jury.

Do you think that the scandal episode involving Biondo from last year selection will be repeated this year also, given that they have also decided to participate again? Do you think that the guys from Biondo were wronged by the jury last year?

I hope that we will not have any of these usual scandals as it happened last year about plagiarism, and many problems of this kind.

Thinking that last year the guys from Biondo obtained a better result than us from the jury, me and Vlad Mirita have received more votes from the televoters, I don’t think that the result was wrong. If they have decided to participate again this year, I want to wish them good luck.

Many of this years songs submitted to the National Selection of Romania have already been published on the internet. Have you been able to listen?

Unfortuntely, time didn’t let me listen to them until this hour.

Returning to the national selection, what is the chance of the song Disco Maniacs to win this competition?

I think the song has a pretty big chance and whatever the result it will be, the song for sure will become a hit.

What will happen next in your career? 

In 2009, I will launch a new album that is almost completed. The album has very dynamic sounds, which will surely become a success. Soon I will launch the first single from this album and the album will be released in the first half of this year.

On behalf of the EuroVisionary team, I want to thank you for this interview and wish you good luck for the national selection in Romania!