OSCAR ZIA Q & A

1. Could you describe yourself in five words? - Energetic, determined, focused, thoughtful and a bit crazy.

2. Looking at your semi-final, which other artist’s music do you like best? - Most artists in my heat are quite new in the business so I don´t know. But I have heard some of the songs in my heat and they are all very good.

3. In case you don’t win – which of the other artists do you think has the biggest chance of winning? - Ace Wilder. She has a great song and I think that she´s very cool.

4.How would you describe your song in a few words? - Big, meaningful, interesting, good and stripped down.

5.Yes We Can or Human? - Yes We Can was a great song for me at that time and it´s a good pop song. But Human is a song from the heart and the lyrics mean so much to me that it is impossible to compare the two of them. So, I will say Human.

6. If you would ever need fashion help: Which other Melodifestivalen participant would you go to? - Christer Lindarw from After Dark of course. He is a great designer.

7.Can you describe us what your first reaction would be when you find out you’ve qualified for the finals? - Gratitude and happiness.

8.You were part of the Swedish jury for the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest. Your favourite back then was Running by András Kállay-Saunders for Hungary. What do you remember about that song? - The lyrics about abuse really touched me, and the sound was very up-to-date. It had a little edge too, so yeah it was ”my winner” that year.

9. You’ve just won Melodifestivalen 2016. How would your ideal after party look? - A big party with all my friends and a lot of dancing. I want it really busy and with a lot of action. Drinks? Vodka & Red Bull of course!

10. Who is your biggest competition this year? - I think that Ace Wilder and Boris have the best songs.

11.What is your all time favourite Melodifestivalen song/ESC song? - Christian Walz ”Like Suicide” from 2011 and Lena Philipsson ”Det gör ont” from 2004. From Eurovision I prefer Sertabs Turkish ESC-winner ”Every Way That I Can” from 2003.

12.Tell us about the song and how it came about? - Human was born at a time in my life where I had a lot of thoughts about who I am and who I wanted to be. It was spring 2015 and I was about to graduate when all these thoughts hit me. So one night I had to get out of bed and write down these lyrics that just came to me.

- I had no thoughts about it being in Melodifestivalen but my record company told me that I should send it in for consideration, and then it was chosen for Melodifestivalen 2016.

13. Human is about that we are humans and should not be judged by who we are. You recently revealed that you are gay, and that you wish that this would not be an issue and that you shouldn’t have to “come out”. What do you mean by that? - Well, if me saying I am gay can help young people somehow, I am happy. I want to be 100% true to my fans and myself. And if they are afraid of telling the world of who they are maybe my story and me can help them. But look, I don´t want it to be an issue and it´s kind of weird that I have to tell the world that I am not heterosexual. But with that said we have to continue the fight to normalize whom you fall in love with. It shouldn´t be an issue. And that is why it´s still important to be open about this.

14. You have done Melodifestivalen; been in the ESC jury and toured with Diggiloo, which schlager star is your closest friend? - Jessica Andersson. We became close friends during Diggiloo and have stayed in touch.

15. What can you tell us about what you will wear during Melodifestivalen, who is designing it? - Camilla Thulin and I have worked together on my clothes. I had an idea and she made it reality. It´s very classy with a touch of Milano.

16. Who´s is you biggest influence musical wise? - That is a hard question. I don't know, but I listen to a lot of Coldplay and John Newman.

17. Did you always think that you would comeback to Melodifestivalen? - No, not at all. I thought it would take some years before I entered again. But I was so in love with this song that it felt totally right to do it this year.

18. Is there an album planned after Melodifestivalen, what will that sound like? - Later on there will be an album, of course. But I don´t want to rush it. I write a lot of songs but I also keep rejecting them, it´s hard to be completely satisfied with a song. But if you like Human I think your will enjoy the album as well.

19.This is your third time in Melodifestivalen; tell us something interesting about the last two times you participated! - In 2013, when I was part of Behrang Miris “Jalla Dansa Sawa” I was just observing and learning. So I don't remember so much from that year. In 2014 I got a little too drunk at the after party (laughs).

20. You have Italian roots, what´s the most Italian thing about you? - I am very social. And have a short temper. I am very good at hiding it though so you won’t see me throwing a fit in public.