The Love and the moment that last forever
Denmark’s representatives in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 found each other on the internet, but although Chanée lives in Copenhagen and n’evergreen in Moscow, the love of music has bound them so closely together that the new star duo is ready to carry the European audience by storm with ”In A Moment Like This”.
It is about the moment. It is about love. And the passion that binds love together - forever. As in ”In A Moment Like This”, the moment will hopefully last forever for Christina Chantée and Tomas n’evergreen when the winners of the Danish Melodi Grand Prix are going to carry the rest of Europe by musical storm at the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 in Oslo at the end of May.
It is love that has brought the new star duo together – the love of music. “A Moment Like This” is a fantastic duet. I’m sure it will be to most people’s taste. It has something universal about it, and I’m convinced that we have a very big chance to mingle with the best, says Christina Chanée.
Christina Chanée and Tomas n’evergreen are the best example that love strikes when you least expect it. Until six weeks before the Danish Melodi Grand Prix the two singers and song writers did not even know each other.
Hired Chanée on SMS Tomas n’evergreen lives in Russia where he has built a big career for himself on especially the Eastern European pop scene. When asked to participate in the Danish Melodi Grand Prix, he didn’t hesitate for one second. My first idea was to sing one of my own songs, but when I heard the refrain of ”In A Moment Like This”, I was sold. I had no doubt that it has great hit potential, and I’m very proud to sing it, says Tomas n’evergreen about the song, written by the three Swedish hit song writers Thomas G:son, Henrik Sethsson og Erik Bernholm. The task of finding a singer that matched the song was harder than expected. He went through more that 50 likely candidates before he found Christina Chanée on the internet – and sent a sms. On account of the entry deadline of the Danish Melodi Grand Prix we were under extreme time pressure, so it was a near thing, but I wanted to find the right singer that matched the song and my voice – one that can sing both the high notes and the low – and looks good. I got her telephone number and sent a message, asking whether she would like to participate, says Thomas n’evergreen about the uncompromising search for the right singer. At first Christina Chanée thought it was a joke when one Tuesday morning a message ticked in on her mobile phone. - My name is Tomas n’evergreen, I am very popular in Eastern Europe, but you probably don’t know me. Would you like to sing in the Grand Prix? But it wasn’t a joke. One week later they met for the first time in Stockholm airport, and 90 minutes later they stood in the studio recording the hit that is Denmark’s bid for an international winner song 10 years after the Olsen Brothers’ ”Fly On The Wings of Love”.
ABBA and The Police ”In A Moment Like This” is a pop-rock song that makes you think of The Police and ABBA. - It is a classic romantic pop/rock song without any use of special effects. It is a song that will last at least five or ten years. It is a pure song with a strong expression. If you like a show with masks, drums and fire, then you won’t vote for our song, but the Eurovision Song Contest is a song contest and not a fancy dress show, says Tomas n’evergreen.
That the song soon became a hit in many of the countries where he enjoys great popularity, has been a surprise to him.
- It became a megahit almost immediately, and we have already had numerous inquiries from concert managers in a number of countries who would like to see us live, says Tomas n’evergreen.
In spite of the physical distance of more than 900 miles from his Russian home in Moscow to Christna Chanée’s address in Copenhagen, the musical ties soon bound them together. They hadn’t sung more than a couple of duets before the idea of a joint musical project was born.
The duo wanted to develop their common interest in writing lyrics and music, and when victory in the Danish Grand Prix was in the bag, the foundation was laid for a joint album carried by ”In A Moment Like This” and other romantic and happy pop songs.
But the selection to represent Denmark in the Eurovision Song Contest 2010 was the beginning of a couple of hectic weeks. The first days with lots of interviews.
They got to know each other during interviews - It was hard, but also instructive. We hadn’t had the time to tell each other about our background and musical life up till now, so among other things we have got to know each other by listening to each other’s replies in many of the interviews we have given, says Christina Chanée.
As a musical couple they have functioned fabulously together from the first meeting in Stockholm, where Tomas n’evergreen brought flowers and a bottle of champagne.
- Lots of people think we are dating one another, but we each have a fiancé. When we hold hands on the stage, we do it to give the song a stronger expression and greater credibility, says Christina Chanée.
However, Tomas n’evergreen makes no secret of the fact that it is important to have a good chemistry when standing on a stage and singing about love. I can’t sing a song if my heart is not in it. It is all about being true to the song and to yourself that creates the credibility which strengthens our chance to win in Oslo, says Tomas n’evergreen.
Writes new song for a new album Besides preparing for the Eurovision Song Contest the two singers and song writers have been busy writing and composing the other love songs which will supplement ”In A Moment Like This” on their joint album, with Tomas n’evergreen himself as producer. - With the internet distances are not important. It is brilliant. We talk together daily over Skype, mail ideas and send music files and lyrics to each other. In this way it is almost like sitting together although Christina is in Copenhagen and I’m in Moscow. We work incredibly well together, and it will be a romantic album with a very strong expression – and our personal imprint, says Tomas n’evergreen. Christina Chanée gets the inspiration for the mail-stream of ideas to each other from her own emotional life, among other things. - My lyrics take their starting point in my own experience and life stories. I write about things that mean something to me, she says. When he stands alone on the stage in Russia, Tomas n’evergreen already feels that the bonds between the couple are so strong that they seem unbreakable.
- Musically we have already become such a close part of each other that I miss her at my right side during my solo concerts, says Tomas n’evergeen. He won’t miss her for long. The duo already has numerous concerts scheduled in their joint calendar which reaches further into the future than the Eurovision Song Contest at the end of May.
- I am so looking forward to the Contest. Winning the Danish Grand Prix has been a such a huge change overnight, and it has been the greatest experience in my musical life up till now, says Christina Chanée in the hope that ”In A Moment Like This” in Oslo will be remembered forever.
In brief:
Christina Chánee about what she remembers as a highlight in the European Song Contest: - I was just a little girl but deeply in love when I saw Johnny Logan on TV winning with the song ”Hold Me Now” in 1987.
Tomas n’evergreen about the Swedish contribution to ”In A Moment Like This”: - The song has ABBA-sound, and in a Grand Prix connection this is a good starting-point.
”In A Moment Like This” is a mixture of pop and rock. The song is about love – about two people who have separated and want to get together again.
Biography
Christina Chanée: Born in Odense and christened Christina Ratchanee Birch Wongskul. She is an only child of a Thai father and a Danish mother. She learnt to talk and began to sing at about the same time. At the age of 17 she had already won several talent competitions and her first competition as a song writer. Even though she has also sung jazz, pop music has always been the pivotal point in her musical life. In addition, she plays the piano. In 2003 she won the soundtrack competition for the Danish movie ’Anja efter Viktor’. and the same year she recorded the title song for the movie ‘Askepop’ The year after she became a singer in the band ”Nubian Fräuleins” in the entertainment program on DR1, ”Endelig fredag”. During the recording she met Kid Creole, who was guest soloist. He later offered her a role in the production of ”Martin Gaye – The Musical”. She got the female lead part where among others Kid Creole, Kele Le Roc and Marc Anthony also participated. Later she joined Kid Creole and the Coconuts with whom she has since toured. Before the Danish Melodi Grand Prix she released the single ”Breathing”. She lives in Copenhagen, is the fiancée of bass-player Mikkel Riber and the mother of 3-year-old Filippa.
Tomas n’evergreen: Born in Århus and christened Tomas Christiansen. Built his first drum set at the age of six, and he spent a lot of time playing on it in his childhood and early teens. When his friends were riding their mopeds, he played the drums. Formed his first band when he was in the sixth grade and practiced in the school’s music room after school. At the same time he developed his singing. His musical course was set, and even though he worked in the stockroom of a furniture store, music was his passion. His first heavy-band was dissolved, however, and the next band came last in a local talent competition. And when the big breakthrough was waiting just around the corner with the release of an album, the recording company was and the release cancelled by the new owners.
Tomas n’evergreen bought back the rights to the release, and this turned out to be a sensible move. One day he discovered on the internet that the song ”Every time I See Your Smile”, was high on the play list of Russian MTV. It was also played on the radio channel Europa Plus with 80 million listeners, and in the Ukraine the single topped the charts. The Russian connection was made, and he was invited to Russia to give concerts. This sparked off his big breakthrough.
Besides singing, writing lyrics and composing music, he also plays the guitar, bass, piano and drums.
Since 2003 he has been living in Moscow where he made his name with the song ”Since You’ve Been Gone”, which has become a megahit in Russia and the former Soviet republics. The record with the same title has sold more than 250.000 copies. Since then he has been giving about 60 concerts a year – several of them in front of 40.000 people.
Has a Russian fiancée and is the father of a 9-year-old daughter who lives with her mother in Denmark.
About the song writers
Behind ”In A Moment Like This” is a strong Swedish trio with Thomas G:ason, Henrik Sethsson and Erik Bernholm with a solid foundation in Sweden and on the international pop scene.
Among others Thomas Gustafsson with the artistic name G:son has composed numerous songs for the Melodi Grand Prix, up to now about 40. He has already been represented in several European finals and has won both the Spanish, Norwegian and Swedish Melodi Grand Prix – the Swedish even twice.
For further information, please contact:
MY WAY MUSIC – Henrik Sørensen
Mail: [email protected]
+ 45 40 26 31 07 www.mywaymusic.dk