Netherlands: Joan Franka [Interview]

Joan Franka is one of the participants in Nationaal Songfestival 2012. escXtra.com talked to her about her career, participation and the future. Read what she had to say below!

escXtra: Hello Joan! First of all, we want to thank you for taking the time to speak with us. And of course, congratulations with your participation in Nationaal Songfestival 2012!
Joan Franka: Thank you very much! I am very excited

X: You are quite well known in The Netherlands, but could you tell us something about who you are for our worldwide readers?
J: My name is Joan Franka, I am a 21 year old singer/songwriter from Holland.  I am obsessed with writing, so every day I sing and write songs in my bedroom. I write all kinds of songs, but my main genre is pop/folk. I love to listen to music especially music from the 60’s. My idols are John Lennon, Neil Diamond and my mom. I like to express myself through clothes, music, poems and painting.

X: Could you tell us about your career so far?
J: Last year I was a participant in a singing contest called The Voice Of Holland. There I met my manager/producer Holger Schwedt, who gave me the opportunity to write my own album, and that’s what I am working on right now.

X: How did you find out you were one of the six participants in Nationaal Songfestival 2012?
J: I got a call from my manager, and after I found out I ran downstairs to my family, where we all jumped up and down.

X: Your song is called ‘You And Me’.  What’s the story behind this song (who composed/wrote it, was it written to enter Nationaal Songfestival 2012 or did you decide that after it was finished)?
J: I was writing for my album, and my manager introduced me to Jessica Hoogenboom because he thought we would work well together. So I met up with her, we looked at each other’s faces and realised that we knew each other from somewhere. As we started talking I remembered that the year before that day we woke up next to each other in a hospital, because we both had a vocal chords operation! After that moment we wrote a couple of times, and one of the first songs we wrote was “You And Me”. After my manager heard the song, he had sent me an email and told me he wanted to send it in for the Song festival. I thought it was a great idea, so he did. And right now we are preparing for the National Song festival! We all are very happy that the judges chose us to be one of the final six, and hope that we can perform the song “You And Me” at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012!

X: Could you tell us a bit more about what we can expect from you at Nationaal Songfestival 2012 (performance wise and the style of the song)?
J: I know what I want to wear and how the performance should look. I think it’s great that I am allowed to do my own thing, and really make this performance my own. “You And Me” is a pop/folk song that is uplifting, and exactly how I feel when I think about my childhood.

X: Do you watch the Eurovision Song Contest every year?
J: I like to watch the Eurovision Song Contest together with my family, if I can’t watch the show the day it is broadcasted, I search on youtube for videos of the performances.

X: Do you have a favourite all-time Eurovision song?
J: I have two favourites! One is Dana International with Diva. I remember hearing the song for the first time, watching the Eurovision with my family and fell in love with it immediately! And the other one is Teach in with Ding a dong!

X: If you don’t win the ticket to Baku, will you continue singing and/or do you have other plans for the next year(s)?
J: Yes if that happens, I will continue making music and finishing my album.

X: Finally, do you have a message for our readers?
J: Love <3