The singer and two-time Eurovision champion recently sat down with journalist Jihane Bougrine to talk about her roots and her inspiration.
The 39-year old songbird Loreen – whose birthname is Lorine Zineb Nora Talhaoui – was born to first-generation Moroccan migrant parents in Stockholm. She recently sat down with a journalist for Vogue Arabia to talk about how she mixes her Moroccan-Swedish heritage and uses it as inspiration, both in her singing and her fashion. For instance, the singer donned Henna tattoos on her hands while singing “Tattoo” in this year’s contest.
Difference equals strength
Loreen shared that being both a woman and a child of immigrant parents have made her stand out from others in the music industry. But instead of seeing the differences between herself and others as a hurdle, she has utilized it:
“Because I am different. I must be more convincing; I must work harder. It’s true, things have changed but sometimes being a woman and a leader of your project – it’s still a very male-dominated industry – I can feel that I have to put more energy into it. It’s necessary for us to take this energy and make the change so that it’s better for our children. You must fight for your vision, as a woman, and as a Moroccan,” the singer said. She also revealed that she did not consider utilizing her cultural background at the start of her career, but as she grew as a singer, it became more important to her. “My roots were calling to me,” she revealed.
Moroccan impact on “Tattoo”
The impact from Loreen’s cultural background can definitely be seen in Loreen’s stage outfit from when she won Eurovision this year. It can also be seen in her song, “Tattoo”. Loreen took to the stage donning Henna tattoos on her fingers, and the song itself includes traditional Moroccan sounds. You can see and hear for yourself right here:
You can read the rest of Loreen’s interview with Vogue Arabia here.
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