1.  Paolo, you seem to enjoy song festivals. You won Vine del Mar International Song Festival 1996 and took part in the popular Italian song festival, Sanremo. Now you're off to the Eurovision Song Contest. Why do you enjoy these song festivals so much?

PAOLO: The first big stage, which brought me the victory with "Aria" was Vina del Mar. It was a special opportunity for be known both at the beginning in South America - where I released 3 albums - and in a second time in Europe where i participated to other important festivals as "Fox Kids Channel Festival" in Amsterdam, "Festivalbar" and "Festival di Sanremo".

I'm very much fond of Sanremo, I took part there for 4 times, the last one has been in February with the song "Grande".

I believe that participating in these important events, can be a great opportunity to promote my music and I like to compare myself with a big audience, it's the best way for reaching all the people and understand if your music is appreciated or not.

2.  What is your opinion about the Eurovision Song Contest and did you use to watch it in the past? If so, did you support Switzerland or Italy when they both took part in the competition in the past?

PAOLO: I think that ESC is a phenomenal manifestation which helps Music and young artist to be discovered by international public, it will be a big occasion to develop my music in a lot of different countries where I'm still unknown.

Participating to ESC is a great opportunity for any singer, which let you work in a very important international contest with some international Artists. It's an honour for me represent both Switzerland and Swiss people. In Switzerland, ESC is very popular and participating is a big "dream" for any singer...

When I was a child, every time I used to watching ESC with my mother and we hoped together to become the Switzerland Representative!!! The dream comes true! :-)



3.  Which is your favourite Eurovision entry from the past?

PAOLO: Abba for sure!!!!
 

4.  Seen the popularity that Sanremo has among the Europeans and seen that you managed to achieve a very good result at Sanremo 2008 with "Grande", how come you will not perform this song at the Eurovision Song Contest in Belgrade? Can you please tell us what is the message you're sending out with your Eurovision entry, 'Era Stupendo'?

PAOLO: Both Sanremo Rules and ESC rules forbid to present a released song, so I decided to introduce to ESC audience my song "Era stupendo", which wants to be a sort of "psalm" for freedom, simplicity and back to simple things/feelings of our lives; I hope this song will be a positive message for European People; We would most often remember that we are very lucky. In my opinion it's a very melodic song which immediately strikes people’s hearts… I hope that mixing good feeling with Italian lyric will be appreciate to ESC audience.

5. What is your opinion about RAI's decision not to take part in the Eurovision Song Contest? And if they decide to reactivate their participation, would you accept their offer to represent Italy too in the near future?

PAOLO: I hope in the oncoming future, Italy takes again part in Eurosong. What a pity that Italy has decided to cancel its participation and I would be honoured to be also their representative, in fact I have double nationality both Switzerland and Italian so I'm very affected to Italian people. I was born and grown in Canton Ticino, the Italian part of Switzerland... singing in Italian is in my veins.


6.  San Marino will take part for the very first time at the Eurovision Song Contest 2008. Do you think this will help you to start off with 12 points ahead of all the other countries, knowing that Sanmarinese people will definitely vote for you?

PAOLO: I hope so, although the best thing in Eurovision Contest is that People is the only one who votes and logically decides everything. I'd like that vote didn't depend on nationality in other hand I'd like that songs were voted without any prejudice. If someone loves a song, he'll vote it, I just hope that a lot of people love mine!! :-)
 

7.  Can you please tell us something about your preparations for the Eurovision Song Contest and what are we to expect from your stage performance? Will you have the string musicians, which featured in the video clip, on stage?

PAOLO: Like all of the contestants, we are rehearsing and preparing a nice stage show for the audience. We hope to touch peoples hearts with an unforgettable angelic feeling. At the moment, I can¹t tell you all of the specifics... but we believe that the performance will provide a very Loving climate.

8.  Can you please tell us more about the stage presentation, which you are preparing for Belgrade? Will it be similar to the one you used in Switzerland when you presented 'Era Stupendo' for the very first time?

PAOLO: Everything will be a surprise for you; I don't want to reveal anything ;-) Everything will be scheduled to highlights Era stupendo lyric;

Just one thing is confirmed: Peace, simplicity and good things will be in my music... and i never draw the line in my songs... :-)


9.  Lately, Maestro Vince Tempera said on Rai 2 that there are no grounds for the calls of plagiarism made by the Swedish media (Aftonbladet) comparing your entry 'Era Stupendo' with the Swedish song 'It can only get better'. Were you aware of these calls of plagiarism? And what is your opinion about the whole situation?

PAOLO: I didn't know about the existence of "it can only get better" when i launched "Era stupendo"; we discovered it some days later our performance on Swiss Awards, through the website www.youtube.com.

The two songs are quite similar just in a few parts as it happens quite often lately all around the world, I'm not aware, I'm totally in good faith because I'm sure we didn't copy anything, so I'm hopeful this thing won't have any consequences in my presence to Euro Song 2008 not even in my career.
 

10.  What is your opinion about the competitors taking part in Eurovision 2008? And what do you think about the Maltese entry VODKA and our singer, Morena?

PAOLO: I want to discover all the ESC songs after the starting of the show as one spectator who watches for the first time this important event! It's a sort of big surprise that i want to "taste". I have seen Morana and her "Vodka" through youtube and i appreciate very much your national artist, she will be a good competitor!

11.  Can you please send a message to all the Maltese Eurovision fans and the readers and visitors of OGAEMALTA.com?

PAOLO: I ask the Maltese people to write me whenever they want at io@paolomeneguzzi.it; I receive a lot of emails and I'm not able to answer to all of them, but I'm very happy to reading your support!!!! Ciaooooooo a tutta Malta, and please Vote me!
 

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