Dutch newspaper De telegraaf published a short interview with Marian van de Wal today. Dutch-born van de Wal is one of the three contestants in the show in which the Andorran singer for the Eurovision Song Contest 2005 will be chosen. This show will be broadcasted next Saturday.
Marian van de Wal (34 years old) was born and raised in Vianen, a town near Utrecht in the centre of the Netherlands. Six years ago, she and her husband Bas de Groot moved to L'Aldosa in Andorra, where they run the Hotel Residencia Aldosa.
Marian is an amateur singer in her spare time. “Last year, I doubted if I should sign up as a candidate for the Andorran selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. Eventually, I decided not to take part, a decision I regretted afterwards. This year, there was no doubt in my mind and I responded to the appeal of the Andorran broadcaster to take part right away”, says van de Wal to De telegraaf.
“I am rather surprised that I came this far”, she continues. “I speak Catalan with a Dutch accent but obviously that was no problem at all. Maybe my accent was an advantage for me as Andorra is a country in which many foreigners live and my accent shows how 'international' the country is.”
For next Saturday, Marian has to learn two new songs. She isn't allowed to say very much about the songs but “all three contestants will sing a ballad and an up tempo song”. The show will be broadcasted from a government building and will exude an gala-atmosphere. “It is a nerve-racking experience”, Marian says, “I have to rehears a lot before Saturday, learn the lyrics by heart. I used to sing country music when I lived in Vianen, this is something completely different”.
Marian van de Wal competes with Ishtar Ruiz and Mar Capdevila in next Saturday's Andorran national final. Each singer will perform two songs during the one and a half hour lasting show which starts at 21.30 CET. The winner of the show will represent Andorra at the Eurovision Song Contest 2005. In a second show, to be held on 22nd January, she will sing 3 songs in Catalan. A professional jury and SMS voting will then decide which song will be sent to Kiev.
