This morning procedures at the Palats Sportu started, not with a rehearsal, but a press conference. This was the Danish press conference, held over from last night, due to the late finish. So it was an early start for Jacob Sveistrup and the Danish team, as they faced a quieter gathering of fans and journalists, which made for a very relaxed event.
Jacob started with a short statement, remarking upon his good flight to Kyiv, the fine weather and what he had seen of the city, including the old quarter. He thought that last nights rehearsal had gone “quite well…but a few things to do, to make it better”
Denmark had not made the final since 2002, so was there some pressure to qualify this time? There are expectations from the Danish audience to make the final, he replied, and he also hopes and expects to make it to the final, although no one can predict the outcome, but they will give it 200%.
Another journalist asked what his criteria was for choosing songs for an album? He likes songs that will be a little bit difficult for him, “a challenge”, to show off his vocal potential as much as possible. The same journalist later asked if there was any song from this years contest that he would consider recording, after some long consideration he opted for the Bulgarian entry Lorraine, though he would want to do more with it.
He enjoyed making the video, used in the previews, and considered it a “mighty experience”, as he had never done anything like it before, while the concept of the video was decided in unison, along with a lot of important people.
He is currently a teacher, looking after children with special needs, mainly those with autism. Two questions were raised on this subject, what did he tell the children before he left, and would he go back to teaching if he won the contest? Some of the children have found it difficult to cope, and have a hard time understanding that their teacher appears in the television, but they wish him the best, and he hopes not to disappoint them. Presently, he is on a leave of absence, while he is in Kyiv, but if he won he would have to wait and see before deciding, “I don't know” he concluded.
Having appeared in the national final, along with the Olsen Brothers who won the contest in 2000, and having Kenny Lubcke on stage as a backing vocalist, who represented Denmark in 1992, had they given him any advice? “Take it easy, keep both feet on the ground, go to bed early…and don't go drinking with the choir!” he joked.
The choir then joined him for a brief rendition of Talking to you, which they were going to sing in Danish, until they realised that half of them only knew they English version!
Jacob ended the conference, by thanking the journalists for coming so early to attend the press conference, and announced that they had been celebrating last night, with a little bit of the local beverage, as they had just completed his CD, which is due for release on May 30th.
There then followed a photo session. The Danish delegation will be back tomorrow to have their second rehearsal at 17.20 local time.
