In the first heat of Melodifestivalen 2020 we can find hip-hop duo OVÖ!
These guys, from the suburbs of Stockholm, have had to deal with difficult times in their lives but always try to spread positivity and inspire other people!
Jaouli ”Finess” Akofely and Nicky ”Ivory” Osenius Kouakou are their names, they are 32 and 30 years old respectively and together they form, as mentioned, OVÖ, which stands for: ”Om vi överlever” (English: if we survive).
What the story behind that is, you’ll learn in the interview below, that the gentlemen were kind enough to give us!
Hej guys! Thanks a lot for giving us this interview and congratulations on having been chosen to be in Melodifestivalen!
Hejhej! Thank you! And thanks for having us.
Why did you guys decide to hop into the festival and how did you guys react when you heard you had been chosen?
We were encouraged to apply by our producer Lukas Nathansson, who’s been a part of Melodifestivalen before. When we sat down with him to write the song, he literally said “give me a hit song!” – and we replied saying “inga problem!”, with means “no problems” in Swedish. That short sentence quickly turned into a chorus, and then it only took 45 minutes until the song was finished.When we heard that we’d been chosen, our first reaction was shock, and excitement! We’re really excited to be a part of this.
Your name, Om vi överlever, means: ”If we survive”! Can you tell us the story behind that?
The name came to us in the middle of a pretty dark place; a place consisting of the stress between gigs, late nights and after parties. We started thinking to ourselves, “will we survive this lifestyle – and if so, for how long?”. But then and there, we decided to start appreciating every single moment and make the best out of every day that we’re given. And that’s what we want to stand for now – we’re here to spread joy!
What is your song ‘Inga problem’ about?
It’s a love song, about conquering obstacles, worries and problems together. It’s about never giving up on each other. Love conquers all!
Do you guys have any ideas about the staging for your entry that you can tell us about?
We don’t want to spoil too much, but we can promise a colourful setting and good vibes! We want to make everyone forget about their worries for a while, and just dance. We’ll keep the rest as a surprise.
Do you have a favourite Melodifestivalen entry or memory yourself?
There are many, we both grew up watching Melodifestivalen with our mothers. Finess’s all-time-favourite memory is “Fyra Bugg & en Coca Cola”, and Ivory’s favourite Melodifestivalen act of all time is… Carola!
If you guys would go all the way and win Melodifestivalen: how would you react? And what would it mean to you to represent your country at the Eurovision Song Contest?
We’d be really happy and proud! It would feel like such an accomplishment and it’d also be a proof to ourselves that we’re capable of doing anything, and that we can do all kinds of music, not just rap.
Are there any plans for after Melodifestivalen that you can share with us?
Yes! Later this spring, we’re releasing an EP – full of new bangers. Then, we’re going on a Swedish tour. Our goal is to do 100 gigs in 2020.
Thanks a bunch, guys, for doing this interview with us and all luck to you in Melodifestivalen!
Thank you!
Listen to the summer hit OVÖ delivered to Sweden last year: ‘Kvicksand’!
Ivory and Finess will be taking the stage during Melodifestivalen 2020’s first deltävling with the song ‘Inga Problem’.
The best of luck to you!
