Paul Rey: ”It’s a beautiful secret that is worth waiting for!”
In this week’s line-up of Melodifestivalen 2020 we meet the promising singer-songwriter Paul Rey!
Paul comes from the Southern Swedish city of Lund. His Chilean mother fled the dictatorship in Chile, built a new life for herself in Paris and then went on an exchange program to Lund. Paul’s father travelled from Finland to Lund on exchange as well and that’s how his parents met!
A diverse background, even in a musical way! When he grew up, he did so with albums from several decades (the 60’s, the 70’s and the 80’s) being played at home.
We talk to Paul to get to know him a little better!
Hej Paul! Thanks for making some time for us!
What made you decide to start this new adventure this year and how did you react when you found out you had secured a spot in the competition?
Once I wrote ”Talking in My Sleep”, I thought it would be perfect for Melodifestivalen, and a great song for me to properly introduce myself to the Swedish audience. Once I found out that I was participating in Melodifestivalen I got super excited!
You’ve got quite the artistic experience already, working with famous people like Snoop Dogg and Quincy Jones! What was it like collaborating with them?
Truly a dream come true. I’ve looked to the both of them all my life, so to be able to work with them is an amazing experience. I used to rap earlier in my career, and Snoop is one of the godfathers of rap!
Your dad is Finnish and your mom Chilean. A rich background and maybe also in a musical sense!
How would you say your roots have made you richer?
Just listening to different kinds of music, hearing different languages with different melodies and sayings has done a lot for me in the way I express myself. It has also meant that I travelled quite a lot as a child, and I believe that travelling really enriches your perspective of the world.
Your song has the mysterious title ‘Talking In My Sleep’. Can you tell us what it is about?
It’s about being away from someone and missing them so much that you constantly dream about them. And in your dreams you talk to them, because that’s the only place you see them – and you don’t want to wake up from those dreams.
Are there any staging ideas for the song that you can share with us or is it still a secret?
It’s a beautiful secret that is worth waiting for!
Do you have a favourite Melodifestivalen entry or memory yourself?
Loreen’s Euphoria really changed what you could do within Melodifestivalen, and is really iconic.
If you’d win Melodifestivalen, how do you think you would react? And what would it mean to you to represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest?
I would be honored, proud and excited out of my mind! Most probably get emotional aswell.
Do you have any projects lined up for after Melodifestivalen already? Is there anything you can reveal to us about that?
I can’t give you any specifics, but more music for sure!
Speaking about music, give a listen to Paul’s latest single ‘HURT.’!
This coming Saturday, you can check out Paul Rey during the second heat of Melodifestivalen 2020, singing ‘Talking In My Sleep’!
Thank you for taking the time to talk to us, Paul, and the best of luck on Saturday!
