The victory in the Eurovision Song Contest, one million singles sold of the song “Euphoria” and 100 million views on Youtube For Loreen, the success proves only one thing: what is genuine goes home. Now she is releasing her debut album.

– Feel at home. Does anyone smoke?

Loreen asks the question – but she’s not looking for cigarettes. Instead, she looks for a lighter for her incense stick, which will clear away any remaining bad energies from the hotel room.

She finds no one and we sit down on the couch, where coffee is served that poisons, according to Loreen. Instead, she bounces up and picks up a bag of lapsang souchong.

– Smell this. It smells nice, nice, she says and holds out the bag of smoky black tea.

It has been a hectic year for the artist. After winning the Melodifestivalen, it became a voting record with the number of twelve points in the Eurovision Song Contest. In Sweden alone she has sold platinum tenfold, in Europe over a million singles have been sold and on Youtube the song has about 100 million views.

“Euphoria” went straight into the hearts of many. What do you have in mind when you sing it?

– You notice when a singer dares to open her heart. That’s what I do. It’s like a bubble, which I have no control over. It is triggered by sound, a piano chord or a guitar. Then I am gone, as in meditation. It is almost the same state of mind as when running or washing dishes.

Now comes her debut album “Heal. The lyrics are about our need for security, jealousy, infidelity. To either get stuck or to accept, go ahead and choose the bright side, the “healing phase”.

– Some of my stories are heartbreaking. Like the song “Everytime” which is about a separation and false security, without going into details. A lot is very autobiographical, but it doesn’t have to be something I have experienced myself.

Loreen discusses how we are born and die ourselves. She says she is “very spiritual”.

– I’m from Morocco. My relatives are Berbers, natural people. They talk openly about spirituality, as if someone has an old soul, but spirituality is not connected to a religion. My parents are liberal Muslims and I have been a seeker since I was a child.

Even as a child, Loreen had difficulty with segregations and would rather be herself than belong to a group of, for example, Christians, Muslims or Arabs. She saw the conflicts and instead began to look for similarities. Growing up, she discovered how equal all religions are. That our primitive need for security makes us divide into groups.

– At times, I thought “how weird I am”. I had life around me with six siblings and relatives, but still preferred to be alone, says Loreen.

She still struggles to get rid of preconceived notions, for example about men and women.

– I am a child of divorce and it has affected me. The pain makes it easier for me to understand, see and feel with others.

How has your breakthrough affected you?

– It only proves one thing: When things are genuine and you go in for something wholeheartedly, it goes home. It has been a very exciting time.

How have you managed to keep your feet on the ground?

– I like to be for myself. And I’m very down to earth, just like my mother. With a spiritual mother, you don’t argue about which shoes to wear.

FACTS

At home where she puts on her hat

Name: Lorine Zineb Nora Talhaoui.

Age: Turns 29 today.

Lives: “Where I put my hat. Right now in the South.” Born in Åkersberga, raised in Västerås.

Family: “Very big and warm.”

Previous jobs: At a café, feature producer for TV programs, host of TV400.

Currently: New single “Crying out your name”. The debut album “Heal” will be released on October 24. Participates in the inaugural concert at Friends arena on October 27 and at the Julgalan 2012 at the same arena at the end of the year.

• Source: https://www.mitti.se/noje/loreen-vill-vara-akta/lmljo!104231/
• Translation: via Google Translate, the translation may not be completely accurate