INTERVIEW: Diana Rouvas on her tilt at Eurovision glory

Interview: Jett Tattersall

Music has been a constant for Australia’s Diana Rouvas throughout her life. Starting her music training at just four years of age, she started pursuing a music career in the USA as a teenager and appeared as a contestant on The Voice Australia twice, walking off as the winner in 2019.

This year she will be competing in Eurovision: Australia Decides with the hope of representing Australia at the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam in May with her latest single, the gorgeous, slinky and soulful power track ‘Can We Make Heaven’. The grand final to determine to winner will be broadcast in Saturday 8 February on SBS1 and as she prepares for her performance, we caught up with Diana to find out more.

Hi Diana, so good to chat with you. You started singing at age 4 and you were writing songs at 8 years old. Can I ask you where did that push for formal training and performing come from? Was it you begging your parents, or did they clock your talent and drive your early career?
No, I wanted to do it and having them in the industry as singers... they knew how hard it was. They weren't necessarily wanting to push me. They weren't not wanting to either. It was just what I wanted to do. I used to lay in their vocal lessons which they would teach when I was a kid and sleep and listen to their lessons. I was just so interested, even as a little kid. It's just bizarre.

Do you think the fact that they came from music themselves they came at it with much more level headedness than some parents? They knew exactly how the industry worked so there was much more protection for you?
Yes and no. No matter what we know about the business, I think the only thing you can be is realistic and level-headed about it. But you can't always prepare for each individual experience and people that we cross. And of course, times change. The career path of artists who were active in the 60s and the 70s is very different to now. Social media, the Internet, where you can perform now is completely different. So, whilst they had so much experience, a wealth of experience and knowledge of certain things, it really just made me very realistic. But, you know, there's certain experiences that came and surprised us all. It served me in a lot of ways and that's a good thing. It's a hard business, so I think you’re always getting surprised. 

You're always getting surprised. I like that. You relocated to the US when you were just 16 to pursue a career. Any of the artists we speak to always mention how daunting that is particularly because as Australians we go ‘oh, the US.’ There's just so much more weight to it. What was your plan of attack to break into the music scene over there?
I was with [my] previous management at the time so I did have somebody knocking on doors for me. I had three almost pen to paper world record deals, which in itself is an achievement from here, to be that close. But I never felt pressure. I feel like it's harder here, because we are smaller, a younger country. We're not probably the artiest country, we're probably more sports orientated. But there are many, many great artists here that people aren't aware of as well. So I think it's harder in that respect, whereas in the US there are more people there and the culture of music and soul and blues, that I love to sing as well, is quite active there. It's inspiring. I don't compare myself to anyone, I've always felt like I have my own bar, [I’m] my own worst critic. So being amongst a broader music scene is something to learn from and be inspired by. Obviously I didn't break it there, but I had a little following and was performing there a lot and I was absolutely no one. That in itself is a nice little compliment.

If you're song writing at such a young age I guess also you don't have the knowledge. Think about the songs you were writing at 16 years old compared to the songs you're writing now for instance. 
They were actually quite deep and sometimes I wish I could write them now. That sounds crazy, but I did write some strong material back then and I used to think ‘how did I do that then?’ You know, when you're younger you're very open. As you get older you get pushed into certain things. I'm trying to get back to where I started in that sense. It’s funny. As you get older and you look back, you go ‘how do I bring the youth or the younger mind with the older experience and wisdom that you gain?’ But how do I maintain that?

As a performer, you have a killer set of pipes and it's evident you ignite when you're performing to a live audience. What is it about that live performance, be it an intimate performance or a grand arena scale that powers you up quite the way it does?
I don't even know if I can answer that question. Thank you for the compliment. I'm always just very nervous and trying to prepare myself. I don't feel mighty. But in the moment the passion of the gift of music takes over and that energy charges you. It is a kind of a universal energy in that moment rather than a personal one. It's a pretty interesting thing.

Now let's talk about The Voice. You were on twice - first season in 2012 and then last year you cleaned up. What was your motivation for going on the show both the first and the second time?
First time, my boss at the job that I had kind of pushed me into it. He'd have a meeting every Monday and ask me if I heard a show called The Voice and give me song suggestions. It was quite funny. I would say ‘no, I'm not going on it.’ I was very different in season 1. I felt like a failure to be honest after having been overseas and had some great things happen. I felt like everyone would see me at 28 and think that I had failed. So it was quite a learning experience for me that that is rubbish and that is not true. I needed that fear to learn, you know, how unnecessary it was. The second time I was really clear about my intention to be seen and to be heard and whilst I was still nervous and afraid, I felt empowered in some ways as well. Performance-wise I get very nervous but going on it this time I definitely felt different [being] older and feeling more centred about life. I kind of like to stand up for that as a woman on TV at 35. People tell us we're done or we're too old and that's bullshit and you get better at your job and you get better at your craft and hopefully you learn some lessons. You bring that to the stage and I was really proud on behalf of people who stick it out to be starting now because I've got all this experience behind me and hopefully it helps me navigate a quality in my career that I would like to maintain. I wanted to reach people and be heard for who I was this time a bit more, and stand up for the fact that no, I'm not done. And somehow that makes you younger, I think.

It's absolutely wonderful and particularly in Australia we need to hear that more. The men that run everything need to hear that more. The women that are thinking they might be done at 30 might need to hear that more. So I commend you. 
Imagine if I stopped 5 years ago? Like someone said after 26 ‘it's going to be harder, you're going to be older.’ I remember thinking when they said that to me ‘well, I’m not stopping before my time, because you told me it's going to be hard.’ Hard I'm not afraid of. 

And how sad is that? You're 26 and it's time to put on that black dress and get outside?
Yeah, it's time to go and have a baby and clean the house. I'm sorry, but women do it all you know? We'll have the baby. We’ll be a mother and we’ll also be a boss. 

Be a boss and belt out a pop song as well. 
We’ll have a go. Don't worry about it. 

Let's talk about Eurovision. How very exciting. You've got your song ‘Can We Make Heaven’ which is just gorgeous. First of all, what is your favourite thing about Eurovision?
I like how it's unique in the sense that it's not closed to anyone. It's not about a particular genre, a particular look. The kind of songs that resonate can be similar, but I've seen plenty of times when people have won, and they haven’t [been similar]. So I really like that, I think that stands for something. That you can be of anything, anywhere, all the nationalities that come together. It's pretty exciting and the diversity of it I think is pretty powerful.

You're right. It's interesting how there's diversity. It's not just in the performance. It's in the songs. It’s in absolutely everything. But strangely Eurovision does get a bad rap. Although it's getting bigger every year and it seems to be getting more and more embraced. What has changed in the world the last few years to open Eurovision up from kind of this naff strange thing to something that's worth being really proud about?
This might be too deep of an answer. I think on a universal level people are becoming more conscious. And there is an awareness that we aren't that different and that if we don't pay attention, shit's going to get worse. There's an energetic shift happening and it’s affecting how things get done and how we see things. And the more people that stand up for it - which takes guts - I think the better and the broader and the more connected we are going to be. People focus on the wrong thing. How about just health and acceptance and being grateful for something simple that is vital? Like fresh air and clean water and food. We're just in this fast-paced world and we're on a fine line between the conscious and the unconscious. And the funny thing about opening your arms to a country like Australia is you if we're not of Aboriginal background here we're of many. Like Greek Australian, Lebanese-Australian, English. Our country really is full of different cultures and diversity. I would love it if we as Aussies also celebrate that a bit more. We're all the same. There's no difference. 

Exactly. There are probably also those double standards that are littered throughout society that look down upon pop music as opposed to sporting events. Pop music is naff, whereas sporting events are fine. Eurovision is like the pop world of FIFA, but it doesn't get the same look in at all. How did you actually become involved with Eurovision Australia Decides?
I work EMI, my record label. It was presented as an opportunity and a possibility for me.

You just went yes?
Well, it's tough, you know. When I stand up there and sing I’m not representing every singer that exists. I’m representing me. That should be what speaks for every artist that gets up there. And it's an opportunity you know. People don't go out like they used to. You can't play one hundred nights a week. It’s not the seventies. It’s different. You go on YouTube; people don't leave their houses or whatever they used to. The vibe of music is completely different. So, if you get to be on television and especially on a broad-spectrum scale for something like Eurovision, well, you should take it. 

Nice and absolutely agreed. It's a strange world out there but you just keep on plugging and finding your different roots. What is up next for Ms Diana Rouvas?
The legacy I'd like to create would be to release a timeless and ageless record that is honest and that, you know, connects to people. That’s something that I'm working on and will continue to work on. And if I don't do that, these opportunities don't mean as much. I need to pave that career for myself where I can actually make a living. Realistically that's just not where you come off a TV show. It’s definitely not where you are. You take those opportunities, but I need to build around that and that's what the plan is. 

That’s brilliant. Just keep doing what you're doing because thank god finally women are allowed to understand as well that there is no time for us to just give up and walk away.
You know, some artists have made it in their 40s. What if your time is later and you stop before? And you assume that ‘well, lucky I stopped because…’ You don't know. Because you stopped before you died. 

‘Can We Make Heaven’ is out now via EMI. You can download on iTunes or stream on Apple Music and Spotify.

Eurovision Australia Decides will air this Saturday 8th February on SBS1. For local air times, click here

To keep up with all things Diana Rouvas, you can follow her on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.