Interview with Femme Fatale!

With the Eurovision selection season well upon us, we turn our attention this time to the Belgian selection process! Having already tried to qualify for Belgium in 2004, 2008 sees Femme Fatale (a.k.a. Betty) making a further attempt to get to a Eurovision final.

Terminal 3 have managed to get an exclusive interview with Femme Fatale and I'm sure you'll find her answers interesting......



It was 2004 when you last entered the Belgian Eurosong. Can you tell me what was it that made you accept the challenge to represent Belgium in Belgrade?
It might sound like a cliché, but it's always been my dream to represent my country at the Eurovision Song Contest. I think it would definitely be a once in a lifetime experience for me. Having said that, I did have to think twice before accepting to take part again. The whole selection procedure in Belgium is very long and stressful, but I think that my participation in 2004 will help me as well this time.

The song you will be performing is called “Decadence” and was written especially for you By Gerard James Borg with Mik Tanczos. Why do you think the song was written with you in mind?
When I heard the song for the very first time, it amazed me how good Gerard and Mik really knew me. It was like we had known each other for years. I fell in love with it straight away and didn't have to think twice about entering Eurosong anymore.

Can you give us a little idea of the type of on screen performance you will giving at Eurosong?
I don't want to give too much away obviously, but it will definitely be a very stylish and entertaining show. I want the viewer to stay interested during the entire three minutes. However, I don't think the act should be more important than the song. Sometimes I feel like some artists pay more attention to the act than the actual song.

If there was one thing you could say to the people of Belgium to support your bid to represent them in Belgrade what would it be?
I definitely want to encourage Belgium to vote for a song that they feel will stand out among the other entries. There's no point in sending something we've heard a million times before. I'm ready to represent my country and I'm confident that we have the perfect song to do so. If they want something fresh and orginal, then Femme Fatale is the best choice for Belgrade.

How would you describe the song that you will be performing.
I'd describe it as a very catchy pop song, with some electro influences. You'll definitely be singing along by the end of it.

You starred in a version of the reality TV show Big Brother. How did you find your time in the Big Brother House and what sort of impact has this experience made on your career?
I have to be honest and say that without that show I probably wouldn't even be doing this interview. It opened a lot of doors for me and I'm extremely grateful for that experience, but obviously that effect only lasts for a couple of months. All the other Big Brother contestants have now been forgotten about, so you still have to keep working hard every day to stay in this business and be successful.

Why do you think Belgium have fared so badly in recent years at Eurovision?
Especially the Flemish part of Belgium has fared badly at Eurovision. I think that's mostly because we never take any risks. We play it safe, look at what has done well over the past years and then send something that looks / sounds exactly like it. Look at Kate Ryan, Xandee and Vanessa Chinitor. I do love those entries, but they were anything but original. Urban Trad did something completely different and almost won in 2003, so they've showed that Belgium can still do well in this day and age.

Who are your musical influences and why?
I'm influenced by a lot of artists, but my absolute favourite is definitely Madonna. They don't call her the Queen Of Pop for no reason. I also really love Mylène Farmer, a French superstar who's often compared to Madonna. She definitely pushes the boundaries as well. There are many more artists that have inspired me, like Kylie Minogue, Brigitte Bardot or Serge Gainsbourg. Strong artists that aren't afraid to be creative and do their own thing.


Terminal 3 would like to thank Femme Fatale for taking the time out to answer our questions and I'm sure you'll all join us in wishing her well in the upcoming Belgian Eurosong!