GERMANY-EUROVISION/CONTESTANT Germany's Eurovision runner-up gets a chance for glory after winner drops out

Record ID: 872838

  • Title: GERMANY-EUROVISION/CONTESTANT Germany's Eurovision runner-up gets a chance for glory after winner drops out
  • Date: 9th March 2015
  • Summary: COLOGNE, GERMANY (MARCH 9, 2015) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) SINGER ANN SOPHIE, SAYING: "The chorus is really, really catchy. And you automatically feel like: Oh, I wanna dance to this! Or I wannA sing to this! And I hope that - coz I'm feeling a lot when I sing this song because I love it so much - and I really hope that I can get the audience to feel that and everybo
  • Embargoed: 24th March 2015 12:00
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  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAA8RXZNVHS9LMNQWZHGJJPK7SX
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  • Story Text: Ann Sophie, the 24-year-old runner-up of the search to find Germany's Eurovision Song Contest entrant, will now travel to Vienna to represent her country after the winner of the show, Andreas Kummert, turned down the title.
    Ann Sophie could not believe her ears when Kummert pulled out and gave his spot in Vienna to her: "I was really confused and irritated. Because I was already so sad," she told Reuters TV. "I tried not to cry and yeah, then I kind of heard him mumbling that he wants me to go... And I still could believe it, it took hours for me to realize that I kind of won, now. Yah, it was an insane moment."
    Kummert thanked the public for selecting his song 'Heart of Stone' as Germany's entry by public vote but immediately turned down the chance of representing his country on live TV, saying that he was "not in the right shape to accept this." He gave no further explanation for his withdrawal.
    Ann Sophie had made it to the finals by way of a fan-voted "wild card" after winning a club concert for unknown artists in February. She won second place in the German Eurovision Song Contest final with the catchy pop tune 'Black Smoke'.
    "The chorus is really, really catchy," she said. "And you automatically feel like: Ohh, I wannA dance to this! Or I wanna sing to this! And I hope that - coz I'm feeling a lot when I sing this song because I love it so much - and I really hope that I can get the audience to feel that and everybody to want this song play over and over again. And yah, I believe it's a really good song."
    The 24-year-old singer was born in London and spent three years in New York studying at the famous Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute training to be an actress, before returning to Hamburg.
    Ann Sophie will represent Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest on May 23 in Vienna.
    Germany has won Eurovision twice: with Nicole and 'Ein bisschen Frieden' (A Little Peace) in 1982 and in 1982 with Lena Meyer-Landrut coming out top with 'Satellite'.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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