Why did you choose “We Are Domi” as a group name and not just “Domi” so that it doesn't sound so repetitive when you have to introduce yourselves? Your names are Casper, Benjamin and Dominika and I guess the name of the group comes from Dominika right?
Casper Hatlestad: We used to be called Domi. In the UK when we played concerts there we went by Domi but, there's also a big confusion since there is another artist called Domi. We always wanted to give ourselves importance as a band because that's what we are, it's not just about the lead singer, that is, Dominika. When we played some concerts at first, they didn't really know that so they only put the 16th year old Dominika in a poster. So we thought about to change the band name but, We Are Domi is both modern and a bit classic and I have always liked it so that’s how we change the name to We Are Domi from only “Domi”
Dominika Hašková: We tried finding a band name and we were trying for months and it was all horrible and hard.
Benjamin Rekstad: I believe that our name is cool but we don’t put so much meaning in our band name but rather in our songs.
Casper: Is not just to be a cool name, is getting the band name to be cool. If you think about Pink Floyd, they don’t really have a really cool name band but they’ve made it cool. So we think that nothing is cool but that you have to make it cool.
Did you have any other favourites in your preselection?
Dominika: I am the only Czech in the group so I feel super lucky of the selection that was made in my country because they gave voice to many different genres and the production levels were super high since everyone sounded spectacular. So I think it was a super cool selection in which everyone had their space. I felt super proud of what was chosen and that's why I think that anyone who had won would have deserved it. I also think the country was going to feel good whoever won because the music was all of a very good quality.
Benjamin: We went on the day of the final without expecting to win in the end since we went up and down in the odds every day and anyone could have gone to Eurovision.
In the betting you were always in the top 2-3 so what did you expect to win?
Benjamin: I thought it was going to be between Annabelle and Giudi so I didn't know what to expect from us since every day we went up and down in the bets.
Dominika: They mentioned us in many things that we did not want to see, since in many different pages different votes were made and depending on which one we looked, we were four or even first. So it depended a lot on the platform on which people were voting and we were very neutral because some days we thought: "Yes, it will work” but others we thought: "This is it guys, it's not going to happen."
Casper: The last 2-3 days we were most like that since every 5 minutes we changed from "we are going to get it" to "I'm not sure, we are not going to win". So being so up and down all the time it was hard for us, because the Czech team chose very strong songs and artists so that anyone could really win.
Dominika is from the Czech Republic, but Benjamin and Casper you are from Norway, right? Have you heard the 21 songs that are able to represent Norway this year at Eurovision?
Benjamin: Yes, I heard them all. And I have a favourite but I can’t remember the name.
Casper: I have a favourite as well but because she is a friend, Elsa, but her artistic name is Elsie Bay.
Benjamin: It’s the first one on the playlist that I listened to and as soon as I heard it I texted the guys “The first song is really good”.
Dominika: I haven’t got around them because when Ben sent me the Spotify playlist I had no data at the moment so, I will probably do that when I get home tomorrow, and I’m excited.
The allocation draw will be on the 25th of January, do you have any preference to act? 1st semi final, maybe 2nd?
Casper: It would actually be very cool to open the whole thing. It would be very cool beginning by saying “lights off”. Either starting it or ending it.
Benjamin: But I think there are some stats on that. I've seen people talk about it that it’s good to be in the first half or in the second half.
Casper: It would be cool ending everything, but then you watched all of them and you don’t really enjoy it because you just focus on yourself going on to the stage. And being first is performing and then sitting and watching relaxed the rest of the acts and it would also be very nice.
Your previous representative was Benny Cristo, who did several revamps of his song in 2020 before the festival was cancelled. Is this the definitive version of "Lights Off" or is it going to get a revamp as well?
All of them: “Make a gesture to say we don’t know” which we can interpret as that it could have a revamp.
Casper: Everything can be better, nothing is perfect.
I imagine that you will already be preparing yourselves musically and physically, but are you thinking of preparing yourselves mentally as well?
Dominika: For sure, that’s equally as important. No one wants me to throw up on international television.
*You will going to be remembered if you throw up on that stage*
Dominika: There you go, vote for the girl who throw up on the stage.
Casper: The first step to mentally prepare is to accept that you can’t fully prepare for it. I think every musician in the world would be somehow nervous of performing in front of such a big crowd.
Your song is called “Lights Off” so maybe you can start singing with no lights on the stage?
Dominika: Oh, for sure, but definitely we’ll have to play with the lights. Or just do the opposite and turn them all on. But it has to have a sweet light show for sure.
Benjamin: Or it doesn’t, who knows.
We wanted to say thank you to everyone in Spain listening to us ‘cause we can check the stats and Spain is actually the second country in streams after the Czech Republic. So hopefully we can come to Spain and play there.
Here you can watch the full interview with some other questions as well:
PHOTO: We Are Domi (Facebook)
Comments