EUROVISION ADDICT: Andy Roda: "Love is love" is a song with a deeper spiritual meaning to me

Photo: Salva Mirisola

Now we are going to Denmark for the 1st DMGP interview! Here are the answers of ANDY RODA:
Name: Andy Roda
Birthday: March 11 - I’m a Pisces :)
Height: 173’ish
Favorite color: The pastel green color you see, when looking through the water on a white tropical beach.
Favourite food: Asian and Italian
Shoe size: 41
Eye color: Dark brown / black
Where are you right now? In my home in Kreuzberg, Berlin
3 things that makes you happy: Music, inspiring people, ideas coming to life!
What’s your strangest talent? I can form a three clover with my tongue
Home alone and you are bored. What do you do? I’m super curious - always. So I always seek knowledge whether it is music related or not, and research online. I’m usually never bored, I try to stay aligned and focused everyday, and thereby get the best out of everyday, and thereby of life in general.
What is the strangest thing you have in your room? Right now, a mosquito spray. A fews weeks ago I heard a mosquito buzzing DURING THE NIGHT. Mind you it’s WINTER!!! Arghhh!!!
What are you really good at? Connecting and communicating with other people. Through song and speech.
What are you really bad at? Flawless baby! Hahahahah. Kiddin. The worst thing I do to myself sometimes, is being too hard on myself. We should all be “our best friend” towards ourselves. That is really a life lesson to master. When you’re in complete alignment with yourself, and truly loving yourself, YOU CAN MOVE MOUNTAINS!
Childhood idol: Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson
Childhood memory: Singing at church and parties, entertaining and touching people through my voice and music.
Tell me something no one knows about you: Hmmm…then everybody would suddenly know! LOL Well, I lived many years in New York City and was an eye witness experiencing 9/11 happen from the rooftop, only 4 blocks away from the World Trade Center! While running up Broadway with thousands of people, and while the towers were falling down, I thought to myself, if I can live through this, there is nothing that I can’t do in life! Amidst a chaotic and tragic experience, I found silence and strength within, and felt in my core, how BLESSED I AM TO LIVE THIS LIFE. At this moment in time.
What would you do if you were invisible? I would find the people who inspire me, and be around them while they are creating or having inspiring, creative and productive meetings. A creative meeting with people like Oprah, Steven Spielberg, Donald trump, my sound engineer idol Dave Pensado, producers like Pharrell Williams, Max Martin, in rehearsals with musicians like Kim Burrell, The Clarks Sisters, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Prince, Janet Jackson, inside the creative chambers of Apple, Disney, Pixar.
Craziest thing you've ever done: It would be to FOLLOW MY HEART (intuition). It has always brought me through crazy, exciting, life affirming and amazing life adventures! It’s what "FEELING ALIVE" truly means! :)
Favorite movie: Hmm…I have several, but one that just popped into my mind is: E.T
Favorite TV series: I don’t watch much TV, so am quite behind with the latest releases. I am a nerd for Discovery Channel’s PLANET EARTH and many of their documentaries. I love many of the docs on Oprah’s network. The most recent fiction series I’ve watched are Orange Is The New Black, and Scandal.
Tell me a super power you wish you had: I’d love to be able to fly. I often have FLYING DREAMS! :)
What's your favorite part of your body? Hmm…I don’t really have any favorite. In the end, they all work together in perfect harmony. One can’t be without the other. But what I value most is my MIND and HEART/GUT FEELING.
What is your guilty pleasure? Chocolate and sweets!
Name a song that never fails to make you happy: Whitney Houston’s version of I LOVE THE LORD - A gospel song by Richard Smallwood.
If you were a product, how would you sell yourself? Andy Roda is a true testimony that you can "live the dream". He’ll move you with his vocals and music, but more poignantly with his inspiring message that YOU TRULY ARE THE CREATOR OF YOUR LIFE. A testimony that if he can do it, YOU can live out your dreams and fullest potential too!
When did you start singing and writing? I started singing and playing the piano at the age of 5-6. My parents say I was already singing when I could talk. I wrote my first song around 10-11 years old.
Can you teach me some interesting words in danish? Hej, jeg hedder…(insert name). Jeg elsker ANDY RODA og hans sang “LOVE IS LOVE”. Det er vindersangen! Or….simply, må jeg bestille en øl?! LOL

Photo: Scuderi

Hello Andy! How are you?
I’m great thank you

How would you describe yourself as an artist?
I am a singer, songwriter, producer (engineer) and visionary. I reflect on life, and therefore write and sing about life. I grew up singing in church, so my aim is to spread the good news about LOVE, and to inspire others to follow their dreams and live YOUR LIFE to the fullest.

Photo: Salva Mirisola

You are one of the participants of DMGP 2015, how did it all begin?
I was part of the experience three years in a row, singing backup. The network asked me several years in a row, but when LOVE IS LOVE came to be last Summer, through the magical reunion of my longtime friend Maria H Jensen and I, and the fact that I found new love, it all was a beautiful expression of LIFE, which came together in this song. I had been working on finishing my new album (out soon) so the moment we wrote LOVE IS LOVE, I just KNEW that I was ready, and NOW was the perfect divine moment to share my song and message with Eurovision and the World too.

Photo: DR

"Love is love" is the title of your song and its written by you and Maria H. Jensen. How was it working with her?
It was so much fun. One of the best collaborations ever. Effortless, inspired, lots of laughter, good food and wine. Always mind opening. On a deeper level, we both have elevated through this process.

Whats the story behind the song?
It’s a culmination of many things. But the most poignant one, is that I met love (again). To be able to wake up next to the person you adore in life, is a GIFT. I want everyone to experience this. Love is not always easy to find, so when you do, you want everyone to feel this LIFE FORCE move through you! Love is what we all come from. It’s the Source behind everything, and therefore it’s what connects us all. It’s a song with a deeper spiritual meaning to me, which is why this is the PERFECT song to share on such a huge platform, because at the end of your life, this will be the most important thing you’ll remember. The love YOU SHARED and the LOVE YOU RECEIVED.

Describe the song with 4 words:
THE. ESSENCE. OF. LIFE.

What can we expect to see on stage for the performance?
A beautiful poetic performance, with lots of intimacy and grandeur. Some of the best singers in Denmark supporting me. In perfect Eurovision style!

Photo: Salva Mirisola

Have you heard any of the other participants?
No. I have chosen to stay out of the “competition” mindset, and stay focused. I think it's like the Olympic sprinter who is about to run the 100m. His task is to leave the outside world, stay focused on the goal, and perform to the best of his ability.

What do you like about Eurovision?
I love that it’s a celebration of life through music. It’s a WORLD COMMUNITY experience.

What do you dislike about Eurovision?
The competition part is reductive. I understand the mechanisms, however in the arts you cannot compete.

Tell me the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word:
Fire: Passion
Dancing: Expression
Fear: Resistance
Pizza: Pepperoni
Nightmare: Signs of what you’re dealing with in your awake state.
Clones: Doubles
Nudity: Natural
Germany: Berlin - where I live
Dreams: The force that moves us all forward.

Photo: Salva Mirisola

What are your plans for 2015?
Sharing my voice, love for music, my message with people. Touring the world with LOVE IS LOVE and my new album. Experiencing beautify adventures, connecting with and inspiring people on my journey, to find their true calling, and live it out to the fullest ;)

Is there anything you want to say to close the interview?
I would like to congratulate all the other contestants and wish us ALL well. This is a celebration of our gifts, so I thank everyone listening - for allowing me to share my message of love.
May it bless your heart and may the fact that I am living out a dream of mine, on stage, inspire YOU all to live our YOUR dream. As my song says: "LOVE IS LOVE, NO ONE CAN JUDGE US, JUST FOLLOW YOUR HEART AND REMEMBER WE ONLY GOT ONE LIFE TO LIVE!"