In her early 20s, Alice Wonder is a viral sensation hailing from Spain, and she’s trying her chance at Benidorm Fest 2023, where she’ll compete next week for the chance to represent her country in Liverpool this next May.
Before all the craziness happens by the Mediterranean coast next week, we had a chance to speak with Alice and get her impressions about her career, musical journey, and so much more.
EurovisionFam: What were the advantages of starting your music career on Instagram? The disadvantages?
Alice Wonder: The main advantage is to reach any type of people no matter the age or the distance. I reached out to people in (the) USA or Northern Europe, I would’ve never reached any other way if it wasn’t for Instagram, and I guess the hard part or the disadvantage would be to begin a career without the “Instagram cover girl” label on your forehead (laughs).
EF: What was the hardest personal experience for you to write about?
AW: I guess it is so hard I can’t tell you about it (laughs). Life can be hard, it ain’t always about your issues or matters… it can be the suffering of the people you love the most what feels the most exhausting and most anxious part of life to deal with. But everything is a learning and a boost of growth, the hardest things boost you up the most.
EF: You are considered a breakout sensation, and your music has reached many places. Where would you like to perform if you got the chance?
AW: Well, thank you! I see myself playing anywheeeeere… to be honest. I think any part of Europe where the culture is admired by the people, or any city, small town, big town, big capital… anything is challenging and new to me, always a blessing. But I think I see myself in big places too, like emblematic theaters and halls and venues… around the globe. Yep (laughs).
EF: What was your reaction when you received the news that you were chosen for this year’s contest?
AW: I was happy! and surprised, but not too much. I just couldn’t imagine what was about to happen, I guess.
EF: What were your first memories of Eurovision, and are there any songs you like from previous contests?
AW: Well, I remember myself at my home with my family watching it like the biggest event of the year! But I stopped watching it a long time ago, I think the year Loreen won was my last year watching it. I’m happy to be a part of it, though. (It’s) really exciting and new to me. I think Euphoria, Maneskin, Chanel, and Salvador Sobral… they had pretty good songs.
EF: What was the songwriting process like?
AW: Well, most of the song “Yo Quisiera” comes from an improvisation I did in 2022. It was a tough month of many changes and news, and… well, we can say it was a hard time for me. So I stepped into my mom’s piano and I just started recording with my phone and the whole first part came up alone… it was almost like the song was trynna reach out to me… and when I presented it to Benidorm Fest, I arranged it a little bit to make it bigger for a bigger visual show. I produced it with Angel Luján and another bit with Carlos Ares, I think we made a really good team.
I wanted the song to make you feel like you’re in another time and space.. a no-gender nor trend world… out of envy, just power.. because the song talks about just wanting everything to be as it used to be, it talks about stopping the time for a bit, but not being able to do it. you just can’t change the way things were, because they made you who you are. so the second part of the song talks about just being happy and proud of who you are, because of the life you had, just forgiving yourself and being proud of being alive.
EF: When did you decide to write songs in Spanish? Will we get an English version of your Benidorm Fest song?
AW: I’ve thought about it… I’d love for this message to cross the world and cross frontiers… who knows! If people want it, I’ll make it! Writing in Spanish came along as a natural thing for me. I love my country and my language and I believe I made the right choice by doing it, but my upcoming album is in Spanish and English too, because I feel a part of the world, an artist in the globe. I hope and wish for the album to reach people from around the world that can really coexist and connect with what I’ve got inside.
EF: Finally, as we are just days away from everything taking place in Benidorm, what can we expect from you on stage?
AW: Well… I hope you don’t expect too much. Expectations aren’t really my thing or so I try (laughs). But, I guess what I would like is for people to stop for a minute, and just disconnect from this world and travel to another land, like heaven and hell all together utopia where you’re not to blame for the sins you made, and you’re welcome in any way or form you feel that you are… you know? Like a three-minute time travel to the image of heaven in the world I’ve imagined for this song.
Here you can stream her entry “Yo Quisiera”: