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Eva Avila Interview

November 8, 2006 - Canadian Football League (CFL) News Release


Toronto, ON (November 8, 2006) - Eva Avila, the fast-rising Quebec star who won the 2006 Canadian Idol contest, has been chosen by the Canadian Football League to sing the national anthem at this year's Grey Cup, Nov. 19 at Winnipeg 's Canad Inns Stadium. In a wide-ranging interview, the 19-year-old singer gives fans an insight into her astonishing success, coming to Winnipeg for the first time, the appeal of Nelly Furtado (who will be the feature performer in the Rogers Grey Cup Halftime Show), seeing the Grey Cup for the first time, learning to throw a football, her new CD, Grey Cup apparel and partying at the Canadian Football League's signature event.

Q: You've won the Canadian Idol this year, been signed as a model with the Ford Agency, will be launching a CD on Nov. 14 and now you're signing the national anthem at the 2006 Grey Cup in Winnipeg. Are you overwhelmed by it all?

A: It sometimes seems like a lot of things are coming at me at the same time, but I love it because I have been working toward the dream of recording and releasing an album my entire life. The other things that are coming along with it are also fantastic, and I am grateful for it all.

Q: You've sung the national anthem at an Ottawa Senators game and a Toronto Maple Leafs game. What will be different about singing it at the Grey Cup?

A: It's exciting to be singing in front of such a huge, live audience and a national TV audience. I will probably be a bit nervous beforehand, but it's going to be great.

Q: From a singer's point of view, what are the challenges about singing the national anthem, particularly in an outdoor venue?

A: I sang outside at Winterlude in Gatineau, so I am used to singing in the cold! Technically, it is a bit harder singing in the cold because it tightens your vocal chords. But I am so excited to be at the Grey Cup. I am sure I won't have a problem keeping them warm! The excitement and my awesome new winter coat will be enough to protect me.

Q: Have you had a chance to visit Winnipeg before and do you know much about the city?

A: No, I haven't been there before. However, I have worked with a lot of people from the city and they all say great things so I am really looking forward to being able to see for myself what it is all about.

Q: Nelly Furtado will be the feature performer in the Rogers 2006 Grey Cup Halftime Show and you've listed her as one of your idols. What makes her so appealing?

A: I think the word that best describes her is authentic. I think it is gutsy how she is not afraid to change her style or embrace her cultural background.

Q: How much of an influence has she had on your current CD?

A: I love Nelly as an artist, but my new CD will only be representative of one person and that's "Eva." I can't wait for my fans to get a chance to hear it when it is released on November 14th!

Q: Do you have a favourite player in the Canadian Football League?

A: I don't follow sports closely enough to have favourite players, but I am so incredibly excited to be a part of this game. I have heard so much about what a big event the Grey Cup is and I can't wait to get there and join in the party!

Q: You posed next to the Grey Cup during a promotional shoot for the big game. What's your impression of the trophy?

A: Sitting next to the Grey Cup was pretty great. You could really sense the history behind it and I actually thought it was going to be pretty heavy but I tried to lift it up and it was only 14 pounds. It was quite an honour to be sitting next to it - and I know everybody at home must be pretty jealous, ha, ha.

Q: You had a chance to throw around the official Wilson Grey Cup football. What do you think of the ball and have you ever thrown a football?

A: It feels very intense, my new little friend. It was pretty cool actually (throwing it). It was fun. I always want to get better at everything I do, not just artistically speaking. I tried to learn a bit of basketball and I'm getting better, but I've never really held a football, honestly, but just trying to learn how to throw it, it felt really cool. I want to get better at throwing it, but I'm never going to be a professional football player obviously. But it's a lot of fun throwing it. I'm taking one of these home with me, so it's going to be a great souvenir of the Grey Cup. I can't wait.

Q: Tell us more about the CD and what should fans expect?

A: It's going to be very diverse. It's like a big combo of many styles that I love, including a couple of Latino beats, a couple of Motown, soulful sounds and I have two beautiful ballads as well. My next single is I Owe It All To You, which is, I think, my favourite on the album and I'm shooting the video on Friday, which is very exciting. Yes, it's going to a very Eva album. Cyndi Lauper wrote and produced a song, This Kind of Love.

Q: The CD is titled Somewhere Else, what's the meaning behind that?

A: It took me a while to figure out a title. It's not very easy. Somewhere else can mean anything at the same time. My life has taken place somewhere else, my dream is coming true and when I'm singing I'm in my own zone - in my own zone - I feel like somewhere else; I can be transported anywhere I want. It's kind of a very abstract meaning, but it makes sense in my head. I just hope everybody gets it. It was my idea. I had to come up with many titles and it was not an easy choice because it had to representative of the album and my lifestyle and my ever-changing, crazy life.

Q: How many songs are on the CD?

A: Thirteen, my lucky number.

Q: That seems like a lot of tracks considering you did it in less than eight weeks?

A: I don't know a lot of albums with 13 songs on it, but it was either 12 or 14 and I thought why not 13? I had listed all the songs that I wanted on the album. We recorded like 19 songs in total. There's not usually 13 songs on an album, but I said, 'Yeah, but that's my lucky number.' I came up with 13 in elementary school. My ID number as a student was 13 throughout all of elementary school.

Q: Did you know that Anthony Calvillo, the starting quarterback for the Montreal Alouettes, wears number 13?

A: Really, there you go. Cool. I could be Anthony Calvillo's good-luck charm.

Q: You had a chance to wear a Grey Cup jersey. What's your opinion of the logo and design?

A: I love it. It's comfortable and it's got a lot of bright colours and I think it's very memorable as a logo.


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Canadian Football League Stories from November 8, 2006


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