Merili Varik: ‘I would be proud of Estonia if we recognise Catalonia the day of its independence’

  • Interview with the singer of 'It's time', a song that incorporates sentences in catalan

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07.09.2014 - 06:00

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It’s Time is a song by Estonian Meril Varik in support of the independence of Catalonia. Is a version of the original and incorporates sentences in Catalan In the video, she appears with an ‘estelada’ (flag typically flown by Catalan separatists) in her hand. His relationship with Catalonia began years ago after discovering Barcelona on television. He participated in the Catalonia National Day on 2012 and she will take part on giant V on 11th September.

—What kind of relation do you have with Catalonia?

—My love for Catalonia started when I was 9 years old. It was 1992 when I was able to see the Barcelona Olympic Games on a black and white TV. Thanks to this we were given lots of information about Barcelona and for some reason I felt an immediate connection, so I started to look for more information about this city. I found some books with pictures about Barcelona and it seemed to me like a fairytale city. The song “Barcelona” sang by Montserrat Caballé and Freddy Mercury became my favorite. I said to my mom: “When I grow up I will be a singer and I will move to Barcelona”.

During the years, I found out about the history and situation between Catalonia and Spain so, 13 years later when I made my first trip to Barcelona I knew exactly where I was traveling. It was many years after my first trip that I came back to Catalonia again and I found inspiration and love, things that I had lost for many years.

Why an estonian woman dedicates a song to Catalonia?

—I feel that in my soul, I am an Estonian, but my heart belongs to Catalonia. So, during many years I put my soul in my songs to sing for Estonia, the country that has been giving me so much. Now I feel that it’s time to sing from the bottom of my heart for Catalonia, my second home and a country that also has been giving me so much. Music is my way to be grateful and to give back at least a small part of love and happiness that I have been receiving.

What is the purpose of this song?

—In Estonia we have had our freedom for only 23 years. But it seems to me that in our everyday life we have forgotten how grateful and happy we should be every day for having our independence and to be able to choose what to think, how to live, how to speak, what to decide, etc. When I came to Catalonia I saw how passionate people are about the independence process. This reminded me how we, the Estonians, felt exactly in the beginning of the 90’s.
Then I started to understand that I have to do something not to forget where I come from and to use every opportunity that I have to pay at least a little bit of attention to the Catalan independence process and to remind the Estonians how we felt before.
 
Many people in Estonia don’t know about the Catalan Independence process because the news that we receive do not talk about it. So many of my Estonian friends are surprised to find out what exactly is going on in Catalonia and they also give their support. So with this song I want to let the Catalans know that in Estonia many people support them. I would like my government to support the Catalan Independence process because we were asking this ourselves to other countries just a very short time ago. I would be very proud of Estonia if we are the first ones in recognizing Catalonia the day of the independence.

You were six years old, more or less, at 1989, the year of the Baltic Way. Did you take part of it?

—I was in the Baltic Chain with my mom but unfortunately I don’t remember much. But what I will never forget was the day in 1991 when soviet tanks made the last attempt to take over our TV tower. We were watching this on TV and I will never forget the faces of my mom and grandmother. They were totally pale and full of fear and I remember that it scared me so much that I started to cry. Nobody should live with this kind of fear. People generally were very strong, hopeful and united. We were singing for freedom. Little by little the fear became happiness.

We did the Catalan Way last year. What would you tell to the catalans who fight to vote and to achieve independence?

—Unfortunately, I couldn’t participate in the Catalan Way last year. But I am so happy to be able to go this year in the V in the zone 55. I was in the big demonstration for the Diada of 2012. I felt a really powerful and emotional feeling. And this is also what I want to tell the Catalans: hold on of this power and determination inside you to say yes and yes in the 9-N. Catalonia will be what the Catalans want and nobody can’t decide for you. The future is now and no matter what, never ever give up. Everything is possible. It’s time.

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