source: Privé date: 16 April 2004 Songfestival duo is ready for IstanbulWithin a few weeks time Re-union will represent The Netherlands the Eurovision Song contest in Turkey. To get them used with the Turkish culture and it’s population, Privé showed Paul and Fabrizio the most beautiful places around Istanbul.Re-union is ready for Istanbul, but the Turkish capital isn’t ready for Paul (25) and Fabrizio (24) and the other contestants of the Eurovision Song contest! Currently people are working to finish the arena in time as the semifinals starts on May 12. The shivers starts as soon as the Corendon plane lands on Istanbul. The city where Paul and Fabrizio has to convince Europe their musical capability. The lads stay in the luxury Pera Palas Hotel. It’s a hotel with a long history. Once it had been for travellers of the Oriental Expres, who travelled from Paris to Istanbul. Many famous people stayed in the hotel like Mata Hari, Jackie Kennedu and Agatha Christie. Paul is astonished by the luxury interior of the hotel. ‘I can’t believe my eyes. This old fashion style is beautiful. For example the old elevator dated from 1892, which still works, is unique. Don’t forget I’m from a Dutch village where we don’t have this kind of style. I’m from an ordinary workingclass family. My father works at a bank and my mother works in an elderly house. We weren’t poor or whatever but we didn’t have much luxury either. It wasn’t necessary. But it’s fun to experience the luxury now. Unfortunately I’m not able to share this luxury with others, because it’s difficult to explain in words. Big love At a young age Paul began to sing in the local youth choir. That’s where he developed his love for music. From the moment he got caught by music he started to enter talentscouts, perform with bands, was a backvocalist , as long as he could make music. Now he represents with Fabrizio The Netherlands in the Eurovision Songcontest in Istanbul! Lots have changed in a short period. Girls fall in love with him. In a sudden Paul became a womanizer. What’s the background story of his love life? Is he in a relationship? For the first time he talks about his love life. ‘I have had a bad experience so I prefer not talking about it. Two years a go I was totally in love with a fantastic girl. She loved me back. The annoying part was she had already a boyfriend. She promised me to break up with him because she wanted to continue with me. Because of that my hope increased. But she actaully never broke up her realationship with the other guy. Somehow she wasn’t able to. Eventually I quit. That was really difficult for me, because I loved her too deeply. I’ve been put off for a year until recently I’m feeling much better. To me she was my big love and in my opinion she left me on my own. From now on I get into a relationship if I’m sure it’s love from both sides. Surely I’m open for new relationships. Of course I see all my friends who are married or already have a child. I want that too! It looks nice to have someone who waits for you when you come back home. Someone with whom you can talk to if you come back home late in the evening. What my kind of lady is? As long as she is sweet and has beautiful eyes. Someday I’ll meet her, because I would love to get married and start a family.’ Second place For three years Fabrizio is in a relationship wih Linda. A beautiful lady who is in the music business as well. Yet she’s in the second place now. The Sicilian born singer/guitarist has chosen to focus on the Eurovision Song contest. Even love is put aside. ‘For the time being I won’t settle down with Linda. I’ve chosen purposely to live with Ed and Angeline van Otterdijk. They do everything for us. They write our music and manage our business. Paul also lives with them, that’s better for our career. My girlfriend understands, thankfully. I see her few times a week. She take cares of our dog and rabbit. When the Eurovision Songcontest has ended we will look for a home nearby Eindhoven. That’s what we want. Italian people love big family! Paul comprehends that some people don’t understand that he lives with Ed and Angeline. ‘Those people don’t understand. In the first place my parents didn’t either. They didn’t know the people who offered me a room. At that moment I studied for landscape gardener. They expected me to earn my living being a landscape gardener. When I changed my plans, they found it strange. But after an acquaintance dinner with Ed and Angeline they were convinced of the plans. They completely understood Ed and Angeline wanted the best with me. Also the views among my friends are not one. Some of them don’t understand me staying with Ed and Angeline is much better for my career.’ Crying When he was a teenager Fabrizio moved house from Sicily to Belgium. From one day to the other he lived far away from his family and friends. His grandma stayed in Sicily. It wasn’t easy for him. ‘I understand my parents’ decision for moving to Belgium. We needed money. In Italy it wasn’t longer possible as a musician. Most of the time I was alone in my bedroom crying. My friends were in Sicily and I had the feeling I had lost everything and everyone. Eventually I was able to live my life again. As a little boy I’ve played on my father’s guitar. It’s him who taught to play the guitar. In Belgium me, my father and my brother played music in restaurants. We earned a lot of money.’ Business went well so that Fabrizio was able to start off a café in the Belgian Maasmechelen. Because of his perseverance the business went well. Since the Eurovision Songcontest Fabrizio hardly has time for his café. I gave the café to my brother on the condition that he has to put as much love and as I had done. He certainly may not sell the café. It was quite hard to give it away it felt like giving away my child. In a way the café was my child. I’m very proud of it. Thankfully my brother keeps his promiss, because the business is doing well.’ Nausea The lads of Re-union had a great time in Istanbul. They were able to relax after the hectic in The Netherlands. Privé treated the lads with a couple of typical Turkish habits. Early in the morning they were taken by Ramazan Karakus. In the old fashioned way they were shaved so that their skin was smoothly. Afterwards they got a treatment in the 300 years old bathhouse Cagaloglu Hamami, that had been recently visited by Omar Sharif. The day was ended with a Turkish waterpipe. Paul began to laugh when he thinks back of that day. ‘Fabrizio won’t forget the waterpipe. As a real Italian he can handle everything. At least he says so. Usually he doesn’t smoke but the waterpipe tasted too good. It was an apple-tabacco what got a special taste by the smoke and water. Fabrizio kept on sucking the waterpipe. He loved it very much. Until his face became paler during the bustrip. He became nausea and had to vomit.’ CLOSE WINDOW |
