Laura Groeseneken, also known as SENNEK, will present her native Belgium at the Eurovision Song Contest 2018. She is a performer, songwriter, musical teacher and a keybordist. "A Matter of Time" is the song that will be heard in Lisbon, and it is already revered by the fans of the contest. What the performer shared with our site can be seen in our interview with her.
How do you feel as the Belgian representative at Eurovison 2018?
It’s all very exciting. I’m grateful for this opportunity and I hope I can make Belgium proud. I’ve been preparing and practicing a lot, and I can feel the support of everyone so that’s really nice.
Tell us more about your song.
Well, my song is called A Matter Of Time and I wrote it together with Alex Callier from the Belgian band Hooverphonic and the Parisian based producer Maxime Tribeche. A Matter Of Time is about being able to see beauty in things that are fleeting. The tension of watching something precious slip away and finding the beauty and that.
How did you come up with the idea for it?
The inspiration for the song is quite a funny anecdote: I was with Alex Callier in the studio and he had just made me some tea. But while he was getting it ready, the elegant glass teapot suddenly broke. That was a special moment. The next day, we came up with the first words of the song: “Sometimes it feels like it’s meant to be broken”. That's why we also included the glass teapot in the video. I saw the beauty in this broken thing.
Are there any other artists who inspired the sound of "A Matter of Time"?
I love Zero 7, Massive Attack, Goldfrapp, Adele, Portishead and am influenced by them in many ways.
Belgium is one of the most successful countries in recent years. Does this add any pressure on you or you are even more motivated?
Of course I feel pressure, the previous contestants did so well! I really loved their performances. But I think it’s a good kind of pressure, that will make me perform even better on stage.
What is your favorite song from your country?
I really like Blanche’s song from last year. We’ve met each other a few times these past months, which was great as well.
Who is Laura? What are you like? How do you spend your free time?
Well, I work as a visual merchandiser at IKEA, and I start and end my day by doing Vinyasa Yoga on my yoga mat at home. I learned it from my sister. For me, it's mainly a way to relax.
How did you decide that you want to take part in Eurovison? What was your reaction when you got chosen?
I was asked by our public broadcaster VRT to represent Belgium this year. It was a surprise for me to be asked but also an honor. Apparently, they had been following my music career for a while now. I didn’t say yes to it right away, because this is a big deal and I wanted to think I through. I’m very happy that I accepted and I hope to make Belgium proud.
What is A matter of time for you?
Life in general, everything is temporary.
What can we expect from your performance in Lisbon? Can you reveal anything about it for us?
I really can’t reveal anything yet, only that we are doing our very best to create an act that will match the song perfectly. To see what it is, you will have to wait a bit longer. 😉
Hear SENNEK's "A Matter Of Time" here:
Photo by VRT/Marie Wynants