Video: 13 IES Schools Competed In Eurovision Inspired Contest
Singing in Spanish helped Emilia Söderlund (above, centre, with her teacher Mr Vary and her mother) from Internationella Engelska Skolan Johanneberg to win a language and music competition for IES schools.
Each year schools compete in a Eurovision-inspired contest, which sees students sing in languages other than English or Swedish.
This year 13 schools took part in the competition at IES Sundsvall – who hosted because they won the competition last year, in true Eurovision style.
Those competing sang in French, German and Spanish, in front of hundreds of students, and a jury made up of language and music teachers, at Tonhallen in Sundsvall.
Video of the winner's reprise: Emilia Söderlund from IES Johanneberg
After a tense judging process considered the linguistic and musical talents of the very strong entries this year, Mr Brisson, principal of IES Sundsvall, announced the results.
While Emilia took first prize, a team from IES Eskilstuna (left), made up of Tamara Abood, Farah Mouhi, Eira Ankarfjärd and Darian Mather came second, while Cecilia Nilsson from IES Lund (below, right) came third.
Other schools who made the journey to Sundsvall to take part in this year’s contest included IES Bromma, Huddinge, Kista, Landskrona, Liljeholmen, Tyresö, Täby, Västerås and Årsta.
After performing David DeMaría song Cada Vez Que Estoy Sin Ti and receiving her trophy Emilia told the audience: "Thank you so much, I did not think I was going to win since there are so many talented people here and they were really great. Give them applause, please.”
After she left the stage she added: “I am grateful that I had this chance today, and I want to thank everyone, but especially my Spanish teacher Señor Rios, my music teacher Mr Duckworth, Mr Vary for coming with me, and my parents for being there with me and supporting me.
"This was my first time taking part in Eurovision, it was exciting but then I heard the other schools singing and they were so good, so I got nervous, but it was exciting.
"When I heard the winner announced, I said ‘well, that’s me’. I thought that Sundsvall would win again because I think she was really good and deserved to win.
"I have been studying Spanish for three years. I would not have believed three years ago that I could win today, but my music teacher told me that I should be here and he helped me, and here I am.”
Emilia’s victory means that next year the contest will be hosted by IES Johanneberg. She gave advice for all students thinking of taking part: “Believe in yourself, do what you like to do, and do not worry about what others think."
