EWA ON CZECH TV 03/11/16.

Some great footage from Ewa's appearance on Czech TV earlier today.
She's been a busy girl in the days before the big 10th Anniversary Show in Prague.

BLESK TV MAGAZINE INTERVIEW - ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Ewa Farna: A man gave me some underwear and keys from his apartment. I was 15 years old!

She’s 23 years old but she’s been working for 10 years now. Ewa Farna started her career at 12 years old and she didn’t quit as many child stars do. She says: „I need to show people that I’m not a child anymore. I grew up.“

Right before she left to visit the United States she came to meet us, wearing a shining ring on her hand. and her Facebook name changed to Emma Chobot. Did she really get married in the US? No, she denied that. That ring is not an engagement ring and she was using that fake name on Facebook, because her profile always got blocked when she used her real name. Ewa Farna just stays miss Ewa Farna.

You’ve been working for 10 years now, which is fantastic considering your age. How would you sum up those 10 years?

It was beautiful, amazing, but sometimes hard. But if I should really sum it up shortly, I’d say it was the best school of life and a huge preparation for life that I don’t regret.

Have you ever felt like you lost your childhood for your career?

I don’t feel like I’ve lost it, it just was a little bit different. I went to three of my friend’s parties instead of ten, I went twice to have  pizza with them instead of fifteen times. That’s true, but when I think about it, I have to say life brought me much more than it took from me. That’s why I’m happy and why I want to continue doing it.

So you haven’t ever felt sorry when your friends went to a party and you couldn’t join them?

Of course I have, terribly sometimes. I even cried a few times, for example when I couldn’t attend my friend’s birthday party. I’ve always told my friend if they could plan all these events a half of a year ahead and if it could be any day but weekends (laughs). But thanks to all this I’m now more capable of organising my time. When I really want to go somewhere now, I find time for that.

Many child stars couldn’t handle the fame. Who helped you not to go crazy about it?

I didn’t find it too hard to stay grounded. I didn’t go crazy because people recognised me on the streets and because I started to earn money early. My parents helped me of course, and I always reminded myself that I’m just an ordinary person and the fact that someone yelled „I love you“ at me didn’t mean anything. It’s psychically quite hard and it can easily destroy people who don’t have the balls.  It didn’t happen to me though and hopefully never will.

You probably have the balls.

I was just raised well. (laughs) That’s really Important for me. I haven’t ever really felt the need to rebel.

Not even in puberty?

I guess I didn’t really have one. I always appreciated what my parents had to give up so I could do what I love, so I haven’t even think about rebelling against them. I haven’t got the tendency to fight them, it felt so ungrateful to be mean to them. Maybe the puberty was showing in other ways, I’m not sure. Of course there were times when my mom told me that I couldn’t go out with my friend, because my room was a mess, when I just got back from a concert with an unpacked bags. Those times I was mad that I had to go out two hours later. (laughs) But nothing serious happened. I’ve always had really good relationship with my parents, they were always by my side.

Have they always support you in your career?

Certainly yes. I don’t mean that they always pushed me somewhere and wanted to implement their unfulfilled ambitions, no. They always told me, that the most important thing is to be psychically okay and that if I don’t want to do something, then I shouldn’t do it. It wasn’t like when I got an offer from Playboy, they would go like: great, go for it, we can build a garage for the money. (laughs) It sounds ridiculous, but from what I saw in Polish X-Factor, many parents would really sell their children to anyone.

That Playboy offer really happened though, didn’t it?

It did, twice actually. One from Czech and one from Polish Playboy. First offer came right after I turned 18. And they were really surprised when I refused. One time I would like to shoot some tasteful nudes, but only for my husband. Definitely not for a magazine that anyone can buy. I’m not judging it, some of those pictures are really nice and every girl should decide that by themselves. Some of them will later show their grandchildren how hot they were when they were younger. But I’d rather show mine some pictures from the scene, instead of showing how good my boobs looked like. (laughs)

You say that your parents supported you. Have they ever discouraged you?

That moment happened too. It was right at the beginning of my career, I found some hate going on my song Měls mě vůbec rád. Back then I found out people writing some really awful things – that I won’t last long, that I should go back to Poland and much worse things that I would be ashamed of saying out loud. And I read all of this back then and I broke down. I stopped going to school, I was afraid going out and meeting people, my hands were shaking so much I couldn’t even hold a pen. So my parents said no. They meet with my manager and talked about what to do, because nothing is worth seeing their child like that.  So they forbid me to read all these things and told me that people can be mean, which I couldn’t understand. But I stopped reading it and I still don’t, it’s useless.

As you got popular and successful, you also got to make more money than most of people your age. Do you know how to handle that?

Thank God, I didn’t have to deal with it for a long time. I say thank God, because it helped me to stay on the ground. I was getting pocket money just like others. Even when I turned 18 and I could handle my money myself, I didn’t because I didn’t want to. Young person could easily go crazy because of that. My parents are both economists, so thanks to them and thanks to what I saw they were doing I kind of figured it out myself. But I also read some books about it, I wasn’t afraid to ask my parents what to do, I didn’t think about money as a unspeakable topic. In one hand you have money but in the other you have to know how to handle it. I know I’m only 22 years old, I don’t have a house or a family, I want both of these things and I need to save money for them. One day I want to not think about which butter is cheaper, I want my child to go to a great school. Sure, I’m earning money, but I still can mess it up, and I really don’t want to.

And how do you handle the fact that many people go crazy about you?

They don’t!

You may think so, but it’s unimaginable for many people. And it’s probably not always that nice.

Not always. I needed to tell a few fans that what they do is a little bit too much, I can do that. (laughs) But in general it’s really nice, I appreciate it a lot. Always when I get back from a meet up with my fans, I’m moved. Most of them is amazing and kind and I know it all wouldn't be possible without them. You can have a great team and a great voice, but if there’s no one to support you, it’s useless. But there are also some psycho fans. One man once gave me underwear and a keys from his house. I was fifteen and he around thirty-five. It was really crossing a line, but at least I have a story to tell. (laugh)

It would be too much now too, when you’re no longer fifteen years old. Do you manage to step out from the „child star“ box?

It’s hard and I’m now having a phase, when I want to tell people I’m not a child anymore, that I grew up. It’s a kind of a rebirth, transformation, but a loose one, I don’t wanna go all extreme. I don’t really like the way Miley Cyrus did it – to rebel, show yourself naked everywhere, to show people that your boobs got bigger. That’s actually very childish calling for help. I want to show people in a different way.

 Your new, grown up video clip came out recently, promoting the song Na ostří nože, and people talked about it a lot, because many famous people are starring in it, along with Jaromír Jágr…

That with Mr. Jágr was a coincidence, I texted him without knowing him personally, I didn’t even hope for it to work. I just wanted to aim high, he really fits to the theme of the song. Well, it paid off, a reply – which i still have in my phone – came, saying: Hi, great song, I like it. I’m really busy next week, but we can work it out. I was really shocked. So we shot it, which I still don’t understand, I still find it unbelievable, when I watch the clip. I’m really happy that it worked out, but I’m also happy about other guests, such as Mandrage, Tomáš Klus, Klára Vytisková, Libor Bouček, Jiří Mádl etc. It’s a clip from my dreams and I’m really proud of it.

Obviously friendship can form in show business as well. You found not only friends there, but also your boyfriends…

Yes, I did, but it’s logical, because that’s a place I spend most of my time at. So where else should I meet them?

Can you imagine having a normal student as your boyfriend?

Of course I can. Sometimes it would be probably better, because I could totally turn my head off while being at home and rest, not thinking about work. That could be great, I never wanted to date only musicians. But it always worked out that way. But it has its pros as well, because these people understand you, they know what it takes to do this kind of job, that I have to work on weekends… And they understand that it’s really a job.

What do you mean?

Many people from other spheres doesn’t understand, some of my friends ask me when finally am I getting a real job or going to study. They are taking classes, I’m shooting a photo shoot, someone does my make up, then I do interview, or doing rehearsals with my band… That’s not a job for them.

Aren’t you mad because of that?

I’m more sad actually, mostly because of my parents. Our neighbours are coming to them asking when will their daughter finally get some normal job. An hour on a stage in Saturday, you look pretty, make a lot of money, and when you sweat, you don’t smell, and then you have a week off. (laugh)

That’s what they mostly think. For many people, if you don’t sit in a office for 8 hours a day, when you don’t do what makes you happy for living, and at 5 pm you go home, then you don’t work. I don’t want to throw shade on that, I respect it, but my job looks different. And if your job will be your favourite activity, you won’t spend a day at work. That’s what I wish everybody could have.

Let’s get back to your boyfriend Martin Chobot. a guy from your band. You live together, work together…

We are together really often. In the three years we weren’t apart for more than five days. (laugh)

And you’re not getting on each other’s nerves?

Of course it’s important to manage it to not get on your nerves, in every relationship. Which is probably harder for my Martin than it is for me. (laughs). It’s amazing from me to get out off of stage, where I put out my best, and have there someone who you can share that moment with, who hugs you. Some time ago I actually felt alone – you are on the stage, people are clapping, screaming, some of them are saying that they love you… But then nothing, you are on your hotel room on your own. You can’t call your mom, it’s too late and everybody is already asleep, your friends are hundreds of kilometres away. You don’t have anyone to share all these big, unusual emotions. Now I live my private life right after work, not many days after.

Are you planning to move on? Wedding, children…

If you’re referring to this ring (pointing at her ring on her finger), than it’s definitely not an engagement one. But even if I planned something, I wouldn’t say it publicly, so… (laughs)

You say it with such a smile on your face, I would almost thing you actually are planning something!

That’s more likely because I always find it funny, how much you need to talk about these things. I’m not planning anything. And as I said – I love my job and my fans, but there are things I don’t want to share with them. 

Thanks to Tereza for the translation.

NEW COVER PIC

From Blesk TV magazine (Cze) which i believe is a TV listings magazine.

NEW COVER PIC

Joy Magazine (CZE).

INSTINCT MAGAZINE ENGLISH TRANSLATION (PART 2)

By the way, why did you leave university?

I couldn't manage to study and sing in two countries – not physically, not mentally. I was also a judge in the Czech version of Pop Idol. I had time to do concerts, but I couldn’t make any new music. Soon I wouldn’t have any new material to perform with; and what about my friends and family? Even though it was a great university, the only thing I’m going to study is the school of life. 10 years in show business taught me something so in the future I want to mainly focus on singing and business.

What business exactly?

It may sound weird, but I’m an owner of a company, which deals with everything I do. From music through advertisement, projects with my participation, such as the 10 years on scene concert, to keeping my own e-shop, charity second hand or planning future activities, which includes my dream of having my own restaurant, because I love to cook. Anyways it taught me responsibility. Now I am a boss of my own business, which is great, but at the same time everyone’s waiting for my decisions. And if they are wrong, it’s all my fault. But I have to say, that this responsibility is much more valuable to me than studying law.

You mentioned that you do concerts in both Czech Republic and Poland. What is the biggest difference between your Polish and Czech fans?

I could write a book about this topic. Long story short, polish fans got to know me when I was 15 years old through my song Cicho, When I was a young lady with high heels. Here I came to the scene being a child. And people seem to still remember me like that. Many 30-year-old feel embarrassed because they listen to my music. Some of them even come to me and say sorry. Not so long ago one 45-year-old women came to me saying that she’s a bit ashamed that such an old lady listens to me. I told her that it’s fine – no one says that my fans need to be younger than me. Besides I’m really grateful for fans with fine taste. And 45-years-old lady is not OLD!

That’s why Czech media keeps saying you are more sexy in Poland than in the Czech Republic?

Well, today they can say really anything… But well, the reason is that in Poland they are much more interested in fashion than people here. They have the world’s perspective, so when I appear on some event in clothes made by polish designer, they get excited about it and write about it well. They know how to compliment, which is nice. But when I wear the same clothes here, it’s wrong and media says that Farna doesn’t have any taste. That’s ridiculous. Plus I find it a pity wear only a black long skirts being just 22 years old. I have a lot of time for that. That’s why I like to wear controversial clothes sometimes. And that’s why I’m reconciled with the fact that I’m never going to be understood in here when it comes to fashion.

You’re Polish with Czech citizenship. Which country is closer to you?

I love the Czech Republic and I’m happy that I was born here. I have a lot of friends here, my band, my boyfriend, but I’m Polish. So when there’s a football match Czech Republic – Poland, I’m rooting for Poland. I’m openly confessing this in a Czech magazine, because I’m often being accused of saying different things to Czech and Polish media. One time some people in here even advised me not to talk too much about my Polish nationality, because I could lose part of my fans here. That I have to know how do Czech people see Polish ones!

How?

As an racketeers. But I think that comes out from stereotypes. I don’t want to defend Polish people, because when they left Poland and think, that God doesn’t see them, they are able of doing bad things. On the other hand I know that they love Czech Republic and Czech people. They love Czech humour and the way how we can make fun of ourselves. They are excited about how liberal Czech Republic is, how the country isn’t so closely connected with faith. In my opinion overlooking Polish people isn’t right. And I personally want to show Czech people, that Polish ones can be nice.

In what country do media more talk about your relationship with Martin?

I think both of them the same, because private things do interest people the most the same all over the world. A lot of people think that dating a boy from your band is a pro, but sometimes it’s a con. Sometimes it’s not easy, but it’s important to divide the personal life from work life.

That’s why your new song Na ostří nože (On a knife edge) is about relationship?

That song is about that every relationship needs to be taken care of. I had this old photo at home, portraying an old couple and it said that how’s possible, that they managed to be together for so long. Their answer was, that at their times, when something went wrong, it was being fixed, not thrown away. That’s so accurate! And when I was recently chopping something for diner, I told my boyfriend, that we have to buy a new knife, because this one is completely blunt.  And he said, what if we tried to sharpen it first? And at that moment I thought about that picture and I realised how much it says about a relationship as well. You need to take care of a relationship as well, from time to time fix something, if it gets broken. Throwing away at the first moment when things get wrong and getting a new relationship instead isn’t a solution. So every relationship needs to be sharpen just the same as the knife, only then it can work.

Being a boyfriend of such a popular singer needs to be very difficult for most men, especially, when the singer is their boss. How does your boyfriend manage that?

For now it’s fine. I’m definitely not a boss at home, I wouldn’t even want to be. I’d rather be taken care of like every other girl. But in my band I have to have the last word, because I take all the responsibility for that. And that demands a confident man who has balls. And the one I have definitely has!

INSTINCT MAGAZINE ENGLISH TRANSLATION (PART 1)

What is the first thing you see, when you look back to those 10 years on scene?

First I see a lot of work. I released 11 CD’s/DVD’s total. I managed to succeed in both the Czech Republic and Polish markets, which I consider a really huge victory. But what makes me happy the most is the fact that after those 10 years I’m still here, because when I started many people were saying that I’m going to last just one or two years. Time showed them that they were wrong, which makes me happy. I also feel that the time flew by so quickly.

Have you ever come through a time, that you wouldn’t be happy about now?

If I’ve ever been so cocky that I’d slap myself now for that? No, I don’t think that. And I owe it to my parents, because they always cared and they managed that I didn’t go all crazy. Sure, it’s amazing when hundreds of people are screaming under the stage. My horoscope sign is Leo, so it pleases me to be in the middle of this kind of attention and I’ve always enjoyed that. In the other hand i knew that when fans say „I love you“, it’s not real. They don’t know me personally, they are my fans, not my boyfriend. Only he knows me, knows my flaws and truly loves me, even when I’m not in the mood or hungry. So at these times I’ve always said to myself: „Calm down! What’s happening today doesn’t have to happen in a few years.“

Did you realise that while being in puberty?

It’s probably weird, but I’m convinced, I haven’t been in puberty yet. I’ve never got sick of my parents, they never annoyed me. I’ve never been in a conflict with them, because I’ve always realised that they had to have limited lives because of me. My dad drove me to every concert while my mom stayed home with my siblings. And one time they became „the parents of Ewa Farna“, which changed their lives. Plus I’ve always been in other places, so I could appreciate being back home. Unlike other teenagers I’ve never wanted to leave the house as soon as possible.

What did those 10 years in showbiz give you?

I’ve learned that there are concerts, projects and songs, that go great, and also those ones, that just don’t work. But the important thing is to not go crazy. Music career is a rollercoaster. At the age of 12 you can be on the top, because you have a hit song, at 15 you can drop a bit lower, because you happen to not have a hit song, at 18 you can find yourself at the bottom, because you’re writing a song that is – in your opinion – really great and personal, but radio doesn’t want to play it, and at 22 you can be on the top again, because radio decides to play your new song. It’s a lot of pressure, and it’s hard to try not to break.

What on the other hand did those 10 years take away from you?

It took away from  my anonymity and privacy. It also took away some people. I’m definitely not saying that I didn’t have any childhood, I had and I enjoyed it, but in a different way. My student life would be different, I would have different friends. I’ve always got on well more with older people, who work just like me. Sometimes I actually feel like a young-old.

In what sense?

In music. It gets harder and harder to be  authentic to your listeners. I’ve been working since I was really young, but I couldn’t sing to my 15 year old listeners about taxes. Not that I’ve wanted to sing about taxes, there’s just a difference between studying and already working. I’m trying to sing about general topics and problems, such as problems with love, friends, every day things or gaining weight.

That’s why you released a single called „Mám boky jako skříň“ (a cover version of All about that base from Meghan Trainor with funny Czech lyrics, that mean basically the same as the cover; the exact translation is:  Hips like a cupboard, where you make fun of your own body?

That was a coincidence! One night I went to an event, where composers play their new things and copywriters sing their lyrics. I was hoping I could find some new copywriters there. My friend Patricie started to sing Mám boky jako skříň there. I told her that it was brilliant, funny and I could relate to it but it can’t be her who can sing that song. It has to be someone with curves, someone who has the balls to sing it. So I sang it, because I have the hips.

One must have a perspective to do such thing…

I think I have perspective. But one can have all the perspective in the world, but if media keeps writing only how many weight did that person gain or lose, or how awful that person looks in that dress, one starts to feel, that the music, which is the cause of popularity, no longer matters. Plus reading about myself how bad I look all the time is really tough for me. But I won’t give up and that’s why I sang Patricie’s great lyrics. I wanted to say, what I think about my hips, and shut everyone’s mouth.

And did you succeed?

In one hand definitely. With Patricie and my boyfriend we shot a videoclip. It was all meant to be only for fun, but radio started to play the song and it became a hit that my fans want me to sing on every concert. It delivered confidence to many girls. They keep coming to me after concerts and saying, how much it helps them in the world where they only see photo shopped models as a beauty ideal. They are saying, that I gave them a reason not to be ashamed of their weight. Some of them also said that I changed their lives, which is nice.

And on the other hand?

In the other hand the song became such a huge hit, that the original authors noticed it and they didn’t like it. They rejected our request to release the song as official. That means that you can watch the clip on YouTube, but not on my official channel. I can sing the song on concerts, but not in the national TV or put it on a CD. I don’t get it – they would get money from it. Anyways, they made their decision and there’s nothing I cant do about it.

Thanks to Tereza for the translation.

NEW COVER PIC

From Instinkt Magazine (Cze).