They may not have made it to Eurovision 2022—and even gotten shut for that matter—however Up Hill 7 has a much bigger level to show.
Based mostly within the tiny Lithuanian village of Pabradė, house to only 6,000 individuals, the six-person pop band is shaped of people from Afghanistan, Lithuania, Belarus and Sri Lanka.
This 12 months Up Hill 7 needed to affix the likes of ABBA and Celine Dion, and attend Europe’s worldwide songwriting competitors Eurovision.
'Why not Eurovision!'
In what the band hoped was a musical first, their proposed Eurovision 2022 entry was sung in English, Dari and Lithuanian, though lead singer Abdullah Qiam admits he cannot but communicate the Baltic language.
“You will need to present variety in our tune,” Abdullah instructed Euronews. “Which you can mash up western and jap languages, jap kinds and western music, all of it collectively and create one thing distinctive. I imply, are there every other musicians like this?
“Properly, a minimum of, I hope not anyway,” he added with a smile.
Their tune, which didn't make it by way of to the second spherical to signify Lithuania in Eurovision 2022, is about freedom.
Abdullah, who got here to Lithuania from Afghanistan as a refugee, defined the tune was influenced by his private experiences and the tales of different individuals he’d heard on the best way to Europe.
Nonetheless, Abdullah didn't wish to dwell on facets of his private life.
“I wish to be handled like everybody else,” he mentioned.
Extra vital for the band was that the tune had common attraction. “We tried to jot down it in a method that anybody, anyhow might relate to it,” mentioned Abdullah. “Everybody of their life has been by way of one thing the place their freedom is taken away.”
'It is fascinating for the individuals of Europe to see one thing totally different'
Watched by greater than 180 million individuals in 36 totally different nations, Up Hill 7 thought that Eurovision 2022 can be an ideal platform to unfold a constructive message, in addition to publicise their band.
“What we wish to present is that folks from totally different backgrounds can come collectively, cooperate, reside effectively and create one thing stunning,” mentioned Abdullah. “That is vital as a result of we reside within the twenty first century.”
“The world is turning into extra various. Discrimination and hatred shouldn't exist,” he continued.
However the band had different goals too. “Some cash and fame can be good too,” laughed drummer Navadharshan Navaratnam. “All the things is vital to us,” he mentioned, “each the message and our success.”
Initially from Sri Lanka, Navadharshan has referred to as Lithuania house for the previous 4 years, after fleeing an unsafe state of affairs in his house nation.
“I by no means deliberate a vacation spot after I left,” he mentioned. “However that is the place I've ended up.”
'Regionally we've a lot assist'
United by a love of music, Up Hill 7 was shaped just one 12 months in the past by way of a sequence of likelihood encounters.
After spontaneously jamming collectively at a bar, the band started taking part in small reveals in native venues, choosing up members alongside the best way, ultimately progressing onto larger phases.
“And we rocked it,” mentioned Abdullah.
A number of members of the band, particularly these from overseas, mentioned these gigs have helped them combine into the neighborhood of Pabradė.
An organisation that has labored intently with Up Hill 7 is Artscape, an NGO aiming to advertise public tolerance of third-country nationals by way of revolutionary artwork initiatives.
“Even in these tough instances, the band is perceived very effectively within the space,” mentioned Artscape coordinator Aušra Raulušonytė. “No celebration is imagined with out them.”
Alongside its musical exploits, Up Hill 7 works with migrant communities in Lithuania, internet hosting music workshops and taking part in at fundraising occasions.
“I'd describe their music as glocal, as a mixture of world and native,” added Aušra. “They're firmly rooted on this small city, but on the similar time attempting to carry totally different cultures collectively.”
An alternate perspective on migration
Whereas the band pressured they didn't wish to be politicised in any method, others who knew them mentioned their existence was massively vital, particularly in a society the place migration was not that frequent previously.
“There's a lot cool stuff there,” mentioned Luke Milker, who helped Up Hill 7 produce their Eurovision observe professional bono. “We needed to create some constructive outlook on migration, every part within the information is so unfavorable about refugees in Lithuania.
“You will need to provide an alternate perspective,” he added.
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