The people you should trust most are your parents, Malta's Eurovision starlet Thea Garrett said yesterday, as she was asked about the legal wrangling back home.
"When an experience like this comes along, you should not let anything bring you down. This sort of opportunity goes by so fast... The last thing I want is to feel I didn't live it to the full."
The 18-year-old singer left for Oslo with an €18,000 garnishee order over her head, after music entrepreneur and former Eurosong chairman Grace Borg alleged that a management contract signed before the local contest was being breached.
Thea confessed there were moments when she felt bruised because of what was going on and was about to let everything slip away. But then, she decided to keep chasing her dream.
"Don't let anyone blind you. The people you should trust most are your parents. Don't let anyone come in between."
Thea spoke to The Sunday Times yesterday after having slept through the afternoon, on her first day of relaxation after a busy week of rehearsals, interviews and Eurovision-related activities.
But Thea is a firm believer in working hard and playing harder, and she claimed she has already earned the title of 'Queen of Euroclub', since she is always the one to get the party started at the nightclub dedicated to those with Eurovision accreditation.
But yesterday was particularly special because she got the chance to perform one of her favourite songs with the Polish representative Marcin Mrozinski.
Thea, who loves musical theatre and especially enjoys singing songs from Phantom of the Opera, sang All I Ask of You during Poland's Eurovision party, as a duet with Marcin.
Tomorrow is another big day, not only because she has her final rehearsals before Tuesday's semi-final but because her parents and friends will be flying to Oslo to support her.
Thea's chances of qualifying for the final with her song My Dream are still in the balance, with most betting firms predicting she will place between 10th and 13th place. She needs to place in the top 10 out of 17 countries to qualify.
Facts and dreams
• Before performing, Thea eats a banana, drinks carob syrup with warm water and says a prayer with her backing vocalists and dancers.
• Thea always carries around a photo of her late grandmother.
• Thea's ultimate dream is to land a part in a West End production.
• She also dabbles in fashion design. She designed the dress she wore when she won the Eurosong festival and the one she will wear in Oslo.
• Backing vocalists Pamela Bezzina and Nadine Axisa are both veterans in the Eurosong festival but never clinched the much-coveted first position. The third vocalist, Jacqueline Pace Delicata, is a regular singer during the Voices concerts.
• Thea loves sleeping, partying and waking up late.
• Thea is a trained make-up artist and beauty therapist. She loves working with children and as an animator.
• She is not very fond of the Azerbaijani song which is tipped to win the contest.