Luxembourg's Eurovision Song Contest 2024 hopeful, Tali, is gearing up for her performance in the first semi-final on Tuesday evening. Our colleagues from RTL Télé spoke with the singer ahead of the big event.
Tali has now been in Malmö for over a week, an experience which she describes as "really intense," just hours before her first live performance.
Eurovision: One big family
Tali has had two rehearsals on the main stage in the past few days. While time with fellow competitors has been limited due to scheduled slots, Tali describes the atmosphere among the participants as warm and welcoming:
"I don't have as much time to see them because we each have time slots. But when I see the people, everyone is so nice, like, runs to give me a hug. Everyone is really, really kind."
The ESC is like "another world." Tali, who has lived and worked in New York for several years, compares the experience to the fast-paced energy of a US metropolis.
"It's a beautiful journey"
The ESC is a huge production and certainly a lot of work, but Tali notes that she has also been able to savour the experience. To help preserve these memories, Tali keeps a journal to document her experiences:
"A lot of the time I get carried away […] I'm really hard on myself and so it's important to write everything down just so in years I can look over [it] and remember this insane experience."
Ups and downs
The rollercoaster of emotions is real, Tali reveals. Performing brings her immense joy, offering a temporary escape from anxieties. When asked about online negativity, Tali describes her strategy for managing hateful comments:
"A lot of times I rarely look at the comments. And I've been surprisingly really good at saying 'You know what? They can hate, haters gonna hate. […] I just pity them. But sometimes it gets me. There are certain comments where I'm like, that one hurt. But it's normal and I feel like if you can't take hate, this career is not for you."
The goal is to reach the final
Tali expressed confidence in her chances of advancing to the final. This year marks Luxembourg's long-awaited return to Eurovision after a 31-year absence. Reaching the final on Saturday evening in Malmö would be a significant achievement for the entire delegation.
And after Eurovision?
"I feel like my time in New York isn't done," says Tali before adding that she nevertheless plans to stay in Luxembourg for a while after the ESC:
"I […] feel I want to stay in Luxembourg for the next few months […] to have some more presence and do some more gigs, connect with the fans and do some cool things in Luxembourg."
Tali also teased the upcoming release of a new album. Without revealing too much, the young musician offered a glimpse into its content: "Every song is what I'm dealing with this year and what it's been to do all of this Eurovision stuff." According to Tali, "it's very personal" and she looks forward to seeing how fans receive her new music.
For those eager to see Tali perform live, there will be ample opportunities throughout the summer. She is scheduled to appear at the Philharmonie and participate in several festivals like Usina and Echterlive.
