Interview with Tali Golergant

On 27 January, you won the LSC national final in the run-up towards the 2024 ESC semi-finals in Malmö. How did you feel, after the results were in and you knew that you were going to represent Luxembourg in Sweden?

I was so honored, but also shocked, I would say. It was overwhelming - in this moment all the feelings came together at once!

The song "Fighter” that you perform – what is it about?

It talks about the inner struggle and the really though moments when life is really hard. And about how all humans struggle and how we can move forward, keep going and keep pushing. Even when we feel like we want to give all up. So, when I heard the song for the first time, it meant so much to me as an artist. Because living in New York the past years, I had to deal with rejections and harsh things. And it's because of those moments that I kept going and that I am right here now, still in music and still trying to make this dream happen for me. That's what it means to me. But I think that everyone has these struggles sometimes, and everyone has stuff to deal with. There are hard days, and we have to move on. We come out stronger by overwinding these obstacles.

Your performance was very strong and emotional. Did you put a lot of yourself and your experiences into "Fighter"?

Yes, a hundred percent! I only agree to projects that speak to me and to projects that allow me to impact people. Because I feel like if you don't do that, it comes across as fake, not genuine, and not authentic. And that's something I don't want to do.

So, it's important to you as an artist to inspire the people, that listen to your music?

Yes, that's the main thing for me!

Why did you decide to participate?

I was in New York when the announcements went up in the summer. It was a huge thing and all over the newspapers in Luxembourg. And that day, I got a couple of messages from friends and family, saying "Go, read this! You have to audition!". I had just finished my degree in New York and so I said to myself "I have nothing to lose, I don't go to school anymore, great timing. Ok, let's try!". So that's when I submitted four of my own songs. Then things kept moving and I had to fly to Luxembourg in November, with my own money. I risked everything for this, and I am so happy I did. I could have just said that I am happy in my own little bubble in New York being a teacher, but instead I said, "You know what, I'll do it".

You have lived in New York for the last years but moved back to your family in Luxembourg for the LSC. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your origins.

I've always been saying that I am a citizen of the world. Not in a cocky way (laughing), but it's the truth, because I've been moving around so much. I was born in Israel, but after five months we moved to Chile. I was there for four years and after that in Argentina for seven years. So, the first nine years of my life I lived in south America. The rest of my life I was in Luxembourg. My family has been here for 13 years now. And for the last four years I went to New York to study. That's kind of the story of my origins. When people ask me where I'm from, I always say Luxembourg, because that's my home. But when people ask me about my origins, I'm like "Okay, here is the whole story". That's how I would describe it.

You have both, an inside and an outside view of Luxembourg. What should the world know about the Grand Duchy?

I would say that It's calm, it's safe and it's quiet. There is beautiful nature, but also beautiful city. And the city is very clean and it's old, in a way that is very charming. And I think it never gets a place that's too overwhelming. It's very nice and well presented. If you want city and nature at the same time, Luxembourg is the perfect place. I also love the way that everything works. The healthcare is amazing, and the transportation is free. It's really an incredible place to live, because it's comfortable and the benefits you have are huge. And of course, the people are amazing, I love my friends (laughing). That's what I would say about Luxembourg. For me it's the perfect mix between nature and city.

During the LSC you were able to meet other great artists from Luxembourg. Are you staying in contact with some of them? And can we expect some collaborations?

I was just talking to Joel on the phone five minutes ago about doing something together in the summer. Hopefully a song will come out where we both are featured in. I think that would be awesome because our voices could blend really well. I've been staying in contact with all of them. I went to Naomi's house for dinner, CHAiLD and I talk almost every day. Everyone is amazing! So yes, we are still keeping in touch, every three weeks we all hang out. It's a good vibe! And honestly what made the experience so beautiful to me, is that everyone was so supportive and so kind. And that's something that is so hard to find. Because in anything you do that is competitive there's always going to be a diva or an ego. There's always going to be a big personality, that's negative. Genuinely, everyone was really nice to be around. It was such a positive experience. 

You want to support TALI in the Eurovision Song Contest? Find information about how to vote on the official website of the ESC 2024.