Tali from Luxembourg: "It's my story in one song"

It was back in 1993 when Luxembourg competed in the Eurovision Song Contest for the last time. That was 31 years ago!

A fun fact is that this year's Luxembourg representative Tali Golergant – known professionally as Tali – wasn't even born yet. But she's all set to stand on the Eurovision stage and make sure Luxembourg has a dignified comeback with the song "Fighter."

Throughout her life, Tali has lived in many places. She was born in Israel and at an early age moved to Chile, then Argentina and a few other countries until her family settled in Luxembourg where she lived for 10 years. She eventually moved to New York to pursue her music endeavors.

It comes as no surprise that while growing up she knew little to nothing about Eurovision:

– The only reference I had growing up was from my grandfather. He was a massive fan and would send me emails about it. It isn't very popular in South America nor in the US, Tali says.

It's been 31 years, longer than I've been alive but I will do it with pure honor and pride.Tali

Possibly not in Luxembourg either, or at least during the time she lived there. 31 years after the country's last participation, Tali will be the one making their official return:

– It's crazy to think about it... It's been 31 years, longer than I've been alive but I will do it with pure honor and pride, she says.

Even in more recent times, Tali admits Eurovision wasn't a goal of hers:

– It was never in my vision. What I wanted was to perform in big arenas and tour. I never thought "I am going to Eurovision" until they made the big announcement and it was everywhere in Luxembourg, she recalls.

– I got like eight different messages from different people telling me to apply, and here I am!

Fighter

Luxembourg's return to the contest was announced during Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool, and later RTL would announce the national selection Luxembourg Song Contest in order to select their representative. Tali was up against seven other contestants and ended up winning with her song "Fighter."

What you may not know is that she submitted four other songs:

– They opened the submissions and you could apply as a songwriter or just as a singer. I applied as both and sent in four songs of mine, she recalls.

– I kept on passing each stage, and in November last year they told me they had a song for me.

It was "Fighter," which wasn't written by Tali herself. While she admits she's quite "picky" with songs that aren't hers, the lyrics spoke to her heart:

– I was shocked because it was my story in a song. I thought it was so cool and edgy, and I also enjoyed how it had bits of reggaeton in it. I fell in love with it, she says.

A quick run through Tali's discography will make you question the accuracy of the above. Unlike the strong pop sound of "Fighter," you'll conclude that Tali leans more toward folk music.

"Fighter" represents you lyrically, but does it represent you sonically?

– That's a good question. I have many sides to my musicality. For example, I love to sing jazz and I actually have a band where I get to sing jazz, funk and R&B music.

– I am, like, spread everywhere, and I think that's what can make you have a long career if you can adapt from thing to thing.

She goes on to talk about her love and admiration for the pop icon Lady Gaga:

– One of my main inspirations is Lady Gaga, and what I love about her is that she's a chameleon and so am I. I've been moving around, I speak so many languages and so does my music, she says.

– My music style is Tali, I can morph between different things. Who knows if I will have a country album in 10 years?

Well, Beyoncé has just released "Cowboy Carter"...

– Exactly, and coincidence or not I have just covered "Blackbird" [also covered by Beyoncé in her latest album].

Since her selection in the end of January, things have changed and "Fighter" went through a revamp. The team wanted to make it edgier and more modern, and ended up cleaning its production. The bridge was the part that experienced the biggest change:

– It has now a piano and my vocals are softer because we wanted to show that this girl is not always so strong or confident, she says.

– Sometimes I feel vulnerable, whereas some other days I feel like I am the hottest girl alive.

New York, TikTok, and the future

Going back to Luxembourg's national selection contest and to the moment the results were being unveiled, Tali appeared to be genuinely shocked:

– I didn't expect to win. I never expect to win because I don't want to get disappointed, she says.

– As a struggling actress in New York, you need to have that mentality because you get rejected 30 times a month. And so I am used to it and I always think, "If I don't make it, I don't make it." It's safer for my heart, she laughs.

Do you feel like your experience in New York as an actress is helping you in any way?

– Surprisingly, it is! I think Eurovision is very theatrical and it's honestly the best thing I could've done after college, she says.

– In musical theatre, we have a lot of different trainings. We have camera training, we practice our presence, we have vocal lessons and they even teach you how to warm up your voice just to talk in an interview. So, a lot of what I learned there, I am applying here.

Just yesterday, Tali had her second official set of rehearsals on the Eurovision stage. During our conversation in Amsterdam she didn't disclose much but confirmed there would be changes:

– There'll be different choreography, but the concept of this girl going through struggles and trying to persevere through the song will remain.

For Tali, one of her main goals in Eurovision is to connect to people and to leave a mark on them so they will continue to follow her and listen to her music. This brings us to one of the final topics of this interview: TikTok.

In a recent TikTok video Tali expressed her frustration with the app itself: "POV: When my label asks me to make videos on this stupid app that controls the music industry," she wrote.

What are your feelings toward this TikTok era?

– I have a lot of mixed feelings, she confesses.

– I think that, on one hand, it's really sad that we've kind of lost touch and that we're always on our phones. In concerts, for example, people are just there to film what they're seeing instead of living the moment, and it's also sad that everything is super short. You have to grab people's attention in a second, otherwise they're gone.

– However, on the other hand, I love that artists that are not global superstars get to be seen and suddenly go viral on TikTok, but overall I think it's a bit fake.

It will be just next week that Tali will officially close the first Semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024. She doesn't hide that she's nervous, and she admires anyone who's able to vanquish those feelings. And just before we say goodbye, she shares that new music is on the way:

– We are working on some music right now so I hope that an EP will be out soon. I really hope that Eurovision fans will stick for a while, I heard they're really loyal.

Tali is set to represent Luxembourg in Eurovision 2024 with her song "Fighter." She'll be performing in the show's first Semi-final on 7 May.