Refusal from cold and rehearsal instead of school: what the participants of the Junior Eurovision from Russia before the contest told

RT: Let's remember the moment when you were informed that it was your duet who would go to the Eurovision Song Contest. What was going on in your head after that?

Tatyana Mezhentseva: Nothing happened in my head at all. My head just turned off.

Denberel Oorzhak: Well, it was very exciting. We tried hard and rehearsed every day at the Academy (Igor Krutoy Academy of Popular Music. - RT ). We were very friendly to each other, and everything was fine.

RT: Tanya, you say that your head has turned off. Why disconnected? Fear or pride in yourself?

TM: When we got into the “green zone” and the voting began, it was very exciting. But when we were declared winners - out of joy, out of happiness, I just, one might say, had a program crash.

RT: Denberell, people even at my age are afraid to go on stage. And you will leave, and not only Europe will look at you - the whole world. Do you have a secret how to deal with excitement?

D.O .: I’m a little worried before the performance.

T.M .: Denberel told me that dancing helps him cope with fear. Right?

D.O .: Yes.

RT: That is, before you go on stage, do you dance? Or do you dance during the performance, and therefore are not afraid of anything?

D.O .: Well, before the performance, I also dance and always think that everything will be fine, according to the rules ... I go on stage and get high. And I’m singing not for myself, I sing to the audience, all the people who support me are watching.

RT: Tanya, why is he dancing?

TM: Mostly some strange dances. It’s even hard to say that this is a dance.

RT: Yes? But still a dance. Do you help him with this?

TM: Thank God that not.

RT: What is your secret?

TM: I have a little talisman from the time of Catherine the First, which I found. Before the performance, I put it under my heel, and it helps me cope with excitement and fear. This is my little talisman.

RT: Where did you find him?

T.M .: In the country. My parents were sitting in a restaurant, and I was bored, so I went to delve into the ground. Snouts, snouts, snouts, and found these two coins.

RT: As I understand it, both of you are in school. Denberel is 13 years old, Tanya 9. You are probably constantly getting tired, they want you to play for school. Or, on the contrary, they leave for more serious tasks: “We won’t touch them, they, after all, perform at serious contests”?

TM: You know, for example, I take part in school performances with great pleasure. And basically I play, so to speak, funny roles.

D.O .: I also speak at all the events at school. And I really like it. Sometimes such boring events happen ... But somehow I get joy (from communication. - RT ) with friends at school, some knowledge. And I really like performing on stage. I always say that I can sing and go to perform.

RT: But now there are only a few days before the main competition. You probably all the same released from school. Have you been given a “vacation” before Eurovision?

TM: To be honest, I would rather go to school than rehearse. Well, we were recently released ... and now released, before Eurovision, to rest. But rehearsals continue anyway. And we are only set to win!

RT: Denberel, but are you not in Moscow at school?

D.O .: When there is free time, they let me go so that I go to school. And when they let us go so that we could rest for a month, I went to school for only one day. The next day we had a concert with our studios and friends. Very cool concert. After him, we did nothing, we came to Moscow and work here every day.

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RT: What did you constantly rehearse - even while you were studying - did it somehow influence the grades? They rehearsed, rehearsed, then they came, they missed some topic, they put you a “deuce” ...

D.O .: Well, so far I have not received the “deuces”. But I try very hard to correct my poor grades.

RT: Tanya?

TM: My grandmother is a teacher, so it seems to me that I don’t fear some kind of bad assessment - my grandmother and I are doing a lot.

RT: I, having talked with you for several minutes, perfectly represent you on the stage, singing. Can you explain to me how you got into jujitsu, aerial gymnastics and equestrian sports?

TM: Well, in jiu-jitsu I was brought relatively recently. Mom suggested that I do jujitsu, I agreed, and after the first lesson I realized that I wanted to do this. In equestrian sports ... Mom used to do horse riding. Once we went to the stable, and there we rode beautifully on horses. Since then I have been involved in equestrian sports. But aerial gymnastics ... We rested somewhere, and there aerial gymnast performed. Mom asked me: “Tan, do you want to do something from this?” - and I decided that I want to do aerial gymnastics. I’ve been doing it for four years.

RT: Denberel, I’m sure that you, in addition to music, do some kind of sports. You can see ...

D.O .: I have been playing football since childhood (I don’t play yet, because there is a very serious preparation for Eurovision). At first I didn’t know what football was. The guys and I once made friends, and I asked: "What do you like to play?" They said: "In football." And they taught me. I like it.

RT: Apparently, you have a lot of options in case you suddenly stop making music. So far, there were no such thoughts? Maybe: “Well, five years will pass, I’ll tie it up with music and go to football” ...

D.O .: Well, I like to listen to rap, read. Poems. I think when it takes about five years, I’ll probably do rap.

RT: It seemed to me that singing is much harder than reading. What was the most difficult for you?

D.O .: It is very difficult to pronounce words and tell what a person thinks and what he wants to tell people. Probably a very long time to rehearse.

TM: Of course, I'm sorry, but I just don’t understand what rappers are saying.

RT: Denberell, and which of the rappers do you like the most?

D.O .: I listen to a lot of American people. I have been a fan for a long time, and now he is gone, but still I'm a fan of him - rapper XXXTentacion. He has such sad, interesting songs about his life. I listened to Timati for a long time, but now I listen very little to Russian rappers. And I, of course, like Billy Elish.

RT: Tanya, what's in your playlist?

TM: I love Zemfira. And I especially like her song London Sky. And from foreign performers - Sting and Eros Ramazotti.

RT: This is the taste. Very seriously. But, as I understand it, you have not been to any of the concerts of the artists that you named.

TM: Well, why! I was at a concert by Sting and Eros Ramazotti. But at the concert Zemfira has not yet been.

RT: Do you want to speak with any of them?

TM: I would like to sing the song Fields of Gold with Sting.

RT: Denberel, and who do you want to sing with?

D.O .: I like Joe Cocker, Marcus Miller, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars. I like the art of Bruno Mars and how it moves, and how it feels music, and what songs it has. I really like his art, and I would like to sing with him.

RT: Now, imagine: Bruno Mars calls you to the stage. Do you have movements from any song that you take - and simultaneously perform it with a bang - will it be very synchronous and similar?

DO: Synchronously and it seems so far that I can’t. Because he is a professional person and ... he is very cool! I will try if such an opportunity occurs. I will try to learn how he dances.

RT: What do you think, with what have you progressed so far - with the dances of Bruno Mars or with such a musical instrument as a harp? We heard that you are a little addicted to this ...

D.O .: We have called this tool “khomus” in Tuva. When I first played a melody on it, I really liked the unusual sound of this beautiful instrument.

RT: Maybe this is due to the fact that your relatives also played music?

D.O .: My grandfather has long been a very famous musician. He wrote different songs in his own language, different music. I listened to his songs (I liked only the second, “Hawthorn”). He was famous in Tuva.

RT: Tanya, do you play any instruments?

TM: I have been playing the piano for a long time and a little on the flute.

RT: I know that you wrote the text and music of the song that you are going to perform.

T.M .: Yes.

RT: What do you usually write about?

TM: I am very concerned about the problem of clogging our nature. This is a call to all the children of the Earth to help adults save our world.

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RT: Denberel, and maybe you wrote music and words for something too?

D.O .: I try to write different tunes using mobile applications. So far, I have not decided on the style. I like rhythmic tunes and a good beat.

RT: You said about mobile applications. And what kind of application do you most often open on the phone?

D.O .: Well, I’m on Instagram, VKontakte, and often on WhatsApp. But WhatsApp is not looking at all. I play different games often.

RT: Do you own your Instagram?

D.O .: I myself.

TM: I lead Instagram with the help of my mother.

RT: Tell me about your song, “Time for us.” Did you have to adapt to each other somehow? In the end, Tanya wrote it ...

TM: At first it was very difficult for us to establish contact with each other. But the love of music helped us make friends. And then our song began to turn out better and better.

RT: And from a technical point of view, Denberell?

D.O .: Initially, with Tanya, everything was according to plan, normal.

RT: Tanya does not agree ...

T.M .: No. We are a team, and even if there are any problems, we will always make peace and will continue to overcome all of our ...

DO: ... problems.

T.M .: Yes.

RT: I understand that it is very important for you to keep your voice. What limitations do you have now?

D.O .: I can’t drink cold drinks, and there is ice cream on the street. You must always keep your voice.

RT: Do girls and boys have any differences in recommendations?

DO: Do not walk without socks.

TM: By the way, you're right. They already got me with these socks. Everything is allowed to me. But, if there are any problems, I discuss them with my parents.

RT: Since it’s already a little bit left before the competition itself, as I understand it, your number is already 100% ready. I think you will not reveal all the secrets, but can you at least tell me something?

TM: So far, this is a secret. But I can promise you that our number will be very interesting!

RT: Tan, have you chosen a place below which you don’t want to be in the Eurovision finals?

TM: I do not want to take places below the first.

RT: Denberell, what is your bar?

D.O .: Below the second.

RT: You do not agree with him.

TM: I do not agree with him.

RT: What is more important for you - still to take part in this competition or be sure to take the very places that you have chosen for yourself? Tanya, if you take second place, then what?

TM: I’m not upset, but my dream is to win the Junior Eurovision Song Contest.

D.O .: The most important thing is that people remember us. That Tatyana and Denberel participated in the Junior Eurovision Song Contest. To remember that we had a duet, that we are from Russia.

See the full version of the interview on RTD.