Roksana Węgiel: "My fans give me super positive vibes!"

Two years ago Roksana became Poland's first winner of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2018 with her song Anyone I Want To Be and last year she returned as one of the hosts in Gliwice - Silesia. Let's touch base with the Polish superstar!

First of all nice meeting you again Roksana. Let's start from the beginning. What inspired you to become an artist?

My passion for music; it’s my work and my hobby. It all happened by chance when I was a little girl, and I am so happy that it did, even if it involves a lot of work but, I love music so much that I love that it’s happened and still is happening.

Do you remember the first time you heard one of your songs on the radio?

Yes, I do remember! I was in a taxi on my way to some activities in Warsaw and they played Anyone I Want To Be not long after I won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest! It was an amazing feeling as it was one of my dreams and it came true! I was with my family and they were also so happy - what a great feeling!

Which song of yours is your favourite?

I think it is Anyone I Want To Be. When I was little my Mum would sing a song to me with the same kind of theme. It’s a beautiful one about believing in yourself in order to do what you want to do. My parents always believed in me and they really support me, so this song my Mum sang really made me believe that dreams can come true! Then this new song came and I won Junior Eurovision with it! It was then that I remembered what my Mum used to sing to me and so yes, it’s my favourite for this reason.

How have you personally developed since we met you in 2018?

As a person I think I have become more open to meeting new people, but I think it's the music that makes me develop the most. I started performing concerts which has been the best thing in my life! I also started making new music and kept doing what I love and that helps me to continue to grow.

Do you enjoy the touring and travelling it sometimes involves?

Yes, I enjoy it and I’m always with my Mum or with my Dad or someone close to me. I don’t feel like I'm at home though because I miss my brothers who aren't with me or my cat too. I won't lie, sometimes I can be tired because of the long trips, but having that close person next to me makes it easy or at least less difficult.

You must be getting a lot of energy from your fans! Does that help too?

I do and yes it definitely does. I give them all my energy and at the same time they give me super positive vibes so, even if I’m super tired, I get all this energy from them and I feel so powerful on stage!

What do you pack when you travel?

My notebook so I can write ideas for songs and draw. Sometimes I feel ashamed when I check it later, but some other times you feel I've created something good and I keep at to. Hopefully one day I can put them all together and create something cool with these ideas!

Have you have a mascot or lucky charm that you also take with you on the road?

I had a mascot when I was younger. It was a monkey that I always took along with me. Now, I don’t have it anymore, but instead, I have this other teddy that I bring with me when I travel because it’s a gift from my friends. I call it 'Pusheen', like my cat, so it feels like I’m still with my pet when I'm away.

What's been your focus throughout 2020?

The pandemic changed everything this year. My musicians and I were so happy because we were going to play around 100 concerts and we only managed to do 3. So, instead I enjoyed other things like working on my vocal skills, singing, and making new songs. I’ve also studied and gone to the gym. The best part this year though is that I have had a lot of free time to spend with my friends and family, like my little baby brother and my other brother Max, who is 9 years old. I was able to have some time to relax and think of other things. Before the pandemic, everything was going a little bit fast!

You do a lot outside of music too, like studying, dubbing movies, presenting, creating your clothing brand, making content for your social channels… how do you manage your time?

I always try to find time for everything. Before the coronavirus situation, being on the road made things a little bit harder, but now I can tell you that I really have time for everything! My everyday life looks different, even if I still do some activities, they’re definitely different from last year. The last time I performed was in August. It was already a different experience because we had to have more distance from the stage to the audience, but we were still so happy that we could make it and it turned out to be such a fantastic concert!

Why is performing on stage so important for you?

I think that what’s important is the relationship you can develop with the fans because of the exchange of energy that you can make. I can’t even put this into words because the feeling is so amazing. I even feel I’m more confident on stage than I am in my normal life, and that’s a great feeling. I can share music with my fans and we can have fun together at the same time.

Let’s look into the future. What are you looking forward to the most?

I can’t wait for Junior Eurovision in Poland this week and I am keeping my fingers crossed for all these young talented artists. But also, I can’t wait to release my second album. I can’t tell you exactly when it will be released, as we’re still working on some new songs, but I’m really looking forward to the reaction of my fans! I’m putting all my heart into this album, so I hope they'll like it.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I hope on some of the big stages performing and with my fans. I hope I will still be making music; I want it so much, it’s my biggest passion. So, basically I guess what I'm trying to say is that I see myself doing the same as I am now, but becoming a more professional artist.

If you could choose any artist, who would you like to collaborate with?

Oh… Beyoncé of course, but it's a bit far fetched! I already made a collaboration with Edyta Górniak, who performed for Poland in our Eurovision debut, which was an amazing collaboration for me. I love her music, I love her voice and she also has a very nice personality too! We recorded a song for Hotel Transylvania 3 called Zatrzymać Chwilę. Edyta is a legend in Poland so, for me, it was the biggest honour that she wanted to sing with me.

Maybe it’s too early to say, but what can we expect from Roxie in 2021?

That’s a hard question to answer right now, because we don’t know how this situation with the pandemic will look like next year but I hope I that can release my new album, maybe perform at some festivals or something like that - so keep your fingers crossed!

What’s your guilty pleasure?

I'm sure everybody expects me to say sweets, but no, it’s not only sweets: I also love to take a nap in the day! Even if I know I have things to do, like if I have to study or work on something, I still need this little sleep. That’s my guilty pleasure.

Is there anything that hurts you or that makes you sad?

Maybe hate, but I already try not to take it personally. I even try to not read the comments, but if it’s constructive criticism, it’s good because I can improve. But hate? No. This is nonsense to me.

Fill In The Gaps

We asked Roksana a series of rapid-fire questions where we asked her to finish these sentences!

My name is ROKSANA

I’m 15 years old

I live in Poland

I won the Junior Eurovision Song Contest and it was the BEST experience of my life

Now I’m spending my time with my family

My friends describe me as happy and maybe even crazy, sometimes I can be messy too

Besides music I love to spend time with my friends

My favourite place in Poland is Jasło and Krakow

My dream destination is somewhere where I can sing

My biggest idol is Beyoncé and Freddie Mercury

My advice to the winner of JESC2020 is to just be yourself and don't let anyone tell you what you can do

We look forward to hearing Roksana's new album and can't wait to find out when it will be released!