Viki Gabor: "Junior Eurovision is really my thing!"

Last year the Junior Eurovision took place in Gliwice - Silesia in Poland and it was the home entry Superhero that won the competition. While in Poland, we took some time to talk to its performer, our very own super heroine and reigning Junior Eurovision Song Contest champion, Viki Gabor. Let's find out what she had to say!

Hello Viki, Nice to see you again! Let's start by remembering the Junior Eurovision Contest 2019. Can you name your three highlights from last year’s contest?

To be honest, I have a lot of highlights from last year’s Junior Eurovision, so I think I’ll just give you my top 3. First was meeting all the participants, which I’m greeting right now: big kisses to everybody! Then, of course, winning! I think this is my favourite one. And just singing on that stage, meeting all the people that work to make Junior Eurovision happen, that was an amazing experience for me. How it looks from the backstage… I think I have already named more than three!

What's it like competing at Junior Eurovision versus being a guest performer?

It’s way different! When I was competing last year, I can’t really express what my emotions were like, because I was happy but I was also stressed out because it’s such a big thing. And now I’m more chilled, I’m just coming to sing and see what it all looks like.

How do you handle stress?

It might sound weird, but I’m not really stressed. it’s more like I’m excited before my performances and I think that’s a plus. I’m more of the one that’s hyped up before going on stage.

So what do you do before going on stage?

I just laugh with people at the backstage and just think about what I have to sing and, if I have time, I go back to all of the songs to see if I re,member all the words correctly. And just having fun!

Have you watched last year’s Contest again?

Yes, I have, a lot of times, to see how it looks. Because you know, when it’s happening with everything that’s going on and all the emotions I had, I clearly don’t remember everything. And that’s weird because I thought I’m going to remember everything. I don’t, so I have to watch it and see what happened there. But it’s cool. The emotions come back to me and it’s amazing, I feel the Junior Eurovision magic all over again.

What's performance of yours is your favourite so far?

I think I’ve got two. My top top favourite is obviously Junior Eurovision, I have no idea how I could I top that, to be honest, because it’s the best! Let’s say the second one, even though it was first, is The Voice Kids. I first walked on stage, it was my first performance in my whole life and everything started there. But Junior Eurovision is more of my thing!

What have you been up to since your victory?

I’ve been up to a lot of things. Not long ago I released my debut album, Getaway (Into My Imagination), so there’s a lot of things happening right now, just doing new music, working even harder and that’s what I’m doing right now, just working on some new music for my fans. I'm just trying to give everything that I can to them.

Which song in your new album represents you the most?

I’ve got a few. There’s two songs that my sister wrote, Guilty and Still Standing, and they’re among my favourites. Then, I don’t want to say that it’s not Superhero, because it is, but there’s a second one which is my favourite from the whole album and it’s called Spotlight. I love that song, it really has a story.

What's it like working with your sister? Do you write together?

It depends on the day! Sometimes she writes by herself, the music and the words, because she knows what she wants. Sometimes, I have my own ideas for what song I’m looking forward to and we just write together, I write the music and she writes the words… it depends how we feel at the time. Right now we’re working on two new songs!

Do you feel different onstage versus offstage? Do you have a different personality?

It is kind of different. When I go on stage I feel like there’s nobody there, I feel like I’m at home and just standing and singing; it’s like my own kind of world. When I’m off stage I talk with people normally and things like that. I remember that my vocal coach after my performance on Superhero said: “I was talking to you and you didn’t even listen to me”. I was focusing on a point, I didn’t even see anybody and she was just trying to give me water!

What are the perks and the downsides of being such a young artist?

If you like doing what you’re doing, like I love singing and performing, there are no downsides. You won’t feel like it’s work, it’s more like making your dreams come true and there are only good things: having your own fans, having your own songs, doing concerts, singing… that’s an amazing thing.

What do you like to do when you’re not performing?

I can’t do it so often because I work a lot, but when I have a little time I like to spend it with my family and my friends and play game. I have a dog called Mickey and I play with him the whole time, he’s so cute and funny and he’s really a weirdo just like me, so we fit perfectly together!

What can we expect from Viki Gabor on Sunday?

I don’t know if I want to tease anything and you know what I would sing so I don’t think I have to say it (laughs). But I like to surprise people, so I’d rather just keep it there right now.

As for the competition, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for everybody. I’ve seen all the participants and they’re legit, they’re on a high level. The way they sing and their songs are just amazing, so I’m waiting for them to sing already because I’m so excited! And even though it’s online, and they’re doing it from their home countries, I hope they feel the magic I felt when I was performing in Junior Eurovision last year.

Don’t forget to tune in on Sunday 29 November for the Junior Eurovision Song Contest 2019.