Tooji
was born in Shiraz in Iran in 1988. He had his first birthday whilst fleeing to
Norway. The family’s Persian traditions and
roots have given Tooji strong references, both musically and personally. A good
life with a close-knit family in a new country has influenced his upbringing
and life choices since. With a strong wish to express
impressions and feelings Tooji has gone his own creative ways, and after art
school and theatre school, it was finally music that became closest to Tooji’s
heart.
In addition to devoting himself to his
passions, the experience of working in kindergartens and with
after-school-activities, young people and asylum seekers, has given Tooji an
even more important mission in life: To give a voice to those who would
otherwise not have been heard. Some
choices have been more important than others, and working with refugees in
asylum centers has made its mark on him. "It's a hard work but gives a lot" says Tooji. “I
was incredibly happy that I had my family here, a comfy bed, food and a roof over
my head. At the same time it made me very sad too see all these people,
children and youngsters, with so much misery and sadness in their eyes. It put
things into perspective.”
Tooji completed his studies in child
protection, and he now works as a child protection consultant in the department
of after-care, a job he finds intense and socially important, challenging and
vital. In encounters with youngsters the problems are often similar, regardless
of where they come from. “When
I dedicated myself to causes and people I wanted to help, I knew the political
arguments, the rules and regulations – but nobody listened. It was so
frustrating! My devotion alone wasn't enough, and that became an important
motivational factor in my burning wish to get a voice that someone would listen
to.”
About the Norwegian national final he says it was scary as he was for the first time on stage that big and the song Stay is about joy and going with the flow, mixing Eastern sounds with Western pop. He also didn't even think about being a singer until he was 18-19 even if music has always been a big part of his life. He thinks he's not a great dancer but knows how to move and has a voice so he has a chance of becoming an artist. And where does his hip movement come from? "As a kid I was always watching my cousins do the belly dancing and imitating them...."
His singing career started with the classic "right place, right time" opportunity when he had a chance to replace a singer of a show with a very short time of notice. He did and it was a success, of course. And here he is now. "I can't wait to be on stage in Baku. It'll be a huge show. Full of fire. My roots are in Persia and you can see it. It's a true honor to represent Norway, it's beyond my wildest dreams. I'm so happy and humble and just... WOW! My goal is to reach out to millions of people and come back as number one. I'm gonna win this." He lists his all time favourite Eurovision songs Ooh aah just a little bit, Hold one be strong and of course Fairytale.
Blogilkar wishes Tooji all the best in Baku. He seems like a real nice guy with a lot to give in many levels.
Thank you NRK for the information.
Comments