It is just over three months since Irem Sosay stood on the Rockhal stage in the LSC grand final and performed her song "Bad Decisions (Hush Hush)". Receiving 122 points was not enough for a victory and a place at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, but it was enough for a respectable third place behind winner Eva Marija and Steve Castile. The Luxembourgish singer with Turkish roots looks back fondly on the preparation for the LSC and the big performance itself, even if it still feels "a little surreal."
There is not much she would do differently in hindsight: "I always have so many thoughts when I watch the performance, because I think about so many other things besides the performance itself – what it was like just before, the makeup, my hair didn't look as it should have, and so on (...) I think, vocally, it wasn't my best performance, but to me it sounded good. So I don't know what I would do differently in that case. That is pretty much the only criticism I have towards myself."
Irem did not take a musical break after the LSC. Just over a month ago, she released the single "Pastis" with German artist Tim Baldus. Before that, in March, she had released her solo song "Karma is a Baddie", produced by Turnup Tun. But what exactly is a "baddie"?
"A baddie is a person who doesn't let anyone tell them how they should look, what they should do (...); instead, they go their own way, no matter what other people say", explains Irem.
She has encountered men in the past who wanted to tell her what to do and what not to do – and still does. This happens more frequently in the music industry, she says, where she works with many men. Setting boundaries is essential, according to the singer.
"If I had a bad experience with someone, I simply didn't continue working with them or stay in touch with them. You have to draw those boundaries, otherwise it doesn't work (...) There are definitely people I no longer work with." In general, in the music industry, "as a woman, you simply have to prove yourself more than men", the singer believes. Unfair treatment of women in science, another male-dominated field, is by no means rare either. Irem has encountered this herself during her studies.
"I think it becomes obvious during presentations, through the questions you get asked. I had tutors where you could clearly see that they judged women far more harshly than men. I don't understand why that is the case, and yet it was so clearly visible, which is such a shame."
In the music industry, particularly in the hip-hop scene, more and more female artists have gained a foothold in recent years. The rapper Ikkimel, for example, who polarises with her provocative and sexual lyrics, currently enjoys enormous success in Germany. Yet not everyone is pleased: in a recent Instagram post, Ikkimel shares hate-filled messages she received from men; the messages are in some cases deeply dehumanising. Why is there such hatred towards a musician whose songs have had lyrics similar to those of her male colleagues for the past 30 years?
"This behaviour is generally visible. A woman can compose a song with sexual lyrics, which is then considered completely unacceptable, while for men it would be just fine. And the same goes for far worse things. For example, if a male rapper is said to have cheated, for some reason he still gets celebrated. But if a woman were to do the same – I'm not saying cheating is okay – but if a woman did that, she would be completely destroyed by online hate. Unfortunately, that is the case with everything: a woman receives far more hate for the same things than a man would", says Irem.
The Luxembourgish singer has herself had to deal with negative comments, particularly for her rap song "Shirin", in which she comes across as self-assured, raps about money and fashion and "flexes a little more", as she puts it. Her strategy is not to let it get under her skin:: "I might get worked up about it for a second and then it's fine."
Besides, online hate is often a sign that one is doing something right in their respective field: "It is always said that when you receive hate, you are doing something right. And I think you can see that with Ikkimel, with Shirin David. They are both very successful and they are good at what they are doing. The hate they receive just proves even more that they are doing it well. So you just have to see it that way. Because if you take the hate comments to heart, it will really make you suffer" says Irem.
Her advice to young women or girls, who want to pursue a similar path in music, is not to pay too much attention to what other people think or say about you and instead to "just do it." But she also has an important tip for men: "Men can be far more supportive, far more open, far more willing to listen when something is said, so that they actually understand it and don't somehow become defensive (...) I have my people, the ones I work with, who I love working with. They are, of course, also all men, but they understand me and we get on. And I think men should make the effort to simply create a comfortable space for women."
In Vienna, Irem's university city, the first semi-final of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest kicks off on Tuesday, with the second following on Thursday, in which Luxembourg's candidate Eva Marija will perform "Mother Nature". Irem plans to watch the semi-final with her former LSC competitors Steve Castile and Hugo One, who she is still friends with today. The Europe-wide calls for a boycott over Israel's participation have not passed her by, and the singer expresses understanding for them: "Ideally, I would want Eurovision to have nothing to do with politics, but unfortunately that is not the case. I think especially at Eurovision we see that it really is political. And precisely because of that, Israel should be banned. I am also 100% of the opinion that Israel should not be taking part."
Since Israel is nonetheless participating, five countries have announced they will not be sending candidates to the ESC in Vienna this year. These are Ireland, Iceland, the Netherlands, Slovenia and one of the so-called "Big Five" countries, Spain. Irem considers these decisions justified, but also understands the perspective. Luxembourg, for example, is not boycotting the contest. "I find it justified, but I also understand the argument that says: 'I think it should be about the music and that's why I'm taking part.' And I also know that that is Luxembourg's point of view, so it is fine if someone still participates."
What does the future hold for the 25-year-old musician? Taking part in next year's LSC is not something Irem is currently considering. She is in the middle of an intense study phase and wants to channel her energy accordingly into her master's degree. That does not mean, however, that there will not be more music from her. She has a whole series of songs in German ready, as well as one in Luxembourgish, though she has not yet decided whether to release it. She is not working towards an album or EP, but rather from single to single:
"I never work with the vision of an album. Well, not never, but when I go into the studio, I tend to think: what kind of song will I produce today? And how am I feeling right now? And then each song always ends up being a little different. I always find it a shame with albums that there is a lead single, which gets the most attention, and the other songs on the album have to suffer a little for it."
For Irem, it is important that every song gets the attention it deserves. In the age of streaming services, that no longer works as well with albums: "It is unfortunately just how things are now, that everything moves much faster, including with music. Songs get released one after the other and everything is immediately forgotten as soon as something new arrives. It is unfortunately much faster and you have to adapt."
Irem has also decided that for now she primarily wants to produce music in German, though she does not rule out a possible mix with her mother tongue, Turkish, in the future. Continuing on her German-language path seems to have been a good decision: on Spotify, over 100,000 people are now listening to her music.
