André Baptista, 35, was born in Setúbal, Portugal, and has lived in Luxembourg since 2013. Music has always been part of his life. His father worked as a security guard for well-known Portuguese bands, and André grew up fascinated by the world of live shows. As a teenager, he began creating music under the name Andrew the Martian.
André has always felt like a Martian – out of place in the world, a feeling that became even stronger after emigrating. “In Portugal, I am seen as Luxembourgish, in Luxembourg, as Portuguese. If I don’t belong to this planet, then I must belong to another one, right?”, he jokes.
For the Luxembourg Song Contest, André wants above all to give his best and enjoy the moment. His biggest fear on stage? “An endless coughing fit. If I trip or fall, I can keep singing – but what if I can’t stop coughing?”, he laughs.
Last year, André quit his job as a driver to dedicate himself to music, a passion the whole family shares. “In the car, everyone sings”, he says. “Children can pick up both good and bad things from their parents, but I’m glad they picked this up from me.”
With many original songs and unreleased albums tucked away in a drawer, he hopes this opportunity will open the door to finally sharing his music and building a future as an artist.
Daria Sokova, 29, was born in Russia and first discovered Luxembourg through family holidays. One of her earliest memories is entering a restaurant in Clausen at the age of nine – a place that would later become her family’s business.
After school and on weekends, Daria helped her parents. Working at the restaurant, along with her theatre studies, she says, helped her become more communicative, learn how to manage stress, and grow more confident.
Last year, Daria decided to quit her job as a French teacher to fully dedicate herself to music and theatre, while continuing to teach theatre to children every Saturday. “If not now, when?”, she says.
To prepare for the competition, Daria rehearses regularly at home and has started doing stretching and sports to decompress. She strongly believes that thoughts can become reality. “I don’t focus on what could go wrong on stage. Whenever I think about something negative, it seems to happen – so I choose not to.”
In the final, Daria will perform Melusina, a song inspired by the Luxembourgish legend of the mermaid Melusina. For her, the story reflects the strength of a woman staying true to her word. “If just one person, by listening to my song, feels touched or finds an answer to a question they’ve been asking, then it’s already worthwhile”, she says.
