Gjon's Tears
{{Short description|Swiss singer and songwriter (born 1998)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Gjon's Tears
| image = Gjon's Tears 1 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Muharremaj in 2022
| birth_name = Gjon Muharremaj
| alias = Gjon's Tears, Kev Bush
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1998|6|29}}
| birth_place = Saanen, Bern, Switzerland
| origin = Broc, Switzerland
| genre = Pop
| occupation = {{hlist|Singer|Songwriter}}
| instrument = Piano, Classical guitar
| years_active = 2011–present
| label = Jo & Co
| current_member_of = Gjon's Tears and the Weeping Willows
}}
Gjon Muharremaj ({{IPA|sq|ɟɔn muhaˈrɛmaj|lang}}; born 29 June 1998), known professionally as Gjon's Tears or Kev Bush due to his performance style being similar to "Kate Bush", is a Swiss singer and songwriter. He was scheduled to represent Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Répondez-moi" prior to the event's cancellation. He was internally selected again as the country's representative for the 2021 contest with "Tout l'univers". He finished in third place with 432 points, at the time the best placing for Switzerland since 1993.
Life and career
Muharremaj was born in Saanen, Bern, Switzerland{{Cite web |title="Je veux rendre mon grand-père fier" |url=https://www.illustre.ch/magazine/je-veux-rendre-mon-grand-pere-fier-339786 |access-date=2023-01-26 |website=Illustre |date=20 May 2021 |language=fr-CH |archive-date=26 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230126165216/https://www.illustre.ch/magazine/je-veux-rendre-mon-grand-pere-fier-339786 |url-status=live }} to a Kosovo Albanian father from Gjinoc, part of Suharekë{{cite web |work=Radiotelevizioni21 |title="Fol Shqip Show - Gjon Muharremaj" |date=27 March 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcvKR8BMEEQ |access-date=28 May 2021 |language=sq |archive-date=8 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220308151411/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bcvKR8BMEEQ |url-status=live }} municipality in Kosovo, and an Albanian mother from Tirana, Albania.{{cite web |publisher=RTS |title=Suisse-Kosovo 2/5 - Comme un oiseau |date=28 September 2021 |url=https://www.rts.ch/audio-podcast/2021/audio/suisse-kosovo-2-5-comme-un-oiseau-25766024.html |access-date=15 November 2021 |language=fr |archive-date=15 July 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240715195553/https://www.rts.ch/audio-podcast/2021/audio/suisse-kosovo-2-5-comme-un-oiseau-25766024.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |publisher=TeksteShqip |title=Gjon's Tears Biografia |url=https://www.teksteshqip.com/gjon-muharremaj/biografia |access-date=4 March 2021 |language=sq |archive-date=19 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819001908/https://www.teksteshqip.com/gjon-muharremaj/biografia |url-status=live }}{{cite web |publisher=Top Channel |title=Gjon's Tears #Bio |date=25 February 2019 |url=http://topawards.top-channel.tv/index.php/artist/gjons-tears/ |access-date=4 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025162653/http://topawards.top-channel.tv/index.php/artist/gjons-tears/ |archive-date=25 October 2020 |language=sq |url-status=live}}{{cite web |work=La Liberté |title=Le Fribourgeois Gjon's Tears représentera la Suisse à l'Eurovision |url=https://www.laliberte.ch/info-regionale/concours/le-fribourgeois-gjon-s-tears-representera-la-suisse-a-l-eurovision-556180 |access-date=5 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201023060014/https://www.laliberte.ch/info-regionale/concours/le-fribourgeois-gjon-s-tears-representera-la-suisse-a-l-eurovision-556180 |archive-date=23 October 2020 |date=4 March 2020 |language=fr}} His father, Hysni, is a crane operator and mason. His mother, Elda, has worked in the Cailler chocolate factory after the family moved to Broc in 2000.
He grew up in Broc, where he played football and did karate. When he was 7 years old, he discovered his passion for music during music class. Two years later he acquired his stage name after moving his grandfather to tears when he performed Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love". In 2011, at the age of 12, he competed in the first season of the talent show Albanians Got Talent, placing third in the final.{{cite web |title=Gjon Muharremaj, shqiptari që befasoi jurinë e "The Voice" në Francë me zërin e tij |url=https://telegrafi.com/gjon-muharremaj-shqiptari-qe-befasoi-jurine-e-voice-ne-france-zerin-e-tij/ |website=telegrafi.com |access-date=4 March 2020 |language=sq |date=22 May 2019 |archive-date=27 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190527114733/https://telegrafi.com/gjon-muharremaj-shqiptari-qe-befasoi-jurine-e-voice-ne-france-zerin-e-tij/ |url-status=live }} One year later, he reached the semi-final of Die grössten Schweizer Talente, the Swiss version of Got Talent.{{Cite web|url=https://www.srf.ch/sendungen/eurovision-song-contest/das-ist-unser-esc-kandidat-gjon-s-tears|title=Das ist unser ESC-Kandidat: Gjon's Tears|date=4 March 2020|website=Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen|language=de|access-date=5 March 2020|archive-date=5 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200305133733/https://www.srf.ch/sendungen/eurovision-song-contest/das-ist-unser-esc-kandidat-gjon-s-tears|url-status=live}}
In 2018, he started his band Gjon’s Tears and the Weeping Willows, consisting of himself and Gaëtan Guélat (drummer), Martino Lepori (guitarist), Pascal Stoll (guitarist) and Samuel Riedo (bassist).
In 2019, he auditioned for the eighth season of the French singing competition The Voice (French TV series) and reached the semi-finals with Team Mika.{{cite web|url=https://eurovoix.com/2020/03/04/switzerland-gjons-tears-to-eurovision-2020/|title=Switzerland: Gjon's Tears to Eurovision 2020|last=Farren|first=Neil|date=4 March 2020|publisher=Eurovoix|access-date=4 March 2020|archive-date=20 April 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200420143044/https://eurovoix.com/2020/03/04/switzerland-gjons-tears-to-eurovision-2020/|url-status=live}}
| class="wikitable collapsible" style="width:70%; margin:1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center;"
! colspan="4" | The Voice: la plus belle voix performances and results |
| scope="col" | Round
! scope="col" | Song ! scope="col" | Original artist(s) ! scope="col" | Result |
|---|
| Blind Audition
| "Christine" | Joined Team Mika |
| The Battles
| "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" | Winner |
| The Knockouts
| "Under Pressure" | Queen & David Bowie | Advanced |
| Live Show 1
| "SOS d'un terrien en détresse" | Advanced |
| Live Show 2
| "Rocket Man" | Advanced |
| rowspan="2" |Semi-Final
| Mika | rowspan="2" |Eliminated |
| "Life on Mars" |
In the summer of 2019, the band performed at Swiss music festivals following Gjon’s The Voice participation, including the Montreux Jazz Festival, Les Georges, and Les Francomanias.
In March 2020, Gjon's Tears was announced by the Swiss national broadcaster, Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG SSR), as the country's representative at the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Répondez-moi".{{cite web |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |title=Switzerland picks Gjon's Tears with French 'Repondez-moi' for Rotterdam |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/switzerland-chooses-gjons-tears-for-eurovision-2020 |access-date=4 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224182154/https://eurovision.tv/story/switzerland-chooses-gjons-tears-for-eurovision-2020 |archive-date=24 February 2021 |date=4 March 2020 |url-status=dead }} However, following the contest's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, the broadcaster announced that he would represent the country at the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with a new song. His 2021 entry, "Tout l'univers" was released on 10 March 2021.{{cite web |publisher=European Broadcasting Union (EBU) |title=Eurovision 2020 in Rotterdam is cancelled |url=https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-2020-in-rotterdam-is-cancelled |access-date=4 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200408073040/https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-2020-in-rotterdam-is-cancelled |archive-date=8 April 2020 |date=18 March 2020}}{{cite web |last=Jansen |first=Esma |publisher=Wiwibloggs |title=Cry no more! Gjon's Tears confirmed as Switzerland's Eurovision 2021 act |url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2020/03/20/gjons-tears-confirmed-as-switzerlands-eurovision-2021-act/252304/ |access-date=4 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210208202452/https://wiwibloggs.com/2020/03/20/gjons-tears-confirmed-as-switzerlands-eurovision-2021-act/252304/ |archive-date=8 February 2021 |date=20 March 2020}} "Tout l'univers" placed first in its semi-final. In the final, it won the jury vote and came sixth in the televote. Switzerland placed third overall, behind France and eventual winner Italy. Gjon's Tears, along with the song's producers, won the Composer Award in the 2021 edition of the Marcel Bezençon Awards, voted on by a panel of participating composers in the 2021 contest.{{Cite web|url=https://escxtra.com/2021/05/23/marcel-bezencon-awards-2021/|title=🏆 Barbara Pravi and Gjon's Tears win Marcel Bezençon Awards|last=Van Lith|first=Nick|date=2021-05-23|work=ESCXTRA|access-date=16 December 2021|archive-date=15 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211215225523/https://escxtra.com/2021/05/23/marcel-bezencon-awards-2021/|url-status=live}} In 2021, he gave an interview for Vanity Teen magazine, talking about his success, the origin of his stage name and his result in the Eurovision Song Contest.[https://www.vanityteen.com/switzerlands-eurovision-representativ-gjons-tears-i-want-to-touch-everyones-hearts-with-my-songs/ Switzerland’s Eurovision Representative Gjon’s Tears: I Want to Touch Everyone’s Hearts With my Songs] 29 May, 2021. Vanity Teen.
In late 2021, he participated in The Voice All Stars France, but was eliminated in the semi-final.
| class="wikitable collapsible" style="width:70%; margin:1em auto 1em auto; text-align:center;"
! colspan="4" | The Voice All-Stars performances and results |
| scope="col" | Round
! scope="col" | Song ! scope="col" | Original artist(s) ! scope="col" | Result |
|---|
| Blind Audition
| "Corps" | Yseult | Joined Team Zazie |
| Cross-Battle
| "Smalltown Boy" | Advanced |
| Semi-Final
| "Sur un prélude de Bach" | Maurane | Eliminated |
In November 2021, Gjon was announced as Best Swiss Act at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Budapest. In March 2022, Gjon moved from Switzerland to Paris.
He released his sixth single, "Pure" on 28 October 2022, with the music video being released the following month. This music video includes 11 art-inspired scenes and a short appearance of Geraldine Chaplin.{{Citation |title=Gjon's Tears - Pure (Official Video) |date=24 November 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyIz-aznfpk |language=en |access-date=2023-01-26 |archive-date=18 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230118104948/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyIz-aznfpk |url-status=live }}
Discography
= Studio albums =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Details ! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SWI {{cite web |publisher=Swiss Hitparade |title=Discographie{{spaced ndash}}Gjon's Tears |url=http://swisscharts.com/search.asp?cat=s&from=&to=&search=Gjon%27s+Tears |access-date=16 March 2020 |archive-date=10 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210410152442/http://swisscharts.com/search.asp?cat=s&from=&to=&search=Gjon%27s+Tears |url-status=live }} |
| scope="row"| The Game
|
| 11 |
= Singles =
== As lead artist ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+ List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em;" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year ! scope="col" colspan="10"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album or EP |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SWI ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| ALB
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| BEL ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| FIN ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| GER ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| IRE ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| NLD ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| NOR ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SWE ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| UK |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Babi"
| rowspan="2"| 2018 | — || 1 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — | The Game |
| scope="row"| "Back in Light"
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — | rowspan="2" {{Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"| "Répondez-moi"
| 2020 | 42 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Tout l'univers"
| 2021 | 1 || — || 50 || 5 || 86 || 52 || 16 || 36 || 21 || 93 | rowspan="6" | The Game |
| scope="row"| "Silhouette"
| rowspan="2" | 2022 | — || 3 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Pure"
| — || 9 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Midnight in Paris"
| rowspan="3" | 2023 | — || 5 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Disco"
| — || 15 || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Cancer" {{small|(with Ibrahim Maalouf)}} | — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Balloons" {{small|(with Bart Derylo and Szymon Justyński)}} | rowspan="3" | 2025 | — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — | rowspan="2" {{Non-album singles}} |
| scope="row"| "{{lang|sq|Oret e fundit|i=no}}" {{small|(with Adelina Thaqi)}} | — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| scope="row"| "Set Me Free"
| — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — || — |
| colspan="13" style="font-size:85%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
== As featured artist ==
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Year ! Peak ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Album |
| style="width:3em; font-size:85%;" | ALB For peak positions in Albania:
|
|---|
| scope="row"| "Dance Me" {{small|(Arilena Ara featuring Gjon's Tears)}} | 2021 | 10 | Pop Art |
| scope="row" | "Heavenbound" {{small|(Marina Kaye featuring Gjon's Tears; French Version)}} | 2023 | — | {{n/a|Non-album singles}} |
| colspan="4" style="font-size:85%" | "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. |
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-ach}}
{{succession box
| before = Luca Hänni
with "She Got Me"
| title = Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest
| years = 2020 (cancelled)
| after = Himself
with "Tout l'Univers"
}}
{{succession box
| before = Himself
with "Répondez-moi"
| title = Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest
| years = 2021
| after = Marius Bear
with "Boys Do Cry"
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest|state=collapsed}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2020|state=autocollapse}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2021|state=autocollapse}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gjon's Tears}}
Category:21st-century Swiss singers
Category:People from Gruyère District
Category:Swiss people of Albanian descent
Category:Swiss people of Kosovan descent
Category:Swiss expatriates in France
Category:Got Talent contestants
Category:The Voice (franchise) contestants
Category:MTV Europe Music Award winners
Category:English-language singers from Switzerland