Gjon's Tears

Gjon Muharremaj (Albanian: [ɟɔn muharɛˈmaj]; born 29 June 1998 in Saanen, Switzerland), known professionally as Gjon's Tears, 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, the best placing for Switzerland since 1993.

Gjon's Tears
Muharremaj in 2022
Muharremaj in 2022
Background information
Birth nameGjon Muharremaj
Also known asGjon’s Tears
Born (1998-06-29) 29 June 1998
Saanen, Bern, Switzerland
OriginBroc, Switzerland
GenresPop
Occupation(s)
  • Singer
  • Songwriter
Instrument(s)Piano, Classical guitar
Years active2011–present
LabelsJo & Co
Member ofGjon's Tears and the Weeping Willows

Life and career

Muharremaj was born in Saanen, Bern, Switzerland[1] to a Kosovo Albanian father from Gjinoc, part of Suharekë[2] municipality in Kosovo, and an Albanian mother from Tirana, Albania.[3][4][5][6] 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.[7][8] One year later, he reached the semi-final of Die grössten Schweizer Talente, the Swiss version of Got Talent.[9]

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: la plus belle voix and reached the semi-finals with Team Mika.[10]

The Voice: la plus belle voix performances and results
Round Song Original artist(s) Result
Blind Audition "Christine" Christine and the Queens Joined Team Mika
The Battles "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" Elton John & George Michael Winner
The Knockouts "Under Pressure" Queen & David Bowie Advanced
Live Show 1 "SOS d'un terrien en détresse" Daniel Balavoine Advanced
Live Show 2 "Rocket Man" Elton John Advanced
Semi-Final "Relax, Take It Easy" Mika Eliminated
"Life on Mars" David Bowie

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".[7] 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.[11][12] "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.[13] 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.[14]

In late 2021, he participated in The Voice All Stars France, but was eliminated in the semi-final.

The Voice All-Stars performances and results
Round Song Original artist(s) Result
Blind Audition "Corps" Yseult Joined Team Zazie
Cross-Battle "Smalltown Boy" Bronski Beat 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.[15]

His debut album The Game was released on 28 April 2023.[16]

Discography

Studio albums
Title Details Peak chart positions
SWI
[17]
The Game
  • Released: 28 April 2023
  • Label: Jo & Co
 11

As lead artist
List of singles as lead artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
SWI
[17]		 ALB
[18]		 BEL
(FL)
[19]		 FIN
[20]		 GER
[21]		 IRE
[22]		 NLD
[23]		 NOR
[24]		 SWE
[25]		 UK
[26]
"Babi" 2018 —1———————— The Game
"Back in Light" —————————— Non-album singles
"Répondez-moi" 2020 42—————————
"Tout l'univers" 2021 1—505865216362193 The Game
"Silhouette" 2022 —3————————
"Pure" —9————————
"Midnight in Paris" 2023 —5————————
"Disco" —15————————
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
List of singles as featured artist, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak
chart
positions		 Album
ALB
[27]
"Dance Me"
(Arilena Ara featuring Gjon's Tears)		 2021 10 Pop Art
"Heavenbound"
(Marina Kaye featuring Gjon's Tears; French Version)		 2023 — Non-album singles
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Awards and nominations
Year Award Nomination Work Result
2021 Marcel Bezençon Awards Composer Award "Tout l'univers" Won[28]
2021 MTV Europe Music Awards Best Swiss Act Himself Won[29]
2023 —[30]

References
  1. ""Je veux rendre mon grand-père fier"". Illustre (in Swiss French). Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  2. ""Fol Shqip Show - Gjon Muharremaj"". Radiotelevizioni21 (in Albanian). Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  3. "Suisse-Kosovo 2/5 - Comme un oiseau" (in French). RTS. 28 September 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
  4. "Gjon's Tears Biografia" (in Albanian). TeksteShqip. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  5. "Gjon's Tears #Bio" (in Albanian). Top Channel. 25 February 2019. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  6. "Le Fribourgeois Gjon's Tears représentera la Suisse à l'Eurovision". La Liberté (in French). 4 March 2020. Archived from the original on 23 October 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  7. "Switzerland picks Gjon's Tears with French 'Repondez-moi' for Rotterdam". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 4 March 2020. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  8. "Gjon Muharremaj, shqiptari që befasoi jurinë e "The Voice" në Francë me zërin e tij". telegrafi.com (in Albanian). 22 May 2019. Retrieved 4 March 2020.
  9. "Das ist unser ESC-Kandidat: Gjon's Tears". Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen (in German). 4 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
  10. Farren, Neil (4 March 2020). "Switzerland: Gjon's Tears to Eurovision 2020". Eurovoix.
  11. "Eurovision 2020 in Rotterdam is cancelled". European Broadcasting Union (EBU). 18 March 2020. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  12. Jansen, Esma (20 March 2020). "Cry no more! Gjon's Tears confirmed as Switzerland's Eurovision 2021 act". Wiwibloggs. Archived from the original on 8 February 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
  13. Van Lith, Nick (23 May 2021). "🏆 Barbara Pravi and Gjon's Tears win Marcel Bezençon Awards". ESCXTRA.
  14. Switzerland’s Eurovision Representative Gjon’s Tears: I Want to Touch Everyone’s Hearts With my Songs 29 May, 2021. Vanity Teen.
  15. Gjon's Tears - Pure (Official Video), retrieved 26 January 2023
  16. Vautrey, Jonathan (30 April 2023). "New music this week (part 1): Songs from Blanca Paloma, Cornelia Jakobs, Gjon's Tears and more". wiwibloggs. Retrieved 5 May 2023.
  17. "Discographie – Gjon's Tears". Swiss Hitparade. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
  18. For peak positions in Albania:
  19. "Discografie Gjon's Tears" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  20. "Discography Gjon's Tears". finnishcharts.com. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  21. "Discographie Gjon's Tears". offiziellecharts.de (in German). Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  22. "Discography Gjon's Tears". irish-charts.com. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  23. "Discografie Gjon's Tears". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  24. "VG-lista – Topp 20 Single 2021-21". VG-lista. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  25. "Veckolista Singlar, vecka 21". Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  26. "Gjon's Tears | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 29 May 2021.
  27. For peak positions in Albania:
  28. "Here are the winners of the Marcel Bezençon Awards!". Archived from the original on 18 August 2022.
  29. "MTV EMA – Gjon's tears remporte la victoire". 15 November 2021. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021.
  30. Kaufman, Gil (4 October 2023). "Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo and SZA Lead 2023 MTV EMAs Nominations: See List". Billboard. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
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