This Saturday, 25th of February we will be having a chance to hear the first 10 acts which are competing at Festival da Canção 2023. One of the artists who is competing in the first semi-final of the show is composer, guitarist and singer Diogo Rico Rodrigues who goes by the name Churky. His music style is described as pop with a bit of indie and jazzy tunes. He will be performing a song “Encruzilhada”.

Hello Churky, first of all I would like to congratulate you for being selected for the Festival da Canção 2023. How does that feel and what made you decide to take part at the show?
Hello! Thank you so much for your congratulations!
Being selected for Festival da Canção 2023 was a huge surprise for me. It’s an incredible feeling to be a part of such a prestigious and respected event, and I’m honored to have the opportunity to share my music with a wider audience who may not have heard of me before.

How did you get involved with singing? What were your musical beginnings?
I’ve been involved with singing for as long as I can remember. I’ve always loved music and I was always singing/playing guitar when I was a little kid. Probably because my parents love music too, and my dad always had a guitar/piano around. Also, they gave me a drum kit when I was 2 so… here we are. 🙂

You formed a band at the age of 13 and at the age of 15 you started writing in which way did that influence your later path as a musician?
I think it helped me to develop my skills and to find my own voice as an artist, and also taught me a lot about touring, promoting and recording.

Can you tell us a bit about “Encruzilhada” what does the song mean for you?
“Encruzilhada” means a lot to me. It’s about feeling lost and unsure of where to go in life, but ultimately finding your way and moving forward and take chances. It’s a personal song that I think a lot of people can relate to.

What can we expect from your performance? Can you give us a hint?
Surprise 🙂

You performed at a lot of festivals which one is your favourite and is there a memory which you would like to share with us?
One of my favorite festival experiences was performing at the Madcool festival in Spain. It was incredible to share the stage/day with so many talented artists like Pearl Jam, Fleet Foxes and Tame Impala.

You had a concert at São Tomé Literary Festival, in São Tomé and Príncipe how was that experience?
It was a truly unique experience. It was an honor for me to be a part of such a special event and to connect with people from a different culture through music. That place is a paradise and the people are just simple and amazing.

Do you watch Eurovision regularly, if so would you like to share a memory which you have of it or a favourite song from the contest?
I do! I think “Waterloo” by ABBA is my favourite ever.

Where do you find inspiration for the music you create?
I find inspiration for my music from a variety of sources, including my personal experiences, the world around me, and other musicians and artists that I admire.

If you had a chance to make a duet with any Festival da Canção /Eurovision participant, who would you choose?
Probably Salvador Sobral, who won Eurovision for Portugal in 2017. I have a lot of respect for him as an artist and I think our styles would complement each other well.

What are your plans after Festival da Canção 2023?
I will continue writing, performing, and hopefully release more music.

Thank you so much for your time Churky. We wish you the best of luck at the Festival da Canção. Do you want to share something else or you maybe have a message for readers of escbubble?
I just want to say thank you for your support and for taking the time to read this. I hope you enjoy my performance and my music, and I can’t wait to connect with you 🙂

You can listen to “Encruzilhada” by Churky below:

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