Tooji facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tooji
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|---|---|
| Birth name | Touraj Keshtkar |
| Also known as | Tooji |
| Born | 26 May 1987 Shiraz, Iran |
| Origin | Norway |
| Genres |
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| Occupation(s) | Singer, model, television host, social worker |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Japanese stage name | |
| Kanji | 冬至 |
| Romanization | tōji |
| Literal meaning | winter solstice |
Touraj Keshtkar (Persian: تورج کشتکار), known as Tooji, is a singer, painter, model, and TV host. He was born in Iran on May 26, 1987. Tooji moved to Norway when he was very young. He became famous for representing Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.
Contents
Tooji's Journey in Music and TV
Tooji was born in Shiraz, Iran. He moved to Norway when he was just one year old. His mother, Lily Bandehy, is a writer. When Tooji was 16, he started working as a model. Later, he became a TV host for MTV Norway. He hosted shows like "Super Saturday."
Tooji also studied to become a social worker. He helped people in places that welcome new arrivals to a country.
Eurovision and Melodi Grand Prix
In 2012, Tooji won a competition called Melodi Grand Prix 2012. This win gave him the chance to represent Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2012. The contest was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. His song was called "Stay."
After Eurovision, Tooji continued his TV career. Since 2012, he has hosted Melodi Grand Prix Junior in Norway. This is a version of Eurovision for younger performers. He hosted it with Margrethe Røed.
Music and Messages
In 2013, Tooji released a song called "Rebels." He described it as "dramatic pop-dance." He said it mixed new natural sounds with electronic music.
He later moved to Stockholm, Sweden. There, he released another song called "Packin' Guns." Tooji often uses his music to share important messages. His song "Cocktail" talks about how boys and girls are expected to act in society. The music video for his song "Say Yeah" promotes kindness and acceptance for everyone.
Tooji also worked on a project called "The Father Project." This project included a song and an EP (Extended Play) called Father. The music video for "Father" was filmed inside a church in Oslo. This video caused some discussion. The Bishop of Oslo, Ole Christian Kvarme, said the video was "unacceptable." He felt it was a "gross misuse of the church." Tooji said he lost his job as a host for Melodi Grand Prix Junior because of this project. He called "The Father Project" "the most important thing I've done in my life."
Tooji's Personal Life
Tooji supports a movement called Green Wave. This movement works for democratic changes in Iran. During his performance at the Eurovision Song Contest 2012, Tooji wore a green bracelet. This bracelet showed his support for a free Iran.
In June 2015, Tooji shared something personal about himself. He hoped that by being open, he could help young people feel more comfortable being themselves. He received praise from a Norwegian group that supports people of all identities.
Tooji's Music Releases
Extended Plays
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Stay |
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| Father |
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Singles
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NOR | |||||||||||||||||||
| "Swan Song" | 2008 | — | Non-album singles | ||||||||||||||||
| "Stay" | 2012 | 2 | Stay | ||||||||||||||||
| "If It Wasn't For You" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Rebels" | 2013 | — | Non-album singles | ||||||||||||||||
| "Packin' Guns" | 2014 | — | |||||||||||||||||
| "Cocktail" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Money" | 2015 | — | |||||||||||||||||
| "L.Y.S" | — | ||||||||||||||||||
| "Father" | — | Father | |||||||||||||||||
| "Say Yeah" | — | Non-album singles | |||||||||||||||||
| "—" means the song did not appear on the music chart or was not released. | |||||||||||||||||||
See also
In Spanish: Tooji para niños
