Interview: Hugo One - from Luxembourg to Scotland to... Eurovision?!

Study.eu had the pleasure of interviewing Hugo One, who recently competed in the Luxembourg Song Contest with the aim of making it to Eurovision. Hugo studied abroad at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland, spent a year working in Berlin, and now works at the University of Luxembourg. In this interview, he shares his experiences studying and working abroad, and how these adventures shaped him both personally and professionally.  

 

Why did you choose to study at the University of Aberdeen? 

It was a combination of different factors. I come from a small country and I knew I wanted to study abroad. As a teenager, I fell in love with British culture and the English language, so studying in English and being taught by native speakers was really important to me. And I also wanted to improve my own level of English. I felt that being fully immersed in an English-speaking environment would help me improve both my language skills and my pronunciation, so I decided to go to the UK. 

I had two offers: one from the University of Aberdeen and one from the University of Sussex, both good universities. At the time, EU students had to pay tuition fees in England, while undergraduate degrees in Scotland were tuition-free for students from the EU with some conditions, so I could study there for free. That made a big difference in my decision.

 

 

Did you have a favourite course during your studies? 

I wouldn’t say I had one specific favorite subject, but there were definitely some professors and classes that stood out to me. I really enjoyed Economics, and I also liked the Operations Management classes. The professor left a strong impression on me. He’s Scottish and I remember him as super lively in class, and he always wore a formal suit, but with a funky tie. It might sound like a small detail, but just walking in and seeing that always put a smile on your face. 

 

You also lived in Berlin. How did your year in Germany contribute to your personal and professional development?

For my degree, I needed to spend a year abroad in a German-speaking country. So I went to Berlin for a placement as a Fremdsprachenassistent, essentially a foreign language assistant for French at a school. I supported the teachers and over time, I also ended up teaching English.

The placement wasn’t paid, so I also worked at a marketing firm, which turned out to be a really great experience. It was a startup environment with a very international team. About half of my colleagues were German, so that helped me improve my German significantly.

In a way, that year also felt like a break. It came between my second and third year, so after two years of studying, it was nice to step out of the academic environment, gain some practical experience, and then return to Aberdeen with a fresh perspective.

 

In what ways has studying abroad shaped or influenced you?

I definitely think the experience changed me. If you look at Aberdeen, for example, it’s quite far from Luxembourg. There are no direct flights and it usually takes two flights to get there. This forces you to become responsible, not just for your studies, but for your everyday life. You have to manage your rent, your groceries, your schedule… everything. 

What I really appreciated is that I was essentially thrown into adult life, and it gave me a sense of independence very early on.

Another big part of the experience was the people. You meet so many different cultures and students who share the same experience and have also chosen to study abroad. Because of that, you naturally build really strong connections. I’m still close with many of my university friends even ten years later. Last year, we even went on a road trip across Scotland to celebrate a decade of friendship. Scotland will always have a very special place in my heart. 

 

 

 

When did you decide you wanted to take part in Eurovision, and what inspired that decision?

I’ve loved Eurovision for years, and when Luxembourg returned three years ago [after a three-decade absence], I immediately thought, “This is my moment, I need to audition.” I tried in 2023 but wasn’t called back, tried again in 2024, and by 2025 I made it to the national final.

Beyond my passion for music and Eurovision, what motivates me most is the pride of representing my country on such a big stage. I don’t run or do archery, so I’ll never compete in the Olympics! But to me, Eurovision feels like the European Olympics of music. If I can represent Luxembourg and make my country proud, that means a lot to me.

I definitely want to try again in the future. Eurovision is a bit like a lottery and there are a lot of factors and some subjectivity involved, so even with a great song, you can’t fully control the outcome. That’s just part of the process.

 

When you create music, what’s your role in the process? Do you write, compose, or produce, or do you work with others?

I usually work with a team when writing songs, and it often varies. For “Born Again”, my song for the national final, I worked on it during a Eurovision songwriting camp in Luxembourg.

It was a very intensive, collaborative process. I arrived at 9 a.m., got placed in a team, and by 9 p.m. we had to present a finished song. In my group, we were four: one producer, Emil Lei, and two other songwriters, EDSUN and Albin Ljungqvist.

At the beginning, we discussed the kind of music I like, artists like Dua Lipa and 80s-inspired sounds, which shaped the direction of the song. While we were writing, the producer developed melodies, sharing ideas throughout the day that we would build on if we liked them. It’s quite intense, but also very rewarding to see a song come together that quickly.

 

 

Among the artists competing at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, who do you think has the best chances of winning? 

I can definitely tell you who I want to win! I love Eva [the artist representing Luxembourg] and hope she goes far, but since I can’t vote for my own country, I’d say I’m really rooting for Finland this year. If not Finland, then Denmark, both have a strong chance.

However, I’ve never been to Finland. So as a potential future Eurovision representative for Luxembourg, if they win, it would be a great excuse for me to go next year. Let’s see, fingers crossed!

 

Hugo, thank you for the interview! Anything you’d like to add?

Not really, maybe just a shoutout for my employer, the University of Luxembourg: It’s a great university with many cool programmes and classes, and not many students know that it’s actually very affordable. Tuition fees are around €400 per semester for most programmes, whether undergraduate or postgraduate. So come and study in Luxembourg!

 

Listen to Hugo One on Spotify and watch his videos on YouTube.

 

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