Ralf Mackenbach: A Junior Eurovision Winner Reflects on Fame and Family Support
Ralf Mackenbach, the winner of the Junior Eurovision Song Contest with “Click Clack,” remembers the initial audition process as a especially vulnerable time. “I can still remember the sharp looks of the jury. I think that’sโ when you are at your most vulnerable,” he shares, recalling the pre-competition nerves that graduallyโ subsided as the contest progressed. “So much happens in between, wich helps your self-confidence.”
Mackenbach and his dance team approached the competition with a simple goal: to enjoyโ themselves. “We โthought: we’ll see whereโ we get.” This โคrelaxedโ attitude proved accomplished, leading to a first-place victory and a sudden surge into the public eye. “The real hectic only started after that,” he explains.
Theโข immediate โaftermath โof winning was overwhelming. “You promptly have a full voicemail box of people who like your โact and ask ifโ you are stillโ looking for a manager,” Mackenbach recounts. โคHe credits his parents and โa supportiveโค team for navigating this period effectively. “I was veryโ lucky. They shielded me andโค tackled everything togetherโ with a team.”
The transition to fame presented challenges,particularly adjusting to a loss of privacy. “You areโฃ suddenly thrown into the public eye from high school. You โขhave to get used โขto cameras,but also โฃto giving up some privacy.” A period of “Ralf madness” ensued, taking roughly aโ year for him to adjust. โฃ
Mackenbach attributes his ability toโค cope with the attention to a strong family foundation. “All credit to my parents. They โmotivated me in a healthyโ way.” growing up with two older brothers also instilled a sense of discipline. “I didn’t really have a โchance to ‘walk next to my shoes’. I have two older brothers, so if I ever walked out of line, I would be kicked backโข on my ankles,” he says with a laugh.
Despite finding the attentionโฃ from fans both wonderful โand sometimes bizarre – “I thought it was crazy that people pay money to seeโ you, but also tough to realize” – Mackenbach emphasizes the importance of authenticity. “You just find out that it’s best if you stay โคtrue โคto yourself,” he shares. “You don’t โคhave toโฃ be nicer, or extra or subdued.”
Looking back, mackenbach โขexpresses gratitude for the supportโ system that allowedโค him to experience the whirlwind of Junior Eurovision in aโฃ positive way. Thoughโค his tap shoes are now tucked away, his performance of “Click Clack”โ remains a memorable moment in Junior Eurovision history.
Today, Ralf Mackenbach lives in Switzerland and worksโค as a nuclear physicist, a testament to a lifeโค beyond โthe stage. He shares further detailsโ about his โฃjourney and current life in a full interview.