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ESCKAZ SPECIAL FEATURE ON CROATIAN
EUROVISION 2008 ENTRANTS:
KRALJEVI ULICE & 75 CENT: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
ЭКСКЛЮЗИВНОЕ ИНТЕРВЬЮ KRALJEVI ULICE & 75 CENT,
ПРЕДСТАВИТЕЛЕЙ ХОРВАТИИ НА КОНКУРСЕ
ЕВРОВИДЕНИЕ 2008
| - Hi, Kraljevi Ulice & 75
cent, and our congratulations for being selected Croatian representatives at Eurovision
2008! How do you feel now, being a Eurovision participants? - Hi and thanks a lot for your congratulations. It's nice to win in any competition (unless it's a "Fool of the year" competition). It's an honor to represent our country in this event. - What were your first thoughts when you were announced as winner of preselection? - AT LAST! It seems like the 'third luck' saying worked out (i.e. The third time it will work, Kraljevi were trying to win for the 3rd time). - How can you describe your song Romanca in one phrase? - As romance... - Was this song written specially for Eurovision contest, can you tell shortly the story of it’s creation? - It was written especially for DORA (the Croatian Eurovision preliminary round). The songs 'was born' on a lazy afternoon at the sea coast town of STARA NOVALJA on the island of Pag. There, in such a conditions, best songs of the world usually are born. - Was it difficult to succeed at the national final, were there other strong competitors, whom have you regarded as your main rivals? - This year's strong competitor was Antonija Sola, we didn't expect that. We think that her song textually and musically is more for the domestic market and we wish her there the best of luck. - For some years you’ve been trying out at the national selection in Croatia. What was the decisive point in success this time, on your opinion? - Good and 'singalong' melody plus the very original performance by rapper 75 Cent. - How it happened that Kraljevi Ulice have joined the forces with Ladislav (75 cent)? Can you tell the story of this cooperation? - Ladislav plays harmonica and piano with the Kraljevi Ulice on various events and parties for already an approx. 10 years. Just this year he got the task to rap. As a good musician it was not hard for him to also perform this style of music perfectly. - Are you usually following the Eurovision contest itself? Any memories connected with it? - Not very passionate. The last few years however more and more. It's a remarkable and big festival which generated in the past big worldwide hits. A very positive feeling/connection anyway- personally. - What will be your aim in the contest, are you aiming for a win there? - Everything is open in a competition like this. Lordi, for instance, also won. We, without masks and extreme make-up, have an effective appearance. And let's not forget – a good song. - Are you planning to record other versions of the track, other languages, remixes? - Our record label (Menart Records) is working on a remix. There is already a rough mix of a disco version, and we are recording a Russian version as we speak. - I believe, you’ve decided to perform in Croatian on Eurovision stage. Was it natural or difficult decision? - Of course in Croatian, and it was very easy to decide that. Anyway I think that everyone should sing in its own language. That variety gives a new 'fortune' to the Eurovision song contest. - Are you planning some promotional tour later? Do you think in general that precontest promotion is important for the contest success? - We would like to visit all countries we are in the semi final with. We will see what our options are and for sure we will visit our neighbouring countries. We do not have much experience in what the effects can be of such promo tours – but we know the significance. - Can you tell us about your excellent music video? What was main idea behind it, who was director of it and who played main female role in it? - As we are typical a band from the city the idea was to create love between our song and the city of Zagreb. I think our director Thimor Zaran succeeded in that, totally! The female part in our video is done by our dancer/princess Mia Lisak - Are you preparing changes to the way song will be presented on Belgrade stage, or presentation will be basically same as in Croatian final? - We are preparing some differneces that will not change the entire picture. We will include (as in the video) another musical instrument – 75 Cent had the wish to do a little scratching and we are including this in the new performance. - What do you think is more important for Eurovision success: song, performer or the show? - Of course the combination of these three. You have three minutes and you need to show the best you know by all possible means. That the main show. - Eurovision is sometimes labelled as political contest. Do you think of it as political event? - I'm affraid the politic context is more noticable by every year. Maybe this year it will be a lot more utter (or expressed) because of the politic situation in Serbia. We all know the reasons. I'm feel sorry about that, because Eurovision should be (or supposed to be) nothing but entertainment. - Let's speak briefly on your career. What you consider as the main highlight in it? - Our career just started, the best is still to come. Especially for 75 Cent. - Have you taken part in other music competitions? Do you like competing in general? - We never competed. We have played on many festivals but never competitions. We are not overexcited about competitions in general. - Your style as city music is not very familiar to the Eurovision audience. How can you describe it? - Our basic style is 'old city music' and in that music styles from all over Europe are included (Hungary, Russia, Italy, Germany and France especially). If you flavour that all with a bit of gipsy effects you will have the Kraljevi Ulice. When a country is included in the Balkans you know that through early history it was involved in all world styles. - Have you tried yourselves in different music styles? Is Ladislav really a rapper?? - HAHA!! Maybe he was a secret rapper. We believed in his style and in principal the music we love and is included in our hearts. From that we live and that is very satisfactory. - Ladislav, as you’re aiming to become the oldest (and probably most experienced!) Eurovision participant, what are your thoughts on that? - It is never too late to be involved with music. I've been around the planet and now I'm going controlled to a European level. - You have just released brilliant album Zemja Plese. Can you tell few words on it? - It is a typical Kraljevi album. There are a few very old songs that were big hits in the 50's and 60's. We liked it and we like the retro style in a new arrangement (done for us by Tomizza). - Can you name us your favourite world singers? - Sting, Joe Cocker, Aretha Franklin,Amy Winehouse, Norah Jones, Renzo Arbore,Jamie Cullum - And our usual question - can you name us any singers you know coming from ex-USSR, Russia , Ukraine ? - Bulat Okudzhava, Zhanna Bichevskaya, Vladimir Vysotskiy, Alexandrov's and Red Army orchestras, Fyodor Shalyapin, Ruslana. - Finally, if you wish to leave any message to the visitors of our site you can do it now. - Sing and love. There is never enough love! - Thank you for the interview, good luck with your preparations and see you in Belgrade! And special greetings to Ladislav from Asia where he was not able to sail during his tour, but we do not loose hopes to see him here after Eurovision! |
- Привет, Kraljevi Ulice и
75 cent, наши поздравления с тем, что вы стали
представителями Хорватии на Евровидении 2008. Что
вы чувствуете в связи с этим? - Привет, спасибо за поздравления. Побеждать в каждом соревновании (если конечно это не "Дурак года") всегда очень приятно. Для нас честь представить страну в этом конкурсе. - Каковы были ваши первые мысли, когда вас объявили победителем отбора? - Наконец-то! Похоже сработала фраза "Бог любит троицу" - мы ведь уже третий раз участвовали в отборе. - Как бы вы описали вашу песню Romanca в одной фразе? - Ну, как романс... - Она была написана специально для Евровидения? Расскажите об истории ее создания? - Да, она была написана специально для ДОРА (хорватского отбора на Евровидение). Она родилась однажды днем в прибрежном городе Стара Новалья на острове Паг. Там, в таких условиях и рождаются лучшие песни в мире. - Тяжело ли было победить на национальном отборе, были ли у вас сильные конкуренты, кто-то из них понравился? - Да, была очень сильная соперница Антония Сола, мы даже не ожидали. Но мы думаем, что ее песня больше подходит для местного рынка. Мы желаем ей всего лучшего в дальнейшем! - Что, как вы думаете, склонило чашу весов в вашу пользу в этом году? - Хорошая, запоминающаяся мелодия и очень оригинальное выступление нашего рэпера 75 Cent. - Как получилось, что Kraljevi Ulice начали работать вместе с 75 cent? Расскажите, как появилось ваше сотрудничество? - Ладислав уже около 10 лет играет на гармонике и пианино на различных выступлениях нашей группы. В этом году он получил задание читать рэп. Как хорошему музыканту для него не составило труда отлично справиться с этим стилем. - Вы обычно следите за конкурсом Евровидение? Какие-то воспоминания с ним связаны? - Не очень внимательно, но последние годы все больше и больше. Это большой фестиваль, который в прошлом дал миру несколько известных хитов. Поэтому мы к нему относимся очень тепло. - Какова ваша цель на конкурсе, будете ли вы стремиться к победе? - На таких конкурсах все возможно. Даже Лорди победили. У нас правда масок и макияжа не будет, но мы надеемся эффектно выступить. И у нас есть, не будем забывать, отличная песня. - Планируете ли вы записать еще какие-то версии вашей конкурсной песни? - Наш лейбл Menart Records сейчас работает над ремиксом. Уже есть недосведенная диско версия и мы записываем русскую версию прямо сейчас. - Вы решили петь на хорватском на конкурсе. Легко ли далось это решение? - Очень легко. Мы вообще думаем, что все должны петь на родных языках. Разнообразие может дать новый толчок Евровидению. - Вы считаете промо-тур важным моментом подготовки к Евровидению? Планируете ли вы посетить другие страны перед конкурсом? - Мы бы хотели посетить все страны из нашего полуфинала. Посмотрим, как сложится, по-крайней мере мы объедем все соседние страны. У нас нет большого опыта в промо-турах, но мы верим в их важность. - Можете рассказать о видеоклипе на вашу конкурсную песню? - Поскольку мы городская группа, идея клипа в том, чтобы создать любовь между нашей песней и городом Загребом. Нам кажется, что нашему режиссеру Тимору Зарану удалось исполнить это. Главную женскую роль в нем сыграла наша танцовщица-принцесса Мия Лисак. - Вы готовите какие-то изменения в
выступление по сравнению с тем, что было на
хорватском финале? |