Just before performing on the stage at last Friday night�s UK Preview Party in London, esctoday.com�s Russell Davies met with Laka, this year�s singer for Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this exclusive interview, we uncover a little of Laka�s unique outlook on life, his plans for Belgrade and talk about a certain chicken, turkey and monkeys!
Hello Laka and welcome to London
Thank you very much for having me here Russell, it’s a very big pleasure to be here, but something smells like a swimming pool in the back stage. I don’t know what it is.
Very sorry about that. How do you like London?
Yes, it is my second time here in London, but it is huge, you have to walk all around. I could not find my? I don’t know what! Actually we did not have a lot of time togo around.
As I do not understand Bosnian, perhaps you can tell me what your song is about?
It is actually an experiment: it’s about evolution. What I am trying to say is man did not came from monkey, he came from love. So stop acting like a monkey globally speaking – stick to love. What ever you touch in life, table, tyres, condom, shelf, knickers, speaker.
I’m not sure that I understood that, but it sounds lovely.
Thank you
In the Bosnian national final you included a chicken as part of you stage performance. Will you bring the same chicken to the Eurovision stage in Belgrade?
We will have some chicks, but not the chicken this time. The EBU told me not to bring the chicken. It has something to do with the EBU rules. So we sent the chicken to the spicy cooking coupe and we all had dinner, or supper as you say in the UK – we eat the chicken. But, we have a couple of pictures of the chicken so we are going to stick the chicken on some T-shirts, so we can spread it around Belgrade.
As you’re not allowed the chicken, do you think this is fair as Ireland is taking a turkey to Eurovision this year?
Yes, by the time we discovered the turkey, they (the Irish) would say that we had copied them, so we killed the chicken. Sorry chicken, see you in heaven.
Laka, are you a big Eurovision fan?
Actually, last year I put the Eurovision on mute and listened to Radiohead. I loved those guys from the Ukraine (Verka Serduchka), they were fancy smancy and Lords (Lordi) were a big surprise. After Lordi, everything was different. After September 11 and Lordi everything is different, in the world and in Eurovision.
Can you tell me a little about your recording carer? In which territories do you sell you records?
You know that we have private copies, so we don’t sell cds no more. I get sympathy from the people, so they buy my cds to support me, but actually the record company get all the money, so I am still poor. What I have right now is the satisfaction from the music. But I will play in Croatia, Romania and Serbia, because we understand each others languages, but maybe in the UK next. They will make my song in English so I can sing in the UK too.
Laka please tell me about the English language version of Pokusaj.
Yes, we have an English version but it is not a literal translation.
How do you plan to present the song on the Eurovision stage in Belgrade?
It will be me and the chick and four more persons. No chicken, but the chick will be there. We will do a cabaret and some theatre, you will be surprised. Pleasantly surprised.
Finally, do you have a message for esctoday reader?
If you don’t like my song, don’t vote for me, in any case you will be acting like a monkey. Man did not come from monkey; he came from love and if you love me, vote for me. Thank you
