Esma's Band will be performing in the second semi final of Skopje Fest, the Macedonian preselection to determine their representative at the Eurovision Song Contest, on February 19th. Find out more about their bid for Eurovision in the interview below.

To begin with, please tell us a bit about the members of Esma’s Band and their music.

The members of Esma’s Band are all the musicians who follow Esma Redzepova, The Queen of Gypsy music on her concerts World Wide, and as a singer now we have Eleonora Mustafovska, young girl of 19, a student of Esma.

Esma’s Band consists of the musicians of Esma Redzepova, the “Queen of gypsy music”, and a girl singer who is a student of Esma. How did the band’s participation at this year’s Skopje Fest come about?

We had this song ready for two years. It is a song with very modern rhythm and maybe we saw a chance to promote Esma’s Band to the audience.

Please give us some details of Dzipsi dens and tell us about its’ music and message.

As I said before it is a song with very modern style. The story is about one Gypsy girl, who lovesa boy from other nationality and she sings to him in the song and tells him her love, and finally invites him to dance together Gypsy dance.

How will the song’s concept be transmitted on stage?

We have very rich choreography with a lot of dance on a stage, as the title of the song tells.

What are your expectations for this year’s Skopje Fest? Is Esma’s Band determined to win? How strong do you consider your song to be?

In this last week we heard the snippets of all songs and as we make a comparison we have chances to win. It is very normal if you are involved in some competition to expect a win, so we expect the win too, and think that it will not be a surprise if we take a win this year, because we have quality song. But the last word is the word of the audience and the jury, so we’ll wait till 20. February, and if yes, we’ll start to prepare for Oslo, very, very hard.

What would it mean for the members of Esma’s Band to go to the Eurovision Song Contest?

The men members of the band are famous in the world, but for Eleonora itis a very, very good chance to present herself to the European audience, and they may see Esma’s student, very hopeful voice who’s time is coming.

Do you think that Dzipsi dens could achieve a good placing in Eurovision?

Why not. In comparison with the other Macedonian singer we are not debutants in Europe, so the people know us, because our work, our concerts are in European countries not here in Macedonia. Also we expect the votes of Roma population in Europe, who are between 16 and 18 million. This give us a hope to expect good placing.

Besides the music, will Esma’s Band also be keeping the philosophy of the legendary musician and humanitarian Esma Redzepova alive?

Yes, of course. We expect Esma’s Band to follow the steps of Esma, because she is their Mother. All of them are their adopted children and their home education is to be good, to love each other and to give a hand if some one need it.

What messages do you generally intend on spreading out with your music?

Our message is to fill our music as a bridge which connects the differences between the nations, because Roma (Gypsies) are living in every European country and feel themselves as cosmopolitans, so about it we feel us as connectors with our music.

Finally, do you have a message for the readers of esctoday.com?

Yes, our last message is if we win here in Skopje, support us in Oslo, because all of you have a chance to vote.

Esctoday.com would like to thank Esma's Band for doing this interview and wish them the best of luck for the 2nd semi final of Skopje Fest, to be held on February 19th.

Snippets of the songs participating in the 2nd semi final of Skopje Fest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcb3e4HIh0s