“At first I want to make things clear: NOX won't stop and it will continue to exist.” This was the direct statement used this week to confirm that the turbo-folk band which represented Hungary at the 2005 Eurovision Song Contest will not be splitting up despite rumours to the contrary.

Lead singer Szilvia Péter Szabó spoke at length to Hungarian tabloid Blikk, stressing that the rumours may have died down, but the band certainly hasn't. In fact, they are as strong as ever, with their new album Örömvölgy going gold on the day of release. This was made easier, incidentally, by a recent reduction in the Hungarian music industry's threshholds for gold and platinum status, brought on by a serious downturn in music sales over the country.

Talked a lot
But Szilvia did hint at the tensions which gave rise to the rumours of a split some weeks ago. Talking about her relationship with NOX producer László Rácz, she admits "We have talked a lot and we have
made a decision not to break up and to try it again." So fans can breathe easy in the knowledge that at least for now, NOX will continue to make music.

NOX came 12th at the Eurovision Song Contest final in 2005 in Kyiv, Ukraine.