“The Switzerland I know,” DJ BoBo said, “is one that isn't afraid of vampires.” The Swiss representative to the Eurovision Song Contest was with his family in South Africa when he took the time to talk to Schweizer Illustrierte magazine about the Swiss petition against his song Vampires are alive. He told the magazine that he is frustrated the controversy went so far; he is sad that the rest of the world is laughing at Switzerland.
DJ BoBo, his wife Nancy, his four year-old son Jamiro, and his six month-old baby daughter Kayley were enjoying a short vacation on the beachbefore the final weeks of preparation for Helsinki when they spoke to the Swiss lifestyle magazines about their life together as a family. Of course young Jamiro is allowed to watch the video for Vampires are alive. "He thinks it's cool," the singer said, "He loves fables and fairytales – and nothing else is going on in the song."
The singer, who is known for his wholesome pop music, is extremely frustrated by a petition organized by evangelical Christians to stop his song because they believe the lyrics could encourage occult practices. "It's like a step backwards to the witch hunts," BoBo complained.
The small percentage of fundamentalist Christians in Switzerland who have actually protested the song have made up their minds, and DJ BoBo said that nothing he can say will convince them the song is harmless. "Unfortunately, that is a part … of Switzerland; one part that I don't want to represent. The Switzerland that I know is one that isn't afraid of vampires, since Switzerland can differentiate between fairytales and reality." What really hurts the singer is he believes that people around the world are laughing at Switzerland since they can't believe that the controversy is even an issue.
DJ BoBo also posed with his family in South Africa for the first published photos of his new daughter Kayley. A few of the photos are available on online here. The full interview and more photos are available in the current issue of Schweizer Illustrierte on newsstands.
