Montenegro’s Eurovision 2016 act Highway, who rose to fame during the second series of X Factor Adria earlier this year, are ready to rock Eurovision. As you may remember from our interview last month, they are super excited and were keeping their plans close to their chests. Now, as Eurovision preparations draw ever nearer, they have revealed what few fans expected: the trio is getting reinforcements.
As of December 2015, Highway will perform as a quartet — and you may already know their newest member. He’s Bojan Jovovic of No Name fame! He and his now-defunct band represented Serbia & Montenegro at Eurovision 2005, where they placed seventh in a field of 39. He was supposed to sing for the country again, but everything went tits up and the country withdrew from Eurovision that year. At least they secured a place in our poll for best withdrawn act…
Speaking to Montenegrin media outlet Vijesti, Bojan revealed that Highway wanted to expand because of their busy schedule, which of course involves Eurovision. Bojan, who is 10 years older than his new bandmates, will accompany them as a vocalist and keyboardist. Don’t call him unproductive.
“I already have two songs on my mind. They are working really hard for their debut album, and I really hope these two songs will be on it. As soon as we finish the song for Eurovision, we’ll continue recording their album, which will be out by the end of 2016. I’m very content with Highway’s plans: they seriously work.“
He promises their first common song, the Eurovision one, will be top-notch:
“It’s going to be a surprise, but you will find out more at the beginning of the new year. It would be unfair of me to say anything without the boys. We recently stayed in Zagreb, did some recording, and our voices blended well.“
He has also ruled out returning to Neon — the band he played with prior Highway — as well as No Name:
“Marko Peric and I, together with the songwriter Minja Peric, were the founders of No Name. It was Minja who really believed in that band. He gave us tailwind and pushed the story. After Marko’s departure, it lost all sense to me, so I left No Name, as I believed everyone was focusing on their solo careers instead…I haven’t any regrets, and have kept excellent relations with everyone. When you don’t believe in the idea, it is much better to stop than struggle. And to build a solo career while being in the band did not occur to me, as I didn’t even then, as I don’t want even now, to sit on two chairs at the same time.“
Are four singers better than three? Can Highway’s +1 bring us to Podgorica in 2017? Let us know your thoughts in the comments box below.
You always need a keyboard.
Any improvement on their current vocals is welcome. This just became interesting!
Certainly gives them more street cred. Christ, Montenegro might make the final without a Balkan ballad!
Not sure how I feel cause I liked Highway as they were! Now I worry he is going to influence them too much and push an old-fashioned song on them.