Slavko Kalezic eurovision 2017 interview william

On March 10 he released the fleshy and highly artistic music video for his Eurovision 2017 song “Space”.

And the morning after Montenegro’s Slavko Kalezic logged on to Skype to have a chat with wiwibloggs on spirituality, being a vegetarian, his gym-honed body and much, much more.

It takes a brave man to vogue in a pair of leather pants while shirtless and whipping around a hair extension. How was Slavko feeling after sharing his vision with the world?

“Oh my god — I feel so crazy,” he says. “When I released my song, I thought that not everyone would be [giving] compliments. But I see 50-50….it’s OK. I really appreciate that because it motivates me for the main part of the Eurovision project — Eurovision in May. I feel very touched because my art moved everything in all the world.”

And as the world moved plenty of people stopped to ogle over his flatpack stomach and cut arms. He was keen to flash a bit of flesh.

“I’ve been hardworking in the gym all these years and I thought it was very, very beautiful to show my body and show that I am very healthy in every way — in physique and in a mental way.”

For Slavko keeping healthy — and living with his conscience — involves not eating meat.

“I’m a vegetarian,” he says. “I’m on organic food because my lifestyle is something I want to bring on Eurovision. I want to speak about my art in the way of lifestyle — what Slavko has been doing in his life. With the lifestyle of being vegetarian I am sending a message — I really like animals. Through Eurovision I want to stay stop killing animals. The planet is such a beautiful place to live.”

The video, which sees Slavko assuming a number of guises and outfits, has deep meaning. The costume choices — from the billowing dress to the leather trousers on the rocks — all have thought behind them.

“The main symbolic theme in the video is the second verse — show me your super powers, I’m Venus and Mars of the hour,” he explains. “I think that very intelligent people can discover everything that I want to say from my art. In the video I’m Mars — in the part where I shot my images in the studio. But when you see the rocks and everything behind me I’m Venus. That is the skirt and everything.”

“I’m Mars, but I wanted to bring a little bit about Venus because everything I do is about love. The song is important, but I’m a professional actor so I want to bring art and a little bit of theatre into Eurovision.”

His incredibly long hair braid will be a feature of his Eurovision 2017 campaign.

“I will have all my way at Eurovision that extension,” he says. “And that is kind of transforming myself in a role, so when I’m coming in Kyiv and all these pre-parties they will see Slavko in a beautiful role.”

The lyrics — “Don’t worry — I have my suit on — our body language, let’s write a story” — have made many ask if the song is about safe sex.

“I didn’t think about it in that way when we were creating the song, but the song is very symbolic. When you come in the theatre everyone goes out of the theatre with the message he or she took from the show. So I want to be free in the way everybody can understand my song and video in the way he or she wants to understand it. So if they say ‘safe sex’ I say OK, you have to have safe sex.” Let’s do this!

Slavko doesn’t want to give too much away about his on-stage look. But judging from the video — and his comments — he’s not just going to rock the boat, he’s going to set it on fire.

“It will be a very, very controversial costume. It will be very, very strong. I know everyone speaks now about my Eurovision performance and everyone is speaking about it. Of course I will bring a show.”

When you’re as fabulous as Slavko, haters are always on the horizon. But he doesn’t care and seems to subscribe to the wise adage that you should worry when they stop talking about you.

“When it is about Slavko Kalezic, it is always 50-50. And I think that is a huge success. I am not in the way, ‘Oh, everybody have to love me. Everybody have to love me.’ No. It’s not about that. Because when you are honest and you have yourself and your self-confidence and a mission, you have to be honest about art.”

For him, the biggest joy comes when “people realise what I am trying to say, realise the love of life I am sending through my videos and my songs. That is the main part of my human being and my heart.”

Read more Slavko Kalezic news

31 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Purple Mask
Purple Mask
7 years ago

Firstly, thank you William for the interview. Slavko really came across as endearing, and gave his best attempts at explaining the song from an artistic perspective. Of course it’s easy for us to laugh, and I think Slavko expects that and knows that people are going to make fun of the song (and of him). But because of that, I like it. It’s something I can just enjoy and not have to take too seriously – in this regard, Slavko is playing an entire deck of “entertainment” cards here. On the subject matters: of course the song is about safe… Read more »

Silvia Night
Silvia Night
7 years ago

Thank God for Slavko’s diversity and controversy, I’m bored with copy & paste clones who all they have to show for themselves is whey-induced abs! 😀

Charles
Charles
7 years ago

Good luck bringing in a controversial circus … being “circus” the most relevant word here .. that can top the simplicity and the beard of Conchita Sausage. The LGBT card is not gonna be echoed this way, honey … but keep trying! Maybe Donald Trump will tweet about it … lol

Charles
Charles
7 years ago

“Through Eurovision I want to say stop killing animals” while screaming “hey girls, let’s have a party” as the Croatian singer goes “b**** stop trying to shade my presence. I’m the one everybody will have to love” … though the only animal on stage belongs to Italy … it all makes sense now.

MK
MK
7 years ago

Okay, so his visuals are going to

a) be controversial
b) symbolise both war and love (Mars and Venus)
c) showcase vegetarianism

So actually he could just recycle Kreisiraadio’s controversial 2008 staging: Female dancers in underwear parading in a military style while cardboards displaying vegetables are shown in the background.

Denis
Denis
7 years ago

Good luck getting through to the final, I say!

Thomas
Thomas
7 years ago

I find him pretentious. AND a bad singer obviously

Nicholai
Nicholai
7 years ago

I’m just wondering about the logistics of this – how is he actually going to get people to understand the message? Wearing a ‘cruelty-free’ black suit for example is not going to make people first think “oh, the costume is good for animals so I’m going vegetarian now!”. The only way for the message to be clear is if he walked on stage naked with a billboard that says ‘meat is murder’.

fikri
fikri
7 years ago

@adam: he seems like a water-downed mario. thank god cuz mario is cray cray.

Adam
Adam
7 years ago

why does ‘moonlight’ sound suspiciously like mario vision of gay love or whatever his name was LOL

I love the chorus to his song, but I still stand by what I said in the other article about him…

Soy
Soy
7 years ago

Wow so arty, pretty sure all the historic artists are amazed by Venus and Mars symbolism :/

Fail slavko
Fail slavko
7 years ago

I dont understand what him describes as his art? Dancing like stripper could be?, in other words thanks for The interview was so funny and interesting and for this kind of content.

Pryk Pryk
Pryk Pryk
7 years ago

What a pretentious boob!
His song is utter rubbish, no matter how big the controversy will be, it doesn’t change the fact “Space” has nothing to do with the actual art. In any way or form.
He’s so delusional.

Briekimchi
Briekimchi
7 years ago

He is so nice and I love his song. Consider me one of Slavko’s 50%!
Hopefully he can get to the final with it.

blank
blank
7 years ago

He’s a vegetarian because he loves animals… and yet he is wearing leather pants. I know that’s not a requirement of vegetarianism but this has hypocrisy and attention-seeking written all over it. The only thing I can think of that actually makes sense are that the pants aren’t leather at all and are just faux-leather.

.....
.....
7 years ago

Slavko stands no chance against Swedens Robin Bengtsson!

Ay Jo
Ay Jo
7 years ago

Expect his ponytail this guy copied performers` suits, dance(he could not did it well) of Madonna`s “Girl Gone Wild” videoclip. I love androgyny but not this kind of unprofessional approach. Maybe Madonna inspired him.I cannot figure out much more from his song,video.

Polegend Godgarina
7 years ago

Get dat controversy. I’m hyped for his performance bc it’ll be over the top in a good way.

velorin
velorin
7 years ago

Ehhh, don’t know what to think about his ” controversial ” approach … That’s most of the time an easy ‘out’ for performers who know that their song isn’t good..

FG
FG
7 years ago

Love Slavko & his song !!! Can’t wait for the live performance !

ESCaddict
ESCaddict
7 years ago

Thanks, William. Great interview. I love Slavko’s art. Such an interesting man. “Space” sits at Number 3 for me. It is a brilliant song.

Leaf
Leaf
7 years ago

My dear WiWi’s
I would prefer to watch your reaction videos of songs chosen so far.

P.S

Slavko is so pretentious ….. He is describing his song like it is some form of art when in fact It’s just a cheap yet fun tune.

AzeriBoy96
AzeriBoy96
7 years ago

I am sure this one won’t do well in the contest, but I LOVE it! :3

Pheonix
Pheonix
7 years ago

So were the pants leather or not as this is quite a conflicting article? Good on him for the wanting to stop killing animals ethic, but you won’t get far with leather pants on that score, unless they were an alternative.

Lady Gagarina
Lady Gagarina
7 years ago

@Andreea totally agree. With his personality & style, he could carry off a “Marry the Night” or “Edge of Glory” type song if he wanted a throwback vibe, or “Judas” if he wanted an over the top vibe. Sadly, this song is going nowhere for me

Thiefo
7 years ago

I like that he’s aware he has a divided reaction to everything he does and he owns it. Art is supposed to cause a reaction on the viewer, but most people don’t realize said reaction doesn’t necessarily need to be positive, art can cause happiness, disgust, sadness, make you feel good or uncomfortable. Either way, if it caused a reaction on you, whatever it was, from that moment art achieved its purpose.

So good for him! Looking forward to his performance in May.

Andreea
Andreea
7 years ago

Disco is not that good in Eurovision. All those previous attempts failed (Serhat 2016 anyone?). Wish he would have chosen a pop-modern track, Gaga style…. Good luck, anyway! He’s very talented and full of charisma….

Zafir
Zafir
7 years ago

Not good song, singer with weak vocal, only left to be controversial in stage performance , costume .

Lady Gagarina
Lady Gagarina
7 years ago

I respect his hustle, but this is in my bottom two, slightly higher than that yodeling nightmare. But sis, coming from someone who loves Gaga, I’m waiting to see what costumes & stage show he will bring

Eve
Eve
7 years ago

Can’t wait to see his performance, go Slavko, love from Serbia!!!

Erasmus
Erasmus
7 years ago

I really like him as a person, but his song is really not my cup of tea… I wish him best of luck tho!