What are your fondest memories of the Yugoslav period of your career, when you first became one of the top vocalists in the Balkans? “I daren’t tell you the most excit- ing parts and I don't know how to lie – it’s obvious from a kilometre away [laughs]. I today feel glad that I ap- proached the end of the slalom with- out leaving parts of myself as sign- posts on the flags.” With whom would you glad- ly record a duet? “With Bruno Mars, who’s very interesting.” Which of your own songs do you love the most, if you are able to single one out? “Even after many years, a storm always breaks out at concerts when I sing the songs Stranac u noći and Zamisli život. I just spoke recent- ly over the phone with Juro Stub- lić, frontman of the group Film, and he’s looking forward to performing Zamisli život, which we sang as a du- et as a big hit and made several ver- sions and videos. Both of those songs are totally crazy and we’re never mis- taken when we perform them for an audience.” Alongside playing the gui- tar, do you wish to play some other instrument? “I believe I would have also been directed towards the piano if I’d had a different upbringing in my family. But I’m convinced I would have de- voted myself to playing the piano if I’d been given enough time to relax and devote myself to that. I believe that when I enter what people call and imagine as being retirement I will, with the help of YouTube, take les- sons and practise playing the piano.” What impressions of the Belgrade audience do you have? “The Belgrade audience is abso- lutely the best! They never wait un- til the end of the concert to get up from their seats to sing the great- est hits with me, but rather they get into the concert from the start and join my singing for us to enjoy our- selves together from the first milli- second. Their chilled nature and de-
sire to have a good time at the concert is the greatest blessing for every mu- sician, myself included.” What parts of your work re- sume would you repeat and what wouldn’t you do again? “It’s important to me that I’m still on the scene now. It’s important and fulfilling to me that I can still ex- plore sound and use it to tell emo- tional stories. And I wouldn't repeat anything, it all just happened! Mem- ories aren’t the sum total of infor- mation that you can relive; I recall some collections of moments like flash photos. But it is clear that I’m no longer able to feel the entire es- sence of being of the period when I was aged 18 to 28.” How do you maintain the form of your voice? “The voice is an instrument that’s created reflexively, through the con- traction and expansion of the vocal cords through which air passes and vibrates. And I expect someone who uses their voice for singing to be be- lievable to me when they sing, be- cause it’s nothing without that, even if that voice reaches angelic heights on the scale as a beautiful tone. So, persuasiveness first, and then comes the craft!” How do you prefer to spend your time during flights, do you sing to yourself? “I only perform music on stage and in first gear. I don't sing in the shower, aboard a plane or when some- one asks me to sing a song in com- pany. If I pick up a guitar at a party, then I create a concert for friends. That attitude of mine towards mu- sic sometimes isn’t understood, but people who know me better under- stand that there are no notes in third or fourth gear for me.” Do you feel good when fly- ing by plane? “Who doesn't love to fly by plane?! I also love it, but a smidgen of fear always exists! And I’m evoked by that adventure! The difference in air pressure between the underside and upper part of an aeroplane wing is all that keeps us flying and I find that absolutely fascinating! Man achieved a lot when he conquered flying.”
The new song Zamisli (Im- agine) is in good old Mas- simo garb. How did you recognise that song in par- ticular as being written for you? “That’s a very individual thing, directed towards authors who allude to parts of my life in writing songs, believing that we will then collabo- rate. For me, it’s most important to feel the freedom of the author and the song; that it levitates and has a wonderful structure regardless of whether I will include it in my rep- ertoire. Authors err the most when it comes to me when they offer me a highly professional arrangement, when all I need is to feel the ener- gy that I will contribute to with my interpretation.” Do you remember how you started singing? “As a seven-year-old kid, I sang and acted out playing a plastic gui- tar without strings, and my friends under the balcony were my audience and clapped. I had my premiere pro- fessional performance at a caravan campsite in Tunavica in Labinština, Istria, where they also organised a multimedia centre for bands. It was also there that I earned my first pay- ment to pay off my first guitar.”
36 | Intervju » Interview
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