“Eurovision without Turkey is not Eurovision Song Contest!”

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH DANIEL KAJMAKOSKI (MACEDONIA 2015)

As every year, OGAE Turkey interviews are back again! This year, our first interview is with the Macedonian representative, Daniel Kajmakoski.

Daniel, who will represent his country in Vienna will sing Lisja Esenski (Autumn Leaves) in this edition of Eurovision Song Contest.

Enjoy it, We will continue to surprise you all.

Viyana’da yaşayan Daniel Kajmakoski, 2015 Eurovision Şarkı Yarışması’nda Makedonya’yı temsil edecek
Daniel Kajmakoski will represent F.Y.R. Macedonia on the Eurıvision Song Contest 2015

OT: Hello Daniel, first of all we would like to thank you for interviewing with us. Can you please tell us about yourself and your music life?

DK: First of all, I want to thank you for your invitation for interview. About me . . . I feel something like cosmopolitan type of person, who all his life is trying to find happiness and the reason of existing.  One interview is too short to tell my music story, but anyway I’ll try to put some things together.

Born in Macedonia, at age of 7 I and my family moved to the city where this year I am going to represent Macedonia on Eurovision Song Contest.  I love and respect the music as art. For me the music was and always will be more than business – its obsession, love and nourishment. Every artist wants to work what truly loves, but for me I can say music is more than just a work.

Four years ago, I decided to back off from music, I felt very disappointed in many things happening around the music and show business. Thank God, my faith and self-confidence reestablished and found my way back on the road, realized that I should and can share my gift gave from God. For one year only many things changed – from regular employee person in Wien I became Eurovision song contest representative for Macedonia!!! And nothing more and nothing less, that happened with my first official song “LisjaEsenski”.

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OT: You have won the Skopje Festival among the 20 strong competitors and Turkish jury awarded you with 12 points. How do you feel now?

DK: Tesekkürler Türkiye :))

It really means to me a lot to receive 12 point from your country. Turks have big sense of music – or the music get them or not, very simple. Hope I’ll convince you again on Eurovision night performance. Thank you Turkey from the bottom of my heart for 12 points on our national song contest, will never forget your support.  <3

OT: What is the story of being a participant in Skopje Festival? What convinced you to take part in it?

DK: As a matter of fact, I was invited to take part on Skopski Festival. The possibility to represent Macedonia in Vienna made me feel very optimistic and energized. I am a very big fan of Eurovision it was always one of my dreams to perform on that huge stage in front of so many people… I decided to listen to that feeling! And of course I did not want to miss the chance to represent Macedonia in the country I grown up.

Daniel Kajmakoski, 12 Kasım'da Üsküp'te düzenlenen Skopje Festival 2014'te 20 katılımcı arasından sıyrılarak zirveye yükseldi.

OT: The melody gives us some hints but could you tell us something about your song? What do you tell us in your song?

DK: For the first time in my life i’ve heard a methaphor describing the falling of the autumn leaves with the positive vibes that love brings, which really made me think about the cycle of life, and the perception of love that we have globally. I believe that infinite Love is the only truth in this world, everything else is just an illusion!

“Eurovision without Turkey is not Eurovision Song Contest!”

OT: We did not participate since 2013, but what do you think about Turkey? Have you ever been in our country?

DK: Eurovision without Turkey is not Eurovision song contest. I wish Eurovision to take back the old glow when countries represented their culture through the music. It seems that now all want to sound modern and commercial, and that’s good, and I have modern song, but that way the fans, the public gets less information for the culture of the countries in Europe !! I think of Turkey as country that gives a lot of color to Eurovision song contest.

Yes, I’ve been to Turkey, believe it or not some period of a half an year. I cooperated with AdrewYoung, we had live performances in night clubs in Antalya, Marmaris, Kemer, Bodrum and other places. Really had a great time, thrilled from the hospitality, the people, culture . . . and of course I catch up a bit of the Turkish language hehehe.

OT: Are there any Turkish Eurovision songs that you remember and do you have an all time Eurovision Song Contest favourite?

DK: Mor ve ötesi  is one of my favorite Turkish bends, but Athena and “For real” were the best Turkish artists on Eurovision. SertabErener song was more than a good song, and won the contest without doubt. Many hits came up from Eurovision song contest, but for me all-time favorite is “Euphoria” by Loreen – always will be one of the best. Ahhh you did make me go back through the years with this interview, thank you

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OT: You have some time to decide but what are you planning for Vienna? Are you going to sing your song in Macedonian or English? Do you have any plans to promote your song in Europe?

DK: There is still time to make the final decision but with each day passed i’m thinking about singing in english more and more…

OT: Macedonia is always a friend of us, but we would like to learn a little more. Please tell something about your lovely country. Also, you have big stars, do you follow or appreciate any of them?

DK: Macedonia is wonderful country, mixed, multiethnic, so does and the music. Even though I haven’t lived here for some time, I never forget where I came from! Macedonia is full of rich history and I consider it for wholly place, special place so called BiserBalkanski, great food, good people and super parties!!! Macedonia also has diverse music scene, artists like Kaliopi, NaumPetreski, Toni Zen, Tamara Todevska etc. Of course, I am a big fan of ToseProeski, for sorry you already know what happened. . .  Definitely he was the best artist so far, and made a huge influence of my taste of music. Tose and his songs will always be one special treasure for Macedonia.

Tose Proeski represented Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest, held in Istanbul in 2004. In 2007 he had died in tragic accident.
Tose Proeski represented Macedonia in the Eurovision Song Contest, held in Istanbul in 2004. In 2007 he had died in tragic accident.

OT: What does Eurovision mean to you? Did you use to follow it every year? Or in others words, are you a fan of Eurovision Song Contest?

DK: Definitely I am big Eurovision fan.  I remember when I was a little boy Eurovision was – must to see show- with my family at home.

OT: You won X-Factor Adria and you have a bigger challenge now. How confident are you about your song?

DK: I believe in the song and my performance. “Lisja Esenski” is my very first single and happy to go with that on Eurovision song contest. The song was adapted for Skopje Fest, according to the rules of the festival. I think that the song will have few changes, we already work on that and hope to have the final version till the end of January, 2015 . . .

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OT: Last year, Conchita Wurst won the competition in Denmark. Did you liked her performance? We would like to learn your thoughts about her.

DK: The song, the Conchita performance – had all what it takes to make a winning song. Great composition and production, I believe totally deserve the 1st place. And yes, I think that the appearance was something new and interesting to all of us!!! Conchita is artist who deserves the attention from the public and hope to hear more from her. I was happy to see Austria winning the contest, because people from Austria weren’t quite optimistic about Eurosong. Anyway, I was happy and celebrated just as I would celebrate if Macedonia wins.

OT: OGAE Turkey will be in Vienna to support you. Do you have a message for our readers?

DK: “Bu dergiyi okuyan herkese selam olsun. Eurovision yarışmasının Viyanada gerçekleştirileceği için çok heycanlıyım, çünkü burda yaşayan Türk ve eski Yugoslavyalı milletlerimiz için kendi ülkelerinin yarışması gibi olucak !

 

We would like to thank Daniel Kajmakoski for this interview once again, and thanks to Natasha Davcheva from DK Team for her kindness in this interview process. We send Daniel our best wishes for Vienna. Best of luck in your musical career. We’ll be with you in there.

Interview: OGAETurkey.com

 

Daniel Kajmakoski in Social Networks:

– https://www.facebook.com/Kajmakoski.Daniel

– https://soundcloud.com/daniel-kajmakoski

– http://instagram.com/daniel_kajmakoski

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4YiMJjzf_A]