Rudi Bučar is no stranger to Eurovision, as he was on stage in 2007, as a backing singer for Alenka Gotar. He took part in EMA that same year, and is coming back this year, in a colaboration with a very popular band called The Elevators.
We spoke to Rudi about his career, his entry in EMA, as well as his memories from Helsinki. Read what he told us in the interview below:
escXtra: Hi Rudi! First of all, thank you for taking your time out for doing this interview. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself for the start?
Rudi Bučar: I started to flirt with music in my early age. With a dear friend of mine (Gaber Radojevic, today a producer at Parametrik studio, Slovenia) I founded a rock band in elementary school called Spirits. We released our debut album in 1999 called “Zemljin krik”. I continued to make some more intimate music. Thanks to a great Istrian musician, late Luciano Kleva, I’ve started to research the Istrian folk songs and rearranged them. In 2003 I released my fist solo album “Kapot”. The album was extremely well accepted by the critics and more important by the audience, so I continued with my work and I released two more albums with folk music – “Kambiament” in 2007, and “Rudi Bučar and Istraband” in 2012.
X: How did you decide that you want to enter EMA this year?
R: I took part in EMA in 2007 in a collaboration with Alya (the song was called “Zadnji dan”). This year I received a phone call from the PR of RTV Slovenija who asked me if I wanted to write a song for EMA. I didn’t have much time to think about that, so in a few minutes my decision was clear.
X: Can you tell us who The Elevators are, and how they get in the EMA story together with you?
R: The Elevators are one of the greatest bands in Slovenia with a very distinctive sound. They have already accompanied the biggest Slovene and Ex Yugoslav artists. We started to collaborate in a big national music movement called Sounds of Slovenia. When I started to compose “Tja” (“There”, our entry in EMA), I didn’t have a plan B. The only sound I could think of for this song, was the sound of The Elevators. So I called them and proposed the collaboration and fortunately they agreed.
X: Can you tell us a little bit about “Tja”?
R: “Tja” has a vintage sound with contemporary production. It’s something mixed between Rock and Pop. The theme is socio-political.
X: We know that you are no stranger to Eurovision, as you were one of the backing vocalists for Alenka back in 2007. How was your experience in Helsinki?
R: Ooh, it was a very nice experience. The European large stage, very professional stuff, all the rehearsals, all around that …uh… A very unique experience 🙂 (so far at least), hahaha
X: What would representing Slovenia in Eurovision mean to you personally?
R: We don’t live in a good period, just like other countries. But let’s try to think positive. Slovenia is a small country with a big heart. In the last period we lost the connection between us because of the crisis. But fortunately, as you could see in the last winter Olympic games in Sochi we have great athletes who’s energy brought us together again. I would like to do the same, not personally but socially as a phenomenon. I mean in case I win EMA, I would be proud to represent my country in the Eurovision Song Contest and be the one for whom all the Slovene would keep their fingers crossed.
X: Are you a fan of the Eurovision Song Contest?
R: If I’m honest, it is hard to say I am a fan, but I follow it.
X: And finally, do you have a message for all your fans, and for the readers of escXtra.com?
R: I wish you to enjoy in our song in the Eurovision Song Contest in case we win EMA, and rock on! 🙂
X: Thank you very much, and we wish you the best of luck in EMA!
You can follow Rudi on his official Facebook page here. While we’re waiting for Rudi’s song to be released, let’s listen to his last entry in EMA, where he sang a duet with Alya – “Zadnji dan”:
