Interview: Eurovision.tv meets Stefan Filipovic

You just finished your second rehearsal. How satisfied are you with your performance, and do you intend to change anything for the Semi-Final evening?

Stefan Filipović: "As far as our rehearsal is concerned, we do not intend to change anything. Maybe there will be some minor adjustments until the Semi-Final, but in general, we are pretty pleased about how we managed everything so far. The whole team is very pleased about the sound and the stage choreography, so we are looking forward to the Semi-Final."

This year marked already the third time that you participated in a national final for the Eurovision Song Contest. Did this fact put extra pressure on you, or did you feel confident that you would make it this time?

Stefan Filipović: "As I am only part of the Montenegrin music scene for three years now, the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest marks a very important step in my life. My victory in the national final came just in the right moment – probably I was still too young and inexperienced last year or the year before. But this year, I was confident and relaxed on stage, and I was very pleased when I won, of course."

You were one of the singers participating in the national final of Serbia and Montenegro for the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest, which took place in the Sava Centar in Belgrade. The show ended in a fight back then because the jury could not agree on a winning song. How did you experience this situation as a singer?

Stefan Filipović: "I really regret that my country did not have a representative that year. I won the third place both in the preselection round in Montenegro, and in the national final of Serbia and Montenegro in 2006. I hope that the people will simply forget all the ugly things that happened back then. I do not even want to remember all those things that I had to witness, and I hope that nothing like this ever happens to me again. I think the situation now i is much better, as after the separation of Serbia and Montenegro, every country has its own representatives, and we do not have to fight over songs and singers anymore."

What is your main goal in your participation in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest – to promote yourself as a singer, to qualify for the Final, or to win and bring the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest to Montenegro?

Stefan Filipović: "I am proud to represent Montenegro, but at the same time, I am also happy to present my own vocal abilities. My goal is to reach the Final. This would already be like a victory for me."

Your song was written by FYR Macedonian songwriters, your backing vocals are from Croatia, your stage and video clip director is from Serbia, and you are from Montenegro yourself. What was the reason for picking such an international team? Did you want to secure twelve points from all the countries in the televoting?

Stefan Filipović: "You know, we have carefully chosen our team. The backing vocals are Croatians, Macedonian guys took care of the composition and the lyrics, and our stage and video clip director is from Belgrade. Our stage act was designed by Goče Stojanović, the same person that was responsible for Marija Šerifović's stage performance in the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest. We picked them not because of their nationalities, but just because they are the best! They are all extremely good on their job. But anyway, if all those countries end up giving us twelve points, it would of course be great."

Montenegro is one of the youngest and smallest countries in Europe. Do you think your country would be ready to host the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, in case you win this year?

Stefan Filipović: "You are right, Montenegro is one of the youngest countries in the world. Still, I think we would be ready to host the Eurovision Song Contest in case of victory. But this is really not that important to me. For me, the main thing is to reach the final. And I hope that, sooner or later, Montenegro will get the opportunity to host the Eurovision Song Contest."

Eurovision.tv thanks Stefan Filipović for taking his time for this interview and wishes him the best of luck in the First Semi-Final of the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest!