Is Europe ready for our new style asks Milan Stanković

From a young age Milan showed a keen interest in performing arts and music. He explained a little more about his childhood and career to date saying "I always wanted to be on the stage, whenever as a child I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I always used to say a prince or a cowboy!. I went to acting classes as I always wanted to be an actor, however when I finished my high school I went for an audition for a show similar to American Idol in Serbia, and that was the shortest way from being anonymous to being the centre of attention. After that  I started recording my first solo album and for a few years I had performances, and now I am very proud to be representing Serbia in the Eurovision Song Contest."

Milan added that his popularity in Serbia is very high at the moment, and they are selling albums with stickers of his photos which people can collect. He felt that it was really nice when there are a lot of kids who are interested in him and want to collect these things and look like him.

Initial nerves

Milan admits to being a little nervous at the prospect of working with someone as high profile as Goran Bregović. He explains how the collaboration started and said "I  was asked by our national television in Serbia to take part in a show with Goran Bregović, and even if I didn't win, I took the attitude that it would be a very special experience to work and cooperate with our greatest composer in Serbia. I was a little nervous at first, but Goran is so professional, he just told me to be myself and who I really am, and that's the reason why Ovo Je Balkan sounds like this, traditional sounds from Goran and modern sounds from an artist like myself."

It is not all about gunning for victory in Milan's opinion, he feels that as long as himself and the band represent Serbia in the best possible way, and achieve as high a ranking as possible that will be as good as victory itself. In may polls and predictions, and according to many bookmakers Serbia are one of the favourites to qualify from the First Semi-Final.

Are Europe ready for this new style of music?

Milan explains about the music he will bring to the stage in Oslo "The really interesting concept is to match the traditional and raw music with modern music That was the project. As you could see at the Serbian party, there were a lot of people with huge smiles on their faces enjoying the music and the concert. That was our main aim, if we get that we have won. Its not a question of the competition. It's more about Is Europe ready for this style of ours or not. This year there are a lot of pop ballads and Euro bands sounding songs, and it is like that every year in the Eurovision Song Contest. We feel that we have really brought something different to the audience this year, really original."

In 2007 when Serbia enjoyed their first victory in Europe's Favourite TV Show, Milan remembers the night fondly and indeed the job Serbian Television did in hosting the event in 2008. He adds "In 2007 I was watching with my cousins, we were all really proud. Everyone was also impressed with the organisation and people in Serbia in 2008. This is one more reason to bring the Eurovision Song Contest back to Serbia one day, so that we can do it all again."

Eurovision.tv would like to thank Milan for his time in providing us with the interview.