📝 ENG Translation: Former Slovenian Eurovision representatives support Slovenia’s withdrawal
+ video with Bojan's cut
An article written by Anastasija Jović and Alen Podlesnik for 24ur, originally published on 05.12.2025
English translation by X coffeebiscuitxx, review by IG fabriconmyhead, proofread by IG Gboleyn123.
Article + video below the cut! 👇
Former Slovenian Eurovision representatives support Slovenia’s withdrawal
(video down below)
The EBU has decided that Israel remains a part of Eurovision, and Slovenia will not take part in the competition next year. Our former representatives Klemen Slakonja, Raiven, Bojan Cvjetićanin, and also Magnifico, who penned the Eurovision hit performed by Sestre, spoke about how this decision will affect Slovenian artists. At the same time, they support Slovenia’s withdrawal from the contest.
After months of speculation, it became clear on Thursday that Israel will remain part of the Eurovision Song Contest, which has prompted boycotts by several countries, including Slovenia, Spain, the Netherlands, and Ireland. How do musicians view this decision?
“I strongly support RTV’s decision that Slovenia will not be part of Eurovision, and I feel that if a country that is actively committing genocide at this moment can be part of this event, then we have no place there”, Bojan Cvjetićanin, the lead singer of Joker Out, told us.
“When countries that are in any way involved in war are present, an already political event becomes even more political”, says singer Klemen Slakonja.
Next year, the Slovenian delegation will therefore not take part in the contest in Vienna, and the broadcaster will not air it. A blow to the tradition and viewers, as well as the artists?
“It’s a huge loss for the Slovenian pop music scene and for performers that we no longer have this one stage where we could truly showcase ourselves through our music”, says singer Raiven.
“It is a loss, in my opinion, until new productions are created through local competitions”, Magnifico told us.
“Slovenia as a brand doesn’t have a very high position at Eurovision to begin with, and by not taking part for a year or maybe even several years, our quotas will only keep dropping”, Slakonja adds.
What does the decision mean for a competition that has united Europe for decades? Immediately after the decision, there was indeed talk that this is the end of Eurovision as we know it.
“Everyone will miss something. Even though we say Eurovision gets on our nerves, we’ll miss grumbling about it”, Slakonja says.
“I hope the festival manages to escape the clutches of this, because it doesn’t deserve to end like this”, Cvjetićanin adds.
[📝ENG Translation]: Souvenir Pop Through the Eyes of Joker Out Members
Original article written by Boštjan Tušek, published 27.11.2024 on 24ur. Photos by Miro Majcen. English translation by @kurooscoffee, review by drumbeat, proofread IG GBoleyn123.
Full translation under the cut 👇
We visited Joker Out in their rehearsal space, where the band members shared their thoughts on their new album and explained all the songs from their third full-length album, Souvenir Pop, in their own words. The album has already been released on digital platforms and CDs, and they are promising a vinyl edition as well.
About the Title SOUVENIR POP:
Bojan: We were sitting here in the rehearsal space, struggling to find a short, universally understandable way to summarise everything that happened to us during this time. After some serious thought, we realised that the music is essentially a collection of memories—“souvenirs”—that we’ve gathered. For the first time in our lives, we traveled so much and spent so much time away from home. Everything was very “pop,” and we lived out all the pop star dreams we used to admire. We shortened this journey into “pop,” making it a souvenir pop journey.
Photo: Joker Out recently unveiled their third album, Souvenir Pop. Together with Bojan, Kris, Jan, Nace, and Jure, we analysed all the songs on the album. PHOTO: Miro Majcen.
On the Cover Photo Taken in Bed:
Jure: The cover photo was born long before the album got its title. It was captured on the morning of the semifinals last May in Liverpool. We kept it under wraps for almost a year and a half. We liked it already back then and immediately thought it could one day work as an album cover. When we started looking for a cover, it still best reflected our feelings.
Bojan: It was taken on an iPhone during the filming of a promotional video, so basically a completely randomly captured moment.
On the “Circus” Surrounding Them Because of the New Album:
Kris: What's particularly noticeable is the mental and emotional fragmentation. The songs are quite diverse and colourful, and at first glance, they didn’t seem to belong on the same album. But as Bojan said, they remind us of fridge magnets, which perhaps reflects that we were “all over the place,” and that we were exploring ourselves on a broader musical, lyrical, and instrumental level than usual.
Nace: You can tell the songs are “hyped up” because we were in that mindset. Different things influence you, and it would have been quite different if we had stayed home for a month before that instead of being on tour.
PHOTO: Miro Majcen.
On Lack of Time:
Kris: We had to intentionally carve out time to write and record songs. We spent two months in London, a month in Hamburg, and last year we took a week in Kočevje to work on 'Everybody’s Waiting'. Carpe Diem took 14 days. We were maybe even under a bit of pressure, knowing we had to produce something.
On Three Languages on the Album:
Bojan: We spent a lot of time with all three languages; speaking, listening, and thinking in them. The stories naturally emerged in all three languages, and we didn’t resist that because it would have been truly foolish.
I see language as just another tool for conveying information, like how a specific guitar effect suits one song but not another.
PHOTO: Miro Majcen.
On Egos:
Bojan: Egos have to clash because they’re an important part of our drive. I wouldn’t say our egos fight; they occasionally disagree, but everything generally moves in the same direction—to create something the five of us like. We have a healthy dose of competitiveness, and we’ve never truly had a fight. We separate the person from the musician, which I think is important.
Kris: There was never much ego, but for this album, we threw out what little was left. On this record especially, we faced moments where someone else did something on your instrument that you should have done. But that opened new possibilities and ideas—a fresh perspective. This happened to all of us except Bojan with vocals.
Kris: Today, a friend sent me a message from Venice; they were playing 'Carpe Diem'. Last year, we made it onto the top 40 charts of a Lithuanian radio station. PHOTO: Miro Majcen.
Comments on the songs from the album SOUVENIR POP:
1. MUZIKA ZA DECU (Serbo-Croatian):
Bojan: When the idea came to me, I was thinking about how much I liked what was coming out of the speakers; quite grown up. Then I had a flash of cynicism and sarcasm: it’s all just for girls, for kids. Hence, “muzika za decu” (music for children). Initially, it was called Zlatna kosica (Golden hair), haha. I wrote the intro, then improvised the rest of the lyrics in Hamburg while we were playing it.
Nace: You might have changed two words.
Kris: The intro I play on guitar was originally done by Bojan on the piano. While recording, I was strumming along, imagining a piano intro. But when we listened to it later, everything felt so wrong that we started liking it. That’s how it stayed. We recorded it all together in one room, in one go.
Bojan: Žare was thrilled that he had to “clean up” the vocals (laughs), which we recorded in the kitchen.
Jure: This is one of the songs which features guest performers; a children’s choir at the end.
Nace: The kids from our crew and their relatives sang. The first group sang too in tune, so we recorded another group that was a bit less perfect. In the end, we combined the two recordings, and it turned out just right. There were about 15 to 20 kids altogether.
Jan: The guitar sound came from my Whammy pedal, which the producer Žare Pak didn’t always like, haha.
Nace: We have to commend Žare for producing in such a way that everything unnecessary is stripped away. He never hides anything like some other producers might.
PHOTO: Miro Majcen.
2. ŠTA BIH JA (Serbo-Croatian):
Kris: This was the first song we created in London. Within a week, we already had the structure, though it initially resembled Bijelo Dugme. Some elements were later removed.
Nace: Yeah, Žare came in and said, “Guys, this is unnecessary” (laughs).
Kris: His reaction was hilarious. When he heard it, he said, “Did I send you to the UK to make yugo music?!” (laughs). It was our first Balkan reaction to being foreigners in a foreign country, and it just poured out of us. Bojan already had the lyrics “šta bih ja u ovoj crnoj noći bez tebe radio” (what would I do in this dark night without you), and we recorded it.
Bojan: I actually prefer hearing my voice in Serbo-Croatian over Slovenian, the position of the voice seems more natural.
Jure: It's interesting how the colour of Bojan's voice changes with different languages, which is actually quite normal.
Kris: Yeah, Bojan, in a 'Balkan language,' your rocker alter ego comes out even more, I think.
PHOTO: Miro Majcen.
3. CARPE DIEM (Slovenian):
Bojan: This is the original souvenir. And pop. It’s hard to believe how one song can change everything for you like that. It’s literally just one of our songs; not necessarily better than the others, maybe not even one of my favourites. But as our Eurovision entry, it perfectly conveyed our message. The whole story and image of the band are captured in those three minutes. It’s an excellent channel for our energy, which got people to believe in us and become interested.
Kris: Today, a friend sent me a message from Venice; they played 'Carpe Diem' there. Last year, we were on the Lithuanian radio top 40 charts.
Bojan: The most bizarre thing I’ve ever seen in my life was when an older Mongolian singer and his band played and sang Carpe Diem live at a reception for our president, Nataša Pirc Musar, in Ulaanbaatar. We also received a recording from Zanzibar, where someone played it on a hotel terrace.
Bojan: I wouldn’t say our egos fight; they occasionally disagree, but everything generally moves in the same direction—to create something we all like. PHOTO: Miro Majcen.
4. STEPHANIE (English):
Bojan: Of course, Stephanie isn’t really Stephanie, but these are real people who exist.
Jure: I didn’t have any part in this one since there are no drums; everything is programmed (laughs).
Nace: Yeah, everything was done by Casio, haha.
Kris: For many songs, we had a sample beat to practice with, and in some cases, it stayed in the final version. 'Stephanie' is one of those songs as well.
5. AKO TOGA VIŠE NEČE BITI (Serbo-Croatian):
Bojan: You believe in Santa Claus until you realise he doesn’t exist. It’s the same with love; until something destroys everything so thoroughly that you simply stop believing in it. This is a song about very raw disappointment with love.
Nace: I’m in a long-term relationship, and when you leave home, it’s a sacrifice both partners make. In the spirit of it being good for both of you and your partner supports it, everything is okay.
Kris: Full respect to your partner for enduring how you went from ‘zero to a hundred’ in six months.
Nace: We have to commend Žare for producing in such a way that everything unnecessary is stripped away. PHOTO: Miro Majcen
6. BLUZA (Serbo-Croatian):
Bojan: I wrote 'Bluza' a long time ago, up to the chorus, about three years ago. For a long time, nothing happened with it until I presented it to the guys on an acoustic guitar. From there, it developed quickly, in a day or two. We even played it on tour before its release. Initially, it was more guitar-driven than it is now. The title, 'Bluza', literally just comes from the lyric “u ritmu tvoga bluza” (in the rhythm of your blues), but I quite like it.
Jan: A lot of our songs are titled after a phrase from the first verse that has no connection to the chorus.
Bojan: Similarly, back in university, my friends kept nagging me about 'Gola' (Naked), why we gave it that title, but nobody thought of the phrase “za naju” (for us), haha.
Kris: It’s probably because, during the creative process, we repeat the first part a lot, and that phrase naturally becomes the title.
Bojan: The story of a song always takes shape in the first verse.
PHOTO: Miro Majcen
7. LIPS (English):
Bojan: We heard there’s a lot of money in music for films, so the song sounds like an apocalyptic ballad (laughs). Initially, it was quite Franz Ferdinand-esque. We even considered a duet with a French singer but didn’t have a clear vision, so we dropped the idea. Later, Žare and I restructured it, and then Nace tied everything together into a cohesive piece.
Jure: The song went through quite a few iterations.
Nace: Originally, it was a completely different song called 'Je t'aime'.
PHOTO: Miro Majcen
8. MESTO DUHOV (Slovenian):
Bojan: Trumpeter Luka Ipavec collaborated on this track, adding trumpet parts to the choruses. We created it in England and named it after the street we were living on; it had quite a dark vibe. Initially, the song was about a girl who cheated on me, leading to my suicide. Then we introduced the “papapapa” part, creating an atmosphere of a funeral, a procession. When we decided the song should be in Slovenian, we tied it to how the current social climate feels incredibly negative overall. People are always ready to quickly react to something negative. It’s no longer pleasant to go outside; everything reflects the weight of what’s happening around us. There’s unfortunately an air of superficiality around us.
Jan: The solo came to life in Hamburg. Later, when we were finishing the songs, I had the idea to rhythmically slice the solo so that it spells out “baby boo” in Morse code.
Jan: A lot of our songs are titled after a phrase from the first verse that has no connection to the chorus. PHOTO: Miro Majcen
9. SONCE (Slovenian):
Jan: I play the keyboards on this one. Bojan had already outlined the song on guitar with chords. The idea was to create something orchestral, like in 'Novi val'. I, however, approached it differently and arranged the piano part. I showed Bojan a melody that, in my view, reflects the essence of the song.
Bojan: This song is a direct reaction to events in Palestine. It’s the story of a deceased son speaking to his mother. It’s undoubtedly the most emotionally heavy song on the album. The structure is also unconventional; no part repeats, and the chorus appears only once. Jan captured perfectly what the vocals are saying with his piano part. It’s like a haiku, a single thought; not a classic pop song. Jan nailed the final take on his first try.
Kris: We could quickly get stuck creatively if everyone only insisted on their own instruments. Many songs only broke through when someone pressed something different. There were many moments where we needed that kind of freshness.
PHOTO: Miro Majcen
10. EVERYBODY’S WAITING (English):
Kris: This was a song we didn’t know what to do with until Žare offered the most basic beat, and Jan started working with the Rhodes electric piano, which set the direction for the album.
Bojan: Jan picked up the Rhodes out of nowhere and according to Žare, he plays better than 90 percent of Slovenian keyboardists (laughs).
Kris: Žare’s modus operandi is to break your conventional thinking and enhance your intuition. He believes intuition is superior to thinking.
[ENG SUB] Jure Maček (Joker Out) and Danijel Bogataj in POP IN, 24ur (03.08.2025)
Jure and Danijel discuss their trip along the Slovenian border on Tomos motor bikes. 🛵🛵
Transcript, translation and subtitles by @kurooscoffee review by IG fabriconmyhead, proofread by IG GBoleyn. Full video available on our YouTube channel:
📝ENG Translation: Joker Out successfully finished the summer with a spectacle in Finland
Original article written by E.K. for 24ur.com, originally published on 25.08.2025.
English translation by IG fabriconmyhead, proofread by @flowerlotus8
Article below the cut! 👇
The local group Joker Out finished their summer tour with a real spectacle. Their concerts across Europe, especially in Finland, were exceptionally well-attended, and the fans gave them an unforgettable welcome that the band members will remember for a long time. The popular group is already, among other things, focusing its energy on its 10th anniversary concert, which will take place in the capital next year.
Joker Out spent this summer on stages. They played more than 10 concerts, both at home and abroad. Crowds of devoted fans who loudly sang along with them at concerts followed them everywhere. Among the more notable were certainly the concerts in Pula and Trogir. The loudest concerts were certainly in Finland, where the fans gave them a warm welcome and sang in Slovene.
(Photo: Vita Orehek)
Finland is especially close to the group of boys. Right there, they began their first big European tour See You Soon in 2023 (T/N: 2024). It is more than obvious that they left a good impression there. The public returned this year with even more people and even more energy.
"In Finland we were welcomed as if we came back to our second homeland. The concerts were euphoric and filled to the brim. What we will remember most is the sauna and swimming in a lake after the festival Dinasourock until the late morning hours. Other than that, we've already been fully enjoying the summer tour and are screaming along to songs from our new album with our fans," said the members of the group.
[ENG SUB] Joker Out interviews from POP IN, 24ur (23.03.2025)
This Friday, the band attended Perica Jeković's stand-up comedy show in Cankarjev dom, while Bojan also appeared at the sold-out reunion concert of Plavi Orkestar in Stožice.
Video on Youtube is available here.
Transcript, translation and subtitles by @kurooscoffee, review by a member of JokerOutSubs, proofread by IG GBoleyn123.
[📝ENG Translation] Joker Out: We didn't want to make an album that everyone would like
Joker Out discuss the new music video for their song 'Muzika za decu', and their upoming Aleja concert, in an exclusive interview for 24ur.
Article written by Alen Podlesnik , E.K., originally published on 20.05.2025. Translation by @weolucbasu, review by @kurooscoffee, proofread by @flowerlotus8.
The article also contains a video interview, aired during 24ur's afternoon and evening news:
Transcript, translation and subtitles by @kurooscoffee, review by IG GBoleyn213.
Full article translated below 👇
Joker Out have enriched their song 'Muzika za decu' with a music video. The single which the band's listeners have been singing along to at numerous concerts abroad for a while now, is the first track of their album 'Souvenir Pop'. We also chatted with the band members, among other things they revealed details from the shoot and ensured us that they will kick start summer with their upcoming free concert, which will take place in front of Aleja on the 30th of May.
Joker Out have released a new music video for their song 'Muzika za decu' which is the first song on their current album 'Souvenir Pop'. "The music video is an homage to the sound and the bands who created on this territory before us," said the band members.
Photo: Vita Orehek
"I think that as a band we are very open about who our musical idols are and we are also lucky to work with a producer who has worked with most of our idols, at least those who also come from Slovenia, and created these legendary works and sounds," said the band's frontman and added: "With this album, in terms of some creativity, we were really just playing around with what we allowed ourselves to be. We didn't want to make an album that everyone would like, we wanted to make an album that we would like and that would actually get our blood pumping a little bit when we go on stage, so that we are excited about what we are playing, that it is new, fresh and a little different. We relatively didn't care about how much it would please those who prefer 'Carpe Diem' and I think we succeeded in that, because no one listens to us anymore."
The successful band has gained many fans during their creation this way who are willing to stand in line for hours before a concert. That is why the band members, Bojan Cvjetićanin, Kris Guštin, Nace Jordan, Jure Maček and Jan Peteh, feel a certain responsibility towards their listeners. "There are expectations, but at some point you realise that whatever you do, it won't be right for someone. If you do the same thing, half of the people will complain that it's the same as before, but if you do it differently, the other half will complain. All you have left is to follow what you want, and with us it's trying new things," admitted Guštin.
The album is produced by Žare Pak, who has previously produced the albums of many Slovene groups. Siddharta, Dan D, Big Foot Mama and Demolition Group among others.
After performing on the Eurovision stage in 2023, many doors opened for the boys. They performed all over Europe and during the long tour they also felt a bit homesick at times. "Yes, this is not the only song on the album 'Souvenir Pop' that has this kind of Yugo-nostalgic feel. It didn't happen on purpose, but in my opinion it was more a reflection of some kind of sense of homesickness that we all felt and an attachment to our spaces, at the time when we were on tour and making music around Europe and it just poured out of us in that form," said Guštin.
They created the album in London, recorded it in a studio in Hamburg. That's also how 'Muzika za decu' came to be. "Even by design alone the song has a very garage band sound. It definitely doesn't sound like we recorded it in the studio that we did. I think that if the people who own this studio heard what we recorded, they would kick us out," joked Bojan.
Joker Out will kick start the summer with a concert in front of Aleja. PHOTO: POP TV
This time the shooting took place in Trieste, directed by Mark Pirc amd produced by the Studio 7 Media team. "I think the apartment buildings were built in the 80s as social apartment buildings. But during the entire day we only saw five people out of the thousands who live in this huge complex. And it was always the same five people who were walking up and down and taking their dogs for a walk for an unknown reason," said Cvjetićanin and admitted that they really enjoyed themselves while filming.
You will be able to hear all of the band's hits in the capital on the 30th of May. "I think this will be the official summer kick-off. We will be playing in front of Ljubljana's Aleja, in Šiška, under the open sky.
