Slovenian music scene

Success is recorded in Stars

"It's not only about talent. I would say that it's much more, as it's recorded in stars. Of course, lots of hard work is required. Many people think that it is enough to be dressed nicely and to get up to the stage, but there is a number of other things must function properly, as well." - says young Slovenian singer Alya


By DANICA SUBERNIK
from Maribor, SLOVENIA


During the last several years Slovenian music scene is being filled with young, ambitious, but not talented people. Most of them believe that for the success the only thing they have to do is opening their mouths, looking good and having good connections. Becoming a celebrity and attracting media attention is a dream for everyone who is ready to sacrifice everything, even one's own privacy and. However, to become a star is much easier than to remain one, especially if the market is small and tight, like is Slovenian. In the competition like that only most persistent and most qualitative ones survive, while others get forgotten.

Talent is only 10 per cent of success

Young Slovenian singer Alya has started doing music since she was a little girl. At fifteen years of age she was recording her first commercials, she was doing modeling, dancing. She also won numerous awards, and two of her music videos have found their places on MTV list. She considers that success is written in stars, but you have to work hard in order to achieve it.

"No, it's not only about talent. I would say that it's much more, as it's recorded in stars. Of course, lots of hard work is required. Many people think that it is enough to be dressed nicely and to get up to the stage, but there is a number of other things must function properly, as well."

Her colleague Rebeka Dremelj has eight years of successful work behind herself, and for her music is a reason for living. She used to be Miss Slovenia 2001, she sings, dances and does TV hosting. Her path from a model to a singer was not simple. At the beginning she used to be seen like one of many not talented models without any future. However, her work proves that those statements were not true:

"I think that for success most important things are talent, strong will and positive energy. If you have talent, but you don't want to work, it's worth nothing. And still, if you possess strong will, but you are without talent, it' a question… You may succeed in short run, but definitely not in long run."

6pach Cuku is one of most famous rappers at the Slovenian scene, and according to many critics, he is also one of the best. At present, he is also practicing his hosting career and at the end of February, he started his own show. Though, music is extremely important for him and it represents his way of communication with the audience.

Solo concert is a challenge for every musician

One of most popular ways of musical performing is playback or known matrix. It is said that a good musician is recognized when he or she enters the scene with a band starts singing live. We asked our guests what is better in their opinion - to organize a concert on your own or to perform with several performers:

Alya: "Both options are attractive, because preparing my own concert is quite a challenge, since I worry about many things and details. On the other hand, group concerts where you have lots of good musicians and good fun is also interesting, since we, musicians, are very busy and we have no much time for hanging around with colleagues."

Rebeka Dremelj: "Of course that I like my solo concert better, because I know that all people have come there for me and they sing my songs. Moreover, instead of ten minutes singing, I sing for an hour and a half."

6pack Cuku: "Most of all I like solo concerts, when I come with my band and the thing sounds great - those concerts are the ones that I most look forward for. We cannot forget that all concerts are organized for the audience, who listens to and buys our music, thus the group concerts are also acceptable. There you should forget about quality of sound, matrices and the playback while you perform only for the spectators. According to my opinion, live performance with band in front of audience is the thing that all musicians love most."

Slovenian market is small

Slovenian market is small and all musicians tend to expand their effect to the scene of all ex-yu countries as well as Europe. Alya claims that she would be glad to have concerts in Serbia and that she is willing to work in south market. "I have already had concerts in Bosnia and I can say that it was quite popular. Then I started thinking about working south. Actually I was more focused on Germany and I have my first project done in Hanover with the team Guano Apes, which works in whole Europe. My wish is to work in Serbia because I think we are somehow bonded. I could adapt my music while still keeping the same style of expressing ourselves."

6pack Cuku explains that there is a lot of text in his rep music, so that is hard to be interpreted in Serbian. "I mean, I could translate it, but not in my style, because my expressions are the ones from my hood and that is quite difficult. I don't have such plans, I am not a pop singer so that I could do some project for Serbia and I have no interest in Bosnia. It seems to me that they don't understand Slovenian language and it is difficult for me to translate my texts in their languages without losing sense. I want to go to those south countries to have good fun."

Rebeka Dremelj says that when she succeeds to become more popular in Serbia than she is in Slovenia, she will be at the top. "I did start working on something in Serbia. During this year my Serbian record is to be released, with Serbian director Misa Mijatovic. I have few ballads; one possesses Serbian character, what makes me very glad. For Slovenian market I make music I am well-known for and that is the type of music I feel good about."

We should not forget that in 2008 Rebeka has received an award at Serbian festival with a song "Sweet Lies"; some critics have even claimed that her success is greater in Serbia than it is in Slovenia. However, the singer says that the statement is very mean and that as long as she doesn't have a concert in Serbia, she will believe that she didn't succeed. We will see what their careers will look like in couple of years and who will stay on the scene. Musical critics state that today it is easy to become a star, but it is difficult to remain one.


(Published: 10.03.2009.)