FYR Macedonia: Interview with Daniel Kajmakoski

FYR Macedonia hopes to qualify for the final of the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time in eight years time. ESC Daily’s editor Dennis van Eersel spoke with Daniel Kajmakoski, who will represent his country with the English version of ‘Lisja Esenski’.

Dennis (bold): Hello Daniel, thanks for your time. You have been busy recording the English version of your song. Will there also be other big changes in the composition?
Daniel (Italic): First of all, thank you for the invitation for interview. ESC Daily is one of the greatest promotors of Eurovision Song Contest! And yes, we made changes in the composition, we worked quite hard to get to the final version, can’t wait for Europe to hear it!

What was the most important argument to record a new English version of your song?
We had to adjust the song when I decided to enter the competition, because of the regulations at Skopski festival. Now we don’t have limitations, and can make the best of it!

In the national final in FYR Macedonia, you performed with a live orchestra. Is that a big difference according to your upcoming performance in May in Vienna?
Of course, the live orchestra makes a big difference in the sound and the whole performance. “Lisja Esenski” is a modern song, so we expect to go much better without orchestra, to feel the core sound and melody of the song. It will suit the song a lot better now.

You won X Factor Adria, do you think your name and fame in this region of Europe will help you at the Eurovision Song Contest?
X Factor Adria experience will help me many ways – performance in front of big audience, contacts with many artists, fan engagement from the whole Balkan . . . Hope all this will help in better and bigger promotion of the song!

Željko Joksimović was your mentor in X Factor Adria. Has he, with his Eurovision experience, given you some special advice?
It is pleasure to work with him for and after X factor. Since the winning of Skopje Fest, I am all the time around many places, so does he, but next period I will take some time in Belgrade and hope to catch some time together.

Part of Joksimović’ Eurovision success was his staging, the way his songs were filmed at Eurovision. Do you have special plans yourself for your Eurovision-act?
Behind every great song is a great story and a lot of work. We are working on our concept and promotion plan. Can’t reveal anything so far… just wait a little bit more and visit my Facebook fan page for news.

Apart from big star Kaliopi, FYR Macedonia has not had a lot of success at Eurovision the last couple of years. Does this give you extra motivation (or fear, for that matter) for your own result in Vienna?
I think that every participant from FYR Macedonia tried to give their best to represent the song and the country. Of course, I got chills sometimes, but I guess that’s good, that means you care how everything will turn up there, in Vienna. Trying not to give myself pressure that it’s my turn to achieve more. Just focusing how to give my best 100% on and outside of stage.

And finally, due to these results, what is your main goal? Are you satisfied if FYR Macedonia reaches the final, or are you confident that Macedonia will get their first top-10 result all time?
You actually never know! You can just believe! Taking a look at the winner songs, you see there is no special rule or formula for winning! I will definitely give it my best though.