Esma & Lozano are representing FYR Macedonia with their song, “Pred Da Se Razdeni” (Before The Dawn.)
Like me, you may be wondering, what the hell happened to “Imperija?”
To explain, pop singer Vlatko Lozanoski, known as Lozano, and the Queen of Gypsy Music, Esma Redžepova, were chosen by Macedonian Radio Television (MKRTV) to represent their country with the song, “Imperija” (Empire.) A video was produced and released on February 28, 2013.
My first review of “Imperija” was basically good song, great duet. I didn’t see it as a winner, but certainly as a finalist. Then something weird happened. The video disappeared from YouTube with claims of copyright violation. This was odd because Eurovision official videos are meant to go viral. Buzz is essential to gain more votes. I was able to find “Imperija” on Vimeo. You can view it here.
On March 15, MKRTV announced that due to public demand, “Imperija” was being replaced with a new song, “Pred Da Se Razdeni.” Ljupcho Mirkovski, head of the FYR Macedonia delegation, had this to say about the new song:
“We found a way how to get the maximum from vocal capabilities of Esma and Lozano. This is a modern song with some elements of Roma music, that made Esma so popular and a well known artist. We combined two different styles and what we got in the end is a song that will represent our country in a very decent way. Esma’s name, her style and quality in the performance of Roma music is very known worldwide. But Lozano is an amazing singer, too. All together, it will be a perfect way to represent FYR Macedonia in Malmö.”
Or not. Seriously? You replaced “Imperija” with this boring song? Esma and her backup singers are lively and fun, but poor Lozano got the short end of the stick. His part is dull and a disservice to his great voice. The video is so blah in comparison to the one for “Imperija.” I don’t think FYR Macedonia can make it out of the semi-finals with “Pred Da Se Razdeni,” which is a real shame when they have such talented performers. I don’t know what the problem with “Imperija” was. All I can say is, switch back!
You can read more about Esma & Lozano in this article on the official Eurovision website.
