EUROVISION 2023 | SLOVENIA – JOKER OUT: „Carpe Diem Europe! Carpe Diem everybody! All day and every day.”

Joker Out will represent Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool, United Kingdom with the song „Carpe Diem”. They were formed in 2016 and have released two albums.

On May 12, at the eighth edition of the Zlata piščal awards they were nominated for „Artist of the Year” for the second year in a row. On August 31, they released their second album Demoni, which was preceded by the song „Katrina”. „Katrina” was followed at the end of October by „Demons”, their first Serbian-language single, which represents their first official release for the former Yugoslav market.

On 8 December 2022, RTV Slovenia announced that Joker Out will represent Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool with the song „Carpe Diem„. Recording for the song took place within the month of December 2022 in a Hamburg, Germany studio over a 12-day period. The band stated that they wanted to keep the entire song in the Slovene language, saying: „we want to translate Slovenian into a universal language of dance and entertainment that all countries understand.” In January 2023, the band shot their music video in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana, at the Grand Hotel Union. On 31 January it was decided Joker Out would perform in the second half of the second semi-final (11 May).

Today, we get to know better the band Joker Out through a new interview branded Daily Magazine. 

Hy, guys! Thank you for the opportunity to make this interview and best regards from Romania! What does the challenge called Eurovision Song Contest represent for your band?

Thank you for reaching out to us! We’re honored to be interviewed by you. This year’s ESC came at the right moment for our band. We have accomplished a lot in Slovenia (this year we have an almost sold out show in the largest arena) and we are therefore looking to expand our horizons and bring our music to listeners beyond our borders. Eurovision is therefore the greatest opportunity for us to gain a wider audience and it has a special place in our hearts because we’ve been watching it since we were little kids!

Tell us more about the history of your band. Which have been the most exciting moments by far?

We formed in 2016, but we knew each other before as we all had our own bands, in the end we decided we can be the best musicians if we do it all together. Quickly after our formation we started creating and releasing our own music. Our first big breakthrough was in 2019 with our single – Gola, which really pushed us into the spotlight and gave us the motivation to release our first album – Umazane Misli. This album was released in October 2021 with two consecutive sold out shows in Ljubljana. That was an amazing feeling, to have all those people and all that energy together finally after the long lockdowns. In 2022 we were touring nonstop around Slovenia (also a bit in Croatia and Serbia) and simultaneously we were recording our second album – Demoni, which was released in September with a sold out show in Slovenia’s most iconic venue – Križanke. It was an incredible honor for us to have so many our fans in such a special place. The latest highlight is of course our upcoming ESC participation, which we cannot wait for!

We all know the famous character Joker. But what is the true significance behind the name of your band, Joker Out ?

The name Joker Out really has nothing to do with the character of Joker. When we formed we started throwing around band names, all of which were terrible, in the end we naively decided Joker Out is best, because all we really cared was how it would sound if and when a famous Slovenian TV host would say it.

What is the message that you want to share to Europe both with your appearance and with your song this year?

Carpe Diem Europe! Carpe Diem everybody! All day and every day. We are surrounded by hardship and negativity, but we should be able to look on the bright side of life. That’s what music and dance are for.

Which is the place that rock music has today on a mainstream market in your opinion?

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Just like Damiano said when Maneskin won the ESC: “rock n roll will never die.” It is true that rock has been pushed away from the main spotlight but is still very active. This is especially true for live concerts where you can really feel the energy and it’d be hard to find somebody who doesn’t acknowledge this. Particularly in Slovenia the Rock scene is flowering, we and other bands are leading the New Wave of Slovenian live music.

Can a rock song win again ESC, after the Maneskin phenomenon and what should a rock band bring new to the stage to be considered “new age”?

Any song, no matter the genre, can win the ESC. That’s the beauty of it. So it doesn’t matter if Maneskin won two years ago, it’s the next song and artist that counts. A rock band should bring the energy they have on their concerts to the ESC stage and they will shine. It’s hard to say what to do to be considered “new age”, everybody has their own interpretation of modern times and sounds. For us it’s the band which captures the attention of the youth.

How do you think Eurovision will lead to the growth of your band?

We believe we have a lot of energy, good music and love to offer to foreign listeners and what better way to get to them if not via the biggest music festival in the world. We are sure we are able to amaze anyone, especially during our live performances, if only they give us a listen.

Why should the audience vote for Joker Out this year?

If you want us to come near you for an amazing energetic concert full of groovy rhythm and catchy melodies, the best way to guarantee that is by getting us a good result on the ESC! Shagadelic Rock n’ Roll is coming.

How are you behind the stage, how are you having fun apart from doing music?

We really enjoy spending time with each other so the backstage is the perfect place for us! We love joking around, singing random Eurovision hits, playing ping pong and taking time for our fans.

What is next for you after Eurovision?

After Eurovision we’ll be releasing our first album in English! Finally everyone will be able to understand what we’re singing about. The first single from this album will be released before the ESC though and it will feature a legendary artist from Liverpool! (No, not John Lennon).