News - Latvia: With a Hi hi ho! | Eurovision Song Contest News - 2008 Belgrade, Serbia 

Three Latvian Pirates ,Roberto Meloni, Aleksandra Kurusova and Jānis Vaišļa, are soon setting sail for Belgrade hoping to win the hearts of the European audiences in the 2008 Eurovision Song Contest with their light hearted, theatrical entry Wolves of the sea. Roberto spoke to esctoday.com about their song and hopes for the contest.

In just a few days you will be in Belgrade rehearsing for the night of the semi final. How ready are you all for this?

Well, the time is running very fast, and we are trying to use each second of these remaining days as much as possible. We are working on the last but very important details, like stage clothes, choreography, and a lot of vocal rehearsals. Last but not least we are making sure that our weapons will work properly in Belgrade and that our parrot has learned all the song before the semifinal. We consider to be quite ready, but we are longing for starting this great adventure among the seas of Eurovision.

What can we expect from you regarding your stage show? Will it be much different to the one we saw in Eurodziesma?

We have new clothes, designed by the costume artist Ilze Vitolina, very popular costume artist who has worked in some of the most important musical events in Latvia. We have improved our choreography together with the help of a Swedish choreographer who worked with Carola during for her Eurovision performance in Athens. We'll have more sophisticated weapons, guns and swords and many surprising pirates elements that we'll keep secret till our reharsals.

What would you say is the strongest weapon in your armoury? How do you hope Europe will welcome Wolves of the sea?

Our strongest weapon is the freedom. We are free pirates who would like to share with all the audience the sensation of freedom of sailing all around the Eurovision seas singing happily "Hi Hi Hoo!!". We will perform with a big smile on our faces giving positive emotions to people, rolling on the stage with our happy pirates ship.

What is your perception of Eurovision?

A huge event that give the possibility to many different artists coming from several musical back-ground to meet up and have fun, enjoy the audience in the name of the music.

This is Roberto's second participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, following last year with Bonaparti.lv. What made you decide to enter again so soon and how would you compare the Wolves' chances to Questa notte?

The same Swedish authors of Questa Notte offered me to take part in this Pirates project. I found this idea very challenging and interesting, since I come myself from Sardinia and I spent a big part of my life near the sea. I put together a team of great and skilled Latvian Pirates and we started the adventurous travel till the winning in the Latvian final. I like to change my self on the stage, because I think it s good also for the people who has the chance to see me in different images. I like to be on the stage and being a wolf of the sea instead of a Bonaparte means not only to change the "cilindro" into a pirate hat, but find a completely different way of being appreciated by the audience. I hope people will enjoy my new style.

An Italian singer (Roberto), a Latvian ball-room sport dancing champion (Aleksandra), another Latvian who is a TV and radio presenter as well as a traveller (Jānis) and some Swedes! Quite an international crew you are. How are things working out between you all? Are there any plans to work together after Eurovision?

This is the real essence of this event: no matter where you are from , what is your job or your religion, the main thing is that you love music and you transfer and share these musical emotions with everybody. That is why we choose to be pirates, we want to share our smile and joy in all the ports we will reach. We are working on new songs, since we are happy but hard working pirates. We are going to release our first CD in the end of May!!

For more information  on the Latvian Pirates click here .