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1989 winner
Croatia: Interview with Emilija Kokic
What has Emilija Kokic been up to lately?
Mmm... I am very busy ...surrounded with a beautiful energy... working on my croatian songs and creating my new English single. Last two years my English songs were played on lots of radio stations in 56 countries world wide, that gave me the strenght to go on... My song I'll never fall in love again entered on the Planet chart as No.1.
Now I would like you to go back to the year 1989, and tell us how you decided to participate in this competition? How did you come to choose Rock me?
I was a young girl at that time, trying to find my lucky start of my singing career, and I won on a talent show. Rajko Dujmic, the composer of Rock me, heard about me, and wanted to meet me... I was very nervous, thought, what does he want from me?? He wanted to play a song for me... and he said that I am a perfect performer for his song. That song was Rock me... The rest of the story you know.... We won... I didn't choose the song, the song has chosen me.
Do you have a special moment from Eurovision Song Contest 1989 and which you would like to share with us?
Yes... It is funny, I can share with you that I don't remember the moment when we won... I think that was a huge shock for me, and my brain decided to put that moment in a special folder to protect me...
I thought that must have been a dream and I was waiting for someone to wake me up. The winning was really a big surprisse for me.
What were your favourites for 1989 contest during rehearsals? Did you except to win before contest?
I was a big fan of Anna Oxa... can you imagine how I was delighted when I saw her on the same stage, standing next to me? Celine Dion giving the price to us....
Did you continue following the Eurovision Song Contest after your participation? What does Eurovision mean to Emilija Kokic?
Eurovision Song Contest changed my life completely. Changed me... I could split my life "before" and "after" 1989. When I look back, I could say that was the biggest surprise in my life, a divine experience with strong and deep emotions. I am very grateful on it....
Do you think it contributed to your career those days?
Yes... of course! After we won the contest, we established the name of the band, and were well known as winners all around the Europe. That is a big help!
After an 11 year televoting period, the EBU decided to change the system to 50% jury voting and 50% televoting in the final. What do you think about this decision?
I think that is a correct decision, it is so obvious that "friendly" countries are giving friendly votes to each other... That should be corrected.
What is your opinion about the Big 4?
Well... I think that is not ok, but if you are "big" you can act that way, 'cause the biggest gave you the opportunity to be protected.
How would you rate Eurovision Song Contest as far as musical quality in concerned?
Good songs... and a lot of very bad songs... I can understand that, the performers have only three minutes to present themselves, and they have to do something to bee noticed... the result mostly is that some of them look like circus performers... I don't think that is a quality picture of Eurovision song contest. But, in the other side, where is the line between a circus show and the liberty of artistic performing like we expect on the ESC? I think it depends how each of us is looking on it.
What are your favourite songs in the Eurovision Song Contest history?
...favourite songs? I can really not mention a few... so many songs are more than beautiful....
What are your favourite Yugoslavian and Croatian songs in Eurovision Song Contest history?
Yugoslavian, Maria Serifovic, - Croatian, Maria Magdalena (Doris Dragovic).
Would you like to compete in Eurovision once more?
No... I would like to see other performers enjoying on the ESC stage as I did. I was lucky once....and once is enough...
Have you got any message to Eurovision fans?
Yes... I would like to thank to all fans for all love and support all this years. Special thanks to Shira from Israel... and Ivan from Croatia...
Thank you for this great interview!
Thank you... it was a pleasure answering your questions.
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- Malta: Vote for your favourite act in the final of Malta Eurovision Song Contest 2012
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- Sweden: Vote for your favourite act in the first semifinal of Melodifestivalen
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Chris
A good novelty act/song is very very hard to create, but there's no reason why people should be upset when a country enters with one.
You're right, a perfect example has to be Verka who got votes from every single country and got more points than the 2005 winner if I remember rightly, Verka had the whole novelty thing nailed 
juries were drunk back in 1989.
shame that such a awful song won the contest.
terrbile -horrible!!
HRVATSKA , VOLIM TE
Emilija is great i like her very much!
New CROATIAN song on dora 2009:
Danijela Pintaric-Zlatna rijeka
http://www.eurosong.(...)ownload/?c=DORA-2009
GREAT SONG !GO DANIJELA TO MOSCOW!!!
It's nice that she likes Marija Serifovic, but Marija wasn't a Yugoslav entrant. She was a Serbian one.
I have heard only two songs from this year's Dora - the ones by Franka Batelic and Ivo Gamulin and I liked them both. I have high expectations from this Croatuan selection.
hahaha she says "once at Eurovision is enough" yet she tried again in 2008! haha..with such a good song tho
Croatia send franka, feminnem, ana or igor!!
I think I'll have to find her new song, and see what it's like for myself.
@ Jonny
I agree, she looks younger now than she did in 1989!
What she says about performances is right I guess. But why can't novelty acts appear on stage? Novelty music is a part of popular music of any country, to pretend it doesn't exist and try and "ban" it from the Eurovision stage is absurd. A good novelty act/song is very very hard to create, but there's no reason why people should be upset when a country enters with one.
She still looks great 20 years on
"But, in the other side, where is the line between a circus show and the liberty of artistic performing like we expect on the ESC? I think it depends how each of us is looking on it" -
I think shes spot on here if shes means what I think. 
I think shes saying that the line between Novelty and serious acts is to be decided by the person watching the contest, obviously different viewers have different preferences
Emilija, you are beautiful, as always
Franka Batelić to MOSCOW!!
Croatia you'll do a fantstic job if you send Ana Bebic or Feminem to represent your contry, lest all forget last years song.., I don't know how the guys won when Antonija hen more votes...
Great comment about the voting procedure, not so great about the Big 4! LOL. IT's a shame Croatia never won with a much better entry such 1996's and 1998's.
Good Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Croatia was really good until 1999. After that I liked only their entry last year
You have to stop asking artists from the former Yugoslavia what they think of the Big 4, Esctoday.com - hahaha. You're stirring up something. 
lol @ "Yugoslavia, Marija Serifovic"
I loved her interview, bravo Emilija! And good luck!
wow !! Croatia !! my favory countrey in ESC from ex yugo countreys !! i dont know why but i love that countrey
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