He can't wait to sing and play new songs in front of an audience.

Serbian musician Marko Louis, just a year and a half after his last LP “Beskraj 2”, has released his new album, symbolically titled “25”, for the Balkan Art Collaboration label, featuring 18 songs. The album is conceived as a musical journey through four important dates for the musician, and they are connected not only musically, but also with anniversaries and people dear to him.

The album "25" also features a large number of collaborations between Mark Louis and his colleagues, with the most notable being "Bulbule" featuring Senidah and "Nestaje dah" which he recorded with the Montenegrin hop-hop group "Who See".

The singer, who is currently in Montenegro to film the video for the song "Nestaje dah", spoke to "Vijesti" about these collaborations, the performances planned for the summer, but also about how his song "Vatra u mraku", which he recorded with Marko Šelić Marčelo, became one of the symbols of student protests in Serbia, as well as the album "25" itself and its symbolism.

"The number 25 is my lucky number. I was born on January 25th, my son on March 25th, my mother on May 25th, and my father's birthday is June 25th. When I started working on this album, I planned to call it '25' and release it in four parts. So I released a total of 18 songs on those four dates," the musician explains.

"The reaction to the whole symbolism and watching it all unfold was very interesting. People really embraced the whole idea and I'm glad that so many songs and beautiful collaborations were created," he adds.

As he says, he has been working on the album itself and new songs since the release of the last one, titled "Beskraj 2".

"I worked on it for about a year and a half. By the time I started working on it, I already had a few recorded ideas, so I didn't start from scratch, but had some basic preparations," recalls Marko Louis, and reveals who helped get "25" released.

"I have friends who have been working with me on lyrics for over ten years. Maja Radivojević, who is the songwriter on most of the songs. The collaboration continues with Stihi from 'Helem Nejse' and Božidar Đurović, who, among other things, wrote the lyrics for 'Imao sam ružne sne'," the singer lists.

"In addition, there have been new collaborations with Tiador, Lena Stamenković and the lions from Montenegro, the 'Who See' klapa. I would definitely not skip mentioning the collaboration with Senida and the song 'Bulbule', which for me is the icing on the cake of this entire album. My wish has come true and the audience is reacting decisively. I can't wait to sing and play all those songs in front of the audience," he continues.

As he has emphasized in previous interviews, he has long wanted to collaborate with Slovenian singer Senidah, Dejan Dedović Dedduh and Mario Đorđević Noyza, so he first recounts how the work on the song "Nestaje dah" went, and how long the process of finding the right song that would bring both his and the sound that Who See is known for lasted.

"I met the duo in Sarajevo at a concert by the band 'Helem Nejse'. We hit it off right away and after 20 minutes I started playing them my ideas and demos. They reacted very quickly to the third song I played them and that Latin salsa rhythm intrigued them immediately. I'm honored to work with such emperors. I'm sure that this is not the only song we'll record together," hints Marko Louis, and also looks back on his collaboration with Senida Hajdarpašić, better known in the region as Senidah.

"I contacted Senida through the production several times, but I didn't get a response. I'm glad I didn't, because we were supposed to record the song 'Bulbule'. She reacted very nicely when she heard the song and recorded her part very quickly as soon as we wrote the lyrics," recalls the musician.

"Maja Radivojević wrote a beautiful, timeless text. We were inspired by the way she sang and the repetition of the melody, which in a way reminds us of the nightingale's chirping. Bulbule is the Persian name for the nightingale bird. Senidah has shown that she is not only a top artist, but also a wonderful person to work with and a friend," concludes the "Vijesti" interviewee.

These two songs will soon receive a music video, and the film adaptation of "Nestaje dah" is already in the works, in Montenegro.

"I'm currently in Kumbor with you, where I'm filming a video with Who See for the song 'Nestaje Dah', which will be released by the end of the month, and in August, Senidah and I are filming a video for the song 'Bulbule', which we plan to release in September. I also plan to do a 'Secret Session' concert and film it," he reveals.

The album "25" connects Mark Louis with several significant dates, one of which is that it was released exactly ten years after his first solo album, so the musician reveals how much he has changed since then, both in his private life and in his musical career.

"I'm glad that even at forty years old I can say that I'm working on myself and that I want to become the best version of myself. So I've really noticed and followed my changes as a person, as a musician and as a businessman. I'm grateful for how everything has gone in these ten years and I'm ready for the next ten," says Marko Louis, who, after filming the video for "Nestaje dah", will dedicate himself to promoting his new album, and his performances will also include Montenegro.

"Of course, I have a few nice dates in Montenegro. See you on July 25th at the Cetinje Beer Fest and then we will traditionally stop by Ulcinj, at Pacha Beach with the St. Louis Band and have a spontaneous beach party on July 26th. I'm sure we will do a concert in Podgorica during the summer and you will be the first to know," announced the musician.

Grateful to be someone's support and inspiration

In the midst of the current events in Serbia, it is impossible not to mention the song “Vatra u mraku” (Fire in the Dark) that Marko Louis recorded with rapper Marčelo, a song inspired by the tragic events in that country, which can now often be heard at student protests. The musician reveals what it feels like when so many people find strength, emotion, and inspiration for their struggle in his song.

"The feeling is incredible. A song that was created by sharing our feelings after the tragedy at the 'Ribnikar' Elementary School. The song found its way after a year and a half to be an inspiration for people. I am proud and grateful that I can sing the song together with Marčelo and the audience and that we can raise the lights from our phones together, to be a support and inspiration for someone," he emphasized.