Singer-songwriter Ivana Vukmirović Manivi is among the musicians who will participate in the "Song for Eurovision" festival, which selects Serbia's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest, and will be held on February 24, 26 and 28.
She will introduce herself with the song "Every Day", which she describes as "sensual, strong and dark".
Upon the release of the song "Every Day," Manivi reveals that her performance will be like a short film, helping the audience fully connect with the song and the message it carries.
“At the core of the song ‘Every Day’ are transience and temporaryness. It speaks to a relationship with a predetermined expiration date and the inner conflict between control and longing. The song is built around the sound of a clock as a pulsating beat, which transforms the passage of time into a central rhythmic motif. Sometimes fragile, sometimes ominous, vocals float above the instrumentals, creating a surreal atmosphere,” explained singer-songwriter Manivi.
"The musical collaborators on the song are top-notch, experienced producers Milan Bjelica and Petar Egret. The sound is minimalist, but dense and hypnotic, creating a feeling of something mystical, similar to the atmosphere of science fiction films. The dynamics of the song oscillate between full, pulsating intensity and almost bare silence, only to resolve in the culmination - the moment of breaking or awakening," is part of the announcement for the song "Every Day".
Manivi, who has two studio albums and five singles behind her, revealed her expectations for the Eurovision Song Contest in an interview with "Vijesti", but also commented on this year's selection for the Montenegrin representative for the Eurovision Song Contest, as part of Montesong.
At the beginning of the interview, she explains how the song "Every Day" was created and whether it was specifically recorded for the Eurovision Song Contest or if it had already been completed, and she took the opportunity to present it in this way.
"The song came a long way from a demo recording that contained some of my feelings about the weight and transience of time, to the final version that I shaped with my collaborators, producers Milan Bjelica and Petar Pupić," recalls the singer-songwriter.
“When we were thinking about the Eurovision Song Contest, it seemed to us that this song was ideal for the occasion and would be interesting to the audience following this competition,” she adds, then hints at what the audience can expect from her performance at the festival.
"It will be focused primarily on the sincere emotion and dark, sensual energy that the song carries. Visually, it will be simple, but effective, with an emphasis on authentic stage movement," the interviewee told "Vijesti", and also revealed her expectations for the "Eurovision Song".
"Participating is a great honor and experience in itself. The expectations are to present the song to the audience in the best possible way and to inspire people to feel its emotion, everything else is a bonus," claims the musician.
Her songs, as well as those of other musicians competing for the title of Serbia's representative at Eurovision, were presented at the beginning of this month, so there was enough time to gather audience reactions.
"The audience's reaction really delighted me. I get a lot of positive comments and words of support for which I am immensely grateful, and it motivates me to continue working and creating," Manivi replies, and when asked whether, regardless of the placement at the "Eurovision Song Contest", she plans to make the song "Svaki dan" into a film, she answers in the negative.
"Not yet. The song will have a video recording from the performance and I think that's enough for now, and if it achieves some notable success, recording a visual is not ruled out," she believes.
In addition to Manivi, 23 other contestants will perform their songs, some of whom participated last year, such as Harem Girls and Zejna, but Vukmirović still does not single out anyone as a favorite.
"I think the contestants are really different in style and each song has something special. I think the audience will have a hard time choosing, because the level is really high," she concludes.
Asked if she followed Montesong and the selection for the Montenegrin representative at Eurovision, Manivi replied that she had and revealed positive impressions.
"I follow and believe that Montenegro shows diversity and quality in music every year. I especially like that authors and performers are trying to bring their own style and recognition, which is very important on the European scene," she says.
Given that in recent years there has been a trend among European Eurovision fans of following, commenting on and sharing favorites from all national competitions where the representative for the Eurovision Song Contest is chosen, the Eurovision Song Contest, as well as Montesong, is therefore an opportunity for musicians to present themselves outside the region.
"Festivals like the Eurovision Song Contest are extremely important, as they provide a platform not only for performers but also for authors to present their work to a wider audience. It is an opportunity for music to go beyond the borders of our country and connect with people across Europe," believes the musician, who also hints at further plans for her career in the coming period.
"I'm working on new songs and projects, and as before, I'm focused on authenticity and sincere emotion, without chasing trends and popularity. So the audience can expect surprises in the form of new songs and experimentation with styles and genres," says Manivi.
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