cha cha on my own

(Photo: Vita Orehek)

(Photo: Primož Lukežič). The musicians have built genuine friendships.

Two years ago, the guys from Slovenia's most internationally successful band returned from the Eurovision Song Contest not with a victory, but with a much greater prize. They gained a new family member. The Finnish phenomenon Käärijä became their soul brother, which motivated them to invite him to collaborate. Next year, when Joker Out celebrates their tenth anniversary of making music together at Kardeljeva ploščad in Ljubljana, he will join them for an unforgettable carnival. In an inspiring conversation, the band's singer Bojan Cvjetićanin and his great Scandinavian confidant revealed the true meaning of brotherly love that no distance can break.

"We’ve been together for so longthat we share a common place. Wherever we are; in our hearts we are always together."

You have an older sister with whom you are very close. Did you ever wish for a little brother as well?

Bojan: As a child, I longed for another baby in the family, but my parents didn't make that wish happen. There is a good six-year difference between my sister and I - a whole generation - which, luckily, hasn't affected the quality of our relationship. We are incredibly close, even though during my turbulent teenage years we were each in our own world. Later, our bond only strengthened. We have many friends in common, and I would be completely lost without her. She saves my butt at every turn.

Did you get the desired amount of brotherly love in the band?

Bojan: You could say that. We've been weaving these relationships together for 13 years, and I've never sailed through life alone, which is a huge part of who I am.

So you acted on this urge for camaraderie?

Bojan: In my case, it's about a need for genuine human connection. I'm not a solitary person by nature - quite the opposite.

I imagine you were the popular guy everyone wanted to hang out with.

Bojan: I was always embraced by various circles and people liked me. I was perceived as a curious child, and I was terribly drawn to the company of people older than me. I was interested in what they were doing and what they were thinking about. As early as three years old, I wanted to talk to adults, and I had my mini-idols in my heart. I used to wonder what it was that made them so interesting in my eyes.

And what interested you the most about them?

Bojan: In elementary school, it was their brackets, or rather their dental braces, the way they dressed, and mastering skateboard tricks. My wardrobe was full of everyday, mass-produced pieces, with no excessive fashion flair. Whenever I saw kids in trendy outfits, they instantly won me over. I wasn't trying to be like them, though, I just felt excited observing their individual styles of dress.

Having one true friend is a treasure. You, however, have four jokers up your sleeve, which saves you from dealing with a lot of issues that come with creating and adulthood. What is the recipe for weaving together deep, genuine relationships in this superficial world of "showbusiness"?

Bojan: You have to learn to tame your ego very early on. It's important to ask yourself why the band Joker Out was formed in the first place. The reason, purpose, or goal had nothing to do with adult life, as we formed the band as teenagers. Camaraderie, a love for music, experimenting, and creating were our top priorities. The thought of money and fame was not even an afterthought. Of course, we wanted to be noticed, but we never imagined it would reach this scale. It seems to me that the team of sincere individuals came together precisely because our intentions were pure, like a child's. We didn't play in murky waters.

"The attention of the crowd is exhausting, and even though their energy fuels us, it quickly pulls you into the spiral of people-pleasing, where you try with every last atom to meet people's expectations."

How do you deal with disagreements within the band? After all, your relationship is no ordinary friendship.

Bojan: It’s completely natural. You don't have transactional relationships with your brothers and sisters. Every time someone tries to rise above the others, we bring them back down to earth just as quickly. Irrelevant things pass by unnoticed. We don't allow that to hinder our further mutual growth. We’ve been together for so long that we share a common place. Wherever we are, in our hearts we are always together. Our dynamic is hard to compare to anything other than brotherhood. This is where differing opinions come from, we don't interrupt this natural cycle, though; we appreciate it. Ideas are sculpted, creative momentum is generated, and we grow as people. You cannot light a match without friction.

(At this point, the charming Jere Mikael Pöyhönen joined the conversation, the man whom the wider international public met at Eurovision 2023. Käärijä cooked up the 'Cha Cha Cha' mania, wormed his way into our ears with hard-hitting rhythms, and got under our skin with his appeal. In person, he is just as infectiously charismatic and captivating).

Your stage name translates to “gambler.” Do you generally like to play all or nothing in life as well?

Käärijä: It depends on what’s at stake. (smiles) I used to be more reckless. But at 32, you no longer feel like banging your head against the wall. Except when it comes to emotions. There, I always go all in, because I don’t believe in relationships with a certain agenda. Whether it’s intimate connections or friendships, I make no distinction when it comes to striving for genuine interpersonal growth.

Did you expect to return from Europe’s biggest music competition with such a strong bond from Slovenia?

Käärijä: Not at all. We actually already connected with Joker Out during the pre-parties, before setting off to chase the European crown. Bojan was the first to approach me. I was sitting alone at lunch in Madrid. It was like a movie scene where a lonely student is joined in a cafeteria by someone who offers them comfort. I immediately told him that my English skills were limited, but he didn’t let that bother him. We communicated with our hands, and mostly with laughter. It was love at first sight, and I have to admit, the guys are the greatest gift of recent years. Relationships like that are rare, which makes me appreciate them all the more.

What is it that makes our chosen group of five musicians different from the others?

Käärijä: Of course, they’re incredibly talented, but talent without warmth is cold. They awakened something new in me. Something I hadn’t known before. After the huge success, I found myself in a bit of a personal crisis, which I was able to overcome more easily through the support of our conversations. Even though Bojan and I were each on our own side of the continent, his words were healing. So much wisdom in such a young person is a rare treasure. He’s met my family, I’ve met his, and we’ve truly developed a brotherly bond.

Did you unexpectedly join them on their Finland tour because of that?

Käärijä: I didn’t want to miss the opportunity. Every day spent in their company is priceless. After the first performance in Helsinki, I asked them if they had any free seats left in the van. They were curious why, and I blurted out that I’d like to go on the road with them. I even accompanied them to Estonia. The guys met my parents, and suddenly it felt to me as if we were on a school trip. Opportunities like that don’t come along often, and they’re much more than just a musical adventure. They’re a training ground for deepening interpersonal connections, which, at least on my personal value scale, have the highest worth.

(Photo: Tiia Öhman)

What about Bojan won you over?

Käärijä: All the members of Joker Out are in my heart, but Bojan and I have formed the closest bond. What won me over? Where do I even begin?! (laughs) He is artistically refined and emotionally deep. That’s the short version. Otherwise, I also adore his humour and warmth. Because of him, I’ve significantly improved my English, for which I’m especially grateful. What connects us is our playfulness, the fact that we don’t take life so damn seriously. We both understand that it’s not worth crying over the past, but rather, it’s good to focus on the present. Being present in every moment is the key to feeling better, and those of us who are in the public eye need to nurture that awareness even more persistently.

The attention of the crowd drains you, and even though their energy fills us, it quickly pulls you into the spiral of people-pleasing, when you push yourself to the very last atom to meet expectations. Suddenly, you find yourself in a black hole, one that both Bojan and I fell into, and from which we rose even stronger with the help and loving support of our families and friends. Now we can show each other our battle scars and look towards the future with a smile.

"I used to be more reckless. But at 32, you no longer feel like banging your head against the wall. Except when it comes to emotions. There, I always go all in."

For example Karneval, with which we’ll welcome the next summer?

Käärijä: What an honour it is for me to finally perform in Slovenia, and in front of such a passionate audience! Together with my Slavic brothers, we’ll conjure up a true carnival atmosphere. It’s a magnificent event, a celebration of music, friendship and community that breaks down the boundaries of prejudice and builds bridges of harmony. I already get goosebumps when I think about the show that lies ahead of us.

Bojan: We imagined the whole day unfolding like a kind of fair. Variety of activities, games, fun moments and socialising in the spirit of everything our band embodies. Besides that, I’m absolutely thrilled that Käärijä will finally be able to fire up the crowd, bringing an energy completely different from what we’re used to here. I’ve been to his concerts, where he creates such an atmosphere that you stay excited long after, so it’s a real honour for us that he’ll be performing for the Slovenian audience for the very first time. It’s going to be something unique and unrepeatable.

Was there a lot of discussion and coordination needed?

Bojan: Between true brothers, everything happens spontaneously. Are we in? We are! If there is no sincerity, there is no magic.