#type: article

(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 long that 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.

One from Ljubljana, the other from Helsinki – both stars with their hearts in the right place. Bojan Cvjetićanin and Finnish star Käärijä have shown that Eurovision is more than just a competition.

(Photo: Jure Klobčar)

Their story is simply heart-warming. In a world with far too much competition and too many superficial relationships, Bojan and Käärijä have shown that genuine friendship can still be built.

Bojan Cvjetićanin and Käärijä first met during the preparations for Eurovision, and no one expected a spark of friendship to ignite between them. They met in Amsterdam, when Bojan sang the famous Finn’s catchy song 'Cha Cha Cha' to him on the coach, and from then on, everything went smoothly. They soon became friends, and their ‘bromance’ was covered by media outlets all across Europe.

From the very beginning, their friendship has been a blend of laughter, warmth and countless jokes. "Our friendship happened in a very hectic environment – it could have happened and then faded away. But friendship really means a lot to Käärijä, and he shares a great deal of responsibility for our connection, because he puts so much into it. At first, it was music that connected us, and then our shared sense of humour, similar energy, and that rare, effortless understanding you can’t plan. He has real depth, and he will always put himself second and his friends first", Bojan told Lady during his meetup with Käärijä in Ljubljana.

"I really like it here - I'm in love with the most beautiful city in the world, not just because of Bojan, the Jokers and the team, but mostly because of the people. There’s something really special about this place: the food, the weather, the energy… everything is fantastic,” Käärijä said.

There’s plenty of humour between them and a lot of friendly banter. Bojan Cvjetićanin even reveals the Finn’s biggest weakness, "His unbearable snoring!"

And since there’s never a shortage of laughter with these two, Bojan added, "The worst thing about him is his snoring. I’ve never heard anything so annoyingly loud before! When we were on holiday together and he fell asleep before me, I had a serious problem". (laughter)

Käärijä returned the compliment in his own way, "The best things about Bojan are his beautiful hair, his amazing body and his bright eyes. (laughter) But seriously, I can say that Bojan is an incredible person. He has a big heart, he’s honest and warm. As for his downside, I’d definitely point out that everyone wants him, not me".

The two friends spent time walking around the city together, drinking coffee and – as expected – planning new music. They told us that next June, Käärijä will be the "opening act" for Joker Out, who will celebrate ten years of their music career with the biggest concert of their lives, called Karneval.

"I can finally say that in June, I’ll be performing at Kardeljeva ploščad before Joker Out. And then they’ll come to Finland and we’ll do it the other way round," the Finn revealed with a laugh.

(Photo: Personal archive)

During his visit to Ljubljana, Käärijä also revealed that they're already planning their next holiday together – but this time in separate houses, because of the snoring.

Bojan added, "For the first time, Slovenia will see Käärijä in a completely new version of his act. We’re preparing something fresh, energetic. Of course, his Eurovision song 'Cha Cha Cha' won’t be missing, and maybe some special guests will join us as well, such as Tommy Cash or Baby Lasagna".

And finally, what all of Europe has quietly been wishing for is about to happen – that the Slovenian band and the Finnish singer would create a song together. "That wish will finally come true for everyone, because we really are working on a new song. It’s a Finnish‑Slovenian rap. I’m rapping in Finnish, and Käärijä is rapping in Slovenian. If the song is finished in time, we’ll of course premiere it at Karneval."

There’s still a lot to happen before then. The two musicians are also getting ready for another holiday together. "We’re planning our holiday at the beginning of the new year", the Finnish star revealed.

(Photo: Jure Klobčar)

Bojan Cvjetićanin and Käärijä are Eurovision friends who have become inseparable even offstage.

Joker Out: In the Shelter of Euphoria

The Brotherhood of the Band

We caught them at a very special moment - when their schedule is a little more relaxed, and their late-autumn European tour is slowly appearing on the horizon. In between, they’ve taken a breather, gone to the seaside, and played shows at a pleasant pace. It sounds like the perfect send-off for what’s next - and it is, they say. We can catch a glimpse of the future, and all of us in it, through Karneval, their biggest event yet, one that surpasses a regular concert in every sense. Now we know a bit more - about that, too. Bojan, Kris, Jan, Jure, and Nace - no need for introductions, right?

TEXT: Ajda Gregorc

PHOTOS: Urša Premik

STYLING: Alenka Birk

Any excuse for a midweek escape to the seaside is a good one - especially if it involves a trip to the Istrian Monaco with Joker Out, later followed by a chat in Ljubljana. Bojan arrives first. The conversation quickly turns from a dialogue into a multi-logue, filled with priceless comic moments. They’ve already been asked every possible question, so I skip the usual “what are you tired of being asked, and what questions are you craving” part. Instead, we snack on Ljubljana’s famous cinnamon and hazelnut rolls. If you want to find Bojan in his natural habitat these days, the easiest place to do so is right here. “Give me another one, please.”

Now that you’ve had a bit of time to settle - what are your impressions from Opatija? Can a fashion shoot be more exhausting than a session in the music studio?

Jure: Definitely not more exhausting than recording music.

Bojan: I actually really enjoyed it. We had such a great time. On a thankfully sunny day, we escaped a little - it felt like a mix of holiday and work. Plus, we were dressed differently than usual, so there was a bit of character playing going on.

Kris: It was so hot in those outfits.

Bojan: Oh, yeah. We can never get it right - if we’re filming on a warm day, the styling always involves too many layers; if it’s cold, we never have enough. So we’re always either freezing or overheating - never just right.

Who got most into their character, and how far did it go? The pieces from that era really do have a transformative power.

Bojan: Every Porsche we saw was ours. (laughter)

But in the end, you landed back on those good old pedal boats…

Bojan: Yeah, we landed back in reality, didn’t we? (laughter)

What’s your first memory of Cosmo? Did you ever 'accidentally' flip through it at the hairdresser’s or steal your sister’s copy?

Bojan: Mine’s probably tied to the seaside, actually. I think Cosmo was was always among the magazines people packed for summer vacations. I kind of see it in combination with pebbles.

Kris: Same. Though I think I’ve consumed Cosmopolitan more often in a glass than in print… (laughter)

Speaking of summer - this year you finally got to enjoy it a bit more in your personal life as well. Jure, you rode 1,500 km along Slovenia’s borders on your motorbike. Nace, you started teaching bass guitar.

Kris, you did some 'field research' at Sziget Festival, where we ran into each other. Bojan, you came straight from filming 'Pisma snova' (Letters of Dreams). And Jan, we managed to dig up that you were recently at the seaside too.

Joker Out: That’s right, it did us all a lot of good. It was unforgettable for each of us.

If we had pushed ourselves any further, we could have reached a breaking point, because it was already clear that we were all exhausted.

At the start of the summer, for the first time since your huge milestone concert there in September 2022, you relived Križanke together at Festival202.

Bojan: We returned to it much more relaxed than three years ago, since that first concert was part of the momentum and machinery that started with our show at Cvetličarna. Back then we felt like we had to keep those wheels spinning nonstop. That Križanke show was also our last with Martin (Jurkovič, our former bassist), which made it very special on their own. I’m really glad that this time - at least in my experience - we got to shake that stage again together with Nace, because it holds a unique place in any musician’s career. And being there this year among all those incredible bands who shared the stage with us made it even more meaningful. Something like that definitely won’t happen again; it was a one-of-a-kind moment we’ll only appreciate more as time goes on. It truly was a magical evening.

Kris: You watched that first Križanke concert from the audience, right Nace?

Nace: No, I had a gig.

Bojan: I remember exactly where and with whom - at the castle, with Lukas!

Nace: Exactly!

Kris: What about the afterparty?

Nace: Couldn’t make it, I was playing again the next day. Our first concert together was actually at Kampus.

Bojan: You were there?

Nace: Yeah, and you guys were my opening act at the Battle of the Bands in 2017. I was one of the judges.

Bojan: And how many points did you give us? (laughter)

Nace: Can’t remember. (laughter)

Kris: We came in second. He probably said the bass was great, but the rest was pretty lame. (laughter)

Bojan, what kind of feelings do you take home with you from that Balkan film shoot, which is still ongoing?

Bojan: Always very positive ones. I’ve had the chance to work with incredible, legendary actors and an amazing crew. Everyone involved in the film is a professional who has already worked on projects I grew up watching, so I’m actually a fan of theirs. It’s a really inspiring environment for me. I learn so much every single day. Of course, as a non-professional in this field, there’s room for improvement at every step, and the veterans on set actually help me with that, which is really wonderful.

Can you tell us a bit more about your character?

Bojan: Kemal is the spoiled son of a wealthy politician who’s always gotten everything he’s ever wanted. As a result, he believes he can do whatever he wants in life, with no limits whatsoever. In the film, he wants to be loved by the main actress Hana and goes to great lengths to win her over. I’m actually playing a negative character this time, which I like, because until now I’ve always played positive young guys. This role is the complete opposite of who I am and what I want to be, so it’s been a really great experience.

The movie is set to come out in 2027, right?

Bojan: That’s right, or maybe even by the end of 2026.

You mentioned that you’re feeling less pressure now. What kind of period are you in as a band? Have you reached a point where you can just enjoy the view, or are you already setting new goals from there? Up to now, you’ve been almost a textbook example of how to plan and achieve them.

Bojan: I think we’ve reached a really important point - a moment when you make sense of everything that’s happened so far, while also looking at what’s coming next. Even though we’ll celebrate ten years together next year, things only really started moving fast after the pandemic, around 2021 and 2022. Then came Eurovision, and with it a complete 180-degree turn - going abroad, performing internationally... It’s hard to even process it as it’s happening. It can actually be quite tough on your creativity and on the relationships within the band.

The fact that we made it through that, recorded an album, and are still happily playing together - that was a major peak. But like with hiking in the mountains: once you’ve crossed one peak, you have to descend to the next valley, rest a bit, and gather new strength. Now it’s very clear to us what we’ve achieved and how well we handled things. We have new goals ahead, but we’re also allowing ourselves to breathe, both as a band and as individuals, which I think is the most important thing.

If we had pushed ourselves any further, we could have reached a breaking point, because it was already clear that we were all exhausted. It wasn’t about any negative energy within the band, but rather that everyone was simply drained. That’s why it’s so important to recharge - and I’m really glad that this year we all managed to go to the seaside.

This kind of life doesn’t allow for extreme dives into individuality - especially not toxic individuality - which I think is a very good thing.

Jure: This is the first year we’ve actually taken it a bit easier. We know what we’re doing until the end of the year and next year too, but we also have enough space and time for personal things - to just breathe normally.

Bojan: I’ll put it this way: for the past two or three years, even on my days off, I was quite nervous because I felt like we were missing out on something work-related. But this time we had much more free time, and I felt completely at peace. I’m not worried about whether we’ll record anything or not, because I genuinely feel that our creative energy is still strong and high-quality. And I know we have more than enough time. That’s brought me a real sense of zen in my head.

Have you ever almost scrapped a song or project that later turned out to be a success?

Bojan: Gola, for example, was kind of on that path... I remember we started working on the verses back in 2016, and then we just stopped.

Jure: Carpe Diem too.

Jan: We once had a different chorus for Gola, something with milk in it.

Bojan: White as milk. (laughter)

Jan: Yeah, yeah, white as milk.

Bojan: That chorus was bizarre. It happens a lot.

What’s a musician’s biggest fear before releasing a new song or project - and has that ever actually happened to you?

Bojan: That you release the music video and it’s not in stereo, but in mono. (everyone nods)

Kris: Yeah, that’s always risky. At festivals, they often record your performance, mix it their own way, and release it - without your approval, so there’s always that bit of fear about how it’ll sound. They released one from Belgrade recently, but thank God it sounds good.

Jan: I broke my guitar at our last concert - that was my biggest fear, and it actually came true.

Bojan: Surprisingly, you didn’t seem too sad about it. Oh right, I remember why - because you said it would sound better now. (laughter)

Jan: I just told myself, “What can be done, it’s broken. It’ll get fixed, no point stressing about it.”

How did it happen?

Jan: Nace’s bass has a stronger neck than mine, and we bumped into each other.

Bojan: They were sword fighting, those two. (laughter)

How much can you predict the audience’s reactions now that it’s so geographically spread out?

Bojan: You can’t.

Kris: Every artist says you can never please everyone, but with us that’s even more true, because we cover three different regions, and we often hear things like, “Why don’t you have a song in our language?”

When you come to the Balkans, which you openly said you wanted to conquer, does it already feel like a second home, or still like an unexplored playground? Most people there know you by now.

Bojan: Uh...

Jure: The customs officers already let us through without any issues, so it’s almost a second home. (smiles)

Bojan: When you start playing abroad, the ideal scenario is that you play a few shows in one country and think, “Okay, I know it now.” But the reality is different. In Slovenia, we literally had to play over a hundred concerts, visit every village, every town - whether there were a thousand people, ten thousand, or just Jan’s dad and a photographer in the audience. That's actually happened before. We still have a lot left to discover in every country outside Slovenia. I’m sure there are still hidden gems here at home too, but abroad there’s definitely plenty more to uncover.

Kris: For example, we still haven’t played at Vurberk Castle.

Jan: Or in Jesenice.

There’s always someone who pulls you back down to earth. In our case, there are four of them.

Even though it seems like everything happens through social media these days, physical presence is still very important, isn’t it? It often happens that we go to a concert, and only then do we really start listening to that artist.

Bojan: Or we stop. We’ve seen that happen too. (laughter)

Kris: Back then we were playing around 60 shows a year, in every corner of Slovenia. It was the post-Covid period, when people were going to lots of concerts, and you had the chance to win them over live. These days, that excitement has calmed down a bit, and I don't think it's possible to reach a part of the audience that way anymore.

People have been wondering lately whether the new wave of Slovenian music will keep going, since it’s in a bit of a quiet phase after that big bang.

Bojan: It definitely will. But these are natural fluctuations that can’t always stay right at the top. What happened after Covid wasn’t exactly natural. If it stayed like that all the time, it would just be insane. (laughter)

Then you wouldn’t have had this blessed period of well-earned rest...

Bojan: Exactly. If everything’s good all the time, is it really good?

That’s a nice bridge to the next question. When success becomes the norm - sometimes even a bit annoying because of all the attention - do you have to remind yourselves that this is what you wanted? Who, apart from you, Bojan, actually dreamed of this, and who kind of stumbled into it by accident?

Jure: I think we all wanted it; otherwise, we wouldn’t be where we are now.

Kris: When I started playing in high school, I just really enjoyed going to rehearsals and playing, even if it was just for a few people.

Others: And because of...? Admit it. (laughter)

Kris: Yeah, also because of girls. (laughter) I never imagined it would become this serious, but I just went with the flow.

Bojan: If Kris were 14 again today, he’d be a gaser¹ or a trapper. (laughter)

¹Young member of a Balkan subculture

It’s always great to see musicians who manage to live that dream, since many don’t - so many stars have to align, on top of hard work and talent. If we start tying success or failure too much to our sense of self, we can easily turn into that slightly cranky uncle at the checkout, fighting for a coupon at the front of the line, if we exaggerate a bit.

Jure: We argue at checkouts too. (laughter)

Jan, I ran into you on the road the other day; someone cut you off, and you honked... I know, because you have the sponsor car.

Jan: Really? Oh no, then it must have been bad. (laughter)

Jure: Staying calm behind the wheel is a real challenge sometimes. (laughter)

At media and private events, you’re often the most anticipated people in the room - and the ones everyone wants to talk to. Which one of you has the biggest social battery? Or more precisely - who has more than Bojan?

Jure: Bojči definitely wins this one.

Kris: My social energy is either zero or a hundred. Sometimes I show up somewhere and there’s just no way to get me into a normal conversation, and other times I’m the most talkative person there.

And the opposite - how do you “make use” of your fame the most?

Jure: I’d say mostly for concerts where we get in for free.

Bojan: Literally. I don’t even know if that kind of thing really happens in Slovenia - where someone just gives you something for free. I’m not saying they should, but I honestly haven’t noticed, for example, that I ever got a free meal at a restaurant or anything like that. With concerts, though, you almost always get on the guest list practically everywhere, which is nice. But even then, if we feel it’s right to support someone, we’ll buy the tickets, even if we could be on the list.

A lot of people probably compare themselves to you in terms of career and lifestyle. Do you ever catch yourselves looking at your peers who’ve chosen a more traditional path - studying, getting their first full-time job, following a routine?

Bojan: At least five times a week I have an urge to live a nine-to-five life.

We could probably already qualify for honorary status as founders of some sort of brotherhood.

Jure: I’m the complete opposite. When I see someone driving home from work, I think, 'Thank God I don’t have to wake up at six in the morning.'

Nace: Right? Plus, you live in Logatec. (laughter)

Kris: My friends are all finishing their master’s degrees right now, or they already have, and they’re at that point where they have to finally decide what they want to do with their lives. A lot of them fall into a bit of a crisis because they really don’t know. In those moments, I realise how lucky I am that life offered me this path before I even had to start questioning it.

Bojan: That’s really valuable. But still - maybe not nine to five, since nine is a bit early - but it doesn’t sound too bad... (laughter)

Kris: In the Netherlands they’ve introduced a four-day work week.

Jure: Bojči, we’ll make you a proper schedule: you’ll be at our rehearsal space at eight, then you’ll clean for six hours... (laughter)

Bojan: That’s how Magnifico works. He gets dressed, goes to the studio, stays there until lunch, goes home, and then comes back to work again . Even if he doesn’t do anything, he’s still at his workplace. (laughter)

How do you balance your personal life ambitions within the band? You’re at that age when people often start thinking about family, marriage, and so on - how will you handle that when it comes?

Jure: Not happening. (laughter)

Bojan: The clause still stands for the next eight years, and after that we’ll see whether we start adding any new members or not. Nace got a dog, and that already caused a bit of a crisis. (laughter)

The adorable dachshund Pino.

Nace: Pinooo!

Bojan: When it happens to one of us, it’ll happen. Thing is, that person will have to have four godfathers with him at the wedding. (laughter)

Generation Z is often - like every generation before it - under fire from public opinion. You interact with them a lot. What’s your impression?

Bojan: We are Generation Z, except for Jure and Nace.

Kris: But culturally we’re not entirely Gen Z, even though technically we belong there. When we were kids, we had the kind of technology that defined millennials, so culturally we feel closer to them.

Jan: Considering the Slovenian timeline, Nace is still...

Nace: DVD. (laughter)

Others: Blu-ray! (laughter)

Jure: But yeah, we probably spent more time playing outside with the neighbours.

Nace: I feel like young people today face much more external pressure, mainly because of social media. It makes it seem like everyone’s rich and successful. That pressure to already have it all while you’re still very young is probably huge, and I think that makes things a lot harder for them than it was for us, since we didn’t grow up with that.

Kris: At the same time, I feel like we often don’t fully understand them - there’s a kind of barrier between us, Gen Alpha, and Gen Z. Even with my sister, who’s ten years younger, I notice the difference. Next to her I actually feel kind of old. She likes to tell me that I say slightly “boomer” things. (everyone laughs)

Ten years - who’s still the same person, who’s changed, and who’s still dreaming? Bojan, Kris, and Jan - has it all gone by quickly for you?

Kris: Yeah, Martin and Matic (our former bassists²) have completely changed. (laughter) It’s almost impossible not to.

²T/N ex bassist and drummer

Bojan: We’ve definitely all changed; at our core, we’re still pretty much the same people we were when we first met, but we’ve grown from early teenagers into adults who earn their own living. We could probably already qualify for honorary status as founders of some sort of brotherhood. I think we’ve really grown in terms of collegiality. This kind of life doesn’t allow for extreme dives into individuality - especially not toxic individuality - which I think is a very good thing. It’s been healthy for us to go through waves of hype and maybe even a few ego trips together. There’s always someone who pulls you back down to earth - in our case, there are four of them. Over these nine years, it’s really been a healthy environment to grow up in.

When I look at it through the eyes of my family, my parents - it’s easier for them too, because they know that wherever I go and whatever I do, these people are with me. They trust them, because we’ve already been through so much together.

It’ll probably be the first real carnival that many people will experience in their lives.

Jan, Kris, and Bojan, you’ve been here since the very beginning - has the time flown by for you?

Kris: I barely even remember the first five years… I don’t know, it all kind of blends together, especially around the Covid period.

Bojan: That was pure rock’n’roll, right? Days were nights, nights were days. That’s what it sounds like. The first five years were just one big 'blur' of youth, but honestly, it all went by so fast. Still, when the guys mention where we were two years ago, I can’t remember anything either - not the places, the cities, or the timelines…

Jan: But once someone reminds you or gives a reference to what happened somewhere, it comes back to you...

Bojan: Yeah, but if someone asked me what season it was when we played a certain show, I’d say winter, and they’d say July. Everything feels like it either happened yesterday or fifteen years ago, when in reality it was just two years ago. Before Covid, during Covid, after Covid - it’s all the same time.

How do you celebrate each other’s birthdays? Is there always cake involved, like at the announcement of your big Karneval, which will take place on the 20th of June next year?

Kris: Yeah. For Nace’s birthday, which was the most recent one, we celebrated in the van on the way from Skopje to Ljubljana.

Bojan: It was really nice. We waited until midnight backstage at the concert, sang to him, and blew out the candles together.

Jure: Well, I for example, don’t remember that anymore. (laughter) I don’t even know where we were.

Kris: We celebrated your birthday in Koper, didn’t we? At the Slovenian Army Days.

Jure: Yeah, and the year before that we had just finished the Sea Star Festival in Umag, and the next day was my birthday - that was great too.

Bojan: We often celebrate Jan’s birthday together, since it’s on New Year’s Day, the 1st of January.

Jan: When going from 2023 to 2024, there was even that guy playing the accordion!

Jure: Next year I’ve got two big milestones.

Bojan: What?

Jure: Karneval and my 30th birthday.

Bojan: You’re turning 30 next year? What? Oh, wow. Right, of course - we’ll be 27 next year. Damn, tough years ahead.

Kris: I’ll be 26 next year.

Jan: I’ll be 27.

Bojan: Nace, I’m coming with you to Turkey for that full-body medical check-up. (laughter)

Nace: Yeah, they scan and check your whole body and tell you if you’re healthy, and then you can relax if everything’s fine.

Jure: When we go to Thailand again for a holiday, we can stop in Istanbul on the way. We’ll buy a cheap flight with a 32-hour layover and come home with our heads wrapped up. (laughter)

Kris: My birthday rarely gets celebrated together because we’re always on tour.

Bojan: Although we did celebrate mine in London.

Nace: At The Boogaloo Pub.

Bojan: Really? Oh yeah!

Karneval will take place under the open sky, on Kardeljeva ploščad in Ljubljana, right near the spot where your band played together for the very first time almost ten years ago. Will the weather be okay?

All: It will!

Bojan: No need to worry, we’ve already booked that.

What’s something nobody knows about it yet that Cosmo readers can exclusively find out? We won’t tell anyone.

Bojan: It won’t just be a concert, but a full-day event for all generations. It’ll probably be the first real carnival many people will experience in their lives. We’ll really do our best to create an authentic carnival experience.

Kris: It’ll be the first concert you’ll actually want to arrive early for.

Bojan: Exactly, that’s a good one.

Even though this era of theirs doesn’t have an official name, the best way to describe it is simple: the “Jokers” currently look relaxed, happy, and well-rested. And more connected than ever - no sugarcoating needed. The view they’ve worked so hard to reach doesn’t just look up at the sky, but toward new peaks ahead.

Everybody's invited to the Karneval!

Joker Out's COMMENT ON A COMMENT

Post motive: Bojan’s character Kemal from the film Pisma Snova (his profile)

Comment:

@/keyjahn Finally playing an adult!😉

Bojan: “In fact, I’m really happy that I finally don’t have to play a high schooler or a teenager anymore. But when I look back – in all those cult films, like Grease, for example, the teenagers were played by 35-year-old guys. And then we were all wondering why, at sixteen, we didn’t look like that. (laughs) So maybe I still have a year or two left to play a teenager. Let’s put it this way: for the first time in my life, I played a role where they didn’t dye my hair. They left my gray hair – and I really liked that.”

Post motive: Announcement of concert dates for the autumn tour

Comment:

@/unknownuser You should have a concert in Sarajevo, we’ve been waiting for it like parched earth for the sun since 2023.

Kris: “We know, Sarajevo is a tough nut that we still haven’t cracked.”

Bojan: “It’s on the wish list.”

Post motive: Karneval announcement

Comment:

@/binafortuna If I didn’t have my own wedding on the same day 🤭️😅❤️

Bojan: “The only valid excuse.”

Kris: “She should come celebrate it at the Karneval.”

Post motive: Post with their drinks

Comment:

@/mc99621 No sweeteners or sugar, go ahead and drink this.

Joker Out: “Our lives are sweet enough without sweeteners and sugar.”

Post motive: Jacuzzi after Castle Festival

Comment:

@/ifrinferher Bojan, I gave those sunglasses to Jan, not to you. Return them immediately 🤨

Bojan: “Yeah, I know, I remember. The sunglasses we get on stage always end up in the rehearsal room, because our Kiki usually grabs them off the stage. Then everyone takes whichever ones they like – or doesn’t take any. Back then, the glasses were basically communal property, and I was just wearing them. Sorry, Jan, I’ll never do that to you again… until the next gig. Will you forgive me, Jan?”

Jan: “No.”

Bojan: “No?”

Jan: “No.”

Bojan: “You can’t just leave that in the interview.”

Jan: “But isn’t ‘no’ actually ‘yes’ in Greek?”

Bojan: “It is.”

Of course, we had to have him stand by the Christmas tree. After all, it is a holiday interview! (Photo: Tomaž Skale)

Bojan Cvjetićanin reflects on ten years with the band, and why he is apprehensive about solo performances, while trusting the band with his life.

In December, Ljubljana's Union Café is a place where time stands still. Beneath the high ceilings and amidst the lavish New Year's decorations, the hustle and bustle of the city fades away, leaving only the aroma of coffee and anticipation for the holidays. It is the ideal backdrop for a conversation with Bojan Cvjetićanin, the charismatic singer of the band Joker Out, which has become Slovenia's number one cultural export in the last year. When he sits down at the table, he does not seem like someone who has just spent months on wild European tours, but is surprisingly composed. Although the public knows him as an energetic frontman – a "shagadelic rock 'n' roll bomb," as I wrote in my notebook before the interview – in person he is thoughtful, at times even philosophical.

The year that is coming to an end was a turning point for him, yet he says that after almost a decade of performing, it seems that the band is only just getting started. We talked about the toll of fame, why impulsivity and conflict within the band is necessary for creativity, the scent of the holidays, and the bizarre gifts that arrive in the post.

If you had to choose a scene or photograph that most accurately captures the last 12 months for you, what would it be?

"That's a question I've never been asked before, so you've taken me by surprise. (He takes quite a long time to consider the question, ed.) Well, if I had to visualise this year, it would be a globe cut in half. The lower half would be just Slovenia, and the upper half would be all the countries I've travelled to this year. There would have to be a sea beneath this globe, because I've been there much more this year than usual. And a broken chain would be floating on that sea."

A chain?

"Yes, I see it as a symbol. This year, I feel like I've broken free from certain chains. I've enjoyed myself a lot and felt good about myself. That's the first image that comes to mind."

A big year

Next year will be a big year for you, as Joker Out celebrates its tenth anniversary. What lesson has surprised you the most this year – either about the music industry or about yourselves?

"It may sound unusual, considering that we're constantly working at full speed, but the main lesson was that I'm actually still very young, or rather that we're still very young as a group. Next year we'll be celebrating ten years, which is more than a third of my life. On the one hand, that seems like a tremendous amount of time, but on the other hand, the main lesson of this year is that we're only at the beginning. After all that has happened, we feel a sense of freshness."

Since the interview was set up in a different way than usual, we also got a slightly different insight into his thought process. (Photo: Tomaž Skale)

On stage, we see you in the spotlight, performing fearlessly in sold-out venues. But what was the moment this year when the lights went out and you said to yourself, "Phew, that was hard"?

"There have actually been many moments like that. I feel most overwhelmed by events and situations that I'm not 100% used to – when I'm not performing with the band, but am somewhere on my own, as a guest, or when I have to do something different.

For example, I recall the 'roast' with Magnifico. When I came home, I was very stressed. I had to sit on a chair in front of 2,000 people and cameras, feeling like I couldn't escape even if I wanted to. This feeling of being completely trapped is, if you recognise it at a certain moment, quite overwhelming. At that moment, it's as if you're completely alone in your head, even though there are a million people around you.

When you're on stage with the band, the dynamics are completely different. I trust the guys and the show 1,000%. I trust myself in that context. But when you're alone in unpredictable situations and you're used to being in control, the feeling that things might slip out of your hands is quite intimidating."

I mentioned that you are like an energy bomb on stage. What are you like at the holiday table, in a more intimate setting? Are you more reserved there?

"Actually, I really enjoy socialising. I'm not the type to avoid large groups of people, even in my private life. I like to sing, I like to joke around – or, to be completely honest, I like to tease people. I like to listen to good jokes and tell a few myself, hopefully good ones. Even in my private life, I'm someone who likes to keep the party going."

"For me, the scent of the holidays is the scent of roasted almonds and mulled wine. And maybe Kranjska sausage. These three scents blend together perfectly in the center of Ljubljana at the moment, and I love that aroma."

Do you and the guys in the band have any special traditions for the end of the year?

"No, we don't have any special traditions for the end of the year, but we do have a traditional holiday right at the beginning of the new year, when everything calms down. This year we're going to Thailand. This is actually the third year in a row, and to be honest – I haven't been yet.

The first time we went, I got so ill with tonsillitis right before the departure that I had to stay home. The second time, I just wasn't mentally ready for a long trip. I was so worn out that a trip to Thailand would have taken more out of me than it would have given me. I'm just not the biggest fan of long trips and planes.

This year, if all goes well, I'm going. I'm really looking forward to it, because I've always regretted not being with them. If I could teleport, I would gladly go, but this lengthy journey is a big ordeal for me. I'm currently in the process of finding pills that will put me to sleep for the duration of the flight."

You probably haven't had a concert in Thailand yet...

"(Laughter) No, we haven't played in Thailand yet. But interestingly, I've already received recordings from Thailand and Kuala Lumpur of people singing Carpe Diem on their terraces. When you see a man on the other side of the world singing your song because he knows it's by a Slovene band, you wonder: 'What the hell is going on?'"

Special gifts

Your fans often send you gifts. Have you received anything particularly bizarre or perhaps heartfelt? Your fans are known to be very creative.

"Yes, indeed. I would say that they give us gifts as if it was Christmas every day, all year round. (Laughter) We receive handmade items, knitwear, shirts, even toys that are thematically related to us. We have received so many sunglasses that none of us will ever need to buy another pair for the rest of our lives.

As a musician, these gifts mean a lot to me because they show how much time and energy someone has put into them. Such gifts are often accompanied by personal stories. In this business, you encounter slander, gossip, and criticism. I don't have thick enough skin to not be affected by this. But when someone tells you that your music practically saved their life or helped them through a difficult period, you realise that one such story is worth more than a million negative reviews. It fills you with energy.

If you're asking about the most bizarre gift... We got voodoo dolls. Voodoo dolls of ourselves. At times I feel a shooting pain in my back, so I assume there are duplicates somewhere. (Laughter)"

Since we’re talking during the holiday season, here’s a question: What is the true scent of the holidays for you?

"For me, the scent of the holidays is the scent of roasted almonds and mulled wine. And maybe Kranjska sausage. These three scents blend together perfectly in the center of Ljubljana at the moment, and I love that aroma. Although I must say that this year Ljubljana is so smoggy that it’s hard to smell anything else besides smog, but I'm trying to isolate the pleasant smells. (Laughter)"

If you could invite three people, living or dead, to your New Year's Eve dinner, who would you choose and why?

"Uh, that calls for some thought. (He takes his time again, ed.) The first would be Cleopatra. She is the first female figure that comes to mind, and a figure who overshadows all male rulers. Her symbolism, power, and intelligence are very relevant today. I think Cleopatra shows very well how much women are actually superior to us. She was well ahead of her time and she would still be very relevant today.

The second person would be Homer. Why? Because we live in a time of tragedy, but we're short of epic poems. We lack dreamers and saviours. It seems to me that in times like these we could really use legendary, mythical figures who would turn the world upside down.

The third person would be Toše Proeski. At home we were big fans of his since I was little. He was the first person I had an emotional reaction to without knowing him personally. He was my idol. His death affected me deeply as a child, and I still carry that pain with me today, for a man I sadly never got to meet."

He seems very focused, thoughtful, yet also very relaxed. (Photo: Tomaž Skale)

It is often said that being in a band is like being married to four other people. How do you maintain harmony? Who calms things down and who creates drama?

"That's a very positive aspect of our band – we are so deeply intertwined that we can all take on any role. Some create more positive drama, others are mostly calming things down, but at the end of the day, everything balances out. The band is based on symbiosis.

Despite the changes in band members, we always looked for someone who would fit into this symbiosis. When Nace joined, he was chosen by the previous bassist, which was crucial for him to join as an equal member.

I'm probably the one who creates the most 'positive drama'. But without action, there's no reaction. In a creative environment, action, even negative action, is necessary. Negative action sparks resistance, and resistance usually leads to the best ideas. No negative action in the band comes from malice, but is a necessary part of the process."

Your lyrics are often very personal. With increasing recognition and international exposure, is it more difficult to open up in such an intimate way?

"I think it's getting easier. My first album was somewhat autobiographical, my second went deeper, and by the third, practically everything is a part of me.

Playing with languages helps me. It was in English that I dared to write the song Sunny Side of London¹, which is about mental distress and dark thoughts – I might not have dared to put these thoughts into words in Slovene. Various expressions of love came out of me in Serbian, my mother tongue. I have strong feelings for this language. Most of the music from the former Yugoslavia, ex-Yu rock, is in this language, so that's probably where I learned the musical language of love.

¹Sunny Side of London” is a happy song and he is referring to “Everybody’s Waiting”

Slovenian, Serbian, English – these are my tools for channeling my thoughts. And if I ever got scared that I had revealed too much, I would simply say that the song is not autobiographical. (Laughter) That's the beauty of this profession – no one really knows."

"I've only come to understand the importance of inner peace in the last two or three years. Spending time with my family reinforces it the most. When you travel a lot, you start to miss the basic elements of safety. People like to return to a place where they feel at home."

What is currently influencing your sound the most? What is playing in your headphones?

"It's interesting that this year we've been listening to a lot of hip hop, rap, trap, and electronic music. We mix it with music that's always in our repertoire, like country, but this more aggressive electronic sound has really caught our ear this year.

I feel like we're living in crazily negative times, and we've found that this music, which is more upbeat and raw, lifts our spirits. This is evident in our new song Supersonic, which is electronic, raw, and different. It had a beneficial effect on the band's psyche, cleared our minds, and gave us momentum to move forward. We're entering our tenth year with the feeling that everything is just beginning."

A glance into a crystal ball

If you had a crystal ball, what headline related to Joker Out would you like to see in the papers a year from now?

"It would read: Joker Out announces fourth studio album after grand tenth anniversary show. The main goal for next year is to create the most unique event Slovenia has ever seen. We want the 20,000 or 25,000 people at our anniversary to experience something unforgettable – and tell those who won’t be there what it was like, so they’ll regret missing it. This is what we're devoting practically the whole year to."

With many musicians, you can sense fatigue after years of touring, but with you, you still seem to be enjoying it immensely. Do you think this energy will ever run out?

"I don't think this drive will ever run out for me. Maybe the well will dry up a little in some specific aspect, but I won't run out of creative drive. I've been like this since childhood – I had to play every sport, break every bone, try everything. I'm interested in the whole spectrum. If I get tired of something, I'll find myself doing something else in two hours."

How do you maintain mental discipline amidst all this chaos and travelling?

"I've only come to understand the importance of inner peace in the last two or three years. Spending time with my family reinforces it the most. When you travel a lot, you start to miss the basic elements of safety. People like to return to a place where they feel at home.

But when you're constantly on the road, at some point you distance yourself from the idea of returning home. You feel like you're not going back. That's when the inner restlessness begins. I hadn’t travelled much before, so this world where you get on a plane and you’re in London tomorrow, in Paris the day after, was completely foreign to me. Trips like that used to feel like a project to me, but now I know that all you need is a passport and a wallet."

Finally, what would you wish our readers and all Slovenians for the new year?