VLATKO ILIEVSKI : Rusinka
Seems like 25 year old Vlatko Ilievski is a big believer in the ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again’ theory.
He was runner-up in the race to represent the former Yugoslav Republic in last year’s competition, but was pipped at the post by Gjoko Taneski, Billy Zver and Pejcin.
He’s also a seasoned performer – having played in a band called ‘Morality’ and releasing two solo records in his homeland.
So could 2011 be his year? Well he’s through to the second semi-final. The song (meaning ‘Russian Girl’ in English) is sung in his native tongue (a big plus in our books) and it’s a fun, fresh, up-tempo number. The clip for the track is also a bit quirky, utilising a rotating set with four different rooms. This could be strong enough to get through to the grand final.