Kiki interview: “O-ou” brings “mix of fun and creepy vibes” to EMA

After two years, Evrovizijska Melodija (EMA) returns this Saturday to determine who will represent Slovenia at Eurovision in Basel, Switzerland this year. Among the 12 finalists in the national final is Ljubljana singer-songwriter Kiki, who is bringing her style of “spooky folk-pop music” to the competition. 

As she prepares to bring her bold, theatrical vision to audiences across the world, we are thrilled to welcome Kiki for a Q&A session ahead of this Saturday’s national selection. Listen to the full song on RTV Slovenija’s web portal and check out our interview below. 

We’d love to hear the story behind “O-ou.” Can you share its meaning for you, and what the songwriting process was like?

O-ou in English would be like exclaiming “Uh oh!”, which usually means trouble is coming. In my song, “Uh oh” is used when the voice in my head is telling me some things I don’t want to hear. The song builds from there, eventually erupting into a wild, party-like explosion, which (for me) means losing control of myself.

After the chaos the song circles back to how it began, with me pretending like nothing ever happened, saying “Uh oh!”, like it was just a minor slip-up in an otherwise normal, orderly life. That contrast is the most fun part for me! The song definitely has its twists and turns.

I wrote “O-ou!” specifically for EMA. What inspired me was watching old EMAs on Youtube and imagining what KiKi would look like on that stage.

The songwriting process was so much fun. I wrote the song and created the demo in Reaper and then continued working on it with Jovica Novković and Blaž Mikl in Studio One. I really let myself experiment and just had fun throwing everything I wanted into the song — helicopter sounds, layers of vocal harmonies, a techno beat drop in the middle and so on. It was amusing!

Can you share any details about what we can expect in the live performance next week (without giving away too much)? 

It will have a circus theme! I’ll be performing with my backup singers and friends, Nika Trdin and Gala Pregel. It’s going to be a fun and unique experience.

What are some of your earliest memories of Eurovision? What have been some of your favorite songs or artists from ESC over the years?

The first Eurovision moment I remember is Conchita Wurst’s Rise Like a Phoenix. I was about eleven, and my family members were talking about a bearded lady winning Eurovision.

Now, my favorite Eurovision entry is Doomsday Blue by Bambie Thug. It’s such a perfect song, full of twists. It’s so expressive, and I love how it constantly shifts, keeping you hooked the entire time. I also really enjoyed “SHUM” by Go_A — the production and main vocals are incredible — and “EAEA” by Blanca Paloma. She has top-tier vocals, and I love her interpretation of the song.

What plans do you have in the coming year that you’d like to tell fans about? We heard that your second album is coming soon!

We have some really exciting projects in the works for this year! First up, I’m hyped to announce the music video for “O-ou!”. It’s going to be a mix of fun and creepy vibes, and I can’t wait to share it with the world. The video is set to drop at the end of February, so stay tuned!

I’m also making my second album, Pravljice (Fairytales), which I’m creating with the amazing Blaž Mikl and Jovica Novković. While the album itself likely won’t come out until 2026, I’ll be releasing plenty of singles along the way! I’m also working on a collaboration with Maury111, a musician from Berlin, which will be my first song in English, called “Mother.” The song was co-written by Latvian composer and cellist Karlis Āuzans.

What are some things about you that readers might be surprised to learn?

I’m a theater kid and just finished my dramaturgy diploma. My goal is to write as much music as possible, but also drama — maybe that’s not so surprising. I’m also half German and half Slovenian.

Any last message for fans?

Thank you so much for reading this interview! If you’d like to check out my work, you can find me on Spotify and other platforms under the name Kikiwritings.

Do #YOU want to support Kiki’s path to Eurovision? Watch EMA this Saturday and keep up with Kiki on Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Soundcloud or TikTok!