“Anything else would be meaningless”: Slovenia’s Eurovision 2025 representative, Klemen, breaks silence and reveals insights about his preparation and the meaning behind his song. Plus – a rare comment on Israel’s participation.

As the world counts down the days to Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Klemen, Slovenia’s representative with the song “How Much Time Do We Have Left”, is slowly revealing the cards behind his intriguing performance. At a press conference of the Slovenian national broadcaster, RTV SLO, he spoke about the intense preparations, the deep meaning embedded in his staging, and did not shy away from addressing the sensitive topic occupying Slovenia – Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2025. What is really hidden behind the performance that promises to turn the audience upside down?

Physical Training: Daily Handstands

The enthusiastic reactions to Klemen’s song at the pre-Eurovision parties strengthened his positive feeling ahead of the contest. During the press conference, he shared a unique training method he is currently practicing: “Right now, I’m doing handstands against the wall every day so I won’t get dizzy when I’m upside down during the performance.”

Klemen, who was selected as Slovenia’s representative this February through the national selection EMA 2025, told reporters: “A week after winning, we already traveled to Switzerland to shoot the postcard. It was hard for me to process everything because I was thrown straight into the Swiss Alps.”

An Upside-Down Performance: A Symbol of Heartbreak

The singer, who is set to perform 3rd in the running order in the first semi-final on May 13, invested a great deal in rehearsals already in April. He said: “We got approval to do an upside-down flip during the performance. When we had to send a full recording of the performance a month after the national selection, I realized that in the meantime, my sense of being upside down had faded a bit, and I started feeling dizzy. Before EMA, we practiced it every day and I got used to it, so now I’m doing handstands every day to get used to it again.” This is a touching and unique part of the act, where Klemen will remain upside down for 30 seconds – a metaphor for when a person’s world turns upside down due to shocking news.

He further clarified: “Even after the performance, we will try to make it very clear that this is a story about a person who battled illness and won.”

“Everything Is Falling Apart” – About the Betting Odds

During the press conference, Klemen explained how important the direct connection with fans is to him: “Sometimes you feel, especially when you look at the betting odds, that everything is falling apart. But then people come up to you and share their life stories and tell you how much the song touches them – it was important to me to realize even before Eurovision that the song is truly traveling onward.” The excitement in London, where the crowd sang the song along with him, was so overwhelming that he admitted the reaction “blew him away.”

The Inspiration for the Song: The Relationship Behind the Story

Mojca Fatur, Klemen’s partner and the inspiration behind the song, also shared her feelings: “I think it’s amazing that the song manages to ignite a spark of hope, inner strength, and faith.” When she first heard the song, she immediately said he must represent Slovenia with it at Eurovision. She will be joining him in Basel to stand by his side during the performance: “It’s important to me that we present this story together,” emphasized Klemen.

What About Israel?

Also participating in the press conference was Ksenija Horvat, CEO of the Slovenian national broadcaster, who commented on the song and its meaning: “This is the most suitable song for this time – a song about love and hope, of course.”

Horvat also did not miss the opportunity to advance her anti-Israel agenda regarding Israel’s participation in Eurovision: “Our world is complex and unfair. My stance from last year hasn’t changed, and I continue to call on the European Broadcasting Union to explain why there is a different approach toward Russia and Israel. We demand that member states have the ability to participate in discussions on important matters like the exclusion of countries from the contest.” She reminded once again that Slovenia was almost the only country to raise this demand last year, but this year Spain has also joined the call. “The calls are getting stronger. Will the EBU listen? We want to take part in this discussion. What will happen – I don’t know, but I know that wars and harm to innocent civilians must not only be condemned but must be stopped.”

Klemen himself addressed the issue vocally for the first time and said: “This is not my fight right now. The only power I have is to perform the song in the best way possible. Anything else would be meaningless.”

Klemen’s conduct once again demonstrates his commitment to the values of the contest, his avoidance of unnecessary politicization, and his focus on doing good and spreading positivity among the participants and beyond.

Eurovision 2025: This will be Slovenia’s 30th participation in Eurovision. Slovenia joined the competition in 1993 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 1995 and Eurovision 2001 after finishing seventh twice..