I started a new series to remember the fact that Eurovision is 70 years old. 28 of those years I had attended Eurovision at the host city, but unfortunately just 25 years I had press accreditation so I could meet the participating artists and therefor I will focus just on artists from those 25 years.1995 was my first year with accreditation and of course that year stands out in my memory.  23 artists participated that year in Dublin.  I met 22 of them, the 23rd one refused to meet me because I was from South Africa.

8 of the 22 artists were very special and I still cherish them to this day as part of my Eurovision experience. These are the 8 artists from 1995 I will write about.

Forth in line is DAVOR POPOVIC who represented BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA with DVADESET I PRVI VIJEK.  The song was sung in Bosnian. Davor was also the first person I have met from this country and we got  on so well. I invited me for coffee in the artist cafeteria and we sit there for well over 30 minutes discussing the war situation in his country and what I had experienced in South Africa prior to the fall of the Berlin wall. We actually sat there with tears in our eyes recalling events.  Sadly he died some years later and I did send a message of sympathy to his family.

Featured image – Youtube