Predstavnica ISZ-ja se je, za potrebe razvoja in priprave vsebine digitalnih zgodb projekta Art Minds, pogovorila z Oto Pesnerjem – glasbenikom, ki s svojim ustvarjanjem močno zanzamuje slovensko glasbeno sceno.
1. What inspired you to start a career in music?
Ljubezen do glasbe me spremlja že od otroštva. Upam si trditi, da sem bil na ta svet poslan zaradi glasbe, saj je petje in osrečevanje ljudi moje poslanstvo na tem planetu. Glasba je bila vedno prisotna v mojem domu, saj sta bila oba moja starša glasbenika, navdihovali pa so me tudi veliki pevci, ki so s pesmimi izražali čustva in pripovedovali zgodbe. To me je spodbudilo, da sem začel peti in našel svoj glas, in dokler bom živ, bom ustvarjal. Če sem malce smešen, bi lahko rekel tudi: “Prepevam, torej sem “.
2. How do you remember your first gigs and the recording of your first album?
Moji prvi nastopi so bili polni navdušenja in tudi malce tesnobe. Kot otrok sem pogosto nastopal z očetom in oder je bil na neki način moj drugi dom. Zelo dobro pa se spominjam topline občinstva, ki me je vedno podpiralo, zlasti ko sem bil še otrok. Snemanje prve plošče je bilo nepozabno – počutil sem se, kot da odpiram novo poglavje v svojem življenju. To je bila potrditev mojih sanj. Spominjam se tudi studia Radia Celje z vso snemalno opremo, ki bi ga z otroškimi očmi (star sem bil 12 let) opisal kot čudovit otroški vrtec.
3. Kaj vam pomeni, da ste pri 15 letih s pesmijo “Trideset let” zmagal na Festivalu Slovenska popevka?
Zmaga na festivalu je bila zame velika prelomnica. Na podelitvi nagrad so me morali iskati (sedel sem na gugalnici pred Halo Tivoli) in nisem se zavedal, kako velika stvar se mi je pravzaprav zgodila. Še danes se veliko ljudi spominja petnajstletnega fanta in še vedno z veseljem prepevam pesem. To je bila potrditev moje nadarjenosti in spodbuda, da nadaljujem. Pesem “Trideset let” mi je še danes blizu, saj mi je odprla številna vrata v svet glasbe.
4. How do you assess the influence of the Roma heritage on your music and the influence of your music on the heritage of the Roma and Slovenia?
Romska glasba me je vedno posebej privlačila – njena čustvenost in ritmično bogastvo sta me navdihovala. Verjamem, da sem s svojimi interpretacijami pripomogel k temu, da se bogata dediščina Romov povezuje s slovensko kulturo in prenaša na nove generacije. Knjiga, ki jo je o meni napisal Matej Kranjec, se prav tako imenuje Ciganska kri in je prav tako ena mojih najljubših skladb. Verz te pesmi pove vse: “Ciganska kri me vleče naprej, vse moje poti so zapisane v zvezdah. Ciganska kri nemirna brez meja, moja večna usoda je tako kruta.”
5. What traditional Roma and Slovenian musical elements have you incorporated into your compositions and how important do you think it is to preserve your heritage?
In my music, I have often used melodic lines and rhythms that are typical of Roma music and combined them with Slovenian musical traditions. Preserving our heritage is extremely important as it connects us to our roots and gives our music identity.
6. How do you see the role of music in connecting different cultures in Slovenia?
Music is a universal language that connects people regardless of their roots. In Slovenia, music has played an important role in uniting different cultures and creating a common identity. Music is love, music connects and is often a bridge between different minds. He who sings badly does not think badly, is a beautiful Slovenian proverb.
7. Do you think that minorities and migrants have influenced the shaping of the Slovenian music scene? In what way?
Of course, the influence of minorities and migrants has enriched the Slovenian music scene with new rhythms, melodies and forms of expression. This diversity enriches us and opens up new horizons in music. Music is intertwined with culture, and every culture has its own peculiarities or its own character, which is reflected and can be heard in the music.
8. Have you ever drawn directly on influences from other cultures in your music or lyrics?
Yes, several times. I have drawn inspiration from different cultures because I believe that music transcends borders and contains universal messages that we can all identify with. Every artist I have listened to has influenced me in one way or another. We all take in information from our surroundings and feed it back into our environment in some way, either consciously or unconsciously, and that goes for music too.
9. How do you look back on your beginnings today? What has shaped you most as an artist?
Danes na svoje začetke gledam z velikim ponosom in hvaležnostjo. Najbolj so me oblikovale moje izkušnje – tako uspehi kot izzivi, ki sem jih premagal. Vse to me je okrepilo in utrdilo mojo predanost glasbi. Oblikovali so me tudi življenjski dogodki, kot je neposredno srečanje s smrtjo. Po tem dogodku sem napisal pesem “To je življenje”, ki so jo ljudje neverjetno dobro sprejeli. Preseneča me, da občinstvo na vseh mojih koncertih poje skupaj z mano, čeprav gre za razmeroma novo pesem.
10. What do you consider to be the most groundbreaking achievements in your career?
I would definitely count winning the Slovenian Songwriters' Festival, international performances and collaborations with renowned musicians among the most groundbreaking successes. These moments have always inspired me and given me motivation for new projects. Meeting Paul McCartney is also one of the events that mean a lot to me and I hope that Paul and I will continue to work together musically (preparations are already underway). Apart from that, every album is my baby in a way and I'm proud of it. Each one belongs to a certain creative period and although objectively some are better than others, each one is a reflection of a certain time, a certain emotion and therefore unique.
11. How would you like to be remembered by future generations?
Želim, da se me spominjajo kot nekoga, ki je glasbo živel s srcem in dušo, kot umetnika, ki je z glasbo povezoval ljudi ter oblikoval njihovo kulturo in srca. Vsaka solza sreče, vsak nasmeh, vsak navdih mladim, vsak hang, ki nekoga dvigne, vse to je moja zapuščina in moje poslanstvo – osrečevati ljudi in širiti ljubezen z glasbo. Zato sem živ in to želim ohraniti še dolgo po tem, ko me ne bo več.
English 
Slovenian