Slovakia finally ended speculation today, by announcing that Max Jason Mai, formerly known as Miro Šmajda, will represent his country in Baku. He will perform the song Don’t close your eyes in a hope to win Europe’s favourite music contest.
The path to the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest has not been smooth for Slovakia. First they withdrew, then confirmed participation. Then Miro Šmajda was announced as the performer, before this being quickly withdrawn. Finally, at a press conference today (originally scheduled for 1 March), Slovak broadcaster RTVS revealed that Miro Šmajda would indeed carry Slovak hopes in Baku.
In Baku, the press conference revealed that he would be performing under the name Max Jason Mai and will sing the song Don’t close your eyes.
RTVS spokeman Andrej Miklanek said “we are thinking about participation for a long time and the decision was very hard. The Eurovision Song Contest is a proven competition with millions of fans and more millions of TV viewers. We believe than our participation will be in the final”.
Miro was born in Slovakia’s second city Košice in November 1988. He came to prominence in the first series of the talent show Česko Slovenská Superstar in 2009. During the series, he performed covers of songs by Led Zeppelin and Michael Jackson, and also former Eurovision performers Elán (Slovakia 1993) and Karel Gott (Germany 1968). He eventualy finished runner-up to Czech singer Martin Chodúr.
Max/Miro will be assisted on stage by his band My.RO.
Slovakia will perform in the second half of the second semi-final non Thursday 24 May. You can hear the song below.
