Magnifico

ARTISTS

Magnifico
  • country:Slovenia
  • region:Gypsy and Balkan
  • style(s):
    • Balkan
  • label:Piranha Arts AG
  • type: Band, Composer/Songwriter
  • gender:male
  • instrumentation:vocal
Magnifico - Giv mi Mani 2

During a family holiday in socialist Yugoslavia a quarter of a century ago, little Robert Pesut and his father set out to buy new shoes. Instead, dad bought him a guitar. At that moment, Magnifico was born, evolving over the years into a consumate showman who humorously and uninhibitedly sends up the mafia, homophobia, racism and corruption with a sly, Slavic wink. He began his solo career with the adaptation of 24.000 bacci, served up with macho irony in the chorus "Magnifico has balls, Magnifico gets us horny". On the cover of his first solo album, "From Heart to Heart", he appeared as Zeleni Jure, a Slavic god of fertility and spring, a mythological figure in a kitschy outfit, with grapes dangling from his belt. The album stormed the charts, followed by another taboo-breaking album entitled "Who is a Cefur?" (a common Slovenian insult for southerners), which grew into a massive movement against racism. He went a step further on the cover of his next album, appearing half-naked in leopard shorts as the new Sexy Boy; this time, his chorus "Magnifico is a Faggot" he addressed homophobia among Slovenians. Once an insult, faggot became the new mantra of audiences of all ages, sexes and sexual preferences.

Pretty much everything sold under the Magnifico trademark is connected with sex - "I have no idea why. My mother has always been loving to me, I swear", he says tongue firmly placed in cheek - "Sex really seems strong stuff to me. I am addicted to orgasms." His impressive collection of porn movies is supposedly kept due to the nostalgia he feels for his childhood obsession with porn divas Emmanuelle and Cicciolina.

In 2002 his provocations reached as far as European Parliament: he was the mastermind behind the Slovenian entry in that year's Eurovision Song Contest. "Only Love (Samo lijubezen)" was sung by a trio of transvestites and sparked anti-gay protests across Slovenia and furious debate in Slovenian Parliament, reaching as far as the European level.

A showman in all fields, Magnifico has acted in three Slovenian full-length films; the lead role in "Stereotype" as a far-out painter, in "Porno Film" as a Serbian mafia boss who looks after his harem of Ukrainian prostitutes, and in "Poker" as an angry poker player. His life in general seems like a film; adored at his concerts by audiences ranging from teenage girls to grey-haired men, he's a gay icon and an intellectual's delight. At the same time, he's a down-to-earth family man, "an exemplary father and a lover of his wife," he says. They met in a folk dancing group and fell in love because he found her similar to the fair-haired actress from the Scandinavian youth series "The White Stone". He was seventeen, she was eighteen, and they've been together for over 20 years.

It is therefore not surprising that he says: "I wish to remain normal as I wish anything. I wouldn't like to go nuts, neither from fame nor music." A key to explaining the Magnifico phenomenon probably lies in the fact that he is accepted by both the critics and the nameless multitude of hairdressers, workers, farmers and secretaries; his concerts are accompanied by the screams of teenage girls, the nodding of machos and deep discussions of intellectuals.
His latest songs are a well-mixed cocktail of various musical styles: pop, funk, techno, twist, R&B, Latino, turbofolk and Balkan rhythms. His latest release "Magnification" marks the first worldwide release for this master of visual and lyrical irony.

Press quotes



"The slovenian with twenty years of stage experience just released his new album "Magnification"... his sound is a mix of electronic music with pop, funk, soul and balkan music which can best be described as world music but which will hold it's own on any dancefloor."
WORLD November 2010

"From the first suggestive Roy Orbison growl to the last Sponge Bob Hawaiian guitar strains of this remarkable totem of audio kitsch, Slovenian singer-songwriter Magnifico (aka Robert Pesut) has a stage name to match a pastiche persona whose insouciant excesses allude simultaneously to Liberace, Madonna, Borat, Duane Eddy, Ennio Morricone, Clint Eastwood and then some."
RootsWorld November 2010

"The land of champions, with its bombastic 'Morricone'-melody, puts a smile on everybody's face."
noborderz.nl, October 2010

"While Magnification mixes strong sexual desires with rampant political activism, it also brings back exotic music branded with Magnifico's signature smirk. His catchy riffs will blend well with anyone who likes raunchy, European fun."
4 out of 5 stars
mandatorychaos.com, 8 July 2010

"Above all, Magnifico is a professional entertainer complete with cowboy hat and aviator sunglasses, serving up Balkan cliches with irony and a wink."

"Magnifico ist vor allem aber ein professioneller Entertainer mit Cowboyhut und Pilotenbrille, der Balkanklischees mit subtiler Ironie und Augenzwinkern begleitet."
WDR Funkhaus Europa, Nov. 2009

"Slowenian Heartbreaker with a twinkle in his eye, Magnifico exposes stereotypes against machismo, xenophobia and homophobia. With his unresistable mix of surfguitars and mariachi brass, turbofolk and balkanfunk he should easily preach to the converted."

"Slowenischer Schwerenoeter - Augenzwinkernd stellt er Stereotype und Vorurteile bloss und machte mit Witz gegen Machismo, Fremdenfeindlichkeit und Homophobie
Front. Mit seinem unwiderstehlichen Mix aus Surfgitarren und Mariachiblaesern, Turbofolk
und Balkanfunk sollte er offene Tueren einrennen."
taz, Mai 2010

"The Balkan invasion of Europe has begun. Goran Bregovic blazed the trail, now Magnifico is at the ready to open up new terrains of fun. With his wacky mix and jaw-dropping presence, he's set for success."
"Die Invasion Europas durch Musiker vom Balkan ist angelaufen. Goran Bregovic hat das Terrain erstmals ernsthaft ausgekundschaftet, jetzt setzt Magnifico an, die Eroberung auf dem Spass-Level fortzusetzen. Mit seinem seltsamen Mix und dem umwerfenden Aeusseren koennte er durchaus Erfolg haben."
Laut.de

"Balkanpop plays an ever growing role in europe. Next to the successful Shantel, more and more artists appear and their music is amazing. This new artist, whom I personally did not know until recently, is called Magnifico. Apart from the video "Zum Zum" which we already presented to you we would like to introduce you to another of his dancefloor tracks. "Giv mi Mani" from the album "Magnification" is Balkan pop, but has other influences that make this song so good."
"Der Balkan Pop nimmt einen immer hoeheren Stellenwert in Europa ein. Neben dem erfolgreichen Shantel werden immer mehr Kuenstler bekannt und deren Musik ist einfach zum verlieben. Dieser neuer Kuenstler - den ich persoenlich auch noch nicht gekannt habe - heisst Magnifico. Neben dem Video "Zum Zum", welches wir bereits vorgestellt haben, moechten wir euch noch einen weiteren Dancefloor Track vorstellen. "Giv mi Mani" von dem Album Magnifico ist Balkan Pop, hat aber noch weitere Einfluesse, welche den Song so genial machen. Da kommt automatisch Stimmung auf."
Bass magazin 07/2010

"Magnifico masterfully conjures up cliches of a land filled with corruption, machos and upwardly striving nouveau riche. With ironically exaggerated style he scourges post-socialist turbo-capitalism, sung mainly in broken Balkan English... mariachi surf-guitars mix with Balkan brass,Turbofolk and cheap Eastern Europe techno hits...a combination that spread a super festival mood"
"Gekonnt beschwoert er die Klischees vom Balkan als Land voll von Korruption, Machos und neureichen Emporkoemmlingen. Auf ironisch ueberspitzte Art geisselt er den Turbokapitalismus der postsozialistischen Zeit. Gesungen wird dabei meist in einer Art gebrochenem Balkan English. Das aktuelle Liveprogramm von Magnifico kommt von seinem letzten Album "Grande Finale". Darauf stilisiert er sich zum Spaghettiwestern-Cowboyhelden des Balkan und mischt Mariachi Surfgitarren mit Balkanbrass und Turbofolk; dem billigen Technoschlager Osteuropas. In Rudolstadt verbreitete er damit beste Festivallaune."
Bayern 2, July 2009

"Magnifico is the slovenian showman and quick-change artist Robert Pesut. He is glitzy and fascinating. As Magnifico he appears in the role of a badly shaven, flamboyantly dressed pimp from the 70s. Magnifico mixes funk, techno, twist, R&B and latino with turbofolk and balkan rythms."

"Magnifico ist der slowenische Showman und Verwandlungskuenstler Robert Pesut. Er ist schillernd und faszinierend. Als "Magnifico" erscheint er in der Rolle eines schlecht rasierten, auffaellig gekleideten Zuhaelters aus den 70er Jahren. Magnifico mischt Funk, Techno, Twist, R&B und Latino mit Turbofolk und Balkan-Rhythmen."
HR4 Portrait

"For me it is funny to see this genre influence so many people -to see german artists play balkan music and take themsleves so seriously. Everyone tries to be balkan. Slovenia is very small and really only the laboratory. Of course I have to sell my albums and in Slovenia alone that is near impossible. Also I prefer to play in front of people that I did not already see in the streets or in a cafe this morning."

"Fuer mich ist es recht lustig zu sehen, dass dieses Genre so viele Menschen beeinflusst- dass deutsche Musiker Balkanstuecke spielen und sich dabei so ernst nehmen. Jeder versucht, Balkan zu sein. Slowenien ist sehr klein und eigentlich nur das Laboratorium. Ich muss meine Alben natuerlich auch verkaufen, und das ist in Slowenien allein fast unmoeglich. Ausserdem mag ich es viel lieber, vor Leute zu spielen, die ich nicht schon am Morgen auf der Strasse oder im Cafe getroffen habe."
Folker, March 2010

"far away from the serious brass sound of the serbian gipsy-ochestras and beyond the scope of Kusturica and Bregovic, Magnifco has build his own crossover-world which mashes up everything in the pop business that smells of apocalyptic entertainment. Not only that he sings his songs in broken english("Hir ai kam, hir ai go"), in serbian and romany, he also uses american surfsounds, and even elements of countryrock with Steel- and electric guitars. He takes elements from mexican mariachi traditions and covers 60s hits and disco songs. He utilizes brass-samples along with proper gipsy-beats and roma orchestras to get the party going and he likes to dress as a cowboy dandy -in short he imitates, parodies and provokes the surroundings that he grew up in."

"Weit entfernt vom ernsthaften Schmettersound der serbischen Zigeuner-Orchester und jenseits der Bandbreite von Kusturica und Bregovic, hat sich Magnifico seine ganz eigene Crossoverwelt erschaffen, die munter all das durch den Fleischwolf dreht, was im Popbusiness nach apokalyptischer Unterhaltung riecht. Nicht nur dass er seine Songs in radebrechendem Englisch (chir ai kam, chir ai go), in Serbisch und in Romanes vortraegt, er zapft auch noch unverdrossen den amerikanischen Surfsound an, fuegt US-Countryrock mit Steel- und E-Gitarre ein, pflegt mexikanisches Mariachi-Brauchtum, covert 60er-Jahre Hits und Disco-Schnulzen, sorgt teils mit Brass-Samples, teils mit echten Gypsybeats und Roma-Orchestern fuer bedingungslose Partystimmung, kleidet sich vorzugsweise als Cowboy-Dandy - kurzum er parodiert, imitiert, kolportiert und provoziert das Umfeld, das ihn seit seiner Jugend gepraegt hat."
Sound & Image, July 2010

"[Magnification]is a long album, fifteen tracks in all, something that gypsy punk fans around the world and pretty much anybody looking for a good beat and a good time will have fun with."
Lucid Culture, September 2010

"Robert Pesut a.k.a. Magnifico is an incredibly confident entertainer."
"Robert Pesut alias Magnifico ist ein vor Sebstbewusstsein nur so strotzender Entertainer."
Cinesoundz, August 2010

"In broken Balkan english Robert Pesut makes Spaghetti Western-Tunes, that mix techno, funk twist and turbofolk. That is just superb and very fun."
"In gebrochenem Balkanenglisch kommt Robert Pesut mit Spaghetti Western-Tunes daher, die Techno, Funk, Twist und Turbofolk mischen. Das kommt einfach superb und mach Laune."
Concerto 4 2010

"This is a superbe, excellently produced Album, which shoots Magnifico straight to the top of middle european contemporary music."
"Fertig ist ein superbes, exzellent produziertes Album, das Magnifico an die Spitze der mittelosteuropaeischen Gegenwartsmusik katapultiert."
Rheinischer Merkur 09 2010

"The 44 year ol slovenian winks at us with a mix of gipsyfolk, diskobeats and jugorock and adds a wild mashup of mexican trumpets and distorted western guitars."
"Der 44-jaehrige Slowene aus Ljubljana zwinkert uns mit einem Mix aus Gypsyfolk, Diskobeats und Jugorock zu und fuegt diesem wilden Gemisch noch mexikanische Trompeten und verzerrte Westerngitarren bei."
Kulturnews 07-2010

"it was a good idea in cold winter berlin to go out and enjoy a great and warm magnifico concert in kreuzberg , thanx piranha for keeping die city warm with sound from all over the world "
DJ Don Rispetto, multicult.fm

"Kitsch ? Provocateur ? Megalomaniac ? With his pompous stage name and his look of a moustachioed cowboy, the Slovenian rocker has all of these attributes. He also is one of the most thrilling revelations of ex.Yougoslavia, after Goran Bregovic, Banlkan Beat Box and DJ Shantel. With his rough crooner voice and a grating folk guitar, he is giving a homage to that region that is both zany and inflammatory (sulfurous). With lyrics covering hyper-masculinity, homophobia and xenophobia, crammed with welcome irony. Funny and festive to the end"
fnac Magazine 05-2011

Management

Arih d.o.o.
Celovska 32
1000 Ljubljana
Slowenia
Tel: +386 1 434 1700
E-mail: igor@arih.si

Booking


Frank Abraham
F-Cat Productions GmbH
Pohlstrasse 39
10785 Berlin
Tel: +49-(0)30 261 032 929
E-Mail: frank@f-cat.de
Web: http://www.f-cat.de

Links

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