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On stage for Germany in 1990This “goosebumps moment” at the ESC changed Daniel Kovac’s life
Daniel Kovac now lives near Pula (Croatia)
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To this day, one encounter still doesn't let him go.
Daniel Kovac (69) became known in Germany in the mid-1980s as a presenter on Tele 5, a music station. Many viewers don't know that he also sings. With the song “Frei zu leben”, a duet with Chris Kempers, he represented Germany on the ESC stage in Zagreb in 1990. And while millions watch, he experiences a moment that he can't forget to this day.
A hug that means everything to Daniel Kovac
Kovac still knows the Lisinski Hall, where the competition was held, very well. Right behind Zagreb's main train station, the building, roofed with a flat dome, rises in the style of 1970s socialism. Even today, concerts and performances take place here every week. And this is where Daniel Kovac's great hour came on May 5, 1990.
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One moment in particular immediately after the performance remains etched in his memory: “An older lady came to me immediately after the performance and hugged me.” What followed still affects him today: “She is the first violinist in the orchestra and she has to hug me because she raves about my feeling, my charisma and my stage presence. And the song itself, that would have blown her away.” Even before the points are awarded, it is clear to him that this moment is worth more than any placement. “I’ll never forget that.”
Toto Cutugno can already see them in front
Another superstar also takes a deep look. Shortly before the performance, Toto Cutugno – the eventual winner from Italy – suddenly appears in the dressing room. “And then he says, I congratulate you, you’re going to do it.” A goosebumps moment for Kovac – and a sign of how special this ESC atmosphere is. “You can feel this love in the whole hall.”
For him, the competition was more than just a competition. “It’s not competition.” Rather, he remembers a feeling of community that stays with him to this day.
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For the now 69-year-old, the performance still has a very personal dimension. Born in Slovenia and raised in Germany, with this performance he is, in a sense, returning to his old homeland. His parents were incredibly proud “The son is now singing for Germany in the former Yugoslavia. That was the greatest thing of all.” This moment means everything to his family. And he himself is proud to have taken this path.
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It is anything but clear that the ESC will even take place. Things initially go wrong with the German preliminary decision. “The number begins very quietly with a stroking of the drums. And I had to hear it very carefully, that's my count-in for me. And that was missing. So I didn't get the first note.” A nightmare for every singer.
“I didn't hear the first note at all. And so I floated, like the first two and a half bars. Like a record that you then put up.” Inside he almost died. But in the end it's still enough to win. Luckily there are no problems in Zagreb. “I wasn't nervous. Except for the first note.”
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The collaboration with Ralph Siegel, the composer of “Frei zu leben” also began by chance – and developed into something special. “Ralph and I met in the night café at four o’clock in the morning.” The night café was a legendary Munich jazz, blues and swing bar where world stars often stopped after their concerts.
Kovac remembers the first encounter: “I met Ralph Siegel – no joke – as THE rock'n'roller par excellence.” By this he primarily means his attitude: “A rock 'n' roller has to live and die for what he does. And that's what Ralph does.” He has “the greatest respect for this man. We are still good friends to this day.”
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What happened to Chris Kempers – and where does Daniel Kovac live today?
He goes separate ways with duet partner Chris Kempers after the ESC. “I know that she sang in musicals at the Schauspielhaus in Bochum years ago.” But nothing more.
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Today Kovac has completely changed his life. Since Corona he has lived with his wife in Croatia, more precisely in Istria near Pula. There he enjoys a different pace, more lightness – and above all the music. But one thing has remained: “‘Living freely’ is still in my repertoire.” A song that has long been more than just an ESC entry for him. It's a part of his life.
Sources used: own RTL research
