# Klemen Slakonja

Klemen Slakonja (born 3 June 1985) is a Slovenian actor, singer, comedian, television host, and musician. He was employed at the Ljubljana Slovene National Theatre Drama and acting between 2010 to 2018. He is set to represent Slovenia in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 with the song "How Much Time Do We Have Left".
He studied at the Academy of Theatre, Radio, Film and Television. Slakonja is known in Slovenia for his comedy sketches often made in the form of music videos as well as for anchoring various TV shows such as the Eurovision Song Contest in his home country. He has made numerous impersonations of Slovenian musicians, Slovene philosopher Slavoj Žižek, Pope Francis, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Angela Merkel and others.

## Career

He was born in a Slovenian border town Brežice. His early impersonations started around second year of high school. He started his career at local Radio Energy near his home in the town of Krško, which is the most known for having the only nuclear powerplant in Slovenia. He was the radio anchor and he was hosting many different kind of local events.

### 2007: Breakthrough after Radio Ga Ga show

In late summer of 2007, he hosted the home reception for Slovenian world class hammer throw champion Primož Kozmus in Brežice, to celebrate his silver medal from 2007 World Championships in Athletics in Osaka. To honour Primož Kozmus he translated the Slovenian Christmas song "Bela snežinka" to "Sivo kladivo" (Grey Hammer) and impersonated it with voices of various Slovenian popular musicians. That's when radio host Edi Štraus noticed him and recommended him to Sašo Hribar, satirical TV and radio host.
On 5 October 2007, Sašo Hribar invited Slakonja to make his first public performance on the national level to his satirical radio show called Radio Ga Ga where they are mocking mostly of out of Slovenian politicians and which is broadcast weekly on first channel of Slovenian National Radio. He imitated Slovenian ballad singer Rok Kosmač which was the breaking point of his career and after this performance suddenly became known to a wide Slovenian audience.
Just a month later in November 2007, he made the first public television appearance at satirical television show Hri-bar hosted by Sašo Hribar which was mocking animated characters, mostly Slovenian politicians. Show was broadcast on RTV Slovenia national television. Show hosted regular and also musical guests where Slakonja performed mocking Slovenian musicians with perfect voice and disguise impersonation.

### 2008: Host on national TV

On 17 February 2008 he became a national television host taking over popular Sunday afternoon family show called "NLP" on RTV Slovenia. He became a co-host with Tjaša Železnik who previously run this show alone for about two years.

### 2011: First time hosting EMA Festival

On 27 February 2011 he first time hosted EMA music festival competition, a Slovenian entry for Eurovision Song Contest 2011 and the winner was Maja Keuc. To honour this festival he wrote music and presented "16 let skomin", a mix song of all sixteen EMA festival winners; he also was spokesperson for Slovenia in the ESC Grand final. So far he was hosting this festival for three more times, in 2012, 2016 and 2020. In 2016 he presented "Putin, Putout" in the EMA show.

### 2013: Zadetek v petek & Je bella cesta

On 15 February 2013 he hosted his first own comedy show "Zadetek v petek" (Full on Friday) which was broadcast on commercial TV3 Medias. The whole thing was shot in Belgrade, however the show was canceled only few months later after only one season. Shortly after he started hosting his second own comedy show "Je bella cesta" (Damn) which lasted for two seasons from October 2013 to May 2014.

### 2015: Zadžuskaj hit song in commercial

He wrote "Zadžuskaj" (Juice it) song was released in 2014. He shot a music video in which he plays DeciDeci Klemzy, an awkward nerd character. Its jingle was used in a two commercials for health insurance company and became summer hit of the year 2015.

### 2016: Putin, Putout and international fame

His comedy sketch "Putin, Putout" gained international popularity. This was the first video he shot as part of his TheMockingbirdMan project. The video parodies Russian president Vladimir Putin. Shortly after airing on Slovene television, the comedy sketch was uploaded to Slakonja's personal YouTube channel where it went viral.
His second TheMockingbirdMan project video entitled "Golden Dump (The Trump Hump)" impersonating Donald Trump has premiered on 17 July 2016 at Siti Teater BTC Ljubljana. Two days later it was uploaded to Slakonja's personal YouTube channal.The third project was an imitation of Angela Merkel, the former German chancellor. The title of the song is "Ruf mich Angela".

### 2025: Winner of Ema 2025
## Work
### Radio

| Year | | Role |
| 2007 | "Radio Energy" (Radio Krško) | host |
| 2007 | "Radio Ga Ga" (Radio Slovenia 1) | satire |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2007 | "Hri-bar" | satirical late show |
| 2007 | "Osa" | short film |
| 2007 | "Vučko" | short film |
| 2008 | "Nekega lepega popoldne" (NLP) | family show host |
| 2009 | "Palčica" | short film |
| 2011 | "EMA 2011" | Eurovision entry selection host |
| 2012 | "EMA 2012" | Eurovision entry selection host |
| 2013 | "Zadetek v petek" | comedy show host |
| 2013 | "Je bella cesta" | comedy show host |
| 2014 | "Cipercoper" | animation voice |
| 2014 | "Zadžuskaj s Klemzyem" | commercial |
| 2016 | "EMA 2016" | Eurovision entry selection host |
| 2019 | "Zadnji večer s Klemnom Slakonjo" | comedy show host |
| 2020 | "EMA 2020" | Eurovision entry selection host |
| 2024 | "Kdo si ti? Zvezde pod masko" | comedy show host |

### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2009 | "Osebna prtljaga" | Vid |

### Web series

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2010 | "Dan ljubezni" | YouTube series (protective brother) |

### List of parodies

| Year | Title of parody | Impersonating | Role | Video |
| 2007 | "Hepatitis B" | Anžej Dežan | singer | YouTube |
| 2007 | "Urška" | Jan Plestenjak | singer | YouTube |
| 2007 | "S.O.L.I.S." | Tomi Meglič | singer | YouTube |
| 2007 | "You always dreamt about Njega" | Fredi Miler | singer | YouTube |
| 2007 | "Čakam te" | Rok Kosmač | singer | YouTube |
| 2007 | "S Katancem v JAR" | Vlado Kreslin | singer | YouTube |
| 2007 | "Hamburger in marmelada" | Rok Ferengja | singer | YouTube |
| 2008 | "Da veš" | Alya | singer | YouTube |
| 2008 | "Oda radosti" | Damjan Murko | singer | YouTube |
| 2008 | "Nor sem" | Dennis ex. Game over | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "Twelve" | Bono | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "You're beautiful" | James Blunt | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "Zero" | Enrique Iglesias | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "It ain't over 'til it's over" | Lenny Kravitz | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "Marío" | Ricky Martin | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "Left Outside Alone" | Anastacia | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "Viva la Corrida" | Chris Martin | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "Jodl Jodl (This time for Slovenija)" | Shakira | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "Sex Bomb" | Tom Jones | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "Bed of roses" | Jon Bon Jovi | singer | YouTube |
| 2011 | "Shape of a chicken" | Sting | singer | YouTube |
| 2012 | "Mi fa schifo questa vita" | Eros Ramazzotti Tina Turner | singer | YouTube |
| 2012 | "Slovenia Will Win" (Eurovision Song Contest) | One Man Band Aid Bono Sting James Blunt Elton John Chris Martin Vienna Boys' Choir Justin Bieber Lenny Kravitz Gospel choir Lady Gaga | singers | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Slash" interview | / Slash | musician | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Polka Gangnam Style" | Psy | singer | YouTube |
| 2013 | "JJ Style" | Janez Janša | politician | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Ti moja rožica" | Modrijani | band | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Cooking with Bojan Emeršič" | Jamie Oliver | cooking | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Najlepše otroške pesmice" | Eroika | vocal trio | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Nočem biti papež" | Franc Rode | cardinal | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Proposing to Hannah Mancini" | Hugh Hefner | Playboy | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Jasna Kuljaj" | Gregory House | actor | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Holivud hils" | Branko Đurić | actor | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Penzioner" | / Karl Erjavec | politician | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Dejan Zavec vs Chuck Norris" | Chuck Norris | actor | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Aplavz" | Lady Gaga | singer | YouTube |
| 2013 | "The Perverted Dance (Cut the Balls)" | Slavoj Žižek | philosopher | YouTube |
| 2013 | "La Mia Strada È La Mia Decisione" | Andrea Massi | skiing | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Zdaj prihajam in zdaj grem" | Magnifico | musician | YouTube |
| 2013 | "Modern Pope" | / Pope Francis | pope | YouTube |
| 2014 | "Gromska strela" | Modrijani | band | YouTube |
| 2014 | "Dragon, Dragone" | Goran Dragić | basketball | YouTube |
| 2014 | "Delam vse, kar dela Pahor" | Borut Pahor | politician | YouTube |
| 2014 | "Na veliko noč" | Soul Greg Artist | musician | YouTube |
| 2014 | "Put me zove" | Halid Bešlić | musician | YouTube |
| 2014 | "Sad je tu sve EU" | Oliver Dragojević | musician | YouTube |
| 2014 | "Zgoraj brez" | Tanja Žagar | musician | YouTube |
| 2020 | Slovenia’s 25 years in the Eurovision Song Contest | Winners of Ema | musicians | YouTube |
| 2025 | All Eurovision Winners (2000–2025) The Ultimate Eurovision Challenge by Klemen Slakonja | Eurovision Winners | musicians | YouTube |

## TheMockingbirdMan project

A project where he is impersonating and making fun of world leaders.
| No. | Title | Impersonating | Director | Premiere | Release date | Video |
| 1 | "Modern Pope" | Pope Francis | Miha Knific | Pop | 8 November 2013 | YouTube |
| 2 | "Putin, Putout" | Vladimir Putin | Miha Knific | RTV Slovenia Studio 1 (EMA 2016) | 27 February 2016 | YouTube |
| 3 | "Golden Dump (The Trump Hump)" | Donald Trump | Miha Knific | Siti Teater BTC Ljubljana | 17 July 2016 | YouTube |
| 4 | "Ruf mich Angela" | Angela Merkel | Miha Knific | | 3 July 2017 | YouTube |