Croatia

Andrea Šušnjara

About Quick Facts NameAndrea Šušnjara Born26 February 1987 Nationality🇭🇷 Croatian National SelectionDORA 2009DORA 2004 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongLijepa Tena (& Igor Cukrov, 2009) Biography Biography of Andrea Šušnjara Andrea Šušnjara, born on February 26, 1987, in Split, Croatia, is a talented Croatian singer and songwriter known for her captivating voice and dynamic stage presence. Her journey in the music industry began at a young age, and she quickly rose to prominence as one of Croatia’s most beloved performers. Early Life and Career Beginnings Andrea showed an interest in music from a young age. She participated in various local singing competitions and talent shows, which helped her gain recognition and experience in performing. Her passion for music was evident, and it wasn’t long before she started making a name for herself in the Croatian music scene. Breakthrough and Eurovision Andrea’s major breakthrough came in 2009 when she represented Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest alongside Igor Cukrov. They performed the song “Lijepa Tena,” written by Tonči Huljić. The song was selected through Croatia’s national selection, Dora, and went on to compete in the Eurovision final held in Moscow. Although the song finished in 18th place, it was a significant milestone in Andrea’s career, exposing her to a broader European audience. Collaboration with Magazin In 2010, Andrea became the lead singer of the popular Croatian band Magazin, one of the most well-known pop bands in the region. Her collaboration with Magazin marked a new chapter in her career, and she quickly became a fan favorite. With Andrea as the lead vocalist, the band released several hit songs and albums, further solidifying her status as a prominent figure in the Croatian music industry. Notable Singles and Performances Throughout her career, Andrea has released numerous singles that have topped the charts and resonated with audiences. Some of her notable singles include “Sijaj zvijezdo,” “Bojim se,” and “Kasno je.” Her performances at various music festivals and concerts have garnered widespread acclaim, showcasing her versatility and strong stage presence. Entries Lijepa tena (& Igor Cukrov) Country🇭🇷 Croatia Year2009 LanguageCroatian LyricsVjekoslava Huljić MusicTonči Huljić BackingsIvana ČabrajaJelena MajićSanja JukićKarmen Matković Results Semi Points: 33Position: 13 (backup jury qualifier)Running order: 1 Results Finals Points: 45Position: 18Running order: 5 https://youtu.be/jdLct2IqcLA?si=MPyubULW3Z91NZU7

Igor Cukrov

About Quick Facts NameIgor Cukrov Born06 June 1984 Nationality🇭🇷 Croatian National SelectionDORA 2009 In Eurovision2009 Moscow SongLijepa tena (& Andrea, 2009) Biography Igor Cukrov, born on June 6, 1984, is a Croatian singer-songwriter, musician, and television personality. From an early age, Igor showed a strong interest in music. In 1991, he won first prize in Moj prvi nastup, a competition led by Remi Kazinotti. Two years later, in 1993, he won first prize for the first voice of “Pojišan” school and secured third place among all schools in Split. In 1994, Igor participated in the children’s version of the Split Festival, singing “Mali vrabac.” His talent continued to shine, and in 2003 he won the first prize for the first voice of Šibenik-Knin County. By 2007, he performed at the Split Festival with his single “Duša mi je bili kamen” and earned a prize for the best debutant. He also gained valuable experience as a tenor with the a cappella Cambi singers. Igor gained significant media attention in 2008 when he participated in Operacija trijumf, the Balkan version of Endemol’s talent show Star Academy. The show, which began on September 29, 2008, featured young talents from the former SFR Yugoslavia. Igor impressed audiences with his diverse repertoire, singing opera songs like “Con te partirò” by Andrea Bocelli and rock songs like “Angie” by the Rolling Stones and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith. Although he was expelled on the 13th gala event, judge Tonči Huljić later stated that Igor’s expulsion was an injustice. After Operacija trijumf, Igor aimed to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest 2009. He teamed up with Andrea Šušnjara and performed the song “Lijepa Tena,” written by Tonči Huljić. The song won the Croatian final, Dora, on February 28, 2008, and qualified for the Eurovision final from the second semi-final. The song finished in 18th place. In 2009, Igor released several singles, including “Mjesečar” and “Nebesa” (with Magazin). He continued to perform at various festivals, such as the Pjesma Mediterana in Budva, Montenegro, where he sang “Moja draga” in 2010. That same year, he also released “Prolij vino po meni” at the CMC festival Vodice. In 2011, he released the singles “Caca moj” and “Fali mi” under Hit Records, along with “Haljina na pruge.” In 2012, Igor performed “Dalmaciju minjat se ne može” at the Trogir fest and “Ajdemo jube” at the Splitski festival. He achieved third place at the Ohridski festival in Macedonia with “Korak po korak” in 2013 and released “Slučajno” featuring Ana Duderija-Šucur. In 2015, Igor continued to make waves with “Kraj mene si ti” featuring Bojan Delic at the Festival Suncane Skale in Montenegro. He also won first place at the Trogir festival with “Prida bi se mandolini.” His other notable singles include “Treba li mi netko kao ti” in 2010, “Za one što su kao mi” at the CMC festival Vodice in 2012, “Znaes li” at the Skopje fest in Macedonia in 2013, and “Sanjaj Hrvatska” at the CMC festival Vodice in 2013. Igor released “Jedna duša jedno tilo” in 2014 and “Jedino ti znaš me va dušu” in 2015 at the MiK – Melodije Istre i Kvarnera. In 2015, he also released “Volio sam cure” at the CMC festival Vodice and “E moj admirale” at the Splitski festival. In 2016, he released “Daruj sreću novim ljudima” under Hit Records, followed by “Da te zagrlim” in 2017. His most recent single, “Svoj na svome,” a collaboration with Mile Perkov, was featured at the CMC festival Vodice in 2022. Entries Lijepa Tena (& Andrea) Country🇭🇷 Croatia Year2009 LanguageCroatian LyricsVjekoslava Huljić MusicTonči Huljić BackingsIvana ČabrajaJelena MajićSanja JukićKarmen Matković Results Semi Points: 33Position: 13 (backup jury qualifier)Running order: 1 Results Finals Points: 45Position: 18 Running order: 5 https://youtu.be/jdLct2IqcLA?si=64z93hEYKaWmrV8G

Malmö Messages: yesterday’s pressconference

photo: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett Yesterday, after winning the tickets to the final, the 10 winners headed to the winners’ pressconference. We of Eurovision Universe were present at this press conference. Cyprus Silia Kapsis said it was a huge opportunity to be here. She was super proud and super happy. About her country of birth, Australia, she said she was proud as well that the Australians showed their culture. It was her goal to make her country proud and after this, to grow as a pop artist. Serbia Teya Dora said it was crazy; the rehearsals, the performance; it was all super exciting and she was happy. She wants to make her country proud and give the best she can, with the best placement. She loves it that so many people watched her performance. And about Konstrakta, who was in the introduction film, she loved her amazing energy. Lithuania Silvester Belt thanks the audience. To all the bullies from the past he has a message: “I know you are struggling. And to the little boy I was: I love you so much”. The biggest challenge this week was sleeping. About singing in the Lithuanian language he said: “only Lithuanians wanted me to sing in English. Everybody else said I should sing in Lithuanian.” Ireland Bambie Thug said they are completely dissociated after this succes, but also that they are super proud. They have a small team and they are en independent artist, yet they reached this. And also, they are the first non binary artist in the contest. Bambie revealed that they met the rules of the EBU: texts like Ceasefire and Free Palestine were not allowed, so Crown The Witch was the only text left. On the question what made them special, Bambie answered “What makes me special is that I’m a queer”. Ukraine Alyona Alyona explained that she and Jerry Heil raised fund to rebuild Ukrainian schools. She called for donation. Half of the money is there, but you can donate via United24. “Children are our future”, Alyona Alyona stated. Jerry also stated that it was great to be in Malmö now. It was a super possibility to say thank you for your help. And yes, they felt pressure, because they felt Ukraine expected something from them. Croatia The performance was way better than the rehearsals. Before going on stage, Baby Lasagna tried to empty his mind, but before him Poland performed; that song got stuck in his mind. About his first place in the odds he said that odds are just numbers, it’s not over ’til it’s done. He felt comfortable in Malmö as Eurovision is, in his opinion, the next level of professional, with all the sound- and camerawork. The energy to him was fine. Slovenia Raiven said she was grateful. She was unsure about the result and doubting all the time. That meant going to the final was a huge surprise for her. When it comes to making music and visuals she went with her instinct. “The staging is really me, and I am very satisfied with it”, she said. About the fact that she was called Eurovision’s opera diva, she said that it is great to hear that people checked her background. Finland It was our own Kal (!!) who had the opportunity to ask windows95man a question. Due to the lyrics of the song “No rules”, Kal was interested to know which of the many rules of Eurovision had to go in his opinion. “More nakedness! For everybody!”, windows95man replied without any hesitation. Windows95man also told that he got help in preparing for the show. Before the show the men do some physical exercises. Portugal Iolanda from Portugal thinks that music can be whatever you like. She wrote the song in her grandmothers house. Her message is that you can do a lot with not so much money. She designed the act with the stage director and the choreographer. She also added that she believes music connects. Luxembourg “I nearly had a heart attack”, Tali explained, “It was brutal, but the camera was approaching and I thought…. maybe”. In Tali’s opinion Eurovision is a beautiful contet that unites. She was thrilled and was hoping to inspire other countries to return to Eurovision. “Music is my life, my therapy, my everything”, Tali stated.

In the spotlight: Baby Lasagna

Tomorrow is finally the day; the first semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest takes place in the Malmö Arena. 15 countries compete for a spot in the final. One of them is Baby Lasagna, representing Croatia. But who is he? Let’s give him a spotlight. Baby Lasagna is a project, created by Marko Purišić, who was born on July 5, 1995 in Umag, Croatia. He has a younger brother named Martin, who is also a musician. Coming from a teachersfamily Marko expressed that he would have most likely become a teacher too if he had not decided to pursue a musical career instead. He did however, work as a children’s assistant in an elementary school for a year until quitting to study public relations in Zagreb. Purišić had previously also studied tourism and sound engineering. Career From 2011 to 2016 and 2018 to 2022, Purišić was as guitarist for Manntra, a Croatian rock band. They participated in Dora 2019, (The national final for the Eurovision Song Contest) securing the fourth position with the song “In the Shadows” with a total of 12 points. Following his tenure with the group, he transitioned to pursue a solo career in 2023. On 21 October 2023, Purišić released his debut single “IG Boy” under the pseudonym Baby Lasagna . Two months later, in December 2023, his second single “Don’t Hate Yourself, But Don’t Love Yourself Too Much” was released. Dora 2024 Baby Lasagna was on the B list for the National Song Contest in Croatia, and was told very last minute that there was a dropout and he could take the vacant spot. The rest is history; he came, saw and conquered convincingly. The song Rim Tim Tagi Dim serves as the third single for Baby Lasagna’s debut solo album, “Demons and Mosquitoes“. The song is to capture a national dilemma, as Croatia has been described as a country of emigration. More people are leaving the country than ever before. The song explores the mass exodus of young people leaving Croatia, and the effects it has on those leaving and those that are left behind. The title Rim Tim Tagi Dim literally means nothing. Google it (I did), you won’t find a translation. Rim Tim Tagi Dim is more of an expression of a rhythm. Eurovision in Concert In Amsterdam, last april, during the Eurovision in Concert weekend, our reporter Kal spoke with Marko. Croatia and the Eurovision Song Contest After the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992, the various former states also continued independently of each other in the Eurovision Song Contest. Croatia made its debut in 1993, along with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia. The country has been represented at the Eurovision Song Contest almost every year since that year. Of the countries belonging to Yugoslavia, Croatia achieved the best results in the first years. Between 1995 and 2001, with one exception, the top 10 was achieved every time. The Croats achieved their best performances in 1996 and 1999, when the country finished fourth. Will Baby Lasagna manage to make it to the final? No doubt about that. Will he win the Eurovision Song Contest? We’ll know on Saturday.

Malmö Messages: party animals, tradition and strong women

Croatia: For a long time, Croatia was the number one with “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” according to the bookmakers. Now he’s in second place. The story is known: the song tells about young people leaving Croatia to find their fortune elsewhere. This is depicted by someone walking with a suitcase. The whole group wears traditional clothing. Baby Lasagna has not been praised for his singing talent so far, but that doesn’t seem to harm him. Split or Zagreb next year? Iceland: The friendly Hera Björk, who kindly spoke to us a few days ago, is back. With flair and enthusiasm, and without us having to worry about her vocals, she stands on stage. However, we do have a concern: the song. It doesn’t seem to make much of an impact yet. While Hera easily made it to the final in 2010, the odds currently give her a 29th place. The final seems far away. Slovenia: Many bodies around the Slovenian Raiven as she sings her Veronika. The dancers, all in bodysuits and with a lot of nudity, portray the story of this strong woman with her. Vocally, everything is well. But whether the beautiful but sad story of Veronika will be understood? We hope so! With a 19th place, the bookmakers are positive for now. Finland: What Käärijä can do, Windows95man must have thought he could do too. We have our doubts about thát, but what he and his companion Henri Piispanen definitely succeed in is throwing a party. With the blurred Windows95 logo, the underwear, and the way too short 1970s jeans, the entry stands out. “No rules,” sings the man who follows the rules perfectly. Moldova: We don’t understand it. Why wasn’t Natalia Barbu, who sings her “In the Middle,” allowed to bring all her look-alikes from the national final? Now she has added everything: butterflies, blossoms, wings, a violin… but she stands there alone. In 2007, she had to pay for her trip if she didn’t make it to the final. She did make it, but hopefully, she doesn’t have such a deal with the Moldovan broadcaster again. The bookmakers have her at 36th place.

Malmö Messages: orange light, cats and more demons

Even after the lunch break, there were new and fresh rehearsals, with even one, or perhaps two, favorites for the final victory taking the stage. We started with Ukraine. Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil sing for that country about Teresa & Maria. They bask in orange light. Alyona wears a high ponytail and a wide silver-gray coat, Jerry has her hair loose and wears a beige-like dress. We also see Jerry standing on some sort of wooden stump. Both ladies perform both individually and facing each other. Because Ukraine is currently in fifth place for a final victory, this is an entry to pay extra attention to. The Polish Luna sings “The Tower.” Luna tries to rectify the mistakes she made in the past; she shows that in the music video. Anyone who watches the video carefully might recognize this story in her current performance. She wears a white top with red dots on the shoulders. Here again, a demon emerges, in this case, one from the past. Luna stands on two towers, between which she later stands. As she does so, she is dressed like the demon. The moon is depicted in the graphics. Croatia was long number 1 with the bookmakers. Baby Lasagna is now number 2 with “Rim Tim Tagi Dim.” In the same traditional clothing with puffed sleeves that we already know from him, Baby Lasagna appears on stage. The act is a fine-tuning of what we have already seen during the Croatian pre-selection. At the end of the act, we see three dancers dressed as cats. An entry to keep a close eye on. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists.

🇭🇷 Road to Malmö: Croatia

We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Croatia. Baby Lasagna Born in 1995, Marko Purišić, better known by his stage name Baby Lasagna, has carved a unique niche in the Croatian music scene as a vocalist, lyricist, and record producer. His musical journey includes a significant stint as a guitarist for the Croatian rock group Manntra between 2011-2016 and then from 2018-2022. During his time with Manntra, they achieved notable success, especially with their fourth-place finish at Dora 2019 with the song “In the Shadows”. After parting ways with Manntra in 2022, Purišić embarked on a solo career, showcasing his diverse talents. He played a pivotal role in co-writing tracks for “Ravenblack,” the twelfth studio album by the German rock band Mono Inc., which soared to the top of the German album sales chart. His contributions included hits like “Princess of the Night” and “Heartbeat of the Dead”. Transitioning to a solo artist, Purišić released singles under the moniker Baby Lasagna, with his breakthrough solo track “IG Boi” debuting in October 2023. His subsequent single, “Don’t Hate Yourself, But Don’t Love Yourself Too Much”, further cemented his place in the music industry. In a landmark achievement, Baby Lasagna won the national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, Dora, with “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” on February 25, 2024, setting the stage for him to represent Croatia at Eurovision 2024 with this self-penned song, showcasing his evolution from a band member to a solo phenomenon. Yugoslavia in the Eurovision Song Contest Yugoslavia participated in the Eurovision Song Contest from 1961 until 1992. Several Croatian entries have taken part, some very succesful. The first time RTV Zagreb won the national selection in Yugoslavia was in 1963 with Vice Vukov‘s “Brodovi”. The Trubadurs of Dubrovnik won the contest with “Jedan dan” in 1968, an international hit song. A total of nine times, RTV Zagreb provided the entry, most succesful when Rajko Dujmić and Stevo Cvikić where responsible for the entries. In 1989, Riva won the contest with “Rock me baby”. Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest As an independent country, Croatia first took part in the contest in 1993. With “Don’t ever cry”, the group Put were the first entrants for Croatia. The national selection in most occasions is called DORA, also this year. Most succesful so far were Maja Blagdan in 1996 with “Sveta ljubav” and Doris Dragović in 1999 with “Marija Magdalena”. The Bookmakers Currently, the betting odds predict Croatia as the winner of the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest. If that happens, it would be the first victory ever for the country. However, the top position for Croatia is not with a landslide, Italy is coming closer and closer. It’s gonna be exciting…. The song And this is the song:

🇭🇷 Baby Lasagna wins in Croatia

🇭🇷 Will Croatia select Baby Lasagna tonight?

Tonight the final of Dora, the national selection of Croatia, will be held. Out of 16 songs, Croatia will select an entry. Already for weeks, it’s Baby Lasagna who is the hot favourite. But will he win though…. or will someone else. The show starts at 20.15 CET and you can watch it here. These are the participating songs: nr Title Artist(s) 1 Dijamanti Natalie Balmix 2 Vodu piti trizan biti Mario Battifiaca feat. Robert Ferlin 3 More Lana Mandarić 4 Can we talk Boris Štok 5 Stretnih dana dat’ će bog Stefany 6 Do mjeseca Pavel 7 Ne plačem zbog nje Saša Lozar 8 Ne vjerujem ti Lara Demarin 9 Baba roga Let 3 10 A tamburitza lullaby Alen Đuras 11 Tišine Eugen 12 Slatke suze, gorka ljubav Vatra 13 Voljena ženo Damir Kedžo 14 Rim tim tagi dim Baby Lasagna 15 Gasoline Marcela 16 Lyin’ eyes Vinko Boris Štok was 13th in 2023.Saša Lozar took part in the 2011 heats.Let 3 represented Croatia in the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest with the song “Mama šč!”. Damir Kedžo took part in the heats in 2011. He was supposed to represent Croatia with “Divlji vjetre” in 2020, but the show was canceled due to COVID19. Last year he became 5th.

🇭🇷 Croatia: results are in again!

The results of the second semifinal of DORA, the Croatian national final, are in. Eight songs will head to the final next Sunday. That makes the line up for the final complete. Tonight’s finalists are in bold: Lu Dedić sings “Plavi leptir” James Night sings “Nebo plače” Lara Demarin sings “Ne vjerujem ti” Alen Đuras sings “A tamburitza lullaby” The Splitters sing “Od kad te sanjam” Boris Štok sings “Can we talk” Baby Lasagna sings “Rim tim tagi dim” E.T. sings “Pametnom dosta” Vatra sings “Slatke suze, gorka ljubav” Damir Kedžo sings “Voljena ženo” Natalie Balmix sings “Dijamanti” Marcela sings “Gasoline”