EUROVISION 2022: CROATIA - DORA 2022 REVIEW

Croatia's Dora 2022 will have one night only final with fourteen entries. The voting will be 50/50 with ten regional juries and televote. In case of a tie public's vote will win.

To me this seems like quite an open field and live performances and staging will play a big role in the outcome, unless here are some big favorite artists with fan base to rule the televote I'm not aware of. So I'm not even trying to guess who wins but I do have my favorites, quite many of them actually.

Mila Elegović - Ljubav **

The verses are quite interesting but it all falls flat on the chorus. When the strings enter it gets better but all in all rather underwhelming.

Mia Negovetić - Forgive Me (Oprosti) ***

Why this sounds so familiar? Throwing in oprosti is nice and the highlight of the song.Otherwise there isn't much to tell. Pleasant. Nice.

Marko Bošnjak - Moli za nas ****

I really like the backing track, that choir and thunder waiting to explode at any point. Nice atmosphere and voice, this builds and keeps the attention up. Even if the real explosion never comes.

Jessa - My Next Mistake ***

Ooh aah.... safe and familiar but done quite nicely. Maybe not strong enough for Eurovision but if I was travelling and this came on radio I'd enjoy this a lot watching from the window the passing landscape..... Preferably in rain.

Zdenka Kovačiček - Stay on the Bright Side *

She may be 78 and a local hero but likes of Orietta Berti and Iva Zanicchi in Sanremo have shown how you can be still current and up-to-date. This sounds tired and old, thanks to very bad production. And why in English when she clearly has hard time pronouncing those lyrics? No, just no.

Tina Vukov - Hideout ****

Beautiful arrangement, I like her voice. I actually really stopped everything to listen to this. It must mean something, right? Then again, this doesn't develop into anything but just fades away ....

Roko Vušković - Malo kasnije ****

Another nice with good arrangement and atmosphere but not really going anywhere. These are the ones that will burn or shine live on stage.

Bernarda - Here for Love *

She's back with another overproduced, shouty screamy number. No.

Eric Vidović - I Found You **

Simil modern pop. But boring and uninteresting. There are 13 of these in a dozen sadly.

ToMa - In the Darkness **

Also this one offers nothing new. This song's been done better and stronger before with better vocalist, too. Revamp and standout live performance could save this. maybe.

Elis Lovrić - No War ***

Well, now here's a lot happening and the song builds and develops all through its three minutes. Live this will shine or go totally wrong. Hmmm....

Ella Orešković - If You Walk Away ****

This has a catchy vibe from the first seconds and builds up to a radio friendly summer hit song. Good arrangement, catchy with a lovely melancholy. Maybe my favorite out of these. Sadly in English, if in Croatia this would get a *****. Also this one comes to an underwhelming finish when three minutes is full....

Tia - Voli me do neba ****

Ok, finally some pure 80's sound, I was already wondering how come it hasn't made it to Croatia yet! Nice, I like this, she has a nice warm voice.The chorus is catchy and memorable.

Mia Dimšić - Guilty Pleasure ****

Ok, they have saved the best songs in the end. This one's pleasant and filled with interesting arrangement details. And I hope this works live as well.

Comments

Nina Badrić for Croatia

Croatian TV went for internal selection in the end and chose Nina Badrić. She has been around for almost 20 years and has released ten albums between 1995 and 2011. She has also treid to get to Eurovision four times already without a win (1993, 1994, 1995 and 2003). She is popular also in the other ex-Yogoslavian countries so let those 12s run in.... Listen her here: Moje oci pune ljubavi , Dat ce nam Bog , Nebo and Mama . And lovely Carobno jutro .

Sabina Babayeva for Azerbaijan

The Azerbaijani selection show for the represant was as long as the selection process for the five finalists. Kurt Calleja from Malta and Can Bonomo from Turkey were present with Ell/Nikki to see Sabina Babayeva to emerge as the winner after each and every finalist had done about zillion songs amongst other guests. Now the Azeri TV will shop around a suitable song for her.

SONGS OF THE YEAR 2015: #5 KRISTA SIEGFRIDS - ON & OFF

Krista Siegfrids is delivering nice pop tunes one after another and this one is particularly catchy and soon you will be singing along..... Hopefully her Melodifestivalen entry will be equally good!

FINLAND: LORDI RELEASES SEXORCISM - THEIR 9TH STUDIO ALBUM

Brand new studio album SEXORCISM is released tomorrow, 12 years and 5 days after their monstreous victory in Athens 2006 Eurovision song contest. It is quite possibly the most controversial Lordi album yet and already their 9th stuido album (plus three compilations and one Ep)

ESC 2016 WISH LIST: MARGARET FOR POLAND

Małgorzata Jamroży aka Margaret has also been tipped for Eurovision and apparently she did turn it down but she'd be perfect. She's got a look and persona you can't unnotice nor forget, she's got hit songs, she has been voted or nominated for everything from Trendy artist to the Hope of the Year, Fashion Icon and Glamour Woman of the year besides the usual best video, song, album, debut..... Oh she's also a fashion designer! She's very clever with social medias and would surely use it to her advantage if selected for Stockholm 2016. Her debut album is titled Add the blonde , do we need to say more? Except it includes mostly Swedish written pop tunes like Tell me how are ya , Wasted , Start a fire and Heartbeat . And of course her debut single and internationally noticed Thank you very much that you can enjoy below with all its anti-textil feel. I think she's Eurovision perfection, she's cheeky and fun, can we have her?

SWEDEN TRIES TO STEAL THE FINNISH KISS

We all know about Krista Siegfrids "lesbian kiss" and reactions to it in worldwide media, and especially in some more conservative countries like Turkey, Georgia and Greece (this blogger is still waiting for reactions from Azerbaijan and Russia). But that's not all, SVT is also featuring a gay kiss in their interval act. Martin Österdahl, the executive producer says they are expecting hard critic for it but think it's important finally to show some attention to the gay community in the show. It hsn't been easy for the gay fans and journalists in some present Eurovision contests in Belgrade and Moscow, not to even mention Baku! But... one question pops into my mind: when did they come up with this idea? Hmm... As we know, the interval and script's jokes and lines are worked until the last minute and for example Björn Gustafsson's part/lines have been cut after dress rehearsasl them being too provocative and causing protests from the commentators. ...

FINLAND: VIRPI KÄTKÄ NARROWLY MISSED THE SURVIVOR FINAL

Virpi Kätkä of CatCat fame came 4th in the Finnish Survivor against all odds, and was even the longest surviving female competitor. She managed to get this far by being friendly and helpful to everyone and staying out of any major fights and double-talk. Or so we thought.... she confessed afterwards it was just the game she played! She was voted out in unison by the remaining guys in a rather ugly way. after Kim won the last challenge and got safety when the other had planned to vote him out. No one wanted to be in the final against Virpi anyways so she would have been next one out perhaps but Kim's victory messed it all up. Kim is actually Kim Herold, of Humane Euroviisut 2007 (7th) fame. Let's see if he misses the final two as well and is on the next Plane Away. Virpi took her elimination "the same way I did with Eurovision, five minutes of depression, get over it and that's it!" she told. And the bikini in top photo she found in Thailand and as ...

THE ABBA REUNION 2016 - WATCH THEM SING TOGETHER AGAIN

The 2016 Eurovision song contest organizers didn't manage it - or any of the previous ones either nor those offering them millions of dollars - but they seem to get together for birthdays, the way the old friends do. Back in 1999 they performed together in a private party for Görel Hansel's 50th birthday, and now to celebrate the first meeting of Björn and Benny 50 years ago. Venue was Stockholm's Bern's Salonger and once again in a private setting but today even they can't stop the cell phone videos and social medias. Enjoy the magic of Frida's and Agnetha's voices again.

FINLAND: REMEMBERING KIRKA

GOODBYE, FAREWELL...

The time has come. After all these years, 5,7 million visits, 12.000 articles I guess the time has come. As much as I love and care for Eurovision it just doesn't feel the same. The Corona years took their toll and the past two years and certain decisions have helped me to mature the idea that next year I will hear the songs for the first time in semi-final just like any so called local. The bubble has burst. Add the toxicity in social medias and fandom. The arrogant teenagers who saw their first contest somewhere 2017 or even 2021 who think they know it all and only their opinion matters. Did I mention the toxic atmosphere on social medias? I'm too old for that sh*t. It's been a long ride that took me to various Eurovision on spot as a fan and tourist, as a journalist, as a delegation member. I met some great people, made memories of lifetime. In stressful, sad periods of my life this blog has been my safe place, a place to escape and forget everything else for an hour o...

Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

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