Introduction

• Participant(s): Albina
• Song: Tick-Tock
  
• Writer(s): Tihana Buklijaš Bakić, Max Cinnamon
• Composer(s): Branimir Mihaljević
• Broadcaster: HRT
• Social media:     
  
• Team review: 

Thanks to the Croatian broadcaster HRT, the popular music festival DORA has been continued, despite of Corona. Unlike other countries, where the selected singers from last year could get another chance, Croatia made the decision to start freshly with 14 new participants in Opatija.

The most outstanding contribution has been the song “Tick-Tock” from Albina Grčić. This entry received both the highest votes from the juries and the Croatian public, so Albina won the DORA and the ticket to Rotterdam. She could even beat the ex-representatives Tony Cetinski and Nina Kraljić.

Albina Grčić was born in the lovely town of Split in 1999. She learned to play the piano at an early age and studied English, Literature and History later. She took part at the well-known format “The Voice Hrvatska” (The Voice Croatia), where she could show her wonderful voice. Alongside, having the former ESC representative Vanna Croatia as a coach, Albina reached the third place. Albina also performed “En Cambio No”  from Laura Pausini and the Bosnian ESC song from 2012 “Korake ti znam” from Maya Sar .

With her Eurovision Song “Tick-Tock”, Albina is going to set a new era in the Croatian ESC music. This is the first song since years, which is contemporary and danceable with an international approach. There are some similarities in the rhythm and arrangement which reminds to Billie Ellish’s “Bad Guy”, even if it’s a totally different song. There is a groovy atmosphere, a clear melodic chorus. The song is about the end of a relationship:

Tick-tock, watch the days go
I'm losing track of time
Lost in your playzone
Don't overcomplicate
Now we're in warzone

Combined with a good and elaborated choreography, this entry will do well in Rotterdam.


History

• Debut: 1993
• Participations: 26
• Victories: 0
• Finals: 18 (7 since 2004)
• Top 10: 6
• Chances for Top 10 placing: 23%
• Chances for Final: 54%

Normally, this year would have been the 27th time for Croatia in the Eurovision Song Contest, but the Corona pandemic has destroyed all dreams. Hence the year 2020 will not be taken into account and this year will be the 26th entry.

As a former part of Yugoslavia, Croatia immediately participated in the 1993 Eurovision Song Contest with the debut entry “Don’t Ever Cry” sung by Put and made a good 15th place. In that year Croatia had to enter an international pre-contest, which was held in Ljubljana, Slovenia. Only Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Slovenia could qualify on that special occasion for the ESC in Millstreet, Ireland.

The former Yugoslavia has joined the ESC in 1961, there were 27 contributions and one victory “Rock me” by Riva in 1989. In the following year the ESC has taken place in the now Croatian capital of Zagreb which was hosted by Oliver Mlakar and Helga Vlahović. A truly memorable contest with very nice intro, postcards and interval act.

With all the new countries in the ESC since 1993 not only the number of the participating countries has increased, also the variety of music has grown. The ESC gives a lot of artists a great opportunity to step on an international platform. It has often been criticised that the ex-Yugoslav countries vote for each other in a preferred way. It should not be forgotten that all these countries have singers which are popular all over the Balkan so it’s more than natural that such a singer gets votes from the whole region and the taste of music is similar.

The best results for Croatia could have been achieved between 1995 and 2002: six Top 10 places! After that it seems that the interest has decreased massively, both in the quality of the songs as well as the points from the other countries. This has caused a time when Croatia did not pass the semi-final round four times after another and pausing. The only two performers after were Nina Kraljić and Jacques Houdek, who reached the Grand Final at the ESC.

Biggest successes

• 2x 4th place
  “Sveta Ljubav” | Maja Blagdan (Oslo 1996)
  “Maria Magdalena” | Doris Dragovic (Jerusalem 1999)
• 1x 5th place
  “Neka Mi Ne Svane” |Danijela (Birmingham 1998)

Video Nostalgia

• “Don't Ever Cry” | Put
  Rank 15, Millstreet 1993
  
• “The Strings Of My Heart” | Vanna
  Rank 10, Copenhagen 2001
  
• “Nebo” | Nina Badrić
  Rank 12 (semi-final), Baku 2012